Inspired by the legend of the Eastern Zodiacs, in 13Z: The Zodiac Trials you'll take control of one or more aspiring animal spirits then compete in battles against demons and the existing Zodiac Guardians to earn your spot as the 13th Zodiac. As revealed in the brand-new gameplay trailer that premiered during the Future Games Show at gamescom, a demo has now been released so you can try it out for yourself.
To undertake these Zodiac Trials you must choose from one of four animal spirits, each of which has their own unique abilities and skills. Two of these are available to use in the demo – Lyra the Fox, a master swordswoman carrying a blade that flashes with lightning-fast strikes, and Sylith the Raven, a ranged assassin who can rain down attacks with their razor-sharp feathers.
Once you've chosen your animal spirit, it's time to hit the trials and hone your abilities through a deep upgrade system. As you face the ever-changing roguelike challenges on each run, there are powerful upgrades and modifiers to unlock, plus you can also forge pacts as you climb the ranks of the Zodiacs that will change how future runs play out.
While you can put your combat abilities to the test in the frantic single-player mode, there is also the option to team up with friends and face the Zodiac Trials together. This will initially be restricted to two player co-op in the demo, but will expand later for up to four players – be wary though, as the enemies and bosses will be stronger against your squad, and the Zodiacs may offer temptations to sow dissention and test your friendship.
13Z: The Zodiac Trials is targeting 2026 for a Steam Early Access release, but you can wishlist it now on Steam to keep up with developments and play the freshly released demo for a hands-on taster of what's to come.
If you’re looking for more excellent games from today's Future Games Show, have a look at our official Steam page.
