Tag: Chants of Sennaar

While you need PS Plus Premium to access certain game trials, that doesn’t mean every demo on the console is gated by a paywall. In fact, as I was doing some exploring in the PS Store I found an entire section dedicated to demos. In this age of Steam Next Fests providing lots of opportunities to try games before you buy or that you otherwise may not have, I think it’s great to have consoles involved in that too. While they don’t have their own festivals yet, there is still an interesting catalogue available.

I don’t know about everyone else, but gaming at my PC is an entirely different vibe to gaming on my PS5. Feet up on the couch, blanket at the ready, candle on and controller in hand, it is the coziest of times. I find console to be perfect for night time wind down game sessions, so I have decided to use these sessions to make my way through 10 of the available demos.

This is a ranked list, so keep scrolling to see my favourites!

10. Fall of Porcupine

Fall of Porcupine is a unique story adventure. The collision of work and daily life – an exciting reflection of an unhealthy healthcare-system. Experience the exciting story of Finley and his friends in a lovingly illustrated world and uncover the darkest secrets of Porcupine and its residents.

Upon booting up Fall of Porcupine I very quickly was reminded of Night in the Woods. Not only because of the anthropomorphic animals, small town energy and autumnal vibes, but the layered, colorful, simple yet bold aesthetic is very pleasing to my eye. The gameplay feels similar in that sense too. This is a narrative first game and walking around talking to other characters is a big chunk of what you are doing, followed by minigames as you carry out your duties and other tasks.

While I enjoyed the ending of the demo, the rest didn’t really grab me in any big way. Partly that is my fault, as I realized a little way in that the themes of failing health care systems may be a little too real and sad for me to really want to spend time exploring at this current time. But other that that I also felt that the game was just a little slow for me. One of the mini games didn’t seem to be working for me and I wasn’t super engaged in the activities I was presented with. I did really enjoy the character designs, but the aesthetics weren’t quite enough to make up for the other parts that didn’t quite hit for me.

Demo Length – 1+ hour
Would I play more? – No

9. BROK the InvestiGator

The very first PUNCH & CLICK! Brok is an innovative adventure mixed with beat ’em up and RPG elements. In a grim world where animals have replaced mankind, what kind of detective will you be?

As mentioned in the description above, Brok the InvestiGator is a point and click adventure and a 2D side scrolling beat ’em up in one. I am on the record for being a lover of the former, particularly the detective kind. But I am really not a fan of the latter at all. I thought I would try it out because I like to judge every game individually and every game could be the one that helps a genre click. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case, and predictably, I really liked half of what this game was while really disliking the other half.  

The adventure side of the game had everything you would expect, with fun additions like interrogations that I particularly enjoyed. Another great detail is that there are often multiple approaches to a problem, allowing you to dive in fists first, or sometimes even avoid combat all together. Something else to be celebrated are the adaptability options, allowing the game to be as inclusive as possible, whether that is for people like me who would alter the difficulty for entertainment purpose, or more importantly adaptations for visually impaired folk so they get to enjoy the game too. Despite this, unfortunately the game didn’t click with me. I suspect the potential for combat at any time combined with the classic cartoon aesthetic were a little far outside of my preferences. Having said that I would urge anyone else that is curious to give it a go.

Demo Length – 2 hours 30 minutes
Would I play more? – No

8. NEO: The World Ends with You

“Only the possibility of you can change our fate”
Rindo comes to the grim realization that his life is on the line when he is forced to compete in the so-called “Reapers’ Game.”

This one feels very heavily inspired by Persona 5 (maybe others but I have only played 5 myself), at least in a visual sense. It takes place in some of the same locations but that isn’t the only reason. It clearly strives to have its own strong, bold, recognizable style in the way that Persona does. In some ways this works out, I particularly like the comic-esque UI that NEO adopts when a conversation is taking place. Conversely, sometimes it feels slightly over stylized for my tastes, and while the music will be perfect for some people, for me it left me wishing for something a little more catchy or memorable.

NEO: The World Ends with You is an action JRPG set in the streets and districts of Shibuya. On a seemingly regular day, something changes and our protagonists are drawn into a game. The overall game itself consists of animated cutscenes, dialogue, moving around areas solving quests and combat. Attacks stem from pins which you collect and level up as you go.

The idea of my game characters being in a game themselves is always a fun one to me, but one of the reasons it didn’t work for me was because I could not connect with their response. They were not asking any of the questions that I wanted to ask and after playing for 2 hours, the game still did not tell me what the first line of the description above is about. There is a chance that my issues stem from the writing and the pacing, but there is also a chance that what this game adds up to be is just not for me. It is a shame because the game systems evident in the menu (collectibles, levelling up pins etc) looked enticing. Sadly it just seems to be one of those game where I like the idea of a lot of it, I just don’t enjoy the gameplay that goes along with it.

