Dark Envoy – Steam Next Fest Demo Incoming

Event Horizon recently announced a limited, request-based demo for their upcoming tactical RPG Dark Envoy. But apparently, that was merely a test of the waters, as the game will be participating in Steam’s Next Fest that will be taking place between February 6, 2023 and February 13, 2023.

This more public demo will offer roughly an hour and a half of gameplay featuring two missions, three playable characters with four classes available to them, an assortment of systems, and a series of tactical battles.

Here’s a press release with some extra details:

Gdynia, 26 January 2023: Dark Envoy is a love letter to classic tactical RPGs with a modern approach to combat. The creators of Tower of Time invite all Steam PC players to visit the mysterious land of Jäan during Steam Next Fest (February 6 – 13) where the Dark Envoy Demo, offering gamers two hand-picked missions that introduce the story and its world-changing choices, will be available for free. Follow adventurous siblings, Malakai and Kaela, on a handful of their thrilling escapades.
Jump straight into quests that tease the looming threat of the conflict between the League and the Empire that will unravel in the full game, test your combat skills in random dungeons that are also part of the demo. Play with the classic RPG mechanics built on classes with various tactical twists!
About Dark Envoy Demo:
Three characters to control.
Two handpicked missions, showcasing the story together with its mechanics.
Two side locations.
Character customization for both siblings.
Four classes: ranger, adept, engineer and warrior up to level 4 (without the specializations).
Tactical environment that can both help and sabotage your battle.
Different locations: mines, desert, ruins, city, forest.
Crafting/enchanting.
Different types of enemies.
Showcase of skill tree / perks and attributes distribution.
Variety of spellcasting.
Boss fights.
Dark Envoy Demo will be available for all players for free during Steam Next Fest (6-13 February 2023).

Then, if you’d like to know what you’ll be getting yourself into here, you might want to read this WCCFTech preview based on the very same demo build. A quick excerpt:

The demo features lots of gameplay, which has left a positive impression on me. For those not in the known, Dark Envoy was originally conceived as a turn-based game before the developers experimented with real-time with pause combat and eventually switched to it. As such, there are some remnants of the older combat system, such as plenty of environmental interactivity with a variety of objects, such as cacti that release needles causing bleeding when hit, destructible covers, and more. These elements make combat feel more dynamic than basic real-time with pause combat, forcing players to focus not just on skill usage but also on positioning. All of the combat mechanics are properly explained with in-game menus, which make the experience feel quite accessible, even to newcomers.