SPELLHACK!!

• Developer & Publisher: Computer Dream
• Release Date: Out Now!
• Platforms: PC

SPELLHACK!! is a survival deck-builder set in the 1980s where players assume the role of spell-wielding hackers attempting to protect a magical portal from various beasts, for long enough to upload doomdata to the network. The game involves a unique blend of resource management and tactical decision-making as players develop spells, decode magical codes, and duel with mystical creatures.

The game is split into two halves, with you exploring the city during the day to find upgrades for your spells and defenses. At night the real challenge begins as you need to defend the portal from a variety of beasts each with their own special powers. Over the 12 hour night time players will need to manage their energy, blood and time to defeat monsters and protect the precious portal. Unlike most deck builder, there's a timer along the bottom – so you can just take forever making the optimum moves. You'll need to be fast and flexible and keep the creatures at bay until 8am. It's a fresh new take on the deck-builder genre, with its super stylish retro visuals and fast paced gameplay.

Demo available on PC(Steam).

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD

• Developer: Retro Studios and Forever Entertainment S.A.
• Publisher: Nintendo
• Release Date: Out Now!
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch

Stomp enemies, blast out of barrels, ride mine carts, and more in Donkey Kong Country Returns HD for Nintendo Switch! This visually-enhanced version of Donkey Kong’s platforming adventure combines selected features from both the Wii and Nintendo 3DS releases, including the extra levels from the Nintendo 3DS version!

The demo gives you the opportunity to play three of the levels in the first ‘Jungle’ world of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD.

If you played the original DK Country, the nostalgia is strong with this one. I’ve not managed to play any of the previous iterations of Donkey Kong Country Returns, so hearing the familiar sound effects and soundtrack was glorious. The OG DK Country is still one of the best platformers out there for, and it’s great to see that DNA is still present in this version.

There are two ‘standard’ platforming levels, one that is very much like the first level in the original game. A second that has a cool art style, with Donkey Kong and Diddy being silhouettes in a tropical sunsetting backdrop. The third level is one of the infamous minecart levels to give you a taste of the variety of levels DK was known for.

There’s no indication if there’s a time limit on the demo, so expect it to be there for the foreseeable future.

Demo available on Nintendo Switch.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

• Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
• Publisher: SEGA
• Release Date: Out Now!
• Platforms: PC, Xbox Series, PlayStation 5

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii follows fan favorite Goro Majima, an ex-yakuza who wakes up on Rich Island near Hawaii with no memory of his past. Rescued by a boy named Noah, Majima gets caught up in a pirate conflict and sets sail in search of the legendary treasure aboard the Esperanza.

The game features beat ’em up combat with two fighting styles: the swift "Mad Dog" and the weapon-based "Sea Dog," which uses dual cutlasses and pistols. Explore islands, build a pirate crew, and engage in ship battles. There are also loads of minigames to enjoy, including karaoke, Dragon Kart, and a dating sim!

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a swashbuckling spin-off of the Like a Dragon series that has received hihg praise from critics and fans alike!

Read our review of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii here.

Demo available on PC(Steam), Xbox Series, and PlayStation 5.

Slime Heroes

• Developer: Pancake Games
• Publisher: Whitethorn Games
• Release Date: March 6th 2025
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One & Series, PlayStation 4 & 5, Nintendo Switch

As the last slime left, it is up to you to rid your world of corruption and become a hero! Play solo or with a friend through this 3D platformer souls-like, packed with colourful combat, devious dungeons, and slimy secrets!

Travel through several distinct biomes to save the six corrupted guardians, unlocking new weapons with different fight styles, learning and combining magical abilities you earn from fighting monsters, and discovering special hats that bestow powerful boons. There are challenging boss fights, secret passages, and sizable dungeons to test your skills in combat and magic.

Designed with co-op in mind, drop in or out of a friend’s game at any point, with loot shared so nobody misses out. With an excellent selection of accessibility options, Slime Heroes is set to be an approachable and entertaining adventure!

Read our review for Slime Heroes here.

Demo Available on PC(Steam).

Reignbreaker

• Developer: Studio Fizbin
• Publisher: Thunderful Games
• Release Date: March 18th 2025
• Platforms: PC

Fight the powers that be in this isometric action rogue-lite, set in a unique dystopian “medievalpunk” world. Play as Clef, a rage-fuelled rebel looking to topple the Kingdom, and bring the Queen and her Elite to their knees! Grab your trusty mechanised javelin, smash the system, and become the Reignbreaker!

