This Skyrim-like Metroidvania just got a demo and release date

Testament: The Order of High-Human
(Image credit: Fairyship Games)

A fantasy game that looks and sounds like a Metroidvania reimagining of Skyrim just received not only a release date, but a brand new demo as part of Steam Next Fest.

Indie developer Fairyship Games announced (via YouTube) that Testament: The Order of High-Human is slated to launch in full on July 13, 2023. The reveal trailer premiered alongside news of the demo being launched on Steam, in which we can explore "more than an hour of the game as it currently stands" according to a press release.

Check out the Testament release date announcement and gameplay footage below:

It's the studio's second release this year, with Fairyship having made its debut with survival horror Shame Legacy just last month. Despite the first-person perspective, however, the two games couldn't be less alike. With its medieval fantasy setting and sword, spell, and bow-based combat, it looks more comparable to one of the best RPGs ever: Skyrim.

Gameplay similarities aside, though, we won't be creating our character from the ground up in this game. Testament: The Order of High-Human is a "story-based adventure RPG where players will find themselves taking on the role of Aran - the king of High humans in the land of Tessara - as he serves as guardian of the realm." 

With a Metroidvania-like approach to puzzles and back-tracking as we explore this "post-apocalyptic" fantasy, Testament "pays homage to leagues of different games and genres" while striving to deliver a tightly-hewn narrative experience. 

The demo is now available to download on Steam, with the full launch expected for PC and console platforms in July.

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Jasmine Gould-Wilson
Staff Writer, GamesRadar+

Jasmine is a staff writer at GamesRadar+. Raised in Hong Kong and having graduated with an English Literature degree from Queen Mary, University of London in 2017, her passion for entertainment writing has taken her from reviewing underground concerts to blogging about the intersection between horror movies and browser games. Having made the career jump from TV broadcast operations to video games journalism during the pandemic, she cut her teeth as a freelance writer with TheGamer, Gamezo, and Tech Radar Gaming before accepting a full-time role here at GamesRadar. Whether Jasmine is researching the latest in gaming litigation for a news piece, writing how-to guides for The Sims 4, or extolling the necessity of a Resident Evil: CODE Veronica remake, you'll probably find her listening to metalcore at the same time.