Steam's Latest Free Taster Is An 8/10 Must-Play For Cyberpunk 2077 Gamers

If you set a racing game within Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City, you’d end up with something like Screamer.

Developer Milestone launched arcade racer Screamer earlier this year and it was received incredibly well.

It sits at a respectable 76 on aggregate website Metacritic, with GAMINGbible’s own Olly Smith awarding a score of eight.

“After many hours playing Screamer’s arcade mode, I still feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of what this game offers,” he said in our review.

“It’s challenging, fast-paced, and leaves no room for error, but it’s incredibly appealing to those who enjoy a good throwback to the arcade racers of the 1990s, even if a little flawed in some departments.”

On PC storefront Steam, the game sits at a ‘Very Positive’ score of 80%, echoing our own thoughts.

Several months on from launch, developers are seemingly hoping to lure in a new batch of players as a demo has landed on Steam as well as on the Xbox Store and PlayStation Store.

The Demo Grants You Access To The Thrilling Early Stages Of Screamer’s Tournament

Screamer blends both the cyberpunk and anime aesthetics, putting a unique spin on the racing genre by having a strong narrative running throughout the game.

Yes, that does mean you need to win certain races to progress, but there’s joy in that challenge.

“Race. Fight. Survive,” the synopsis teases.

“Stand up for what you believe in and prove it's worth fighting for: this is the call every Screamer must answer to unravel the dark truth behind the most brutal racing showdown ever and its mysterious master.

Milestone S.r.l.

“Pick battles that blend extreme racing with proper fighting mechanics to fuel a captivating narrative featuring iconic characters, and drift the sickest vehicles around to discover what’s beneath this anime-inspired world.”

The demo permits players access to the early events of the main tournament featured within Screamer, where you’ll be able to take “your first laps in Neo Rey through single and team races”.

This includes trying out of the game’s unique mechanics, the Echo System.

“Pressing one button on the controller initiates a Boost, giving you a quick dose of speed in exchange for control over your vehicle’s handling,” Olly detailed in our review.

“Another ability activates an attack called a Strike, which will destroy opponents vehicles if you manage to come into contact with them.

“Building up enough Sync and Entropy, the two resources you use to activate these abilities, will also enable Overdrive, a special ability which gives you both a powerful boost and attack at the same time, allowing you to mow down other racers on the track with little resistance.”

As you can see, there are plenty of tricks at your disposal in your quest to be the greatest racer.

There’s no word on whether any progress from Screamer’s demo carries over, unfortunately. Even still, you’ve got nothing to lose in giving this one a go.

This year is already shaping up to be another strong one for gaming with Pokémon Pokopia, Resident Evil Requiem, and LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight already in the GOTY discussion.

Screamer may not quite live up to that standard but it doesn’t deserve to become one of 2026’s forgotten titles so hopefully this demo proves a great success.

READ MORE: Cyberpunk 2077 Returns In Free RPG Next Month That Has Us Hyped