In preparation for the Pathologic remake's launch later this year, developer Ice-Pick Lodge has released a free "several-hour-long" standalone demo called Pathologic: The Marble Nest, which you can download now on Steam

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Pathologic - Screenshots 14 IMAGES

Check out a trailer for The Marble Nest below, which, like the demo, aims to introduce players to the "strange town, destroyed by an ungodly plague" at the center of Pathologic's story.Pathologic, the surreal psychological horror adventure from Russian-based studio Ice-Pick Lodge, gained something of a cult following when it launched back in 2005. Combining elements from several genres, such as horror, adventure, survival, and RPGs, Pathologic gave players 12 in-game days to explore a town plagued by a mysterious disease."As a healer sent to find a cure, you’ll also need to navigate the town’s unusual culture and traditions, deal with its ruthless economy, and negotiate with the conflicting families that govern this isolated population," the developers said in a statement accompanying the demo's announcement.After a successful Kickstarter campaign in late 2014, the team eventually released Pathologic Classic HD, a remastered version of the original with better graphics, localization, and compatibility. A full remake of Pathologic is also in the works for Steam, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.The Marble Nest was originally released to Kickstarter backers in late 2016, and then later "polished up" based on fan feedback for its wider debut on Steam.

Chloi Rad is an Associate Editor for IGN. Follow her on Twitter at @_chloi