Game demos are important things. They introduce you to a game and help you determine if it’s something you want to play. While all demos have their merits, there are some that stand out above the rest. These do something extra special to make them important. Perhaps they’re super comprehensive. In some cases, they may offer ludicrous amounts of content. Maybe they even inspire additional games, because they’re just that good. In short, some game demos are just plain amazing, and we needed to single the best ones out.
God of War III
The God of War III demo is a great example of a fantastic demo because of everything it accomplishes. It perfectly showcases what someone can expect from the game. There’s ancient parkour, as you dodge harpies. You fight a centaur. Kratos gets to knock Helios out of the sky with a bow. You fight a cyclops. Plus, there’s some puzzles too. It’s an example of a super-effective demo anyone can enjoy.
Minecraft
Minecraft ‘s demo lets you play Minecraft . You don’t get to enjoy multiplayer, mind you, but you still get to enjoy almost everything the game has to offer. The only catch is, there’s a 100 minute time limit and no way to save what you’ve made. Still, if you’re on the fence and don’t care about object permanence, you can have a pretty great time with Minecraft ‘s demo.
Killzone 3
Know what’s awesome about the Killzone 3 Multiplayer demo? You can play it as long as you want and never really have to upgrade if you don’t want to. It’s a fantastic multiplayer experience with the Engineer, Field Medic, Infiltrator, Marksman, and Tactician classes, every Killzone 3 multiplayer map, and the Guerrilla Warfare, Operations, and Warzone modes. You can even upgrade your character. It’s super comprehensive.
Project X Zone 2
Have you ever played Project X Zone 2 ? Have you ever heard of it? It’s a pretty cool strategic RPG with characters from Bandai Namco, Capcom, and Sega games. The 3DS demo is pretty great too, because it takes you through three full chapters of the game, with the ability to adjust characters. Even better – playing it ten times gives you more and more items and unlocks for the full version of the game. It’s pretty comprehensive and offers a great look at an unconventional title.
Pokemon Alpha Sapphire/Omega Ruby
The Pokemon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby special demo really was something, well, special! You can go on a brief adventure to Mossdeep City. You’ll help Steven with some Team Aqua and Magma problems. Which is totally worth doing, since it means getting a Mega Glalie or Steelix for going on one adventure with Steven, and additional rewards for playing it even more times. Extra famous NPCs will even stop by the island, offering more information on the game. It’s quite an awesome option for Pokemon fans.
Final Fantasy XV
How often do you hear about demos getting updates? Well, the Final Fantasy XV Episode Duscae demo did. It’s a four hour demo, to start, and the update fixes the camera and targeting system, adds a Cross Chain game mechanic, and offers On Tour missions where you get to spend time with characters. It’s amazing how big this demo is, and how many secrets there are. Did anyone else get caught up catching frogs? It’s so much fun, and it’s a bit of a shame the Platinum demo isn’t as robust.
Soul Sacrifice
There’s a Vita demo on this list? Yes. Yes there is. Keiji Inafune’s Soul Sacrifice has an amazing demo. It’s actually the whole first chapter of the game. You can start the adventure and even play with up to three friends either online or over local wireless. Your progress is even saved, ready to bring over to the full copy of the game with an exclusive Spirits Heart stone golem you can summon. It’s very well thought out and definitely helps sell the game.
Bravely Default
How long do you expect a demo to last? An hour? A few hours? And wouldn’t you think it’d cover stuff from the actual game? Well, then you obviously haven’t played the Bravely Default demo. It’s 10 hours long, has a village restoration minigame that relies on StreetPasses, and offers various rewards that carry over to the full game, depending on how much you do. It was so effective that there’s another 10 hour demo out for Bravely Second . It’s like you get a game to help prepare you for another game!
Metal Gear Solid 2
This demo is an oldie, but a goodie. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty ‘s demo gives you a quarter of the game. Literally. It’s about 25% of the full game, with all of the cutscenes, missions, equipment, and experiences that entails. It set a whole new standard in terms of game demos. We wouldn’t be seeing such comprehensive and accurate representations of gameplay if it weren’t for Metal Gear Solid 2 ‘s demo.
P.T.
The P.T. demo for the now-defunct Silent Hills is one of the best game demos ever made. Which is saying a lot for a playable trailer. It restored people’s faith in the Silent Hill franchise, before it died, and left them replaying it over and over to discover secrets. More importantly, this demo has inspired additional, full games. It’s the first time in history such a thing has ever happened. That shows how special P.T. was.