Fight your way through the grand Bastion, filled with hordes of high tech medieval machines, devious traps, and shameless mountains of loot! Explore stylish hand-crafted levels and grow your arsenal of motorised javelins, as well as epic powerups to customise your playstyle. Death isn’t the end – come back stronger and more tenacious; embody the punk spirit!

Smash your way deeper into the Bastion and meet all manner of individuals, from jaded soldiers to haughty nobles. Uncover the mystical secrets at the heart of the Queen’s Kingdom, crush your oppressors, and lead the rebellion to glory and freedom!

Read our preview of Reignbreaker here.

Demo available on PC(Steam).

As We Descend

• Developer: Box Dragon
• Publisher: Coffee Stain Publishing
• Release Date: March 27th, 2025
• Platforms: PC

As We Descend is a roguelike deck builder that requires a lot of strategy, patience, and planning. Protect the last city of humankind while interacting with different characters, recruiting soldiers, and even exploring the undercity if you're lucky. While behind the wall you'll use allies, envoys, and other non-fighting characters to explore the city and recruit favor. These envoys and non-fighting characters will be pivotal as you navigate the politics behind the wall. There will also be random encounters in certain areas so use your best envoy and other political allies as you can to build your reputation and town favor.

Once outside of the wall, you'll be fighting monsters using your squads to clear the way for scavengers to explore the depths. Find money, resources, and technology to keep your city safe. As We Descend requires you focus not only on the squads you recruit but also on their position on the battlefield. Each squad will also have access to unique cards during combat allowing you to shift your battle strategy as you go deeper in this world. You'll also want to be mindful of the favor you accrued in town as these will unlock the use of cards that can empower your squads to do more damage, create a better barrier, or other helpful actions. Keep your lantern safe because if the light goes out, the battle is over, that is until you return with a revenge battle, if you can.

The battles won't always take place in the wilds. Prepare your defenses along the way as even if you keep fighting enemies each turn, you'll have to protect the city each round from being overrun. If the light in the city goes out, it is game over, your descent is over and mankind is doomed. At least until you begin a new run. Each descent brings new challenges, new NPCs, and new strategies to handle the dive. Your deck will change each time and you can unlock new squads, skills, and events as you play through the demo. 

How low can you go when humanity is on the line? Test your skills with this challenge demo before its full release on March 27th!

Demo Available on PC(Steam).

Karma: The Dark World

• Developer: POLLARD STUDIOS LLC
• Publisher: Wired Productions, Gamera Games
• Release Date: March 27th 2025
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4 & 5 (Xbox release later)

Karma The Dark World is a first-person cinematic horror thriller that has been compared to the works of David Lynch and Kojima. You will take possession of a few different people throughout your adventure (unknown exactly how many), where a story will be told through the memories you take control of about the Leviathan corporation and their dystopian dealings.

What exactly has the Leviathan corporation been up to with these little blue pills? Who is Mother and why are people so quick to worship her so willingly, or is it as willing as it seems? These are some of the questions you’re going to attempt to answer on your journey in Karma: The Dark World.

Read our preview for Karma: The Dark World here.

Demo available on PC(Steam).

INAYAH – Life After Gods

• Developer: ExoGenesis Studios
• Publisher: Headup
• Release Date: March 27th 2025
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One & Series, PlayStation 4 & 5, Nintendo Switch

INAYAH - Life after Gods is an upcoming 2D action-platformer set in a post-apocalyptic world where players control the eponymous Inayah, an orphaned outcast on a quest to find her lost tribe. Navigating the remnants of a once-advanced alien civilization, Inayah is guided by the spirit of her deceased mentor, uncovering secrets that redefine the meaning of family.

The game features beautifully hand-drawn visuals and metroidvania-style exploration across diverse biomes, each filled with hidden paths and treasures. Inayah wields a multifunctional Gauntlet that can transform into Blades, Fists, or a Flail, each offering unique combat and movement abilities. Players can switch between these forms seamlessly, tailoring their playstyle to overcome various challenges.

INAYAH – Life After Gods is set to feature over 20 boss encounters, with a narrative shaped by player choices, leading to multiple endings. Interactions with various inhabitants and uncovering hidden lore further enrich the storytelling experience.

Read our preview for INAYAH – Life After Gods here.

Demo available on PC(Steam).

Promise Mascot Agency

• Developer & Publisher: Kaizen Game Works Limited
• Release Date: April 10th 2025
• Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch

Play as Michizane Sugawara, a yakuza who is exiled to Kaso-Machi, a small town full of out of work mascots. This demo will drop you right into the gameplay of re-opening and managing a mascot agency as the town is hoping to be revitalized. Michizane is rumored to be dead so he must run the mascot agency from the shadows with Pinky☆ as the face of the operation. While you'll have to play the full game to get the full introduction, the game does give you a quick overview of what is happening and what you have been thrown into. 

