One of my most played games in 2024 has been Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, a bullet-heaven spinoff of the acclaimed Deep Rock Galactic. Seeing more hours than the game it derives from, the bullet-heaven bug proves hard to shake, as the auto-attacking addictiveness has made it a favorite genre of mine for three years and counting. While I didn’t love Temtem, I wasn’t opposed to taking on Temtem: Swarm, as it looked to be less of a cash-in and more of a comprehensive, engaging take on the genre. This is especially unique considering it will come with co-op from the start. With Steam’s Next Fest here with a demo, is this one worth a try?

Adapting some of the best nuances of bullet heavens such as Vampire Survivors and the aforementioned Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, Temtem: Swarm nails it from the start. It’s easy to pick up and play, and one glance at its Kudos and skill trees (unique to every Tem) shows that there will be heaps of content upon launch. Navigating the modest Platypet and having access to tons of upgrades in its demo, such as movement speed and flat damage, means subsequent runs are more than worthwhile to those wanting to feel the power scale.

One thing that stuck out in Temtem: Swarm to set it apart from its counterparts is that you’ll be evolving your Tems in each run. This means significant boosts within every delve and a jumpstart to the typical long grind each run entails. With some tough mini-bosses and a vast amount of permanent upgrades to ogle at, this might be one of the best demos available in this particular Steam Next Fest. With a release date indicating it will be available in the next few weeks before year’s end, fans will have a lot to be excited about.

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