Let Them Come: Onslaught Demo Levels Up — But Can It Stand Out in a Crowded Survivors Scene?

The alien horde returns, now with actual upgrades

Let Them Come: Onslaught just dropped a refreshed demo on PC, and it caught my attention for two reasons: one, Tuatara’s original Let Them Come (2017) was a crunchy, stylish pixel-art splatterfest with real identity; two, the “Survivors-like” space is overflowing with pretenders. If Tuatara and publisher Digital Bandidos want to matter in a world of Vampire Survivors, Brotato, and Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, they need more than particle spam and a bigger numbers treadmill. This update suggests they know it.

Key takeaways

• Visual overhaul isn’t just prettier-it aims to clarify chaos. If the VFX team nails readability, that’s a genuine edge.
• Expanded armory and larger skill trees hint at deeper run variety, not just bigger damage multipliers.
• Environmental hazards you can weaponize could separate Onslaught from copycats if tuned right.
• QoL additions like progress trackers and a proper tutorial show the devs are listening, not just hyping.

Breaking down the new demo

The demo’s headline upgrades focus on three fronts: looks, loadouts, and learning curve. Tuatara’s background is high-end VFX, and it shows-environments are sharper, effects punch harder, and the retro-pixel aesthetic hasn’t lost its grit. The risk with survivors-likes is always the same: when the screen fills with particles, can you still read telegraphs, dodge danger, and feel in control? The studio says readability is up. That’s the part I’m most eager to test.

On the systems side, the armory has been expanded and reorganized into bigger skill trees. Expect more toys-orbital lasers, drones, and classic bullet-hose upgrades—to weave into your runs, plus meta-progress to unlock new weapons and characters. A new tutorial should help newcomers, which matters when your game trades on momentum and synergies. Progress trackers are a smart touch, too, turning “one more run” into a visible target rather than blind grinding.

Tuatara also promises continued updates to the demo itself, with at least one major patch before launch. That’s rare and welcome; most teams lock demos and disappear. The demo is available now on PC via Steam, with console demos to follow. The full release is set for later in 2025 across PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC storefronts.

Why this matters in a crowded survivors market

“Survivors-like” isn’t a novelty anymore. The games that stick add a twist—Halls of Torment went ARPG-lite, Brotato leaned into rapid-fire builds, and DRG: Survivor brought mining and class identity. Onslaught’s pitch is twofold: environmental hazards you can weaponize (lightning strikes, volcanic eruptions), and Tuatara’s VFX muscle delivering “cinematic chaos” without losing that razor-edged retro vibe. If hazards aren’t just damage zones but tools you can herd enemies into, there’s real potential for moment-to-moment tactics beyond “kite in circles until numbers spike.”

I’m also watching the skill tree approach. Bigger trees don’t automatically equal better runs; they can bury synergies under noise. The promise here is structure—organized paths that make builds legible and encourage experimentation. If the trees create meaningful forks (e.g., commit to drone-focused crowd control vs. orbital burst windows), that’s the kind of choice that keeps a survivors-likes fresh past hour ten.

The gamer’s perspective: hopes and red flags

• Readability over fireworks: Tuatara’s VFX pedigree is a double-edged sword. Telegraphed enemy threats and clear player hit feedback must survive the spectacle.
• Power curve pacing: Survivors games live or die on how quickly you hit your first synergy. If the early game drags, players bounce.
• Controller feel on consoles: Auto-aim vs. twin-stick precision needs to be tuned for couch play, not just mouse kiting.
• Switch performance: Pixel art isn’t a free pass; effects-heavy screens can tank handhelds. Stability will make or break that version.
• Audio identity: A synth soundtrack by Cartridge 1987 fits the ‘80s-sci-fi brief. If the tracks evolve with build intensity, it’ll amplify the power fantasy.

There’s also a giveaway running around the demo’s launch, which is fine hype fuel, but the real test is how the game feels at minute 12 of a run when the screen is a blender. If I can still make micro-decisions—baiting a lightning strike into a packed lane, timing an orbital laser to cover a greedy chest grab—that’s design speaking louder than marketing.

What this changes for survivors fans

If you love Vampire Survivors but want a nastier, Aliens-flavored tone, Onslaught looks like a sensible next stop. The original Let Them Come nailed chunky impact and attitude; channeling that into a run-based horde format could hit the sweet spot between arcade violence and build tinkering. If you’ve bounced off survivors fatigue, the environment-as-weapon angle might be the hook that brings you back—provided it’s more than flavor text.

Looking ahead

With at least one more major demo update promised before launch, the team has a window to dial in balance, tighten tutorialization, and show off higher-tier content. I’d love to see stronger class or character identity, more map-specific hazards that push different play styles, and transparency on how permanent upgrades interact with run difficulty. Keep the grind satisfying, the builds legible, and the chaos readable—that’s the lane to a real hit.

TL;DR

Let Them Come: Onslaught’s upgraded demo isn’t just a polish pass; it adds systems that could give it a real identity in a crowded genre. If the environmental hazard play and skill trees create genuine tactical choices—and the VFX never drown the gameplay—this one could earn a spot in your survivors rotation.