Demon Turf was one of those games that instantly drew me in with its aesthetics. Then, it surprised me with an extremely competent platforming experience. Sure, the latter stages may have been a little rough around the edges. But, it’s still worth diving into. But even after just playing the demo for Demon Tides, it’s easy to see that Fabraz learned what makes the game tick, and put all of the best parts into this updated 3D platformer. Plus, it’s just absolutely stunning to see in motion.

‘Demon Tides’ Is a Massive Improvement Over an Already Great Game

From the moment I took control of Beebz once again, I could almost immediately feel how much better Demon Tides felt to play. Controls are one of the most important parts of a 3D platformer, and everything here feels utterly fantastic. No matter if you’re taking it slow and steady, or trying to zip through the stage as quickly as possible, it’s all skill-based. The more time you’re willing to put into this experience, the better your time is going to be.

At first, I was certifiably rusty. I fell into the lethal goop at the start of the demo more than I’d like to admit. But once I got my sea legs back? We were so back. The gameplay of Demon Turf is fast, frantic, and feels better to play than 90% of big-budget platformers that I’ve sunk my time into. It’s a speedrunner’s dream come to life, and the spectacular level design and great controls just make it a joy to experience.

Even the characters that I had the chance to interact with were an improvement over the original game. Everyone is so expressive and full of life, and you can feel the chemistry between this whole group. Everyone is a joy to be around, even if DK does speak primarily in internet LOLCAT language. POGGERS LMAO.

Steam Next Fest has been a treasure trove for anyone hoping to find a new platforming obsession. For me? Ruffy and the Riverside and Demon Tides just so happen to check every box I look for when it comes to these types of games. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go race some more ghosts and get my timing down perfectly.