Kill the Shadow getting a new demo for Steam Next Fest

663 Games has announced a new demo for dark detective game Kill the Shadow is coming to Steam Next Fest, starting later today.

Steam Next Fest is a way to showcase lots of new titles via demos, and it kicks off later today (UK time) and runs until October 21st. 663 Games says its game is “a dark narrative-driven detective role-playing game where players choose their investigation methods as they embark on a journey to solve the case”. The studio says it has “collaborated with a renowned American writer to completely rewrite the English script for Kill the Shadow, ensuring that while staying true to the original story, the English version offers a deeper sense of linguistic and cultural immersion.”

The trailer below, shows off the game in action:

The new demo introduces a new setting and storyline in Zhulong Walled City with around 30 minutes of gameplay and a new immersive flashback opening scene set ten years ago. The demo also has two new scenes, a revamped factory setting for better optimization, and includes more high-quality music and refined dialogue that provides deeper insight into the characters and world.

Here’s the key features from the Steam page:

• Hints and Evidence: Freely choose to enhance your abilities—strength, spirit, charm—and select your own methods to investigate cases—psychological warfare? Bribery? Or simply beating up suspects? Deduction System: Collect, analyze, and connect related clues to create your own unique investigation path!
• Seeing the past: “The Shadow”, a strange creature attached to you that reads memories and reconstructs the traces of the deceased! “Don’t worry, Lucas, we’re just using each other. You use me to find the culprit, and I, well, I love tasting those bizarre stories, hahaha!”, says the Shadow.
• The Ways of the World: Meet various characters in the city: the energetic girl with a camera, the elegant Agnes Ruan, the rumored goddess who can cast spells, and the elderly fish-selling lady. Discover the stories behind them. Encounter characters like the self-righteous Captain Theodore Wang, the father Griff and son Axel of Citou’s family, and the deceased Master Ruan. Earn your favorite characters’ hearts by numerous events!
• Retro and Neon: The combination of 3D environments and 2D pixel characters creates a unique artistic style with a striking contrast between modern and retro. Explore a variety of diverse and freely explorable scenes: the dilapidated steel forest factory, the muddy shipwreck dock built on water, the Zhulong Walled City blending the fictional culture, and the bustling old city district.

Kill the Shadow is coming to PC via Steam in 2024.