Ever wanted to play a game similar to Pokémon, but you felt the need to...raise the stakes? Now's your chance with Amiko Legends, a creature collecting extraction RPG from Aurory. Explore the lands of Okima, find and battle Amiko, and get to safety with your new buddies before you meet your end.
A demo for the game is available via October 2026's Steam Next Fest, occurring between 10/19 and 10/26. Play the demo (and thousands more) while you have the chance!
Is Amiko Legends Worth Playing?
Short answer? It depends on how risky you feel. Amiko Legends is being built from the ground up with the extraction mechanic in mind, wherein you pilfer whatever treasures you can, charm the locals to the best of your ability, then bail out at an extraction tower before your Amikos run out of health. Should your team fall, the run will fail, and you'll acquire nothing (not even the Amikos you charmed!).
This can lead to decision-making that will define your future: two of your three Amikos are down; do you press on for more treasures? You think you see a treasure chest ahead, but is it filled with goodies...or is it a mimic? You're almost out of Pokéballs - I mean, charming bells; who do you prioritize moving forward? Every choice is important, and it elevates the RPG to a cerebral game of risk & reward (including the thrilling heights of success...and the crushing feeling of defeat).
Combat is very familiar to those with experience in turn-based monster taming, with a couple tweaks to the feel of it. Moves are chosen in-part based on how much energy you have available to utilize: less powerful moves might build energy, while your most impactful abilities will cost a hefty price. This means you'll have to build up your reserves and keep them maintained if you plan to overwhelm your enemies with big damage. The coolest part, though? Turns are played out three in a row, leading to more mental gymnastics as you make educated guesses about your opponent. The enemy Amiko has 3 energy right now: is that enough for a strong ability? When will it go to use it - action 1, 2, or 3? When is the best time to try dodging? Throwing out a charming bell also requires an action, meaning you can play around the timing to avoid unnecessary damage, or soften up the enemy further before the bell comes out. Each turn becomes a chess game of timing, moves and counter-moves playing out in ways beyond just "I pick strongest move = I do mucho damage, teehee."
I ultimately liked Amiko Legends, even if I currently suck at pacing myself appropriately for runs. My first time in, I used all of my charming bells on a single Amiko, then go into three more fights in rapid succession that got me killed. Fastest game over ever! With time I could learn the game and make better decisions, and with cute little buddies like the Amiko, I could see myself taking that chance with buying the game. At the very least, I placed it on my Wishlist for now, which results in an automatic recommendation by me.
Amiko Legends does not currently have a release date, but you can find the demo during the Steam Next Fest here. It seems the demo may be available independent of the Next Fest, but why leave it to chance? Better to play it now while you can.
Are you interested in Amiko Legends? Did you play any other cool demos during October's Next Fest? Let us know in the comments below!
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