2026 is starting off the exact same way that it always does, with me browsing the demo section, avoiding porn games, quitting, and going onto Bluesky or whatever to find something to play. This week, I found another roguelike that is kind of rough around the edges, but was overall pretty fun. This week, I gained entrance to an Ivy League magic school because I attempted the test a record number of times.

This week is the Brew demo!

Brew is an action roguelike from Snow Leaf Studios. The game was released on Steam in November 2025 and retails for $20.

You play as a little mouse that has been pitifully invited to the Alchion Alchemy Academy, this world’s most renowned alchemist school, not necessarily based on merits, but because you broke the record for most failed attempts at the entrance test. The academy has fierce competition, with students from all over the world, with talents ranging from alchemy to engineering, and everyone wants the same thing: to be taught by and become the best alchemist.

The aim of Brew is to mix potions and pass all of the Academy tests and flourish as a professional alchemist. Each “test” is broken down into a roguelike dungeon where players beat up on a bunch of baddies, get abilities, gather ingredients and money, and attempt to defeat a final boss, who is the professor that will “test your knowledge.” Lose and go back to the campus and strengthen relationships with fellow classmates, get yelled at by a snobby rich kid, and use your money to invest in permanent upgrades to help you through the dungeons and ultimately pass the tests.

The combat felt a little underwhelming. The shots look great, but it doesn’t feel like it packs a punch, same goes for the melee (to the point that I was questioning if I was meleeing baddies AT ALL).

The protagonist carries around a potion gun while traversing through the dungeons. While in the dungeon, you will be able to collect ingredients to craft potions mid-run, which can be used as throwables or jammed into the gun for a different type of gun. Fire, water, and air potions are available in the demo, and all impact the gameplay differently. The same goes for chests at the end of areas, which have a chance to give abilities to further evolve the combat. I found that I really enjoyed the water grenades the most during my time with the demo.

Each of my runs I was given the choice of poison. I don’t know if it was a bug or not, but the poison abilities were great.

The game looks great. I like the Academy campus, with, instead of Atlus holding up the world, it’s someone holding up a potion flask. Classmates are all some sort of anthropomorphic animal, such as a cat or fox. The demo dungeon is colorful and effectively conveys the exam that it is named for. The camera can be a little wonky, but it hasn’t significantly impacted my enjoyment of the game.

Brew’s demo initially threw me off because of the wonky camera and movement, but as I continued to play, I found myself having a lot of fun, especially with the potion gameplay. I liked trying out what potions did when I consumed them or when I slammed them into my gun for a new attack. I really liked the Water potion for the gun and consuming the air potion, so that my dodge turned into me riding a ball of air like in The Last Airbender. I think Brew has what it takes to be a good addition to the roguelike genre.

Super fun demo, I recommend checking out the demo, at least.