Demo vs the full game
The demo was a curated slice of non-consecutive sections with demo-only chests, no save and no graphics settings. The forest chests that handed out recipes do not exist in the full game.
The Among the Trolls demo released on 12 February 2026 as part of the run-up to Steam Next Fest, and it was never meant to be a small version of the game. The developers describe the problem openly: their world is a slow burn, so they curated a section of the archipelago that highlighted the pillars rather than handing over a mini-sandbox.
What the demo actually contained
The demo was made of non-consecutive sections of the game, chosen to show four things:
| Section | What it showed |
|---|---|
| Atmosphere | The Finnish wilderness, its landmarks, and which ones were interactive |
| Survival and crafting | Gathering, making tools and weapons, the inventory, physical needs |
| Story | Anna's early journey looking for her family, and some of the characters |
| Supernatural taste | A hint of the mythic layer, with the biggest encounters held back |
Portals and dungeons were present in demo form — the first dungeon is where most players met real combat — and the demo also included non-consecutive narrative pieces that do not run in game order.
The differences that matter
| Feature | Demo (February 2026) | Full release (14 October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Curated, non-consecutive sections | The complete story, start to finish |
| Chests in the forest | Recipe-granting chests placed for the demo | Not present; recipes come from progression |
| Saving | No save function | Standard saving, with Steam Cloud support |
| Graphics settings | Not adjustable | Adjustable |
| Key rebinding | Not available | Covered in the release build |
| Languages | English only | English at launch, with localisation evaluated afterwards |
| Progression | Accelerated by demo chests | Full crafting and unlock curve |
The chests are the one that catches people out. The demo's own FAQ answered the question directly: the chests scattered through the forest are exclusive to the demo, placed there to give early access to certain crafting recipes that the full game delivers through other gameplay systems. If you learned the demo by looting, the release will feel tighter on handouts and more generous in the world.
Why the demo existed at all
Preparing it was described as a genuine challenge. The game's key features — NPC interactions, complex survival and crafting, the natural and supernatural woven into the story — are introduced gradually as Anna discovers her roots and learns her grandfather's old ways. Giving everything at once would spoil the mystery; giving too little would lose the soul of the game.
Carrying your expectations over
- Do not hunt for demo chests; gather and craft instead.
- Expect graphics and control options the demo did not have.
- Expect saving, and use it before long crossings.
- Expect the survival curve to be gentler on loot and stricter on the world.
- Expect the mythic encounters the demo deliberately withheld.
Sources
- Devlog #10 "Crafting the Demo" (how the demo was designed, what it showed): Steam news archive
- Demo FAQ by 505 Pulse (demo-exclusive chests, English-only demo, graphics settings): Demo FAQs & Known Issues
- Demo store page: Among the Trolls Demo on Steam
Game imagery on this page is official promotional material, used for reference.
