Microsoft has added twelve ID@Xbox demos to the Xbox Store to celebrate GDC 2023. They'll only be available for a limited time and include Sker Ritual, Backbeat, Evil Wizard, and more.
This week, many members of the gaming community are spending their time in San Fransico for the Games Developers Conference 2023, and to celebrate the occasion, Microsoft has added twelve ID@Xbox demos to the Xbox Store — which you can download from our GDC 2023 hub. The event will run until March 27th, so you have about a week to take a break from some of the best games on Game Pass so you can squeeze the demos into your gaming schedule.
ArcRunner
TrickJump Games takes us to a space station to reset a rogue AI in ArcRunner. It's an action-roguelite that can be played solo or with friends and sees us blasting through a Cyberpunk-style world as an augmented, cloned human. We don't have a release date for ArcRunner yet, but it's heading to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One later this year. At the moment, it looks like ArcRunner's demo isn't live yet, but we'll add it to our hub when you're able to play.
Backbeat
Backbeat is a "creative strategic puzzle game" and homage to 1990s ensemble dramedies from Ichigoichie, which blends the sokoban and squad-tactics genres. You need to help your band navigate a number of challenges, manage your resources, and customise your music with a number of audio effect pedals to manipulate four threads of time in this strategy game. Backbeat actually launched on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One last week, so if you enjoy the demo, you'll be able to pick up the full release immediately.
BattleCakes
In Volcano Bean's turn-based RPG, you play as a customisable cupcake hero that has the choice to befriend or battle its foes. BattleCakes will see you saving a delicious world, making friends with other baked goods, and partaking in numerous cosy pastimes. BattleCakes has been on an extended delay since 2021, but we hope to see it head to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One this year.
Booom-Slang!
Take on the villainous Conductor Chaos in Skemunkel's twin-stick shooter Booom-Slang!. On your way to greatness, you'll have access to a host of single-player and multiplayer modes, which mix FMV sequences with low-poly art. No release window has been revealed for Booom-Slang!, but it'll be heading to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Boxville
This adventure puzzle game for Triomatica Games sees the grossly underrepresented community of speechless cans get some time in the spotlight. Boxville features "sophisticated logic puzzles" in a city comprised of boxes and doodles that you can enjoy with a friend in co-op. Unfortunately, Boxville is another game without a release date, but it's coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Evil Wizard
Evil Wizard from developer Rubber Duck is an action-RPG that tells the triumphant and humorous story of a Final Boss rising from defeat at the hands of a hero. You'll need to help the boss recover its long-lost powers and battle its way through enemies to reclaim its castle from the heroes that took it from you. No release date is known, but it's heading to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Fall of Porcupine
In Buntspecht.Games' narrative adventure game Fall of Porcupine, you'll take on the role of doctor Finley as he attempts to come to terms with his new job in the town of Porcupine. The game tackles subjects related to the struggles with balancing work and daily life as a result of an unhealthy healthcare system. Fall of Porcupine will be heading to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One later this year.
Fractal Space
Fractal Space is a first-person, story-driven adventure and puzzle game from Haze Games, and sees us attempting to navigate our way through zero gravity puzzles on a mysterious space station. We'll need to avoid traps, use our jetpack, and handle a taser gun to escape whatever the station holds. Fractal Space is another title without a firm release window, but it's heading to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One in the future.
Sker Ritual
This round-based, co-op survival FPS from Maid of Sker developer Wales Interactive sees us and up to three friends battle it out against waves of supernatural entities known as the Quiet Ones. We'll be able to upgrade our steampunk-style weaponry to take the fight to the creatures, and hopefully, be strong enough to withstand the supercharged elites that join the fray. Sker Ritual was supposed to launch last October, but we're yet to learn of a new Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One release date.
Sker Ritual Demo
The Quiet Ones are back in this round-based survival shooter and spiritual successor to the award-winning British horror, Maid of Sker! Face hordes of new and familiar enemies, supercharged elites with unique supernatural powers, upgradeable steam-punk weapons, interchangeable spine-chilling masks and mysterious story objectives from writing talent behind Maid of Sker, Battlefield 1 and Total War: Rome II. Designed for playing solo, or up-to 4-players online. Short of a teammate? No worries, the intensity of Sker Island’s hordes scale to the number of players. You could always find-a-friend over on the official Sker Ritual Discord. Note: The demo currently only features solo mode.
Soulvars
Ginolabo's Soulvars is a deckbuilding RPG with a pixel art aesthetic, which has us using turn-based combat to defeat the invading Dominators in high-speed battle. We already have the Soulvars achievements ahead of its June 27th launch on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, so check it out for a peek at what's to come.
The Isle Tide Hotel
Another Wales Interactive title, co-developed with Interflix Media, The Isle Tide Hotel follows the story of an absent father on the search for his missing teenage daughter from a cult. We'll need to investigate strange events to save the girl in this live-action mystery game. The Isle Tide Hotel will be heading to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One later this year.
The Library of Babel
Tanuki Studio's 2D stealth platformer game, The Library of Babel, is a graphic adventure-style game set 20,000 years after humanity's extinction. We join Ludovik on an adventure through the jungles of Babylon to find out why the Library of Babel has been locked down and uncover the truth of its creators. The Library of Babel is heading to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One on April 7th.
Will you be trying any of the GDC 2023 ID@Xbox games before March 27th? Drop a comment below and let us know!