Every now and again, we like to highlight some free Xbox demos that have appeared on the Microsoft Store, and there are two recent ones in particular to bring your attention to - both for some very intriguing new indie releases.
The first demo is for Blades of Fire, which is a new action-adventure game by the Metroid Dread developer that's launching for Xbox on May 22nd. The free demo has gone live today, allowing you to check it out ahead of time.
This demo includes the first few hours of Blades of Fire, and save data transfers over to the main game:
The second Xbox demo we're highlighting today is Captain Blood, which is a cancelled original Xbox game that finally released for Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S earlier this month. It's a pirate-themed hack-and-slash adventure title that literally started life back in 2003, so it's amazing to see it finally getting a release in 2025!
Looking at the Xbox Store reviews. most people seem to be enjoying the demo for this one so far.
To access these free Xbox demos, along with loads of others that are being released all the time, you'll need to go to the Microsoft Store app on your Xbox console, select the "Games" tab, and then scroll down to "game demos".
We'll leave a couple of Microsoft Store links down below for Blades of Fire and Captain Blood specifically as well:
Blades of Fire
From the award-winning studio MercurySteam, comes a new action-adventure where you forge your own weapons and face fierce enemies in a unique combat system. Join Aran de Lira on his journey to find the real purpose of his fate!
Captain Blood
Captain Blood is a pirate-themed action game set on the Spanish Main in the 17th century, where you step into the boots of a fearsome pirate on a quest for gold and glory. Expect wild adventures with cannon firing, pistol shooting, swashbuckling sword fights, and plenty of pirate shenanigans. This action-packed hack'n'slash features fierce hand-to-hand combat, hordes of enemies, and a classic fighting system with flashy combos and epic finishers.