The days when publishers would put their game demos on any platform are considered among the best eras in gaming. Players could check out a section of a game for free without buying it first. This allowed players to get a feel for the title and decide whether they liked it for themselves, without having to look at reviews. It made gamers smarter about how they spent their money because gaming is an investment.
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Since demos aren’t in full force anymore, it’s always welcome when publishers make them available on the platform. Just like in the old days, it gives players the opportunity to see if the game is for them. Even though there aren’t many demos today, there are some interesting ones on thePS5that have been met with mixed feelings. Their divisive nature is an even better indication that players should try them out before purchasing the full versions.
Updated On Jun 12, 2025, By Raza Malik:Since the PS5’s catalog is growing, with games from the PS5 and PS4, players are being treated well. Even though more games are appearing on the system, game demos are still somewhat not as predominant. The good news for PS5 users is thatSonyis leaning more toward using demos to sell games. In turn, players can try out a game before buying it.
Hopefully, with Sony adopting this way of selling games to players, other game makers will follow suit. Because it allows players to not regret their purchase. Since Sony is adding more demos to their store, it’s a great time to explore more demos of great games that players should try out. Also, players should note, that some games have PS4 version demos of the game, but when they buy the game, they’ll automatically get the PS5 version.
10Monark
Not much is known about this JRPG, but for fans of turn-based combat with an interesting story, it can tickle that fancy. Following the traditional playstyle of many JRPGs,Monarkswitches between turn-based combat to open-world exploration in a school. While theMonarkdoesn’t change the formula, it uses it much better than other games in the genre. Which can make players get the full game after playing the demo. However, on the other side, like most JRPGS, the learning curve is steep, and the turn-based play style can make players turn away.
So withMonarkgetting a demo, players who wouldn’t try out this type of game initially, like it. What makesMonarkappealing to new players is how rich and deep the world is, which can make the combat easier to handle. So players should try out the demo before jumping intoMonark.
9Mr. Driller Drilland
Since the originalMr. Drillerismaking its waytoSony’sgaming service, it’s a great time for players to try out the latest release in the puzzle series. While not many players are huge fans of the game’s playstyle, which is to dig through matching color blocks, it becomes fun. The accessibility makesMr. Driller Drillandmore fun for a wider scope of players. Also, not having overly complex game mechanics givesMr. Driller Drillandbenefits.
Which is mainly by putting players into the game as quickly as possible. Plus, it’s rather easy to get into, with players only facing difficulty asMr. Driller Drillandgoes on. A demo for these types of games works well because players can get what the game offers after one attempt. Being fun-natured and straightforward, in all, givesMr. Driller Drillanda reason to be downloaded.
8Tormented Souls
Players who enjoyed the olderResident Evilgames, with the third-view and the gut-wrenching enemies will find a home inTormented Souls.Borrowing a lot fromResident Evil,players can easily adapt to how it plays, in turn, this can make the demo much more enjoyable. Which will give players a reason to buy the full game. What makesTormented Soulsa game players should try out is the horror aspect and the old-school mechanics.
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While they may opt to play games with more modernized elements, managing the inventory, and taking the time to explore gives the horror game a reason to be played by all. On top of that, players will be surprised by how fullTormented Soulsis regardless of the length. Horror games have been becoming more popular over time, and for players who want to get their horror fix in the same spirit asResident Evil,then trying outTormented Soulsis a must.
7Ghostrunner
Now this game needs to have a demo, because of how difficult it can be.Ghostrunnerplays like a platformer, with players using the first-person view. Only armed with a samurai sword, grappling hook, and throwables, players would think they are unstoppable. However, the main selling point forGhostrunneris that players must not take a single hit, meaning if they do, they die and have to start at the checkpoint.
This could makeplayers not likethe game as a whole, because of how unforgiving it is. Although on the other hand,one ofGhostrunner’sbest elements is its skill tree, which can make playing the game easier. Apart from beingcritical for playersto upgrade as much, the skill tree allows them to avoid and deflect hits easily. As mentioned before,Ghostrunneris extremely hard to play, even for seasoned players. So a demo for it would help the player digest the difficulty.
6Chorus
Chorusis a rather interesting game and deserves to be on this list. This space shooter borrows some elements from other flying sims and makes them better. With fluid dog fighting and exploration, players will feel energized to keep playing.Chorus,flew under a lot of players' radars, and sinceSonyput it on their storefront, they should check it out. From a gameplay perspective,Chorusseems really fun and fluid, and it is.
