LADY DEATH PLAYTESTS: THE DESCENT

Paint the Town Dead

Join the official playtests for Lady Death: Demonicron and help shape the final game on the road to launch. This journey follows Hope's fall—and Lady Death's rise—through five playtests and five circles of Hell.

Pre-order the game today to secure your access, then compete in monthly challenges to win exclusive physical prizes, Discord roles, and a place in our hall of fame.

Note: Kickstarter Backers automatically have VIP access to all playtests. Check your email for instructions.

Pre-order for Access Join the Discord

PLAYTEST SCHEDULE

Five playtests. Five circles of Hell. One path to launch.

Next to Play

March 20 – March 23, 2026

Test 1: First Blood

The Death of Hope

Experience Lady Death's origin story. Witness Hope's transformation as she rises from the Corpse Pits with vengeance in her heart.

March 20 at 12:00 PM – March 23 at 12:00 PM UTC

Date: TBC

Date: TBC

Test 2: The Corpse Mill

The Rendering Floor

The assembly line never stops. Enter the industrial hell where bodies are processed as commodities—where the bottom line is written in bone and the profit margin runs red.

April 2026

April 2026 (TBC)

Test 3: Coming Soon

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May 2026

May 2026 (TBC)

Test 4: Coming Soon

—

June 2026

June 2026 (Next Fest)

Test 5: Coming Soon

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HOW TO JOIN

01

Pre-order the Game

Pre-order Lady Death: Demonicron via our official store to become eligible for playtest access.

02

Watch Your Inbox

Before each playtest wave, we will email eligible players to confirm their interest and participation.

03

Enter Hell

Receive your Steam key and build access instructions via email.

04

Play, Compete, and Share

Experience the Corpse Pits, compete in challenges, and share your best clips using #LadyDeathDemonicron.

05

Submit Feedback

Join our Discord feedback channels to help us tune combat, difficulty, and polish.

Pre-order the Game

ACTIVE NOW: FIRST BLOOD

Test 1: The Death of Hope

March 20 (12:00 PM) – March 23 (12:00 PM UTC)

Innocence burns. Power rises. Start in the Corpse Pits and witness the first steps of Hope's transformation into Lady Death.

What You'll Play:

  • Level 1: Corpse Pits - Single-player core gameplay
  • Core Combat Loop - Sword combos, dodge mechanics, devastating attacks
  • Origin Story Beats - Hope → Lady Death begins here

TEST 1 COMPETITIONS & REWARDS

Four ways to prove your worth. Four chances at glory.

How to Submit Your Entry

Every bounty requires you to submit proof in our official Discord. Social media posts are optional for most categories, but mandatory for the Best Action Shot challenge.

The Tie-Breaker Rule: If two players submit the exact same high score or speedrun time, the winner will be determined chronologically by whoever submitted their proof in the Discord channel first.

🎯 The Body Count

High Score Challenge

Achieve the highest total score at the end of Level 1. Master combos, maximize multipliers, and dominate the leaderboard.

Reward: $25 Steam Card + "Corpse Pits Conqueror" Discord Title.
Verification: Upload a screenshot of your final scoreboard directly to the #️⃣leaderboard-submit Discord channel.

⚡ Hell-Sprint

Speedrun Challenge

Complete Level 1 in the fastest time possible. Speedrunners will expose movement tech and optimal routing.

Reward: $25 Steam Card + "Hell's Fastest" Discord Title.
Verification: Because full run videos are too large for Discord, upload your video to YouTube (Unlisted is fine) or a cloud drive (Google Drive, Dropbox) and drop the viewable link into the #️⃣speedrun-submit Discord channel.

🎨 Heavy Metal Album Cover (Best Action Shot)

Best Action Shot

Capture the most aesthetically striking screenshot. Gore, enemy density, dramatic poses—make it album cover-worthy. Note: This is our community showcase challenge, so sharing it with the world is required!

Reward: $25 Steam Card + "Cover of Carnage" Discord Title.
Verification: Post your screenshot publicly on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok (as a photo post), or YouTube (as a Short or Community Post) using the hashtag #️⃣LadyDeathDemonicron. Then, drop the link to your post in the #️⃣media-showcase Discord channel. The winner will be chosen by community emoji votes in Discord!

🐛 Glitches in the Pits

Bug Hunter Challenge

Find the most spectacular, game-breaking, or hilarious bug. Turn frustration into engagement and help us polish Hell.

Reward: $25 Steam Card + "Pit Whisperer" Discord Title.
Verification: Submit your findings with a description and a screenshot/video link in the #️⃣bug-reports Discord channel. (The winner of this category will be hand-picked by the Dev Team based on the most helpful and reproducible report).

Deadline & Winners: Submissions close strictly on March 23 @ 12:00 PM UTC. Winners will be announced shortly after. (Note: In the event of any major issues in selecting a winner for a category, the Dev Team reserves the right to choose the winner in a fair and reasonable manner).

KICKSTARTER VIP: THE SWORN NATION

🔱

Your Pledge Secured Your Place in Hell

To our original backers: you are the vanguard. Your Kickstarter pledge automatically grants you VIP status and elite access to every playtest in The Descent. No further purchase required.

Your Exclusive Perks:

VIP Access:

Private Discord channels (#sworn-nation-vip).

Legend Status:

Earn exclusive roles like "Architect of Hell" for top feedback.

How to Access: Check your inbox for your VIP briefing and build instructions. If you haven't received your key, please contact support immediately.

Join the VIP Discord Channel

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I participate in the playtest?

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Pre-order the game to secure your playtest access. You'll receive instructions via email before each test begins. Make sure to join our Discord server for community updates and competition submissions.

When do the playtests run?

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Playtests run monthly from March through June 2026. Test 1 "First Blood" runs March 20–23. Each test window typically lasts 3-7 days. Sign up to get notified when each test starts.

Can I compete in multiple competitions?

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Yes! You can enter all five competitions per test. Submit your best runs for high score, speedrun, combo, screenshot, and bug hunting. However, you can only win one grand prize per test. If you place in multiple categories, you'll receive the highest-tier reward and runners-up will receive the other prizes.

How are winners selected?

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Competition winners are determined by leaderboard rankings for objective competitions (high score, speedrun, combo). The "Heavy Metal Album Cover" contest is determined by community voting via Discord emoji reactions. Bug hunting is judged by the development team based on severity and entertainment value.

What platforms are supported?

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Currently, playtests are PC (Windows) only. Make sure you have Steam installed, as that's how we verify participants and distribute builds. Console testing may come in later phases.

How do I receive my prize if I win?

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Winners will be contacted via the email they registered with. Discord roles are assigned immediately. Physical prizes (comics, prints, pins) will be shipped after the test window closes. Digital rewards (color palettes, early access) are granted directly through Steam or Discord.

How do I provide feedback and report bugs?

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Join our Discord server where you'll have access to dedicated feedback channels: #bug-reports for technical issues, #general for overall feedback, and competition-specific channels for your submissions. We read every message and your input directly shapes development.

I'm a Kickstarter backer. How do I access VIP benefits?

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Check your email for VIP access instructions. You'll receive a special Discord invite link and early access codes 48 hours before each public test. If you can't find your email, contact us through Kickstarter or our support email.