Video game demos are slowly becoming a thing of the past. What once was a medium to essentially experience parts of a new video game first-hand without a price tag has now transformed into a nearly dying art. With companies only releasing the full version or early access of their games, it’s not every day that you’d run into a demo of a soon-to-be-released video game.
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Even though getting to experience a game without worrying about when it ends is amazing, demos are a fantastic way to figure out if you’d truly love the game. On top of this, the nature of these demos is nothing short of masterful. We’ve been graced with these incredible demos, some of them being arguably the greatest of all time.
10Metal Gear Solid
Gameplay-wise, if you’ve played Metal Gear Solid before, this demo won’t take more than five minutes. It mainly focused on giving players the opportunity to explorethe unique stealthmechanics that the full game would have to offer later on. Interestingly, it took audiences quite a bit of time to figure everything out as this game was so fresh to the gaming world.
9Just Cause 2
What’s more thrilling than an action-adventure game filled with entertaining chaos? The demo forJust Cause 2is just as exhilarating as the whole game, timed from the very second you start it. Leaving you with only 30 minutes to roam and create utter chaos, this demo encouraged players to cause mayhem without thinking twice.
Taking place in the same vast sandy environment in the full game, you’ll get the chance to run around the desert and discover marked locations. The success of the Just Cause 2 demo was massive, leading many players to want to stick with the demo rather than the entire game.
8Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater
Featured on a promotional demo disc from Pizza Hut,Tony Hawk’s Pro Skaterdemo was the catalyst for bringing audiences to play one of the greatest skateboarding games of all time. Receiving endless amounts of praise from players and critics, everything about this demo was beyond thrilling.
The ability to use your virtual skateboard in only a single area was simply perfect. It captured audiences' attention, letting them quickly explore the ins and outs of the game’s mechanics. Even though it is a short demo, what it showed off to players was masterful. Overall, it featured the bare bones of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater’s timeless gameplay.
7Dragon Quest 11
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Ageis a lengthy game, taking around 56 hours to complete. While this might not be shocking, considering that it’s a JRPG, the demo’s length is nothing shortof out of the ordinary.
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Running ten hours in total, the demo for Dragon Quest XI is an expansive look into what fans could expect from the newest installment of theDragon Questseries. In the demo, players were allowed to play the game like normal, ending with the conclusion of the opening chapters. Luckily, the progress from this demo carried on into the full game if you decided to purchase it.
6God Of War 3
It’s rare that a demo features nearly everything that a fan could ever want. Although there were only 20 minutes of gameplay, theGod of War 3demo showcased more than enough to keep players both satisfied and wildly anticipating the release of the full game.
Releasing on the PS3, the graphics and mechanics of God of War 3 had only gotten far greater than before. Because of how much the developers gave its players, the demo ended on a high note. Taking its leave right before its most cinematically intense part, it isn’t shocking that so many fans eagerly awaited its full release.
5Star Wars: Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast
Nearly everyStar Warsvideo game will be a big hit for fans. And Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast is no exception. A game filled with engaging level design came from a demo that only consisted of a unique level that wouldn’t be seen in the final release of the full game.
Using this original level to showcase the capabilities of the lightsaber and force mechanics, it’s interesting how the developers created this demo. It comes with a short story that follows a Jedi and New Republic operative on a heart-pumping mission. The demo is simply just a taste of what the full game has in store.
4Resident Evil 7 Teaser: Beginning Hour
TheResident Evilfranchise is no stranger to releasing exciting demos for their fans to give a whirl. This especially applies to the demo forResident Evil 7: Biohazard. Also referred to as Resident Evil 7 Teaser: Beginning Hour, the demo was a game of its own.
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Everything within this demo gave a look into how Resident Evil’s horrifying atmosphere could be transferred into a first-person perspective. Only an hour in length, Resident Evil 7’s demo can be thought of as an entertaining introduction. It isn’t shocking that this is considered one of the scariest video game demos of all time. The suspenseful environment is enough to make you want to look away.
DespiteP.T.‘spresence coming and going in a flash, its impact on the horror video game community will be endless. Confirmed to be an addition to the Silent Hill series, P.T. is a bone-chilling experience. It was initially supposed to be released as Silent Hills, but the cancellation of the full game led to the demo being erased without a trace.
Aptly titled “Playable Teaser,” this demo throws terrifying visuals left and right. Mechanically workingas a walking simulator, you go through various time loops the more you explore this confined space. With a puzzle being your only means of escaping, P.T. is an unforgettable and haunting psychological adventure.
2The Stanley Parable Demonstration
The Stanley Parabletakes the element of an unreliable narrator to another level. It’s truly a test in figuring out the ins and outs of the game by yourself. However, its demo is a whole other ballpark. In the demo, The Stanley Parable Demonstration, the game sneakily works to get you to take in the unknown.
It’s magnificent how intricate this demo is. Using little ways to get you to form a mysterious relationship with the elusive narrator, this demo only scratches the surface of what is in store for you down the line in the full version. Twisting reality and perception of video game demos in general, The Stanley Parable Demonstration is worth your time.
1Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty
While the first Metal Gear Solid demo only offered a little gameplay, the demo forMetal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Libertyexpanded on it even more. There was so much for players to uncover, transitioning from small details to a world full of mechanics that only made the stealth in the game seemingly better.
Playing Metal Gear Solid 2’s demo encouraged you to play it multiple times. On your first playthrough, you’re bound to not find everything that this demo has to offer. There’s always something new to find, deviating from expectations seen in other demos during the time.