Demo Length – 2 hours
Would I play more? – No

7. Toodee and Topdee

A cosmic turbulence caused the 2D Platformer and the Top-Down Puzzler dimensions to merge! Switch between Toodee and Topdee and their unique perspectives to overcome hard-as-nails challenges, solve mind-melting puzzles and defeat huge bosses.

It doesn’t take long for Toodee and Topdee to show what makes it special. The seamless transitions from 2D to top down on command never ceased to make me stop and think ‘coooool’. This is a puzzle platformer which is a genre that can be so hit or miss for me that I almost didn’t give this one a go. I am really glad I did though because even though it isn’t entirely for me, I love to see the wild things that are being created by people much cleverer than myself.

What I didn’t expect was to be taken in so much by the opening. The story set up was fun and strong and it made me immediatly more interested to stay along for the ride. You are controlling two characters but never at the same time, so while this game can be played in co-op, it is also perfectly playable solo. In fact, I am very curious to how this game would feel to play with another. Since so many of the puzzles feel timing based, I could see it making or breaking relationships.

Demo Length – 37 minutes
Would I play more? – Probably not. Maybe if it was on PS Plus and I had company.

6. Final Fantasy XVI

The 16th standalone entry in the legendary Final Fantasy series marks a darker turn for the RPG franchise, with a complex tale of revenge, power struggles and unavoidable tragedy.

Final Fantasy XVI reimagines the series’ iconic summons as Eikons. These deadly creatures are housed within Dominants, men and women who inherit their immense power at birth – whether they like it or not.

I put off playing this one for a while because I knew I was long, but once I got started time completely flew by. I should say, the only Final Fantasy I have played is a chunk of FF14 and the first hour or 2 of FF7 Remake, so the only expectations that I had were from the praise I saw in the media, and any marketing material I saw. And as is often the case, my expectations were quite different from what the game actually is.

Final Fantasy XVI feels big, epic and dramatic – particularly the opening – but I did feel like I sometimes struggled to follow what was going on on the screen. Particularly when creatures of any scale were involved and/or lots of particles and effects. Whether that is deliberate or not is one consideration, but for me it breaks my immersion a little, as it goes from ‘woah, that’s neat’, to ‘I literally have no idea who is winning this fight’ and I just have to wait till the action is finished to catch up on what happened. That isn’t my only issue with the style.

There are plenty of quieter, character focused moments with lots of relatively short cutscenes strung together, telling the story of what is going on. The style of the game means that these scenes transition via fade to black, and I can’t say I have ever been bothered by that before – I even use it myself sometimes – but the regularity it was happening, despite how nit picky it feels, really started to bug me. I can’t say what could be done differently, but every single time it happened I felt a little more irritated as I lost my immersion once again.

All of the complaints above are VERY subjective. None of them mean that I didn’t enjoy the game overall. I am so down for the medieval fantasy war setting. Every time anything felt familiar enough, a fantasy element or creature entered the scene and gave me a fleeting delight. Fleeting because of course the plot is very dark and serious. Political drama and intrigue, backstabbing, grief and bad circumstances feel like they are all going to be themes going forward and they are themes I enjoy a lot.

It’s just, from one of the latest AAA titles to release, I did expect maximum immersion so got a shock when it wasn’t quite as ‘smooth’ as I expected. But other than that, I loved phoenixes as a theme, the music is great, there is some cheesyness to balance out the dark and I am still interested to see where it goes. Sometimes stylistic differences are something that I grow to love over time so a demo potentially isn’t going to give me the best impression of a game like this.

Demo Length – 2 hours 30 mins
Would I play more? – I think I would

5. Sea of Stars

Sea of Stars is a turn-based RPG inspired by the classics. It tells the story of two Children of the Solstice who will combine the powers of the sun and moon to perform Eclipse Magic, the only force capable of fending off the monstrous creations of the evil alchemist known as The Fleshmancer.

The only JRPG’s I have really played are Pokemon and Persona 5 but I am very interested in broadening my horizons. On one hand, that means I don’t have a huge base for comparison but on the other, I get to come in with fresh eyes and have an experience I can’t compare with anything else.

I did enjoy what I played. I particularly liked the character designs when shown in their portrait form. The dungeon was interesting with different types of areas but the boss did feel like it took forever. It was quite an adjustment for me to get used to how to play, particularly having timing based reactions in turn based combat. Many times I completely screwed up my plan with bad timing and had to rethink what I was doing. But navigating the point spending systems as well as the ability types was fun and I would be interested to continue.

Demo Length – 1 hour 30 mins
Would I play more? – Yes

4. Viewfinder

Challenge perception, redefine reality, and reshape the world around you with an instant camera. Viewfinder is a new single player game offering gamers hours of interesting and fun experiences while uncovering the mysteries left behind.

I could be inclined to compare Viewfinder to Superliminal, Maquette or even The Unfinished Swan, but the only reason for that would the use of innovation and creativity. In reality, this game doesn’t really compare to any other.

