Play it on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Windows
Current goal: Have the gameplay draw me in as much as the aesthetic
When I first stumbled upon Demon Turf a few months ago I was really struck by its charming combination of super-cute 2D sprites and 3D-rendered worlds. I legit thought it was a highly polished Doom mod (you know the type) but no, it’s actually a modern Unity-engine production that just totally nailed the retro aesthetic. It finally ended up in my Steam library thanks to the current Humble Bundle (11 days left!) and I’ve enjoyed taking it for a spin.
Demon Turf is basically an N64-style 3D platformer with hub worlds leading to self-contained levels, but thankfully it leaves Rare’s mania for item collecting in the past. Instead there’s a greater focus on skillful platforming, and Beebz, your cute, short-statured heroine, has a suitably capable repertoire of specialized jumps, spins, and other maneuvers.
The action is super smooth, though I’ve definitely noticed the lack of Nintendo-like levels of polish in stuff like tutorials and UI, which leaves the game a little rougher around the edges than the genre’s best. I haven’t been sucked in super hard by the action or exploration, yet, but I find the aesthetic so strongly executed that I keep wanting to give Demon Turf more time. More 2D/3D hybrid games, please. — Alexandra Hall
And that’s it for our selections this week! What games will you be playing?