- Joined
- Jan 22, 2021
The press link for the upcoming Steam Next Fest (Gathering of upcoming titles, primarily Indies, many with demos) has been leaked, and it's confirmed the event begins on monday, June 10th.
There aren't any particular secrets shared with this, though you can get a head start on sifting through the slop on offer, as many titles have turned their demos on pre-emptively.
I'll list short reviews for a couple of the titles I've tried:
All in all, this year seems to have a smaller list of dedicated single player titles, a lot more multiplayer stuff. In particular, I noticed at least 6 extraction shooters that have set their playtest periods on or right around this next fest. Here's hoping when the event launches and the rest of the demos come up there are some surprises.
There aren't any particular secrets shared with this, though you can get a head start on sifting through the slop on offer, as many titles have turned their demos on pre-emptively.
I'll list short reviews for a couple of the titles I've tried:
Exographer, a 2d metroidvania, based on growth via using a camera system to discover new elements (Pixules) that you can merge together to make your standard metroidvania fare upgrades. Pretty fun, good demo, graphics aren't my style, heavy utilization of post processing stuff.
Tactical Breach Wizards, One of the standouts of the event thus far, from the developers of Gunpoint (great action puzzle game.), is a turn based, grid-strategy game. They call it a tactics game, but I'd say it's just a turn based strategy game. Invisible inc (focusing on combat rather than stealth), not FFT.
Glyphica, a typing game. I'm a sucker for these. It's pretty bottom of the barrel trend chasing survival stuff (kill mobs, get exp, level up, get random modifiers), but there seem to be a good number of enemy types that have unique effects, and as far as I've seen [wave 18] they start to block out the letters so you're unable to queue up words mentally, and require timing. Fun little thing, at least the demo. music is generic, looks are ultra-generic minimalist, doesn't stand out and I'll forget it exists by the time the event is over, however.
Dark Hours, co-op survival horror. Only thing I've tried thus far that I actively disliked. It's aping so many other games, premise is okay, you're in a heist-gone-wrong and need to escape, but it does nothing with it. As soon as the "event" occurs and the enemy shows up, it just turns into any given unity asset flip. Seems the full release will feature a store to incentivize taking things that aren't tools out with you, but eh.
The Operator, the short pitch is "Home Safety Hotline, but you're a fed". Longer is, you're an informational analyst in the course of their duty helping cops do cop shit. The demo is a neat little case, it's fun, but I think it'll be a youtuber game and then die, much like the aforementioned HSH.
Tactical Breach Wizards, One of the standouts of the event thus far, from the developers of Gunpoint (great action puzzle game.), is a turn based, grid-strategy game. They call it a tactics game, but I'd say it's just a turn based strategy game. Invisible inc (focusing on combat rather than stealth), not FFT.
Glyphica, a typing game. I'm a sucker for these. It's pretty bottom of the barrel trend chasing survival stuff (kill mobs, get exp, level up, get random modifiers), but there seem to be a good number of enemy types that have unique effects, and as far as I've seen [wave 18] they start to block out the letters so you're unable to queue up words mentally, and require timing. Fun little thing, at least the demo. music is generic, looks are ultra-generic minimalist, doesn't stand out and I'll forget it exists by the time the event is over, however.
Dark Hours, co-op survival horror. Only thing I've tried thus far that I actively disliked. It's aping so many other games, premise is okay, you're in a heist-gone-wrong and need to escape, but it does nothing with it. As soon as the "event" occurs and the enemy shows up, it just turns into any given unity asset flip. Seems the full release will feature a store to incentivize taking things that aren't tools out with you, but eh.
The Operator, the short pitch is "Home Safety Hotline, but you're a fed". Longer is, you're an informational analyst in the course of their duty helping cops do cop shit. The demo is a neat little case, it's fun, but I think it'll be a youtuber game and then die, much like the aforementioned HSH.
All in all, this year seems to have a smaller list of dedicated single player titles, a lot more multiplayer stuff. In particular, I noticed at least 6 extraction shooters that have set their playtest periods on or right around this next fest. Here's hoping when the event launches and the rest of the demos come up there are some surprises.