The demo gives you the opportunity to drive around town, find money, meet new mascots, mascot heroes, and support around town to help you grow your agency. Fans of simulation games will enjoy balancing out the earnings of your agency along with the pay for mascots. You can choose special bonuses, paid time off, or other perks to get them to join your agency. The mascots can also get in trouble on the job and need mascot support heroes to come in and save the day. This gives the game a bit of a deck builder feel as your support heroes are cards you'll play during events if you choose to answer the call.

If you wake up and choose violence, consider driving around town and crashing into signs of the local politician to show your contempt. Even an action like this in rural Japan can earn the agency a few fans along the way. Promise Mascot Agency also allows you to experience some of the cultural joys of Japan. As Michizane, take part in the local stamp rally to collect stamps around town to exchange with one of your employees as a town quest. You can also enjoy the vending machine culture as there will be a town quest to find collectables from an idol group.

Promise Mascot Agency is voiced by popular Japanese VAs such as Takaya Kuroda known for Kazuma Kiryu in the Yakuza and Ayano Shibuya recognizable as Purah in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The demo is a time based demo of about 90 minutes of playtime so enjoy while you can and be ready to wishlist one of your next favorite games on a platform of your choosing!

Read our interview with the directors of Promise Mascot Agency here.

Demo available on PC(Steam), PS5, and Xbox Series.

Blue Prince

• Developer: Dogubomb
• Publisher: Raw Fury
• Release Date: April 10th, 2025
• Platforms: PC

As the heir to Mt. Holly, you must traverse a mysterious mansion made up of 45 rooms to find the elsuive 46th room. Blue Prince is a genre-defining first person puzzle game that is just as much about strategy as it is about puzzle-solving.

Each locked door is an opportunity, as you pick which room is behind it, uncovering new items, puzzles, and rooms with each loop you undertake. Remember what you have learned on previous journey’s into the manor, and count your steps, because when you run out the run is over. Each day the house resets itself, with only your permanent upgrades carried between attempts.

Find or buy food to increase your steps, and use items you find to solve a puzzle spread across several rooms; truly a riddle wrapped in an enigma! Learn more about the mysterious nature of Mt. Holly and its previous owner, as you attempt to solve this house’s greatest puzzle. Do you have what it take to find Room 46?

Demo available on PC(Steam).

The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-

• Developer: Too Kyo Games, Media.Vision Inc.
• Publisher: Aniplex Inc
• Release Date: April 23, 2025
• Platforms: PC & Nintendo Switch

The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- is a blend of visual novel and tactical/strategy game play with an anime aesthetic from the minds of Kazutaka Kodaka and Kotaro Uchikoshi. Kodaka is known for the Danganronpa series and recurring themes of hope and despair, truth and lies, and a nice helping of dark humor. Uchikoshi is known for his work on AI: The Somnium Files and the Zero Escape series boasting lots of scientific and philosophical themes and plot twists that will blow your mind. If this sounds up your alley, keep reading. 

Play as Takumi Sumino, an average boy, living a boringly average life, that is until he is recruited to save the world when invaders ruin his safe mundane residential complex. Takumi joins 14 other students who will form the Special Defense Unit to keep their school and the world safe from invaders for the next 100 days. 

The demo will take you through the first seven days of the game where you'll get to meet only some of the characters who will make up the entire Defense Unit. Depending on your level of exploration the demo can span anywhere from about 4-7 hours giving you a taste of the visual novel and tactical combat.

The gameplay loop will have "School Life" and combat. School Life will include time you spend with your teammates, story scenes, and exploration. Combat will be your more standard tactical RPG style. Characters will come with their own special abilities and movement is limited by the grid map. You can also sacrifice your character with a "Last Resort" move that will deliver a devastating blow while also removing the character from the fight. 

The demo also offers replayability as you can spend your free time with different characters as you find who works best with you. Saves will carry over into the full game and pre-orders are open now!

Demo available on PC(Steam).

Amerzone – The Explorers Legacy

• Developer: Microids
• Publisher: Microids, Anuman, DreamCatcher Interactive
• Release Date: 24/04/2024
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Originally released on 4 CD-ROMs back in 1999, Amerzone is being lovingly remastered for today’s audiences. Amerzone is a faithful point-and-click adventure where the player switches between panoramic scenes and can interact with certain elements to collect items and solve puzzles as well as talk with people.