How does this game work? I do not know. I think you have to try it yourself to really feel how bizarre it is to get to alter the environment right before your eyes. It is mind bending and trippy and I can only imagine how surreal the full game gets. It is also artful and the demo does a great job of showing you the possibilities of what is still to come.

Based on this incredibly quick demo, my only complaint is that the narrative felt slightly disjointed to me. I was dropped into the game and there was some dialogue but I couldn’t even tell who it was aimed at. I would imagine that this is a product of the demo and the main game has a clearer set up as opposed to the abrupt start. But if that is the only complaint I have then I would say that is a pretty successful start! Also, I have to shout out the menu UI. It looks great.

Demo Length – 25 mins
Would I play more? – Yes

3. Mythic Ocean

Teach the gods to create a better universe – or mess it all up in Mythic Ocean, a narrative exploration game where your choices shape the fate of the cosmos.

Mythic Ocean already had a head start for my affection by being set underwater, but upon going in with no expectations, I got so much more than I bargained for. I was immediately struck by not only the beauty of the graphics, but how enjoyable the dialogue felt. I have played a few games in which I feel there is too much dialogue at the opening, going for flavor over substance and losing me fairly quickly. This game did the opposite where the opening conversation was not only pleasant to have but intriguing.

In my hour playing I was starting to get concerned that I was playing the entire game. But even though it is relatively short, there is a replayability to it due to the nature of the gameplay. To start, you are exploring different biomes, interacting with the beings that live there. As you find who you are looking for, you enter conversations, giving them advice and potentially influencing their actions. More characters are added in the full game giving more different outcomes for your decisions.

The vibes were great, the audio was great and I loved the characters. One in particular was my favourite (no spoilers) and it was a joy getting to know them. I only wish that everything I did was in the full game instead as I would like to see where it would have lead!

Demo Length – 1 hour
Would I play more? – Yes

2. Process of Elimination

A hapless student named Wato Hojo finds himself among a group of talented detectives and must take part in their investigation to stop a prolific serial killer that hides among their ranks. Can they solve the case before they’re all eliminated?

This is the first of the demos that I played and I enjoyed it so much, I didn’t think anything would top it. On a day that I wasn’t feeling well, I was looking for something that would entertain me while requiring minimal input and this was it. Process of Elimination is a visual novel. It is mysterious and while some horrible things are happening, the cast of characters keep it energetic and fun. We find our self in the weirdest of situations and going along on the ride is very appealing.

Obviously, visual novels contain a lot of text sections, but quite a way in the game also reveals that there is more to it. The demo only contained the tutorial version, but there are gameplay sections all about investigation. I almost want to call them turn based strategy, in which you set up your team in the grid based environment. Using abilities and leadership, you guide the team in an attempt to solve the mystery you are faced. I don’t feel like I played enough of this to know how much I like it, but it is certainly an intriguing concept that I would like to jump back into.

I had never heard of this game before stumbling upon it in the demo section of the PS Store, and with some research I found it isn’t the easiest game to obtain. It is only available on PS4 (PS5 by extension) and the Switch. I don’t know the reasons that it is only on these specific platforms but it is a shame because I certainly had a tonne of fun during this opening section. If you do have a console and it sounds interesting I would definitely recommend giving it a try.

Demo Length – Long (I didn’t time this one but I was sad when it was over).
Would I play more? – Yes, I intend to eventually

1. Chants of Sennaar

Legend says that one day, a traveler will reunite the Peoples of the Tower who are unable to communicate with each other. Observe, listen, and decipher ancient languages in a fascinating universe inspired by the myth of Babel.

Chants of Sennaar is what I like to call a logic based puzzle, with added freedom to explore. It is a game of translation in which we figure out what people are saying based on the interactions we have and the environment around us. The further you progress, you simultaneously feel more and less understanding. More as you begin to recognize common words, less as you don’t yet know the new context around them. But finding new unidentified words is an exciting moment, setting the brain into motion about what they could mean.

In a game about deciphering language, the lack of external dialogue is an expert choice. The minimalism serves it beautifully, allowing the player to give their full attention to the current moment and recalling anything they have already learned that could be relevant. This tone is served aesthetically too, with an art style reminiscent of Sable and a palette akin to Journey, it is easy on the eye and soothing on the brain.

I absolutely loved this demo. Considering it is on the shorter end of the length scale compared to some of the others I played, it left a long lasting impression and the desire to decipher this entire language.

Demo Length – 45 mins
Would I play more? – Yes, right now please!

There we have it, 10 demos currently available on the PS5. While I don’t necessarily recommend them all, I appreciate every single one of them for giving me the opportunity to try them out without having to make any commitments.

I had a blast doing this and would love to do more in the future, although they will probably be shorter, 5 or 6 seems like a good number!

If you enjoyed this, below you can find more similar content including other game lists, first impressions, favourites and recommendations.

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