Demon Tides Reviews
Even when I struggled to find a Golden Gear, I didn’t really mind that much since I knew it just meant spending extra time in Demon Tides’ moreish open world. The platforming is best-in-class, the characters and world left more of a mark than I expected, and Fabraz somehow managed to make going open-world seem both effortless and obvious. If the second game in the series is this good, I’m already counting down the days until the third.
The sheer looseness is part of the Demon Tides charm.
Like Demon Turf before it, Demon Tides emphasizes precision-based platforming, something that works even better in 3D.
Although it features camera issues and some strange artistic choices, Demon Tides is a good example of a sequel that refines the potential of a previous entry while adding even more personality on top. The open world enhances the overall experience, there are plenty of abilities to unlock, and numerous islands to explore. All of this is paired with gameplay that isn’t afraid to challenge the player’s skills, rewarding those who take risks with daring jumps and make the most of the mechanics the game has to offer.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Demon Tides is a triumph—an ambitious 3D platformer that not only meets but exceeds the high bar set by genre legends. The movement mechanics are mechanically satisfying in a way that rewards skill and creativity, the level design stays fresh across dozens of hours, and the surprisingly dark narrative unfolds through well-written dialogue and memorable characters. The soundtrack perfectly captures the tropical adventure vibe while delivering genuinely hype moments. Features like Talismans add insane depth to the gameplay, the speedrunning integration is seamless and offers near-infinite replayability, and additions like graffiti tagging and photo mode add community and personalization that fit right in. It lacks polish in some areas, such as performance in certain areas and sporadic voice acting, but that’s a trade-off I’ll gladly accept for a game this mechanically deep and content-rich. This is Fabraz’s magnum opus, a game that legitimately pushes the genre forward and establishes the studio as a serious force in the indie space. This is now my frontrunner for 2026’s Game of the Year and could give a potential next-gen 3D Mario a run for its money. For fans of 3D platformers hungry for the freedom and creativity that defined Super Mario 64, Sunshine, and Odyssey, Demon Tides is an essential experience. This is the new Queen of 3D platformers, and her reign has only just begun.
Demon Tides is a 3D platformer that'll be hard to top in 2026, with exquisite movement, tons of variety, and so many ways to kit out Beebz.
Demon Tides is another example of how good tributes to older games can be, this time in the 3D action-adventure space. While the graphical fidelity is a little rough around the edges at times, the core game is a vibrant, sea-hopping adventure that I can’t get enough of. I absolutely love exploring every inch of the sea and bouncing my way through all kinds of platforming challenges. If you are someone that enjoys games like A Hat in Time or Bowser’s Fury, I can’t recommend this game enough.
Whether you’re traversing massive buildings, meeting new characters, unlocking cosmetics and gear, or just exploring the open seas, Demon Tides demands the attention of any 3D platforming fan. Demon Tides is a rewarding 3D platformer with fast, tight mechanics and exceptional level design, just waiting to be mastered.
Despite some technical issues, I had a great time with Demon Tides, from my first double jump to my last spin rush. The beautiful world and fun character designs, the amount of customisation to both move set and character appearance, as well as the bumping soundtrack, mostly made up for any frustrations and metaphorical skinned knees I went through. I have no doubt speedrunners and platformer fans, far more skilled than I, will find no end of fun in Ragnar’s Rock, and will be competing for top spots on the game’s leaderboards for years to come.
Demon Tides is a confident leap into open world design for Fabraz, delivering fluid, expressive 3D platforming that makes exploration across Ragnar's Rock consistently rewarding. While its comedic storytelling and boss encounters struggle to leave a lasting impression, the core movement system, generous player freedom, and smart difficulty balance make it a standout for genre fans who value mechanical depth over narrative flair.
Demon Tides tries to emulate bits and pieces of many 3D platformer favorites, and while it doesn’t nail it all perfectly, it still turns out a very fun and engaging adventure. Outside of some minor annoyances, the movement and traversal techniques feel good, and the growing list of challenges to grab your next golden gear keeps things interesting. I wouldn’t say it’s a hell of a good time, but there is plenty to like as you go bursting off for the next island.
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Review in German | Read full review
Demon Tides is an ambitious, often janky platformer that does its best to show inspiration from some of the greatest games in the genre, and ends up feeling a little bit bland because of it.
A few technical issues and camera problems aren't going to detract from the fact that Demon Tides is a 3D platformer fan's wet dream.
Demon Tides builds on the strengths of its predecessor while introducing fresh ideas: I love the moveset of Beebz, the islands constantly offer new challenges and the freedom it gives you makes the game a truly unique 3D platformer experience. With talismans and outfits plus loadouts you can create your own personalized gameplay experience, the fast travel feature makes exploring and completing the various islands even easier and the leaderboards provides additional motivation to replay certain sections. A few minor technical issues occasionally interrupt the flow but thanks to the manual checkpoints, which you can set yourself at any time, there are never any major frustrations.
Review in German | Read full review
Demon Tides is a solid but sometimes frustrating platformer with fun collectibles and strong ghost races, though its movement, level design, and humor don’t always land.
Review in Dutch | Read full review