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Knuckle Paradise Demo Is Now Available on Steam
ARTE France and Flying Oak Games have released the first demo for Knuckle Paradise, giving players a full chapter of its open-world beat ’em up ahead of Steam Next Fest. The demo is available now on Steam and runs through the game’s first boss encounter, plus several side quests.
Knuckle Paradise follows Jane, a retired boxer who is kidnapped and forced into an underground martial arts tournament in an abandoned amusement park. She isn’t fighting alone, either, and eventually teams up with Cocotte, a warrior chicken who can assist in combat.
The broader game has no release date yet, with its Steam listing currently showing only “Coming soon”.
Knuckle Paradise Mixes Beat ’Em Up Combat With Character Action
Flying Oak draws on character-action games like Bayonetta and Devil May Cry, as well as Death’s Door, with combat built around mobility, aerial combos, and more expressive attacks rather than straightforward button-mashing.
That influence should be familiar to anyone who enjoys the faster, more combo-driven side of action games. We recently saw a similar lineage in our Tides of Annihilation preview, where Devil May Cry and Bayonetta were also clear reference points for its combat.
Outside fights, players can explore the wider amusement park for upgrades, new abilities and optional activities. Knuckle Paradise will also have stealth sections and high-speed chases, while some areas venture into stranger territory with neon nightclubs and mirror mazes.
Jane Has More to Do Than Win the Tournament
Although the premise leans heavily into over-the-top action, Flying Oak is also building a broader narrative around Jane’s journey through the island. The story explores themes of fairness, inclusion and resilience as Jane and Cocotte encounter increasingly unusual opponents and gradually uncover why they were brought to Wingsland Paradise in the first place.
For now, the newly released demo offers the clearest opportunity yet to see how those systems come together, covering one full chapter, optional content and the first major boss.
