XC (demo) is a free racing video game wherein you can run in a foot race. Developed by CrossCountry, this indie game features a retro pixel art style with 2D “paper cut-out” models in a 3D environment. However, as evident in its title, it’s only a demo and a prototype of a game. It’s consistently being updated with changes, though, so you can expect it to improve more and more over time.

Not that easy

XC (demo) is all about track and field—specifically about running. Here, you get to participate in a race against other characters. You don’t get to customize your avatar at all. You can only input your name for the leaderboard and for the chance to redeem prizes if you joined the developer’s Discord server. There are three types of races or difficulties available: Junior Varsity, Varsity, and Elite. You only unlock the last two after winning races.

You can’t just run willy-nilly, however. There’s a stamina bar on top of the screen, and it will deplete faster the more you sprint. To conserve it, you must stay close behind other characters—which can be tricky as you can collide with them and lose momentum. The same goes for the numerous obstacles in the environment, and you can quickly fall behind if you’re not careful.

An interesting demo

Despite appearances, XC (demo) is a challenging racing game to play. The controls are easy to understand, but it takes a lot to master even though you have enough energy near the end of the race. The whole interface is pretty lackluster, though—and aside from the race types, you can only check their leaderboards. If your PC happens to find the game suspicious, you can open the EXE file’s Properties and check the “Unblock” option.