If you like demo games, you’re in for a fun week. Valve is holding yet another Steam Next Fest featuring playable demos of several upcoming games. It’s always a lot of fun to stalk Steam during these events, as it highlights the rich state of the indie game space and uncovers hidden gems I wouldn’t have played otherwise. As I’ve done with other Steam Next Fest events this year, I demoed several games and put together some highlights that you shouldn’t miss.
In total, I’ve picked seven games that are worth checking out. They’re all quite different from each other, even if they share a style or mechanics like deckbuilding. From sci-fi strategy games to serious supernatural RPGs, these are some of the indie demos you should definitely check out during Steam Next Fest this October.
Not me
Indie fighting games can be some of the strangest and most disruptive games in the genre, and Not me It seems like it already fits the bill. Developed by Clackamioch, Not me It features a system where players can attack enemies by placing blocks. To collect KOs, I need to cleverly use my character’s abilities to slam a variety of blocks in the right direction to crush enemies or push them off the edge of the screen. Although it may be a little overwhelming to look at (the player indicator icon would be a nice addition), it’s surprisingly simple to pick up and have a great time with it.
Even playing through single-player challenges, I got a basic sense of satisfaction every time I slammed into a block and watched it crush an opponent. I’m sure it will be even more engaging and entertaining when playing with friends, just like Super Smash Bros. high level game of Not me It’s sure to be exciting, as there still seems to be more depth with different block types and character creations. While I didn’t hear Not me On My Radar Before this Steam Next Fest, this is one fighting game that will be on my radar in 2024.
checkmate showdown
Speaking of quirky fighting games, fans of the genre will also want to check out this checkmate showdown, As its title suggests, this game from Manavoid Entertainment combines chess and fighting games. Things start out as a standard chess match – the demo also encourages players to visit Chess.com to brush up on their skills – but if a king, queen, bishop, knight or rook is If one of the pieces is taken, the gameplay changes to a traditional 1v1 fighting game.
It’s a surprisingly fun and deep game that’s packed with depth, combo potential, and even assist and tag-team features. There’s also a reason to return to the demo each day, as Manavoid is creating unique board setups based on iconic chess moments each day. Chess and fighting games are some of the most entertaining sports to watch, so it makes sense that combining them would work. That’s why checkmate showdown As we get closer to its launch on November 15, this game should be on fans’ radar.
wild country
The idea of a competitive city-builder sounds strange but Lost Native makes it surprisingly compelling wild country, In this upcoming indie game, players are competing to become the new mayor of Sun City. I had to do this mainly while fighting off other possibilities that felt like competing versions of DorfromantikWhere I had to place buildings on a hexagonal grid to maximize profitability. wild country There’s also a deckbuilder, so the buildings and abilities I had changed every match.
Last year, Dorfromantik Showed how satisfying it can be to watch a city grow and fall to pieces. By making it competitive, wild country Sometimes I would get even more engrossed as I looked at my cards to see the best way to increase the money I earned per turn. I wanted to play aggressively, but that strategy could easily have backfired due to some clever building by my opponent. Fans of card games, city-builders, and strategy games should keep an eye out wild country,
Slime 3K: Rise Against Dictator
If you are looking for escape from vampires-Love playing during Steam Next Fest, you might want to check it out Slime 3K: Rise Against Dictator, It is a spinoff of the Despots game series by Konfa Games and TinyBuild, and who have played escape from vampires Will understand the basics. You move around the arena as a giant slime, auto-attacking enemies and gradually unlocking more and more weapons to help you take down as many kills as you can. Some specific ingredients help slime 3k However, stand out.
The slime’s larger size made my movement more methodical, as it was generally more likely to hit enemies than I was. escape from vampires, The skill associated with the cards made deck building a more conscious part of the experience. I had to actively think about which card abilities I wanted to keep active in my loadout and how much I should upgrade them. While I doubt it will completely change escape from vampiresI could see slime 3k This will make it a solid option for me when it enters Early Access on November 2nd.
Pixel Cafe
pixel cafe, From Baltoro Games, is about dealing with consumer and generational trauma. By this I mean that it’s partly cooking management game and partly emotional visual novel. The title follows Pixel as she moves into the house that her grandparents left her after they died. This opens up the emotional wounds of his grandparents’ demise and his mother’s parenting failures. While I only got a taste of it in the demo, it seems pixel cafe Well written and will tell an emotionally compelling story. Between those parts of the story, the pixels have to work.
She does this in various bars in Karstok city. Those sections walk through time-based restaurant management gameplay, where I had to process orders placed by people, find ingredients to put together, and serve them within a time limit. With multiple counters and a variety of drinks and food available to customers, it reflects the busy feel of food service. If you dig games like coffee talkAnd Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood Like me, check out the demo for Pixel Cafe,
Thaumaturge
frostpunk 2 And shift Publisher isn’t the only upcoming game from 11 Bit Studios. In fact, it is planning to remove Fool’s Theory’s RPG, Thaumaturge, on 5 December. It got a very meaty Steam Next Fest demo, introducing players to an RPG that’s a serious European take on Persona. The titular character can interact and fight with the help of Upair and investigates supernatural phenomena in Eastern Europe in the early 20th century.
The demo shows the beginning of the game, showing me tracking down Rasputin in a remote village to help my character gain control of his abilities. With some help, I can hone those abilities and use magical powers to investigate environmental clues and fight in turn-based battles. I eventually had to use these abilities to solve a murder and subdue the demon behind it, who could then fight alongside me in battle like a Persona. The setting of this RPG is unique, and the initial narrative beats are interesting, so I recommend giving this demo a try.
earthless
To accomplish this, I would like to highlight earthless From Blackbird Interactive and Team 17. It is a roguelike deckbuilding strategy game where players command a generation of starships on a long, dangerous journey through space. It is divided into several encounters, often involving hostile aliens who want to attack immediately. Players fight in a turn-based strategy game where abilities are drawn from cards. Like Marvel’s Midnight Sons, earthless Allows players to use the cards they receive to inform a more active strategy.
The excellent, atmospheric UI immersed me in the role of a ship captain wondering about the next move. I also had to consider energy for attacks and how my engine would get a little hotter as I went to each location. Although the grounds are small, moving too early in a fight can hinder my ability to avoid or approach and exit danger in the future. It’s a simple to understand but deeply engaging formula and keeps me eager to jump back in and score even more runs. earthless Enters early access in 2024.
