Steam Next Fest isone of my favourite events of the year. It’s a chance to fill up my hard drive with game demos, watch my wishlist bloat and sag under the weight of expectation and anticipation, and get the lay of the land for the year ahead.
I’m always happy to try games of any genre – it’s a demo, after all – but it always helps if I have a couple of pointers or recommendations from friends and colleagues. That’s why I’m here to explain how to navigateSteam’smost exciting event, and point you in the right direction of some special demos for exciting games. Whether you like atmospheric claymation narrative games, high-octane first-person riffs onHotline Miami, or alien farming sims, there’s something for you.
Harold Halibut
This game is magic. If Wes Anderson and Nick Park were to team up and painstakingly animate a video game using clay figures and stop-motion, this would be the result. But I already knew Harold Halibut looked stunning.
What surprised me in its Next Fest demo was the worldbuilding, the forcibly slow pace, and the funny, exceedingly British dialogue. The full game is set to release this year, and I’ll be there day one.
Dungeonborne
Dungeonborne is the runaway hit of Steam Next Fest, making the most of Dark & Darker’s legal troubles to give fantasy fans their hit of PvPvE dungeon crawling. Mirthil Interactive’s first game opts for a more realistic art style, but Clouseau Castle and Sinner’s End are incredibly engaging playgrounds for single-player and co-op action respectively. It’s not hard to see why players are loving this one.
Children of the Sun
Children of the Sun is great, but you already know that because you checked out our preview of the game already, didn’t you?Didn’t you?Good. It’s every bit as good as our previewer George Foster believes, and now you can check it out for yourself if you don’t believe him. Part Hitman, part Sniper Elite, this puzzle shooter has the aesthetic of a hyper-saturated ‘90s comic book.
Devolver Digitaland René Rother have struck gold here, and you’ll strike dark red arteries and equally explosive fuel tanks.
Another game dripping in style, Mullet Mad Jack takes a lot of inspiration from another Devolver classic, Hotline Miami. It shifts the perspective to first-person and overlays a bold cyberpunk narrative, but for the most part you’ll be Doom-ing your way through throngs of robots to save a techno-influencer with billions of followers.
As stylish as it is violent, Mullet Mad Jack twists the classic boomer shooter formula by giving you just 15 seconds to live. Killing enemies adds precious seconds to this timer, and creates a frenetic pace as you shoot, kick, and stab your way to social media glory.
Lightyear Frontier
A farming simulator where you pilot giant mechs on an open-world alien planet? Yes, please. It feels like something out of that episode of Love, Death, and Robots (you know the one), and plays like a sci-fi dream. Lightyear Frontier has immaculate vibes, its chilled out and entirely peaceful gameplay matched by the refreshing colour of its futuristic design. Lightyear Frontier releases into early access next month.
Entropy Survivors
A Vampire Survivors-like, I was immediately drawn to Entropy Survivors by the giant mech and frog astronaut who adorn the cover. Just as much fun as the game it apes, this is one to check out if you loved Poncle’s 2021 hit. If you somehow missed the Vampire Survivors train at the time, now’s the time to try out a game heavily inspired by it. Did I mention it has a spacefaring frog?
Realm of Ink
If you’re craving a Hades hit before the sequel hits early access, Realm of Ink might be the demo for you. Similarly to last year’s Ravenswatch, this game slaps a different design philosophy onto Hades’ roguelike bones, and it works. I love how Realm of Ink looks, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a little more mechanical originality when the full game releases.
Outcast - A New Beginning
Outcast’s demo is a little difficult to parse, having three distinct slices you may experience separately. The first is exploration, in which you can fly around an alien world with triple-A levels of production quality. The movement – especially jetpacking through the air, which uses an interesting momentum mechanic – takes a while to get the hang of, but the third-person shooting of alien creatures is standard fare.
I also tried out some PvP for the sci-fi game, which is alright. My experience with the demo suggests that this game will thrive on its campaign and exploration rather than its PvP offerings, and it’s one to keep an eye on for its presentation alone.
Pepper Grinder
Another offering from indie darling Devolver Digital, Pepper Grinder was on many people’s radars even before this demo was released. I must say, I didn’t quite get the hype – evenafter our preview, which I know you’ve also read. Now I’ve played it, and I understand. This clever platformer involves grinding your way through sand and demonic enemies alike using a large spinning weapon – presumably the eponymous grinder – and it’s instantly engaging.
From the pixel art aesthetic to the innovative take on platforming, there’s a lot to love about this game. It’s easy to pick up and play a level or two while you wait for the kettle to boil, and I’ll definitely be picking this up when it releases this year.
Arco
Whereas a few games on this list have been heavily inspired by hugely popular titles, Arco feels totally original. A 2D tactical adventure, the 8-bit aesthetic instantly drew me in, but the brutal tactical gameplay was a stumbling block. Maybe I’m just bad, but this feels like a Dark Souls-esque difficulty curve, switching third-person real-time action for a top-down, turn-based affair. However, the beautiful backdrops and exciting exploration pulled me through a devastating encounter with a particularly nasty skeleton. Arco releases this year, and the demo is the perfect way to test the waters.
Steam Next Fest has given me the opportunity to test out dozens of new games to see what they’re about, and my wishlist is a lot heavier for it. I implore you to try out these ten games for size, but also check out the whole Next Fest roster, as I’m sure there are plenty of gems I’ve scrolled past. And most importantly, if you stumble across a demo that captures your heart: tell a friend. Tell me. Send me an email. Share these great games so that more people can experience them.
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