Developer quicktequila has released a demo for their arcade-style first-person shooter TAMASHIKA. The free demo is available now on PC running from June 9 through June 16 as part of Steam’s Next Fest. The demo features daily leaderboards, where the top three players will earn limited‑edition TAMASHIKA shirts. A teaser video has also been released alongside the demo giving a look at gameplay.

TAMASHIKA is set on an astral plane of ever‑shifting hallways. Players will assume the role of an unnamed ‘runner’ armed with a pistol and a tantō blade, tasked with surviving “brutal daily runs.” The player’s goal is to cut through enemies, parry bullets, and rank on the leaderboard.

Founder of TAMASHIKA, Vidvat Madan did an interview GameSpot and had this to say about the concept of the game “the elevator pitch is ‘first-person shooter, corridor shooter, quick to pick up arcade style’ kind of action you know; Action games, I like, I was inspired by games like that and mostly shooter games have been changing they’ve been very kind of military focused or like lots of blood and gore, I’m not into that stuff. I like things that are happy, more like Kawaii-core, like cute and beautiful. So I just made a shooter. I like shooters but I want the enemies to blow up into flowers and stuff.”

TAMASHIKA aims to challenge players’ concentration and reflexes in their own created astral environment. The title, as the developer has stated, is designed for short, intense sessions, each run lasting about ten minutes, encouraging repeated attempts and refinement. The game’s focus on quick, high-skill gameplay creates a fast-paced is creating something that demands player precision. Early reception is positive for TAMASHIKA thanks to its unique style. This blend of action and surrealism may land well with players when the title releases sometime this year.