Do you like indie games, and playing demos, and do you also own an Xbox? Well, great news! During GDC, Xbox’s indie sector ID@Xbox has dropped a dozen demos of choice indie games for Xbox players to give a red-hot go.
Starting today and running until March 27th, 12 different demos from different indie developers will be available to download on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles. The games vary greatly, from horror FPS titles to live-action mysteries. Some of the games are console renditions of already-released games, meaning players can have a look at how they run on Xbox, and some of them are completely brand new.
So I thought it might be nice to give you guys a geeze at what’s on offer, and may you can give them a go!
ArcRunner
TrickJump Games
ArcRunner is a Cyberpunk-style action roguelike set in the far future where you must save The Arc from destruction. This game looks incredibly sick, and the options of ‘soldier, ninja, or hacker’ in each run is tight. I’m very keen to give this one a go.
Backbeat
Ichigoichie
BackBeat is actually already out (we talked about it on the podcast!), but who doesn’t love a try-before-you-buy situation? BackBeat is incredibly entertaining, being a mashup of puzzle and strategy games with the added bonus of dynamic music. It rocks AND rolls.
BattleCakes
Volcano Bean
Battlecakes is a (literally) sweet little turn-based RPG. You play as Birthday Sprinkle, a cupcake hero that you customise to your liking, and you make all sorts of friends that will help you save the day in this candy world. It’s very cute.
Booom-Slang!
Skermunkel
Booom-Slang! is a top-down, twin-stick, FMV-infused action game that revolves around hunting creeps, collecting treasure, trading in resources to obtain power-ups and competing in a myriad of different play modes. It’s made by solo dev Tiaan Gerber, who I can only assume is the guy wearing all the animal hats.
Boxville
Triomatica Games
Boxville, as described by its developer, is an animated film mixed with a puzzle game. This game was originally released on PC and Android devices, but is now making its way to Xbox consoles. It looks very sweet, but also sad!
Evil Wizard
Rubber Duck
Evil Wizard is a humour-filled action RPG where you play the bad guy. You are a former Final Boss, and now you’ve got to work to become even stronger than before to get your castle back from these pesky ‘heroes’. Not only do I love this concept, but the pixel art is divine.
Fall of Porcupine
BUNTSPECHT.GAM
Fall of Porcupine is an engaging narrative adventure where you journey through the ups and downs of a failing healthcare system. It’s as if the show Scrubs had a pigeon as its protagonist. If you’re a fan of Night in the Woods, you should absolutely give this one a go.
Fractal Space
Haze Games
Fractal Space is a first-person 3D-platformer set in a mysterious space station. Equipped with a jetpack and a taser, you must make your way through zero-gravity puzzles and attempt to learn more about the space station, why you’re in it, and how to escape.
Sker Ritual
Wales Interactive
Sker Ritual is a 1-4 player FPS horror gamer that, if Steam reviews are anything to go by, is somewhat reminiscent of COD Zombies. It’s a round-based multiplayer survival horror spin-off of Wales Interactive’s previous horror game Maid of Sker, and it looks pretty yucky!
SOULVARS
Ginolabo
SOULVARS is a pixel art turn-based deckbuilding RPG that actually first appeared on mobile devices, and is pretty highly rated on them too! You play as the Soulbearers, and must fight against the grotesque Dominators. I’ve actually played the mobile version of this and I loved it!
The Isle Tide Hotel
Interflix Media/Wales Interactive
Ooooh, real people! The Isle Tide Hotel is a live-action interactive mystery game with 7 main endings available with 14 different outcomes. You follow the story of an absentee father that must rescue his teenage daughter from a cult. Actually very keen on this!
The Library of Babel
Tanuki Studio
The Library of Babel is a stealth platformer inspired by Jorge Luis Borges’ short story of the same name as well as Apocalypse Now. You explore a world set 20,000 years after the extinction of humanity, populated by highly-advanced robots. This whole game just looks so freakin’ beautiful. I’m hyped for this one.
Is there anything here that you’re keen to give a go? Let us know!
Leave a Reply