Mixology Murder Mystery Best Served Cold Demo Pours In

Ever wanted to solve a murder mystery while mixing the perfect cocktail? Well, now you can, because Best Served Cold—the noir-inspired bartending detective game—is serving up a fresh demo on Steam.

Set in the fictional city of Bukovie, Best Served Cold throws you behind the bar of The Nightcap, an illegal speakeasy where the drinks are stiff, and the secrets are even harder to swallow. The police are utterly useless at solving a string of grisly murders, so naturally, an ambitious young detective decides that the best person to crack the case is… his bartender.

Your job? Keep your illicit establishment running while prying clues from your clientele—who, coincidentally, also happen to be suspects and witnesses. Mix drinks, manipulate moods, and extract confessions, all while navigating a social web of dubious characters who range from desperate to downright dangerous. After all, nothing loosens lips like a well-crafted cocktail.

To celebrate the demo’s launch, developer Rogueside has also released a brand-new gameplay trailer showcasing Best Served Cold’s stunning art direction, investigative mechanics, and—of course—the fine art of bartending your way to the truth.

If you fancy yourself a mixologist with a nose for crime-solving, here’s what to expect:

• A Murder to Solve – Collect clues, interrogate patrons, and unravel the mystery lurking within The Nightcap.
• Bartending with Benefits – Mix cocktails tailored to each patron’s personality and use them to nudge conversations in your favour.
• A Cast of Colourful Characters – Form relationships, uncover backstories, and figure out who’s lying through their whiskey-soaked teeth.
• A Deeply Atmospheric Setting – Inspired by 1920s Bucharest, Best Served Cold immerses you in a city on the brink of cultural and political upheaval.
• From the Minds Behind Cloudpunk – Writers Joshua Aldred and Thomas Welsh weave a gripping narrative dripping with noir charm.

Art Director Antje Van den Heuvel assures players that one taste of Best Served Cold won’t be enough: “Once players step into the world we’ve crafted and start pulling at the threads of our murder mystery, we think they’ll be back at the bar asking for another serving!”

The demo is available throughout Steam Next Fest, so if you’ve ever wondered whether you’d make a better detective than the professionals (while also mixing a mean Old Fashioned), now’s your chance