If you love punishing strategy games, the challenge of learning from death that the best roguelikes bring to the table, and the idea of appeasing Lovecraftian gods, The Deadly Path is a game you’ll want to try. Inspired by card-based management sim Cultist Simulator and dark fantasy city builder Against the Storm, The Deadly Path is a jovially nightmarish test of your skills. A new Steam demo makes now the perfect time to check it out for yourself, and, if you need even more convincing, there’s even a potential prize up for grabs.
We spoke with The Deadly Path developer Tim Sheinman of Owlskip Enterprises at WASD Live 2024, where he explained to Nat that the new strategy game is “about distracting you with shiny things and then punching you in the face.” This is a game of eldritch gods and entities – but, rather than battling them head-on, you’re attempting to appease them by laying out a grid of cards to gather materials, build and upgrade facilities, and train units to stave off incoming danger, all while meeting your chosen deity’s needs and wants.
Of course, there’s no better way to get a feel for whether a game suits you or not than to try it out. The good news is that there’s a demo you can try right now. The better news is that you can even win a prize for doing so. This new demo includes the game’s “comprehensive tutorial” to get your head wrapped around the fundamentals of management and survival, and you’ll be able to play with Roiaan the Blightcaster, “he from whom all manner of pestilence is borne.”
You’ll also have the ability to experiment with the powerup system, powerful boosts that can help you bend the very underworld in your favor. With no limit to how many times you can play the demo, you can experiment as much as you like. If you think you’re really good, you can join the game’s official Discord and post your result – the top player that completes a run in the fewest cycles will win themselves a £10 Steam gift card.
The Dark Path demo is out now on Steam. You can download it right away and start playing – and if you like what you see, Owlskip Enterprises promises that a future demo including another playable god will make an appearance during the upcoming Steam Next Fest.
You can look forward to more of 2025’s top upcoming PC games with us for now, or put your skills to the test in more of the best roguelikes.
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