Forsworn’s full Act 1 demo hits Steam Dec 1 — a co-op tactics roguelike with a big swing

Why this announcement actually matters

Forsworn’s demo dropping December 1 caught my attention for one simple reason: it’s not a teaser slice-it’s the full first act. In an era where “demos” often mean a 20-minute vertical slice with a cliffhanger, giving players a whole act (with solo or up to 3-player co-op) suggests Resummon Studios is confident in its dark medieval tactics roguelike. If you love the chess-match feel of turn-based combat and the unpredictability of roguelike runs, this could be a standout December download.

Key takeaways

• Full Act 1 demo on Steam Dec 1-substantial content, not a bite-size tease.
• Solo or 3-player co-op with a focus on party synergy and evolving playstyles.
• Five playable heroes and roguelike progression promise varied runs.
• Cautious optimism: co-op flow, balance, and clarity will make or break it.

Breaking down the announcement

Resummon Studios LLC says Forsworn is a dark medieval, turn-based tactical roguelike built around synergy, evolving abilities, and runs that stack progression over time. The demo includes the entire first act and supports solo play or cooperative runs with up to three players. You can wishlist now and hop into the community Discord if you want to compare notes with other tacticians once the demo lands, but the headline here is that we’re getting a generous slice to actually test the game’s core loop.

The pitch is familiar yet promising: five distinct heroes whose abilities evolve in-run, items and upgrades that reshape your team’s identity, and roguelike progression to keep the next attempt fresh. The studio is leaning hard on “party synergy,” which, if they stick the landing, means your choices should ripple across the squad instead of every hero feeling like a siloed damage dealer.

Why this matters now

Co-op turn-based tactics is still under-served. We’ve had great solo-focused tactics highs-from the grim stress management of Darkest Dungeon to the ultra-tight puzzle layer of Into the Breach—but when you want a true tactical co-op night, options thin out fast. For The King scratches the itch in a board game-y way; Wildermyth tells incredible stories but is a solitary canvas. A run-based, synergy-first tactics game designed for three players could slot perfectly into that “Friday night squad” routine.

The other big reason to care: a full act demo is a quiet statement of intent. It implies the developers want feedback on pacing, not just isolated combat. Do encounters escalate cleanly? Does the meta-progression respect your time? Do builds actually feel like they “evolve,” or are you just stacking linear stat bumps? You don’t learn those things in a combat sandbox. You learn them over an act.

The real test: co-op tactics that flow

Turn-based co-op lives or dies on flow. If the UI is clunky, if you’re constantly waiting on teammates with no ready-up tools, or if the game is stingy about communicating turn order, ranges, and status effects, analysis paralysis sets in and the night fizzles. The best co-op tactics experiences make teamwork feel clever, not slow.

Forsworn’s emphasis on “party synergy” is encouraging, because it hints at kit interactions—setups and payoffs that feel great when coordinated. Think the usual suspects: pulls into AoE knockdowns, zone control that funnels enemies into traps, a debuff that turns chip damage into burst. If the five heroes are truly distinct and their abilities meaningfully morph mid-run, the co-op potential is huge. But if the upgrades are mostly +5% this and +10% that, the promise fizzles fast.

Roguelike progression without the grind tax

“Evolving abilities” and “roguelike progression” can mean a lot of things, some of them not great. The ideal is meta that unlocks new playstyles, not raw power that trivializes early runs. If your first few attempts feel like punishment until you grind out basic damage and health, players bounce. On the flip side, meaningful unlocks—new ability branches, artifacts that shift team identity, mechanics that encourage risk—are exactly what keep tactics roguelikes sticky.

Forsworn’s demo is the perfect place to prove it understands that balance. If Act 1 supports multiple team comps and rewards experimentation, the foundation is there. If everyone on day two reaches the same “best” build and sleepwalks the boss, there’s tuning work ahead.

What gamers should watch for on day one

• Clarity and readability: Can you parse ranges, elevations, and status effects at a glance?
• Co-op pacing: Are there ready checks, pings, and quick ways to coordinate turns without voice?
• Build variety: After a few runs, are you seeing new lines or repeating the same 2-3 “correct” picks?
• Difficulty curve: Does Act 1 escalate fairly, or are there early RNG spikes that feel cheap?
• Stability: Co-op netcode and desyncs can ruin a tactics run—watch for smoothness here.

Looking ahead

I’m cautiously hyped. A full Act 1 demo with five heroes and 3-player co-op is a bold move that puts Forsworn squarely on the tactics map for December. If Resummon Studios nails the feel—snappy co-op flow, readable combat, and upgrades that meaningfully twist your party’s identity—this could become a regular fixture in the co-op rotation. If not, the demo will at least make the issues clear early, and that’s valuable in itself.

TL;DR

Forsworn’s Act 1 demo lands Dec 1 with solo and 3-player co-op, five heroes, and evolving builds. The concept is strong; the execution—especially co-op flow and build variety—will decide whether it’s a December must-play or just another tactics curiosity.