Based on the comic strip L’Amerzone, the game tells the story of a French explorer, Alexandre Valembois, who goes on an expedition to the mysterious South American country of Amerzone. There, he discovers many fantastical animals including a species of magical White Birds, who require human intervention for their survival

Amerzone has two separate time settings. You play as a journalist interviewing an explorer during 1998. There are flashbacks of 1932 that help flesh out the story. The game is full voice acted with Michel Barbey, Marc Moro, and Luc Gentil leading the charge. The demo looks stunning and lets you explore the beginning of the game. It took me roughly an hour to complete.

Demo Available on PC(Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series.

Nautical Survival

• Developer & Publisher: Idan Rooze
• Release Date: April 2025 (Early Access)
• Platforms: PC

Ride the waves and slay the horrors of the deep in Nautical Survival, a top-down roguelite auto-battler set on vast treacherous waters. Explore the ocean deep, upgrade your vessel with greater firepower, and hire crew to man your ship in order to survive this waterworld.

Nautical Survival is a solo developed game, with fast-paced action and heaps of customisation at its core, creating that “just one more run” feeling – the call to adventure! Explore procedural maps of endless blue to uncover upgradable land-based outposts where you can improve your vessel and drop your haul, you don’t want it getting lost at sea again!

Complete with satisfying sound design and delightful pixel art (I would be remiss to shout out the excellent colour scheme that really pops), Nautical Survival is launching into Early Access this April. The game will launch with 15 enemy types, 3 boss encounters, 12 types of auto-firing weapons, and a boatload more! Do you have what it takes to survive the maritime madness, or will you end up another sunken wreck at the bottom of the deep blue sea?

Demo available on PC(Steam).

Afterblast

• Developer & Publisher: Lumino Games
• Release Date: April 2025
• Platforms: PC

Afterblast is a First-Person Shooter with randomly generated dungeons. Play solo or Co-op against hordes of monsters and stand up to the Gods! Each run is different as roguelike elements are thrown into the mix, pair that up with some light bullet hell mechanics and you are in for a treat. 

Lumino Games have loaded up After Blast with tons of weapons and items to spice up each run. Plus permanent progress with each failed run makes you come back even stronger. Enormous Bosses and Puzzle rooms are all that’s stopping you from defeating the gods and defending your homeland.

Demo available on PC(Steam).

Necroflora

• Developer & Publisher: Dinoptique (SukkoyF)
• Release Date: Q2 2025
• Platforms: PC

A new evil has taken root – you! Grow your Necroflora, a horrifying multiheaded hydra plant, watch as it spreads across randomly generated maps, and slay hundreds of heroes trying to stop you. Unlock powerful passives to strengthen your plant, and seek out settlements to destroy to stem the flow of adventurers seeking glory from your demise. Learn from your previous runs in this strategy roguelike, and bring the world and its leaders to their knees!

Choose your starting plant and your selection of flowers, all with their own abilities to deal with the encroaching armies of humanity. Your hydra plant will grow organically, and you’ll have to grow subsequent flowers from the stems of older ones. Soon the world will be covered by your colourful creeping vines, as a new form of life begins to take over.

Necroflora is a solo developed game that hit its Kickstarter goal earlier today! While the demo is still missing some key features, such as audio, it still gives a great impression of what the final release will offer, with tons of replayability at the root of Necroflora’s design. We’ve all played at being the hero before, now it’s time to try sowing the seeds of evil!

Read our preview of Necroflora here.

Demo Available on PC(Steam).

Ryder

• Developer & Publisher: Yellow Tree Games
• Release Date: Q3 2025
• Platforms: PC

In this 3D puzzle adventure you play as the eponymous Ryder, a spiritual being with the power to control animals. Bond with over 60 creatures and use their unique abilities to solve environmental puzzles across four different biomes.

There are over 100 puzzles for you to solve along your journey to the peak of the Sanguine Mountain, using your animal forms to move and occasionally use glowing orbs. Learn the details of each animal you posses, from their speed and weight, to their special ability and rarity. With a bestiary containing 300 variants, Ryder is a creature collector of another breed.

The demo consists of part of the first area, Goldenwood, and five of the games’ many animals. Get a sense of what lies ahead on your journey as the Ryder!

Demo Available on PC(Steam).

Ruffy and the Riverside

• Developer: Zockrates Labs
• Publisher: Phiphen Games
• Release Date: Q1 2025
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One & Series, PlayStation 4 & 5, and Nintendo Switch 1 & 2.

Jump into a colourful and creative adventure with Ruffy and the Riverside and use your Swap powers to change the world around you! Play as the titular Ruffy and his sidekick Pip as you explore a sprawling hub and numerous levels full of baddies to battle, minigames to play, and puzzles to solve! Collect stars to unlock new levels, as well as many other collectables, and save the kooky cast of Riverside from the evil machinations of the nefarious Groll!

