Steam Next Fest comes three times a year, and it can be hard to sift through all the great games. But once the gates opened on February 5, I spent time delving into demo after demo. Here are the best Steam Next Fest demos to check out.
Berserk Boy – A Platformer With Heavy Mega Man Influences
Go Berserk! As Capcom hasn’t given us a proper Mega Man in some time, I’m all for other developers copying their homework. Berserk Boy looks and plays almost exactly like you’d expect. As the spikey-haired protagonist Kei, I dashed around the level filled with equal parts lush greenery, futuristic architecture, and evil robots called Shades. The suit I had equipped primarily allowed me to dash into enemies, and I’m intrigued to see how other suits play. But most importantly, the soundtrack done by Tee Lopes, the man behind Sonic Mania’s soundtrack, hits all the right notes, channeling that retro feel perfectly. I’m keen to hear and play more on March 6.
Guild Saga: Vanished Worlds – A CRPG Beautifully Rendered in a Pixel-Art Style
After the overwhelming success of Baldur’s Gate 3 last year, CRPGs like it have seen a bit of a revival as people want in-depth storytelling to go along with even deeper character builds. In no way do I expect Guild Saga: Vanished Worlds to live up to Larian Studios’ masterpiece, yet I still came away legitimately impressed after playing the demo. It channels an old-school vibe through its gorgeous pixel aesthetic, and while I didn’t fully grasp how well the slow, action-point-based combat will play out over a lengthy adventure, I’ll only have to wait until April 18 to find out more about one of my favorite Steam Next Fest demos.
Harold Halibut – An Adventure Game With a Striking Handmade Style
Ever wanted to play a game that looked like Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox or Isle of Dogs? Me neither, but once I saw Harold Halibut in action, that changed. While the demo itself was quite slow, exploring the little bit of a spaceship submerged in an alien ocean had me intrigued. Harold Halibut also brought to mind Double Fine Production’s Broken Age, and as it has been a while since I played a great narrative-focused adventure game with some great characters to get to know and mysteries to solve, I’m looking forward to its release later this year.
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Helskate – Tony Hawk Pro Skater Meets Roguelite Gameplay
I’ve never spent more than a minute on a skateboard in my life, but I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t miss skateboarding games. Helskate looks to bring the arcade skateboarder back with a roguelite twist. The hallmarks of the genre are there: letters to collect throughout levels, kickflips and grinding galore to increase score multipliers, and timed challenges, but what has me keen is the monster-slaying and the randomly generated buffs – increased hit chances, powerful moves – that help you each run. And there’s also the fact that tricks can increase your damage. You and I won’t have to wait long for this one, however – it’s out next week on February 15.
Tales of Kenzera: Zau – A Metroidvania Inspired by Bantu Lore & a Poignant Story
You may remember Tales of Kenzera: Zau from when Abubakar Salim announced it alongside a touching speech dedicated to his late father at the 2023 Game Awards. It was a moment that stuck with me, and along with being a massive Metroidvania fan, I decided to check out Tales of Kenzera the moment I could. While the demo played almost exactly like how you’d expect a Metroidvania to, I enjoyed how protagonist Zau and the god of death Kalunga pulled the narrative along with frequent dialogue. Likewise, the mask system – switching between two different combat styles – looks like it has the potential to evolve into a great combo system. Due out on April 24, I won’t have to wait long to play more.
Honorable Mentions
I haven’t given enough time to these great Steam Next Fest demos yet, but from both The Escapist staff and general buzz online, these titles are worth checking out:
- Breachway: Described as an “FTL-like game with cards and a universe influenced by The Expanse series” by The Escapist’s Colin Munch.
- Crypt Custodian: An adorable Metroidvania starring a little cat trying to clean up the afterlife.
- Dungeonborne: A dungeon crawler in the same vein as Dark and Darker.
- Homeworld 3: A stunning space-faring RTS and a sequel to the classic Homeworld 2.
- Ultros: Another Metroidvania but with an art style that’s equal parts trippy and unique.
And that’s all the demos I had time for, though Steam Next Fest runs until February 12, so I’m certain I’ll get a few more in.
Steam Next Fest is available on the Steam store.
