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Before I came across Demon Tides, I was unfamiliar with developer Fabraz and their brand of slick, colorful action platforming and exploration that they established with the first two games in their “Demon Turf” series. But after spending some time in their newest game, I can confidently say I’m addicted to it wholeheartedly. This bodes well for the fate of Bubsy 4D, the next game on the horizon from this developer. First though, we get this gem of a title that is absolutely bursting with content, charisma, and charm. Demon Tides grabs you by the fashionable collar and pulls you furiously across vast water zones in search of more and more answers and collectibles, with a healthy dose of narrative along the way.
Here, There, Flow Everywhere
You play as the infectiously confident Beebz, who leads a motley crew of characters in search of self-discovery, including figuring out what the heck is happening on the huge flying castle up above the land of Ragnar’s Rock. This overhanging air of mystery drives the story forward, with Beebz’ familial relationship to one of the land’s “evil doers” becoming a focal point. So what’s a demon girl to do but traverse the wide open seas for collectible “gears” to unlock more areas in the map and eventually earn her passable up to the curious castle. Making this task exciting is Beebz’ incredibly useful ability to transform at will and instantaneously to a number of different animal-like creature forms that enhance her movement and combat abilities. Whether it’s a snake that excels at excelling on water or land, a topsy turvy top that can dive down or float, or a little adorable bat that can give a burst of deadly speed or damage, you’ll be overwhelmed with the amount of “schmovement” options available to you. The devs describe their goal with movement to be “expressive platforming,” which is a fun way to say “get there however you can and want to.” Truly, I had to really “feel out” what methods felt right to me in certain situations, because some combinations of jumps, dives, and dashes could result in a very quick death when I leaped much farther or faster than I expected. Luckily, and most likely because of this freedom of movement, Demon Tides employs a nifty self-checkpoint system that allows you to freely place a flag down that you can teleport back to at will or after perishing. You can do this over and over whenever you want, and I had to get used to that ability quickly as I proceeded higher and higher or beyond dangerous obstacles. I’m not used to being fully in control of the “saving” process in this type of game, and it was a welcome (and much used) option.
Overall, I had an absolute blast exploring the islands that heavily dot the large circular water world given for you to liberate from evil monsters, bosses, and other hazards. Swimming up to a new hidden “level” and seeing what platforming experiences were in store was like revealing a little present over and over. In addition to your goal of collecting these gear items to proceed forward in the story and unlock more sections of the map, you grab these little purple orbs that can be used for cosmetics, trinkets, and more that improve your abilities or fashion-ability. You can have different “loadouts” of these that can focus on specific forms (like swimming faster or having more combat prowess) and allow for some strategic planning when you’re wanting to complete a troublesome boss battle or improve a time trial run attempt. Speaking of time trials, some areas you find have repeatable races where you can compete for the top spot against other players. These can include ghost models to race against, and are a lovely addition to a game that focuses on slick & quick movement. As I played, I continuously discovered new little tasks and things to find, and can’t wait to see what else is in store in the future areas. For example, in one of the central areas, I picked up a baby creature only to suddenly be tasked with bringing it up to the top of the mountain, without letting it touch the water or fall all the way down to the bottom. No longer were my practiced moves useful to me, as I had to carefully platform the old fashioned way, unable to transform and make things easier. It felt really satisfying when I completed it, and introducing new fun swerves on the established gameplay are a token of great games, in my opinion.
Colorfully Coordinated Chaos
Another highlight of special games is a unique, well-defined, and flourishing style. Demon Tides is a tidal wave of love for what the devs have created, and the joy they have for the world and characters they’ve crafted is evident throughout every visual decision. Even down to the ability for players to spray graffiti onto almost every surface, the creative vision of the game comes through. The world felt like one giant platforming park divided up into themed areas akin to Super Mario Sunshine, with plush textures and colors that gave me the feeling of booting up a classic N64 or Gamecube collectathon game. If I had one critique, it would be that the writing for some of the interactions between characters can seem a bit -too- kooky at points. Otherwise, I loved meeting the NPCs, especially the bosses, and absolutely could never tell what they would say before I started up a conversation, that’s for sure. Each had tons of personality and a touch of silly, and within the wackiness was a dose of real compassion between all these friends who have been through so much.
Awash with Audio
What would a fast-paced, splashy, in-your-face platforming game be without a poppy, flowing, techno-driven, just as in-your-face soundtrack? Boring, that’s what. Thankfully, Demon Tides knows exactly what their type of game calls for and delivers it expertly. You’ll find yourself bobbing to the beats left in your wake as you come into each new area, and every movement and sound that accompanies it feels natural and right at home in the style bursting through the screen and speakers. Short cutscenes can sometimes feature little special tunes, or boss fights can be backed by new tracks. The game’s audio, just like its visuals and gameplay, were filled with surprises
In Conclusion
Demon Tides packs a bombastic punch of peak platforming power that easily justifies its approachable price tag of $24.99 MSRP. You’ll get exactly what you’re looking for if the trailer piques your interest, and if campy convos and stylish schmovement sounds like your cup of tea, developer Fabraz brews an excellent cuppa with Demon Tides. I’m excited to see what they do next and hope it lives up to the bar they just set themselves.
Thanks to the developer for an unbiased review key. Demon Tides is available on Steam, and will eventually release on Switch.
