My Most-Anticipated Game Was Delayed, But Its New Demo Has Proven A Fantastic Consolation

Originally slated for this year, At Fate's End has been delayed to 2027. And while I'm bummed that the next game from Spiritfarer studio Thunder Lotus is now months (maybe even a year) away, the new Steam demo that dropped alongside the delay announcement has been an excellent consolation prize. Having finished the one-hour slice of the upcoming action-adventure, I'm more convinced than ever that this game would have been a serious contender for everyone's Best Of lists this year had it managed to stick to its original release window. Like Spiritfarer, At Fate's End appears to combine an engrossing gameplay loop with an emotionally devastating story. However, unlike Spiritfarer, At Fate's End isn't delving into death positivity and the oftentimes messy emotions of grief, vulnerability, and forgiveness tied to the loss of a loved one (on first glance anyway--I suppose it could always touch on these). Instead, the game tells the story of how a family's fracturing loyalties can cause members to turn on one another, why the long-ignored traumas between parents and their children can linger and continue to hurt long after a parent dies, and what it takes for siblings to reopen old woun…

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