However, in order for players to achieve that, they must use somehigh-level tips, because the game has a steep curve to it. On top of that,Chorusfeatures a bunch of things, even in the demo, from themassive open worldto closed spaces. Players should try the demo out first because combat flight sims usually have a niche audience. Players who would pass up these types of games will find joy withChorus.The demo helps make that case for the game.
5Dynasty Warrior 9: Empires
This expansion ofDynasty Warrior 9is a great entry point for new players. This entry in the series features a few gameplay changes, like moving away from the open-world style which was present in the base game to a smaller staged battle sequence. While the base game was met with criticism which left many with a bad taste,Dynasty Warrior 9: Empireshould remove that, since it’s going for a more traditional approach like the previous games in the series.
For fans of the previous games, this seems like a good time to get back into the series. However, for newcomers, the learning curve is quite steep. Because of that, though, the gameplay does become more rewarding. Characters like officers are available at the start, so players can get into the action quicker.
The good thing about playing the demo forDynasty Warrior 9: Empireis that there’s a lot going on. While it works for certain fans, getting accustomed to controlling every single aspect of any army can be challenging or downright impossible. So picking up this demo is a great introduction. While the gameplay can be hard, it can get better once players learn how to adjust to this style of gaming.
4Resident Evil 8: Village
Resident Evil 7: Biohazardwas considered one of the best horror games to come in recent memory. No doubt it was one of the best in the series, and moving away from the third-person perspective to a first-person one changed a lot of the dynamics. When players met the Baker family for the first time, it caused a chill to run down their spines. The best part aboutResident Evil 7is that it gave newcomers a reason to try the series out.
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NowResident Evil 8: Villageis counted among the best games of 2021, a lot of the horror elements orBiohazardserving as its predecessor. The developers did tone down thehorror aspectinVillage, which was met with criticism because the predecessor set the bar so high. But that should not stop players from trying out the demo forVillage,which has a haunting opening and falls in line with many of the other games. However, once players get the full game, they just note that the scary parts become less and less, andResident Evil 8: Villagebecomes more about survival.
3Immortals Fenyx Rising
Like most ofUbisoft’scatalog,Immortals Fenyx Risinguses the same template as their other games, large open worlds with so much the player can do. Players will appreciate thenod to theZeldafranchise that plays intoImmortals Fenyx Rising’sinfluence.Immortals FenyxRisingis probably one ofUbisoft’sbest open-world games, but it has its issues. For example, the gameplay is not as fluid and does not build what similar open-world games have created. Still, these things shouldn’t deter players from trying out the demo. It offers pretty fun gameplay elements, like a deep progression system and a well-made open world.
For fans ofAssassin’s Creed Odyssey,players will find this a welcome addition, since it borrows a lot of the same things as leaning into Greek mythology. However,Immortals Fenyx Risingsteps into the mythology even more. The demo should give players a taste of this vast open world with colorful character designs. Plus, the easy learning curve makes things a lot easier for players who aren’t familiar with the series.
2Scarlet Nexus
This JRPG should pique the interest of any player, regardless of their preferred genre.Scarlet Nexusis trying to do that for players. It offers a deep story players can replay twice since itfollows two characters,and it has agood combat systemas well. Its complex leveling system means that players will spend hours maxing out certain traits to make gameplay easier. Gamers will find that the world ofScarlet Nexusis quite unique, which makes it avery good RPGthat players should not miss out on.
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Being JRPG means that it can be quite difficult; however, unlike most games within the genre,Scarlet Nexusis more accessible, meaning players can get into the flow of things relatively easier than most JRPGS. This demo showcases just that, how simple a complex game can be for players who don’t usually play these types of games.
1Outriders
Borrowing elements from other co-op shooters likeDestiny, andOutridershad a lot of going for it. Sadly itmissed the markin many ways. Trying out the demo is definitely a must since it can help players decide if they want to commit to the full game despite its shortcomings.
Outridershas a deep progression and a great customization system. It can have players fighting and defending each other with ease. It doesn’t really innovate that much, but fans seem to be okay with that. Players will hang out in the main hub, which is the social point, and then will be tasked to go out on raids like inDestinyand other looter-shooters.
So while it falls short in its current state,Outriderscan be a great game for players if players join up with others. It has a great leveling system with some good visuals, and the story should be secondary if friends are bought. Playing theOutridersdemo will help players figure out if they want to play it or not, without spending money.
