Having recently played the demo for The Alliance Alive, I have been reflecting on the sheer amount of RPGs I have played on the 3DS. The Alliance Alive is likely to be one of my last purchases for the system, unless Nintendo decides to smash us with some worthwhile new addition late in the system's life. Regarding demos, however, I can safely say that I have not played some RPGs based on the way their demos operate. Sometimes a good demo can highlight the best parts of a game, and sometimes they don't. I recall my time with both the Etrian Odyssey IV and Legend of Legacy demos rather fondly. Both are extremely open-ended due to the nature of the gameplay of their full-retail gameplay motifs and systems, offering a great amount of potential for a player, and a figurative head-start, to boot. On the other hand, a demo can also be an extremely lackluster experience, either failing to sell the concept of a full-retail purchase, or simply because its something of a mediocre effort, itself. There is one exception to this, however, which is the most curious and rare example to find, but we'll touch on that in a bit.
Since RPGs are a niche genre, offering an early glimpse can also help distinguish one title from another. Etrian Odyssey has grid-based movement and dungeon exploration like The Keep, but the latter of the two has an active combat system and touchscreen integration that is truly unique and well-worth a look. Mercenary Saga might be a turn-based strategy RPG, but Fire Emblem is an entirely different beast altogether. Many demos will allow a player to transfer some amount of data to the full-retail release, especially in the case of RPGs. While some demos, like those for games like Code Name S.T.E.A.M., merely seek to sell the player on how the game's systems will operate, role-playing games are primed for the demo space due to their lengthy nature and high level of player investment. When players only have access to specific spaces within the game world and are allowed to roam freely and experiment, it can be far more beneficial as a method of easing a player into the motifs of a particular entry. The Legend of Legacy particularly benefits from this idea because of the unique nature of its stat growths and skill acquisition- mixed with a somewhat high-investment economy, starting your adventure within its demo and transferring over to the full game is a great way to encourage a purchase.
That being said, in series like Etrian Odyssey, where a yearly installment is almost guaranteed, some of these demos can wear thin, as they attempt to ease players into the games' systems with a bit too much verbosity. This is only a major issue with titles that are as iterative as the aforementioned series, however, but if there's one thing everyone wants to do, especially in a bite-sized version of a game, it's get to the actual gameplay. One series whose demos have increasingly (and arguably, exponentially) improved are those of Monster Hunter, particularly on 3DS. Seeing the evolution in how these demos streamline their presentation of information and ease of accessibility has been truly something to behold, and it makes the brief introductions to each new game and its particular quirks all the more exciting. I guess you kind of have to be a Monster Hunter fan to truly appreciate this, however. Capcom's increased awareness regarding their longtime fanbase is certainly appreciated. This is also a result of the series gaining popularity in general, however, as this ease of access can also be found in the full-retail releases.
Of course, not all demos are created equally. Some highlight the flaws of a title more than anything, and that can be through simply showing off the gameplay itself. Heroes of Ruin was one of the more ambitious titles in the 3DS' early years, partially for its in-game voice chat, online play, and a demo offering a glimpse at the title. However, its demo was damning evidence of an ultimately brief experience, as players could reach level 10 of 30 within a single session. Smaller eShop titles like Swords and Darkness or Glory of Generals also run the risk of exposing their brevity and mediocrity with demos. Some, like Conception II, barely do their game justice, unable to explain the complexity of a title's systems and leaving the player more uncertain than ever.
But there's a rather magical and bizarre sort of demo, and that is the one that offers an experience that is dissimilar to the actual product. Game Freak's history with gameplay demos is somewhat mixed, as Pokemon X and Y featured a demo all about exploring a 3D space that had a low-density of actual content. Pokemon OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire's demo was a series of small vignettes that bagged players a handful of items, but also granted them absurdly powerful Pokemon that negated any sort of challenge. Pokemon Sun and Moon was the worst offender, as it centered more on periodic check-ins with NPCs than the core gameplay. While this may be a result of the belief that players have a good idea of what to expect in a Pokemon game, it shows a staggering lack of awareness as to what aspects they actually like about the series.
