My most anticipated indie of 2025 quietly updated its demo build while I was off eating lunch

rockpapershotgun.com:

Or months ago, maybe. I don't know and I have no time to check, because I'm playing the Steam demo for The King Is Watching. I wrote about it last year, but that was an older demo build. Things were different then, but the core of this minimalist city builder strategy remains: you'll need to actively train your kingly eyes on your feckless underlings if you want them to do any work. Don't watch the wheat fields, no food. Don't watch the barracks, no knights. You'll need those knights to defend from attacks too. Do you see how it all connects?! Do you?! Please, do your research. Here's a trailer to help:

I'm actually starting to suspect I might have imagined the build I last played, since the trailer I used in the previous article shows the newer build. How far down does this thing go? Wait, nevermind. It's still on Itch. Typical deep state shenanigans. First up, this version is much more visually lively than the previous. You can see your king now, and he's wearing a glorious golden face mask. This is just the demo king though - there looks to be more monarchs with more problems in the full release. Also new are prophecies that let you choose the next three waves that attack you, with more difficult enemies granting better rewards. Also, I think there are a lot more upgrades now. This is useless. I'm being useless. It was a long time ago. I'm sorry. Don't look at me, look at this helpful and attractive Steam description:

Sire! There are countless reports of peasants and workers sleeping on the job, not producing the bare minimum for the kingdom to operate! Only your watchful eye can help them understand the importance of working, for the good of the Kingdom! Your Royal Skill of balancing resource production, troop training, and magic guild is what will save our kingdom! Avert your attention to other royal matters, and production will stop.

See, that was illuminating. I'll have worked out what's new and what's good by the time I end up reviewing this thing, promise.