Game Week: Killing Your Heroes, With New ExpansionsDemos have always served as a means to market upcoming games by offering players a glimpse of what’s to come. While we have moved away from physical discs, demos have found a welcoming place in the digital marketplace. Two companies that have fully embraced demos are Square Enix and Nintendo, both of which regularly provide demos for upcoming releases. Even for titles like Pikmin 4 and Harvestella, the demo offers the option to unlock the full game and ensures that saved progress will carry over to the official release. Generally, this approach is seen as a way to allow players who are already planning to purchase the game to have early access. It’s a small taste of what’s to come. However, the initial experience can often be slow to captivate, particularly for RPGs. Fortunately, Granblue Fantasy: Relink takes a different approach by presenting a delectable sampler that is enticing for those who are uncertain about committing to the full game. Instead of throwing players into the first few hours of the game, Relink provides three distinct entry points: Tutorial, Story, and Quest. The Tutorial provides a brief overview of the game’s combat mechanics, as expected. The Story places you at the beginning of Relink’s main narrative, but it doesn’t thrust you into the thick of the story. This eliminates the need for players to immediately delve into the intricate details of the fantasy world and instead focuses on the captivating characters you’ll encounter. Finally, Quest offers players a variety of options from Relink and delivers an action-packed gameplay experience. It also allows for cooperative play with other players online. By offering a diverse range of experiences within the demo, Relink effectively markets itself to players who are on the fence about the game. It’s a savvy strategy that has proven successful for many, including myself.
