Demon Tides Review
Movement is the star of the show in Demon Tides.
Demon Tides. Credit: Fabraz
Demon Tides is Fabraz’s open-world 3D platformer and a direct sequel to Demon Turf. It leans hard into what the studio calls “expressive platforming,” the idea that there’s no single correct way to tackle a challenge with the game’s deep, flexible moveset. Getting from point A to point B isn’t about following a prescribed route; it’s about finding your route.
After becoming queen of the demon realm in Demon Turf, Beebz receives an invitation to Ragnar’s Rock, a neighboring ocean kingdom. Things aren’t exactly peaceful there. A strange red coral is spreading, the locals are rebelling, and the tyrannical King Ragnar—who also happens to be Beebz’s long-lost father—is at the center of it all. The story plays out through cutscenes and dialogue with a light, jokey tone that didn’t quite click for me. It’s serviceable, but I was here for the movement.
Demon Tides. Credit: Fabraz
The easiest comparison I can make is a mashup of Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker. Controlling Beebz feels like controlling Mario, but with less weight and a deeper aerial toolkit. The level design echoes that late ‘90s 3D platformer sensibility, full of open spaces and vertical playgrounds. The Wind Waker parallel comes from the open world structure: levels are spread across a vast ocean that Beebz can swim between freely.
Talismans let you tweak Beebz’s moves in meaningful ways. You can adjust her spin for more horizontal or vertical reach, fine-tune her air dash, and generally shape her movement to fit your playstyle. The standout ability is her snake transformation, which launches her across land and sea at high speed. It injects a bit of Sonic-style momentum into a game otherwise rooted in Mario-like platforming, and it’s an absolute blast to use.
Demon Tides. Credit: Fabraz
That said, the camera is a recurring frustration. I found myself constantly babysitting it when I just wanted to focus on movement. It also doesn’t auto-track during rail grinding, which feels like an oversight in a game that demands precision.
The traversal can get legitimately tough, which makes the checkpoint flag system one of the smartest features here. You can plant a flag almost anywhere and instantly warp back to it, much like a save state. It cuts down on repetition and frustration without undercutting the challenge. Being able to reset on your own terms cuts down a lot of frustration.
Demon Tides. Credit: Fabraz
Visually, the cel-shaded look is bright and expressive, with bold colors and chunky character designs. Cutscene animation can feel stiff, though I quickly stopped caring as I lost interest in the story. I had to lower a few settings to maintain 60fps on the Steam Deck, but even with them scaled back, the game still looks great.
Demon Tides succeeds where it matters most: it’s simply fun to move around in. The story may not stick, and the camera can test your patience, but the expressive movement carries the experience. If you love 3D platformers, there’s a lot here to dig into.
Demon Tides is available now on Steam.
Overall Score: 7/10
Played on: Steam Deck
