If you’re in the market for a 2D platformer in the vein of games like Blasphemous, Castlevania, and Dark Souls, the upcoming Skelethrone might just be for you. With plenty of non-linear Metroidvania progression and a 2D combat system clearly inspired by the work of FromSoftware, the game’s free Steam demo is definitely worth a shot.
With a Metroidvania game framework, Skelethrone just dropped a free Steam prologue, so basically a demo, that you can try right now ahead of the full release later this year. Called Skelethrone: The Prey, the demo channels the exploration and bosses of the full release, except the story takes place before the events of the main game.
After taking Skelethrone for a spin myself I was really taken aback by the art style, there’s a retro feel to it that I can’t quite place, but the environments and enemies still look great. The combat is a little janky so far, but it’s got all the tenets of a soulslike in limited heals, checkpoints, dodge rolling, soul collecting, and more.
I’m always one for giving these types of demos a chance, and Skelethrone is one that I’ve enjoyed quite a bit. It’s often difficult to go up against the greats of these genres, so I’m hopeful that Skelethrone sticks the landing.
You’ll find the Skelethrone demo available for free on Steam right here, with the full game set to come out around Q2 2024.
If you’re looking for more, we’ve got all the best platform games and soulslike games for you to choose from, with Skelethrone sitting comfortably between the genres.
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This story originally appeared on PC Gamesn