Steam Next Fest | Master Momentum and Movement in Three-Hour Demo for Apogee’s “Celestoidvania” LUCID
Today, as part of Steam Next Fest, Apogee Entertainment and Eric Manahan, solo developer of The Matte Black Studio, have unveiled a freshly updated three-hour demo for the upcoming 2D action-platformer RPG LUCID, chock-full of enhancements that position the game as 2026’s most exciting platformer / “Celestoidvania.”
Bound by a promise, LUCID protagonist Oenn is a young Sentinel who ventures into a crystal-punk world shattered by catastrophe. Along the journey, Oenn absorbs powerful abilities that sharpen movement and amplify combat, opening new ways to explore and strike against enemies and towering bosses. Inspired by the golden age of 2D sidescrollers, LUCID captures the spirit of classic platformers and elevates it with modern design. The result is fast, action-driven gameplay wrapped in a rich and memorable narrative.
Praised for its low barrier to entry and high skill ceiling, LUCID combines lush, hand-crafted pixel art biomes with a rich storyline and tight movement controls to create an immersive 2D action-platformer inspired by the genre’s legendary titles.
In the demo, which features up to three hours of content, runners will venture through various biomes, each with unique landscapes and enemies, including a few boss encounters. Harnessing the crystal arts allows runners to phase through barriers and enhance their combat abilities. Fans of gorgeously rendered precision platformers, where acrobatics and combat are elegantly intertwined, are in for a treat. The LUCID demo additionally serves as a training ground for speedrunners to test out fast-paced traversal in this crystalline world.
Here is a list of improvements that have been made to LUCID’s demo:
Revamped Skill / Anointed Crystal System
An overhauled Totem sequence / Incandescent Pulse enhances approachability
More tutorials and better pacing
More dialogue hints for a more user-friendly experience
A consolidated narrative sequence along the main path
Overall game balancing, polished UI, and additional feedback implemented
General bug fixes and polish
LUCID’s demo is available now on Windows PC via Steam. The full game will launch first for Windows PC in Spring 2026, with console ports to follow.