The first Steam Next Fest of the year is nearly upon us, and with it comes waves upon waves of demos clamouring for our attention.
If you are new to Steam Next Fest, then it is a week-long festival where developers premiere or release updated demos of upcoming games. It’s a wonderful opportunity not just for the player to experience firsthand what a game brings but for developers to get some much-needed exposure; many hit games have come from being discovered during these events.
With the thousands of games taking part, it can feel a bit like a needle in a haystack to find one that hits, so luckily I have already been playing a ton of demos that are taking part, and I’ve rounded up my favourites, from multiple genres, that I think are worthy of your time.
Denshattack!
Ever since the first trailer dropped, curiosity has been circulating about this game and what it actually is. From the outset it looks just like a skateboarding game, but instead of a skateboard, you control a train carriage and have to do wild tricks while riding the rails.
And after playing the demo, that is a big component, but there is so much more to it. Set around the train courier, Emi, you’ll have to drift around corners, jump over obstacles and, at one point, ride on top of a giant Ferris wheel!
It’s fast, it’s unpredictable, but it’s so much fun, and the wonderfully vivid comic-style visuals, delightful narrative and arcade-style music just bring everything together in what can only be described as a wonderful mash up of Tony Hawks and Jet Set Radio…but with trains.
GRIDbeat
GRIDbeat drew me in with its gorgeous neon aesthetics and move-to-the-beat-of-the-music gameplay. But I wasn’t expecting such a full-on hacking experience that took me to hacking servers, finding data points and extracting emails, all while contending with firewalls, viruses, data breaches, defrag programs and format wipes.
Moving to the beat of the music is essential; otherwise, you will be destroyed and not only lose all your data but also be thrown out of the system. Thankfully the movement is super smooth, and the only problem I had was my timings.
With an upbeat synthy soundtrack and some challenging sections, I really recommend giving this demo a go, and I’ll certainly be there for the game’s full release.
Helix: Descent N Ascent
Helix Descent N Ascent is a puzzle adventure game set in the forgotten world of Helix. You play as an unknown creature who is out to rediscover the lost civilisation of this world.
Doing this requires you to solve many puzzles by using abilities your character picks up along the way. With the ability to mix and match these skills, it can lead to some intriguing puzzling moments.
I was struck by the visuals on display too, pleasingly playing with its monochrome colour scheme and telling its story through wordless actions. The demo really shows you what the game has to offer, and I am excited to experience the full game.
Cursed Words
What happens when Scrabble melds with a rogue-like? Well, Cursed Words is here to answer that particular scenario.
Presented with a grid of letters, the aim is to make the highest-scoring word you can from five different grids of letters per round. There are plenty of fun buffs and upgrades to help you raise those scores as well as a multitude of different coloured squares to take that score to even higher levels.
With an array of different characters to play as, with each bringing unique gameplay elements to the game, there’s plenty here to keep it fresh, and I spent far too long playing the demo, trying to improve my highest-scoring word. If anyone can beat my 368 points from one word, then let me know!
Teeto
Firing up the demo greets you with a rabbit scientist creating Teeto, a blue character made from gloop that can absorb nearby elements to temporarily gain new abilities.
Absorbing flowers gives you the power to grapple with a vine, become a rock to destroy barriers or even become a sofa…because why not? There are all sorts of items you can absorb, with some unexpected outcomes. Special mention goes to the effort to really dress up Teeto with these abilities, as the developers have gone to town to include as much detail and character as they could in the designs.
This ability plays beautifully into the gameplay of this zippy 3D adventure platformer, where you’ll also be collecting a ton of stars, jewels and Michaels (find out about that in the demo!) all encased with a quirky, fun sense of humour, and I think we might be on to a winner here.
Gambonanza
Balatro really does have a lot to answer for, as the second game on this list to try and capture that magic is Gambonanza, a rogue-like, turn-based chess game that sees you being pitted against bosses and other foes who are out to stop you from completing your quests.
Played very much like traditional chess, with pieces following their usual movesets, the twists come in through having to capture every one of your opponent’s pieces to win. But don’t take too many moves, as the board will start to crumble around you until nothing is left.
To help out are the usual buffs, known as gambits here, to gain you new pieces, buff up your existing ones or play mini games to earn more. You can even enlarge the board to fit more pieces on and hope to swarm your opponent.
The demo gives a great taste of the game, and it certainly has something going for it. I found myself with that feeling of not wanting to stop playing, and it’s a great time to try it out during the festival.
Thrifty Business
Manage your own thrift (charity) shop in this delightful and charming sim game.
The owner is leaving for a new life in London, and it’s been left to you to run the shop. Buy and place furniture, decorate walls and floors, acquire donations and stock your shop with goods for the local community to buy. You’ll even have to pick up the rubbish customers leave behind!
With a whole range of different furniture to choose from, including bookcases, tables and clothes rails; an array of items to sell, ranging from vases, lava lamps and jewellery; and a variety of current customers, there’s a big range of options to explore in the demo.
I fell for its fun and cosy feel, and I can already see the full game becoming quite a hit, especially if it continues with the promise it shows in the demo.
Dosa Divas
Dosa Diva takes the well-used formula from games like the Mario & Luigi RPGs and combines it with a story about food.
Set in a futuristic town, you’ll meet up with Sam, her sister and their mech called Goddess. In the demo, you’ll get a great taste of the cooking mechanic, which builds around collecting ingredients and completing mini games to create the perfect dish.