The most wonderful of all these examples, however, is that of the Bravely Default duology, which is worth a download even if you skipped them and bought the full-retail release. These demos are a non-linear set of missions that allow players to experiment with the Bravely series' admittedly fantastic job system, as well as tackle different kinds of enemies. The kinds of quests present in these demos grant rewards that can be carried over to the full-retail game, although player progression does not, seeing as they are side-stories. What is notable about these demos is that the way the mission structure works is completely unlike the sidequest system within the games themselves, and in many ways, I found the demos for these games vastly more enjoyable in structure than the full-retail titles. This is a rare exception, one where the content of a demo is so appealing that it colors one's perception of the full-retail product, which ultimately disappoints.
While it is rare for something like this to occur, it is a fascinating occurrence. I cannot say that I have played every demo for every Nintendo 3DS game, but I have had a taste of a fair number of RPGs thanks to them. There are some other demos that I would highly recommend, if only because some of them possess legitimate effort and enjoyable content. The question that I leave you with, however, is this: if a game's demo is not representative of its full-retail content, can it still be successful? Are demos that carry over rewards simply a gift in their own right? Does a series need to establish itself before offering these sorts of rewards, or does this concept increase your chances of giving a full-retail product a try? All things to consider when delicately weighing the pros and cons of free software.
Oh yeah, The Alliance Alive demo is pretty good, too.
That being said, in series like Etrian Odyssey, where a yearly installment is almost guaranteed, some of these demos can wear thin, as they attempt to ease players into the games' systems with a bit too much verbosity. This is only a major issue with titles that are as iterative as the aforementioned series, however, but if there's one thing everyone wants to do, especially in a bite-sized version of a game, it's get to the actual gameplay. One series whose demos have increasingly (and arguably, exponentially) improved are those of Monster Hunter, particularly on 3DS. Seeing the evolution in how these demos streamline their presentation of information and ease of accessibility has been truly something to behold, and it makes the brief introductions to each new game and its particular quirks all the more exciting. I guess you kind of have to be a Monster Hunter fan to truly appreciate this, however. Capcom's increased awareness regarding their longtime fanbase is certainly appreciated. This is also a result of the series gaining popularity in general, however, as this ease of access can also be found in the full-retail releases.
Of course, not all demos are created equally. Some highlight the flaws of a title more than anything, and that can be through simply showing off the gameplay itself. Heroes of Ruin was one of the more ambitious titles in the 3DS' early years, partially for its in-game voice chat, online play, and a demo offering a glimpse at the title. However, its demo was damning evidence of an ultimately brief experience, as players could reach level 10 of 30 within a single session. Smaller eShop titles like Swords and Darkness or Glory of Generals also run the risk of exposing their brevity and mediocrity with demos. Some, like Conception II, barely do their game justice, unable to explain the complexity of a title's systems and leaving the player more uncertain than ever.
But there's a rather magical and bizarre sort of demo, and that is the one that offers an experience that is dissimilar to the actual product. Game Freak's history with gameplay demos is somewhat mixed, as Pokemon X and Y featured a demo all about exploring a 3D space that had a low-density of actual content. Pokemon OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire's demo was a series of small vignettes that bagged players a handful of items, but also granted them absurdly powerful Pokemon that negated any sort of challenge. Pokemon Sun and Moon was the worst offender, as it centered more on periodic check-ins with NPCs than the core gameplay. While this may be a result of the belief that players have a good idea of what to expect in a Pokemon game, it shows a staggering lack of awareness as to what aspects they actually like about the series.
While it is rare for something like this to occur, it is a fascinating occurrence. I cannot say that I have played every demo for every Nintendo 3DS game, but I have had a taste of a fair number of RPGs thanks to them. There are some other demos that I would highly recommend, if only because some of them possess legitimate effort and enjoyable content. The question that I leave you with, however, is this: if a game's demo is not representative of its full-retail content, can it still be successful? Are demos that carry over rewards simply a gift in their own right? Does a series need to establish itself before offering these sorts of rewards, or does this concept increase your chances of giving a full-retail product a try? All things to consider when delicately weighing the pros and cons of free software.
Oh yeah, The Alliance Alive demo is pretty good, too.
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