The annual Steam Next Fest is a showcase of the best games coming out in the following year. It’s a good way to get an idea of what you should be playing in the next 12 months, and it’s also a great time for developers to show off their upcoming projects.
The Steam Next Fest 2021 is an annual event that takes place in October. It is a celebration of all things Steam, including games, hardware, and more!
Take a deep breath in and out. Do you have a sense of smell? That is the aroma of freshly baked independent games, my buddy. While I may have joined Steam to play Team Fortress 2 all those years ago, it’s the continuous stream of interesting new indie-developed games that has kept me coming back. Of course, if you only checked the new releases bar every day, you wouldn’t be able to sift through the avalanche of shovelware to discover the gems, which is why Steam organizes the Steam Next Fest on a regular basis. The Next Fest is a week-long exhibition of independent development’s up-and-comers, games you may otherwise miss if you’re not in the know.
It’s not just a list and a few livestreams, however; each game included in the Steam Next Fest comes with a free playable demo that you can test at any time throughout the event’s length. It’s a fantastic event, not just for independent games, but also for keeping the tradition of giving samples alive, which many big-name titles have abandoned. If you’re in a rush, though, here are some of the finest Steam Next Fest demos to get your feet wet in.
The finest demos from Steam Next Fest
- Aces that have fallen from grace
- Inscryption
- Souls in their prime
- Mechajammer
- Crazy Experiments Simulator – MythBusters: The Game
- Ultra-Ageing
- Recharged Justice Sucks
- Sherwood Builders – Robin Hood
Aces that have fallen from grace
Retro first-person shooters and noir detective tales are two of my favorite things. Tell me you don’t like the notion of a hard-boiled private investigator investigating crimes late at night while introducing them to his favorite knuckles. Fallen Aces pits you against the dark alleys of the night, destroying criminal empires one knuckle sandwich at a time. While the game seems to be simple on the surface, it has an amazingly nonlinear design; you may rush into the fight and start clobbering people with your bare fists, pick up anything that isn’t nailed down and use it as an improvised weapon, or stay in the shadows and escape the trouble entirely.
Inscryption
If you’ve played Daniel Mullins’ Pony Island, you’ll know that he has a thing for twisted, metatextual tales that make the most of gaming’s storytelling potential. In Inscryption, he’ll do it all over again, and this time it’ll be much more twisted. Enter a forest lodge where you’re a prisoner of a crazy game master via the means of a streamer discovering a decrepit game on a floppy disk. To take on the master’s intricate roguelike labyrinth, assemble a deck of forest animals, then get up from your seat to uncover the secrets of the cabin, escape room-style.
Souls in their prime
It’s good to have a brother to depend on when the world has abandoned you and your foster father has been abducted by extradimensional goblins. Jenn and Tristan, twins, find a gateway to another realm in their basement in Young Souls, a mix action RPG and sidescrolling beat ’em up. They must venture into the dungeons, armed only with swords and shoes, and wipe out all of the beasties inside. Take on dungeons alone or with a buddy in couch co-op, and when you’re done, go back to town to sell your loot, improve your stats, and purchase new armor.
Mechajammer
While there are many other cyberpunk games to choose from, I’m sure you’ve never played one exactly like Mechajammer. As you try to leave the primeval jungle colony you’ve found yourself in, traverse the rusty, crusty environment and create a motley squad of bandits, mercenaries, and general criminals. Use the unique abilities and perks of each troop to command your squad in turn-based, strategic battles, both violent and peaceful. I hope you’re up to date on your tetanus vaccinations.
Crazy Experiments Simulator – MythBusters: The Game
Before every episode of MythBusters, they always warn you not to attempt anything you see on the program at home. Obviously, no one will listen to that, so if you really must attempt it at home, at least make it a game. MythBusters: The Game lets you take charge of the MythBusters workshop, messing about with explosives, poisons, and other hazardous gizmos while attempting to debunk the day’s myth. Set up complex experiments and video yourself as you apply the scientific approach to your own episodes. Always remember to put your safety goggles on!
Ultra Age
Devil May Cry was the first to realize that all you need for a character-action game is one awesome guy with a huge honkin’ sword. Ultra Age is a gritty sci-fi action game in which you use a shape-shifting sword to battle enormous creatures. Swap your sword’s blade on the fly to alter its characteristics and actions, allowing for a vast array of possible combinations, and destroy your opponents in high-speed battle.
Recharged Justice Sucks
My robotic vacuum cleaner has always had a special place in my heart. You know, he understands me. He’d also presumably murder my enemies for me, if Justice Sucks: Recharged is any clue! What a lovely gesture. Take on the role of a little robot vacuum who has been thrown into a television world in Justice Sucks. Hide beneath furniture to gain the upper hand on your foes, then use your sucking abilities to transform their surroundings into your own lethal weapon. As you make your way home to rescue your family, suck up their remains and acquire amazing superpowers.
Sherwood Builders – Robin Hood
Robin Hood is most known for robbing the wealthy and giving to the needy, but assisting the poor requires a little more work than just leaving a bag of money on their doorway. Take control of the legendary highwayman in Robin Hood – Sherwood Builders, an open-world sandbox adventure akin to Assassin’s Creed, as he robs rich caravans. Return to Sherwood with your ill-gotten riches and help it grow into a flourishing underground society capable of rivaling the Crown.
The Best Steam Next Fest Demos is a list of the games that will be available for purchase during the next Steam Next Fest. Reference: steam next fest game list.
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