These feed into missions and side tasks and help to keep the narrative flowing. The other side to the game that you’ll experience in the demo is the turn-based battles. Each character has their own moveset with boosts and skills also available; the battles promise some strategic, tactical moments throughout the game.
With its vibrant visuals, interesting world and well-written dialogue, Dosa Diva is certainly worthy of your time in this next fest.
Forbidden Solitaire
In this game world, Forbidden Solitaire is a gory PC game from the nineties that caused much controversy when it was released. After finding a rare copy in the thrift store, you head home to boot it up to find out what all the fuss was about.
Presented from the desktop of the PC, you start up the game to be greeted with glorious visuals only a 90s PC game could give you, with all the ropey animations you could ask for.
The game is quite ingenious too. Explore a dark dungeon and try to find a way out. Come up against weird creatures to fight and secrets to uncover by using the power of solitaire. But this is solitaire mixed-up as there are numerous special cards, buffs and other fun additions to really mix up this age-old game.
With sudden desktop windows appearing from your friend that shares real full motion video from the time and other trinkets, this demo was a ton of fun, and I seriously can’t wait for the full version, which is just around the dark and scary corner.
Mythmatch
Play as Artemis as she attempts to impress Hades to let her become the Goddess of the Hunt in this heavy crafting game that involves match-3 mechanics. You’ll have to build up your belief meter by helping the mortals with their problems and issues during the day and return in the evening to persuade Hades to let you apply for the job.
Matching three of the same items can result in the expected outcome. Branches become logs, and sand becomes sandcastles, but there are some weird outcomes too… Who thought combining three beetles would result in producing a raccoon!?! This all happens straight on the game map, giving you the chance to combine items wherever you are.
The matching mechanic is also used for some old-school match-3 games too, which got a little hairy at times in the demo. With a light-hearted, friendly and approachable vibe, Mythmatch is my biggest surprise of the festival so far, and I urge you to at least give it a go while the demo is available.
Echo Isle
We’ve seen many Zelda Game Boy-style games come to the market over the years, with most bringing a new twist to the formula, but Echo Isle promises to bring an old-school homage to Link’s Awakening to your modern consoles without those twists.
The lighthouse on the island is its main protection from the world’s monsters, but when it suddenly stops, it’s up to you to find out why and to keep the inhabitants safe from the swarming evil creatures.
I’ve played a few of these types of games, and one thing a lot miss is that feeling of actually playing a new Zelda game. But this one had me feeling that, and at points I was back as a 12-year-old playing my Game Boy in my bedroom. This is all thanks to how the game perfectly captures that time period through its sound effects, music, graphics and overall presentation. The demo is only 15 minutes long too, so it won’t take up too much of your time.
Fallen Tear: The Ascension
Described as a story-driven Metroidvania, Fallen Tear: The Ascension grabbed my attention from the start and never let go through its extensive demo.
Set in the world of Raoah, take control of Hira as they attempt to solve the mystery of their past and save the kingdom in the process.
With some party-based JRPG mechanics, a sprinkling of rogue-like features, fully hand-drawn animation and the promise of an extensive map that changes depending on your actions, Fallen Tear really is shaping up to be an epic adventure, and I am very excited for the full game.
Titanium Court
The second match-3 game of the article, and this one is a truly special one. The demo really gets you into the satisfying mechanics of the game, which captivated me the whole time I was playing it.
Combining tower defence and roguelike systems with the match-3, you set out to protect the court from its enemies by matching 3 of the same item to create weapons or defences. Runs last for seven battles, with bosses waiting for you at the end of each one.
I’ve done a big disservice to the game with that description; it’s a game that needs to be experienced to truly understand what it’s all about. With extremely witty and funny writing joining the strategic mechanics and its gorgeous 8-bit graphics, you’d be a fool to skip this one.
Luna Abyss
In this story-driven bullet hell action adventure game, you take up the role of Fawkes, who wakes up in the Abyss. Struggling with their memory, you’ll explore this dark, sci-fi space prison through a first-person perspective as you take on tasks and tackle the Scourge, all while exploring your own personal troubles.
Made in Unreal 5, the game is able to really delve into the structure of the Abyss and its inhabitants in some detail, and it’s on full show in the demo. It seems like mostly linear paths will be taken, but it’s full of deep mystery, not just through this weird structure you explore or the circumstances you face but also for what other strange and disturbing creatures or constructs you may find on Fawkes’ journey.
With two sections to play in the demo (with the second area going much more into detail on different powers and movesets), thoughtful inclusions through an array of accessibility options and a detailed explanation of its difficulty levels, this is an easy recommendation if you’re seeking a sci-fi action game with a dark and creepy edge to it.
Phonopolis
Saving one of the best demos until last, Phonopolis is a story-driven puzzle game set in a hand-painted 3D world made from cardboard.
In this short demo, you’ll get a taste of Felix’s mission to end their oppressive leader’s influence on a dystopian city which has been inspired by avant-garde art. The demo really showcases the imaginative approach to the puzzles, and I was taken aback by just how much fun they were. There were some fine examples in the demo, with one involving moving sections of a building.
The gorgeous art design is also a highlight, perfectly evoking the dystopian feel; it’s some of the most creative designs I’ve seen in a video game. I can’t wait to experience the full game, and this one must be at the top of your Steam Next Fest lists.
I also played a few demos that didn’t quite make it into the featured games but are still worth an honourable mention. Including The Eternal Life of Goldman, Altered Alma, Shutter Story, Schrödinger’s Call Episode 1 and Croak.
Whatever you end up playing, i hope you do find some cracking games, and if you do, come and tell us in our Discord, we would love to know what discoveries you made during the event.
