Line Games has announced that the first playable demo for its in-house project, 'Ember and Blade', is ready to make its debut.

The developer pitches 'Ember and Blade' as a 'Premier Survivor-like' title, a blend of Soulslike mechanics and Vampire Survivors-style bullet-hell action. The narrative follows a demon hunter who strikes a pact with an angel at the brink of death to become immortal, all in a desperate bid to thwart the resurrection of a Great Demon. Expect a unique aesthetic and a growth system that promises a high degree of freedom. The demo is set to go live globally via Steam on the 17th.

This upcoming demo offers a taste of the game's stylish, high-octane combat. You can expect to spend about an hour battling through waves of encroaching enemies and facing off against formidable bosses.

To celebrate the demo, an event will run until the 24th. Participants can verify their prowess on the official Discord by posting screenshots of their time records—beating the developer’s own clear times or taking down mid-bosses—for a chance to win Steam gift cards.

Following this demo, 'Ember and Blade' is slated for a showing at the 'Steam Next Fest' later this year. The team plans to bolster the build with additional content for the event, aiming for an Early Access release before the year is out.

Post-launch, the team intends to gather player feedback to refine the experience for a full global release on Steam and Steam Deck next year. Plans to expand onto consoles are also in the pipeline. Furthermore, the game will support both keyboard-and-mouse setups and gamepads, with a design philosophy centered on replayability.

A Line Games official commented, "We are genuinely excited to finally present the first playable demo of 'Ember and Blade' and are eager to see the feedback from our players. The development team will diligently incorporate these insights to ensure the final product meets the expectations of the community."

For further details regarding the 'Ember and Blade' demo and the full schedule, you can visit the official Steam page.