Demon Turf

A stylish throwback to a couple of decades ago, this platformer will appeal mainly to those who still miss the Dreamcast. A few niggles with the camera, a couple of minor bugs and some rather harsh difficulty spikes stop it from being a world-beater, but it's a solid piece of fun despite these small issues.

Although I’m sure completionists will find a lot to love here, I had the most fun with Demon Turf when I forgot about its myriad side quests, collectibles, and second visits to a level, and just ran through stages with my mastery of Beebz’s moves letting me fly through levels like I was Sonic and I’d finally learnt how to work in 3D. When Demon Turf is fast, it’s glorious, it’s just a shame it has some extra baggage stopping it from peeling out.

The devil is in the detail in this demonic platformer. It’s worth mastering everything that’s asked of you – side-activities too – to experience everything. [Issue#8, p.92]

Demon Turf doesn’t rewrite the rules of 3D mascot-style platformers. Its design is standard fare for the genre and I had some issues with the camera, but the visual style remains one of the strongest I’ve seen in any game all year. In an era where so many titles are visually indistinguishable from one another, it’s nice to see an indie try something new and wow me on visuals alone.

Ultimately, you’ll get most out of Demon Turf if you’re an ardent 3D platforming fan. There’s a lot to like here thanks to the range of skills and interesting upgrades up for grabs, and the levels provide a good amount of challenge. It can get a little repetitive though, so you’re better off keeping your play sessions short and sweet. But lean into its wacky sensibilities, and there’s fun to be had.