Hey Zodiac Challengers – surprise! The official demo for 13Z: The Zodiac Trials has just dropped!
As always, a huge thank you to our amazing community. In our last two playtests, you’ve squashed bugs, tossed us wild ideas, and cheered us on through every step of the Trials. 13Z wouldn’t be half as fun without you in the fight.
This demo packs in the full Act 1 with upgraded combat and expanded skills, an early glimpse of the vast deserts of Act 2, a revamped Turtle Village, deeper encounters with the Zodiac Guardians, and more!
Whether you’ve been with us since the first playtest or you’re stepping into the Trials for the first time, there’s plenty waiting to be discovered.
New Trailer Alert
We’ve also released a brand-new trailer showing what to expect in the demo and beyond.
P.S. If you tuned into the Future Games Show, you may have already caught it. ;)
Demo Highlights
☀️A Glimpse of Act 2: Desert of a Thousand Swords
We’re keeping the biggest beats under wraps, but even those who’ve mastered the earlier Trials will find plenty of surprises here.
Expect new enemy types with fresh attack patterns and behavior, more interactive environments that add new layers to combat and expanded worldbuilding as you push deeper into the Zodiac Trials.
⚔️Combat Improvements
We’ve expanded the skill sets to give way to more fluid combos by being able to mix and match different skills and upgrade them based on your style.
Lyra’s zippy, lightning-quick style is back and better than ever. One of this dev’s personal favorites is combining Lyra’s Rising Tides Heavy Attack with the Ground Spin upgrade which empowers it to perform a forward spinning attack upon landing.
Sylith’s mastery of the dagger and assassin-inspired attacks also shine. Apart from conquering the skies with his flight, the right build can make him appear behind enemies for a backstab attack with Flitting Bladed’s Backstab update.
👁️Get to Know the Zodiac Guardians
The Goat may still rule as Act 1’s boss (...for now, Horse Zodiac is yet to make her entrance 😉), but the other Guardians aren’t just watching from the sidelines. You will encounter the feast-loving Pig Zodiac, the stern Goat Zodiac, the sly Snake Zodiac making a special appearance, the mischievous Monkey Zodiac, the shrewd Rooster Zodiac, and the ever-friendly Dog Zodiac making his debut.
In this demo, some appear as Patrons to aid you, while others take on the role of Arbiters to raise the challenge.
Patrons can grant special Boons, such as lending you a companion (in the form of a Spirit Koi, which act as power conduits in 13Z’s world), or temporarily sharing one of their abilities.
For example, one of the Pig Zodiac’s blessings can grant you a temporary increase in size, letting you smash through enemies with ease.
🐢Revamped Turtle Village
While devs and artists (ehem) Celestial Architects are still not done building the Turtle VIllage, it’s grown into a more lively hub between your runs. You can now unlock more content and upgrades, meet the Zodiac Guardians once you’ve earned their trust, and nurture the Jade Tree to strengthen your future Trials. It’s a small taste of how the Village will continue to evolve as we head toward full release.
🤝 Co-op? Not Yet… But Soon!
As we shared after Playtest 2, we’ve shifted focus toward adding more content to the core game but co-op will return. Time to sharpen your skills so you’re ready to carry (or be carried by) your friends when it’s back!
There’s so much more waiting in the demo, but the only way to truly discover it is to dive in and experience it for yourself. Play it, enjoy it, and let us know what you think. If you believe in what we’re building, we’d be deeply grateful if you could share the demo with friends, join our community on Discord, and let us hear your feedback so we can keep making 13Z the best it can be.
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Crafted with Love,
💙 Mixed Realms