Harkening back to the 3D platformers of the N64/PS1 era, Ruffy and the Riverside captures that vibrant atmosphere and approachable gameplay while adding their own twist. The pairing of bold 3D environments with hand drawn 2D character sprites gives the game a striking and cartoony aesthetic, which is matched perfectly with a funky soundtrack.

The Swap ability is Ruffy and the Riverside’s highlight feature, and a literal gamechanger! With Ruffy’s powers you can scan and swap different textures around Riverside. Change water to ice to glide across pool, or switch blocks of stone for cardboard boxes which are much easier to smash! Ruffy and the Riverside invites gamers to experiment and explore like they never have before!

Read our Ruffy and the Riverside preview here.

Demo available on PC(Steam).

Demon Tides

• Developer & Publisher: Fabraz
• Release Date: 2025
• Platforms: PC

Jump, spin, dash, and so much more in the demo of Demon Tides, the new expressive 3D platformer from Indie developer Fabraz. The sequel to 2021’s Demon Turf, explore the vast watery kingdom of Ragnar’s Rock after Beebz and her friends recieve a mysterious invitation! Get to the bottom of this mystery, and have some adventures along the way, on this journey of self discovery.

Get to grips with Beebz’s many movement based abilities, including her snake tranformation, to traverse this platformer’s playground, combining abilities to amazing results! Meet the game’s kooky cast, collect Eyetems to spend on cosmetics to change your look, and talismans to enhance Beebz in a multitude of ways.

The demo consists of the game’s opening, tutorial, and access to the first area of Demon Tides. See how you match up against other players with the demo’s leaderboards, or just take it easy and get lost in this crazy world! As a bonus treat, players’ save data will carry over to the main game!

Demo Available on PC(Steam).

Twisted Tower

• Developer: Atmos Games
• Publisher: 3D Realms
• Release Date: 2025
• Platforms: PC

World-famous toy maker Mr. Twister has put velvet tickets inside 13 random toy boxes. This might sound familiar to some. Unfortunately, your prize will not be a joyful trip to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory instead it’s a one-way ticket to the most creepy theme park imaginable. Can you make it to the top of the Twisted Tower for the ultimate prize?

Set in an abandoned theme park resort during the 1950s, Twisted Tower takes inspiration from Bioshock and the world of Willy Wonka and pits you against deranged theme park mascots. But fear not, grab as many tickets as possible and load up on some outrageous weapons like the rubber band pistol or the fartin' shotgun.

Can you make it to the top of The Twisted Tower?

Demo available on PC(Steam).

Cairn

• Developer & Publisher: The Game Bakers
• Release Date: 2025
• Platforms: PC, Xbox Series, PlayStation 5

Showed off during The Game Awards last year, Cairn is the newest game from the team over at The Game Bakers (Furi, Haven). It’s described as a “survival climber” game where players control Aava, a professional climber, as she attempts to reach the summit of the mysterious Mount Kami. The gameplay focuses on realistic climbing mechanics, involving resource management of items like pitons, bivouacs, food, and water. Players are required to carefully plan their routes, avoid falls, and maintain stamina.

The demo currently has overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam, and they are very much deserved. The climbing is surprisingly intuitive for a game boasting realism, and the gameplay loop supports the game’s story, which revolves around themes of pushing beyond limits and overcoming obsessions, as Aava discovers the history of the mountain and encounters various characters along her journey. You are encouraged to explore, make strategic decisions, and solve puzzles presented as climbing obstacles. Definitely one to check out this year.

Demo Available on PC(Steam).

To the Grave: The Wildlands of Faenora

• Developer & Publisher: 2TG Entertainment
• Release Date: 2025
• Platforms: PC

To the Grave: The Wildlands of Faenora is a tactical RPG with roguelite elements developed by 2TG Entertainment. The game combines turn-based combat, strategic planning, and exploration in a medieval fantasy setting. Inspired by titles like Final Fantasy Tactics and Ogre Battle the game features squad based tactics with gorgeous pixel art. 

Set in the enchanted realm of Faenora, the game follows a hero’s quest to hunt a formidable Gryphon, equipped with a Phoenix Amulet that safeguards them from death. Along this quest, the hero unveils secrets that shape the destiny of Faenora. With dynamic path choices that affect your journey and unit customisation that allows you to mix and match weapons, armour and even upgrade your units. To the Grave: The Wildlands of Faenora is looking to be another great title in the roguelite tactics genre.

Demo available on PC(Steam).