The Cool Demos Of Steam Next Fest – June 2024

Steam Next Fest continues to be a treasure trove of potentially good games being showcased on a demo. But there’s just so many of them for one media outlet, let alone one person, to cover the entire breadth of what’s available every time a Steam Next Fest pops up.

So we won’t. Rather, starting with the June 2024 edition, we’ll be summarising the cool demos we checked out either ahead or during Steam Next Fest. By the time this goes live, the demos might have been gone, but it serves as recollection of what games that made its mark during this round of demos.

Megaloot

Developer: axilirate Publisher: Ravenage Games

A simple roguelike that takes the premise of an old-school RPG dungeon crawler and just boils it down to two things: combat and loot.

Over time you’ll be amassing too many gear, either dropped from treasure chests or bought from the market. There are smart ways your stash of loot can interact with the combat, and the entire game is set on that one interface- a split window that displays the loot (and the market) and another the combat window.

As addicting as any numbers-go-up RPG, with a slick delivery and plenty of depth.

Megaloot Steam page

Release Window: 2024

Old School Rally

Developer: Frozen Lake Games Publisher: Astrolabe Games

A racing game hearkening back to the good old days of Colin McRae Rally.

The purposely low-poly PS1-style graphics, the loosey handling physics and very wide courses for a rally game is very reminiscent to its inspiration. Even the main menu has that aesthetic only a video game from the late 90’s would be presented.

The car audio lacks punch- it feels like the audio just fades in and out when you let go off the throttle. And the co-driver doesn’t read his notes earlier than expected, but there’s potential here for a good game that specifically aiming to play like a rally game of the past.

Old School Rally Steam page

Parcel Corps

Developer: Billy Goat Entertainment Publisher: Secret Mode

What if Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxi are combined by way of British humour?

Select one of nine bikers from three different parcel courier corporations and go send parcels around town. The aesthetic choice definitely took notes from the two classic arcade games from Sega- imagine the bright, hip and anti-cop aesthetic of Jet Set Radio (and to some extent, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk), pair it with a bicycle control scheme that takes time to learn but could be super fun when mastered and top it off with one particular game mode where you have to send parcels around town where each pickup and delivery adds more time on the clock.

It’s a bit rough in that cycling at slow speeds feels lumbering and the slight touch to a moving vehicle can see you stuck in a long, long bail and recovery animation that ruins the flows. And the humour may not land for some. But this could be a fun time should the final game polishes up what this demo build offers.

Parcel Corps Steam page

Release date: September 3 2024

PegIdle

Developer/Publisher: EagleEye Games

If Peggle turns into an idle game, doesn’t just that mean it’s Pachinko?

And it is. PegIdle has a familiar mechanics of Peggle- shoot a ball to hit the many pegs on a board, with a moving bucket underneath. Though the ball shoots in a slightly pronounced arc that will make you unlearn some Peggle habits.

But PegIdle also adds idle game mechanics. Ball upgrades, multiple ball types, and more importantly, the ability to have more balls on the board at any given time. Which does turn this game into a non-money-grabbing (but surely still a time sinker) Pachinko game.

There’s also a Prestige mechanic as well, where you can unlock permanent upgrades and reset all the upgrades as you enter Pegscension.

A (possibly) healthier way to engage in Pachinko.

PegIdle Steam Page

Release date: June 19, 2024

The Alters

Developer. Publisher: 11-bit Studios

A creative twist to survival base building with an exceptionally strong story hook from the makers of Frostpunk.

What will surprise you about The Alters is how it has 3rd-person exploration. And a lot of the base building and survival elements are more in service to tell you of this fascinating sci-fi story.

The clones are not just another copy of your character, Jan Dolski. Rather, there are Alters by having one part of his life memory altered and in such, becoming an entirely different individual. The demo gives players a glimpse of how one Alter interact with the original Jan- complete with the existential dread that comes from being a clone. Interacting with your other selves is just as important as the mechanical survival elements, complete with a time and energy constraints.

From the demo, The Alters looks to be a sleeper hit. If the story delivers, this could be one of the best games of 2024.

The Alters Steam page

Release window: 2024

Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown

Developer: KT Racing Publisher: Nacon

The Test Drive Unlimited series returns with a new developer, but can it deliver?

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown has all the right ingredients of an open-world racing game. A compelling open world with fun roads to drive on, an agreeable driving physics (this one leans more sim than arcade- definitely Forza Horizon-esque), and a good list of cars to drive.

There are some quirks. It’s another game requiring you to create an account for (this time a Nacon account). The performance of this demo is dismal on lower-end machines. And the world isn’t as populated as you’d imagine a racing game with an MMO slant that demands an online-only connection would have.

If the final release is more polished and optimised, then you might have fun driving through Hong Kong Island.

Test Drive Unlimited Steam Page

Release date: September 12

Tactical Breach Wizards

Developer, Publisher: Suspicious Developments

Tacticool meets the arcane in the latest game by Tom Francis, famous for games that has defenestrations.

Tactical Breach Wizards is a stripped down XCOM-esque strategy tactics game, with a hint of Into The Breach’s knockback mechanics. Put in a few windows and non-walls around the boxy levels and you get opportunities to puzzle your way out of combat, which specifically involves sending people out of windows.

The mish-mash of magical themes with an investigation mystery (complete with a conspiracy map where you get to tie the red strings together yourself) related to private military corporations is uniquely creative. And the little chit-chats in-between missions and even in-between breaches has a specific charm that some may find endearing, cringe, or endearingly cringe.

The game scope is small (five playable characters only with predefined skillsets and upgrades), but it’s for the better. The demo feels tight and polished- and even have demo-specific jokes just for the fun of it. Shout out to Battlefield 2.

Tactical Breach Wizards Steam page

Release date: August 23

Caravan SandWitch

Developer: Studio Plane Toast Publisher: Dear Villages

A chill, no-combat exploration game where you return home to find your sister in a desolate, “Provence-like” world.

Imagine an open world game without needless combat, but all the exploration a large map offers. The demo is more focused on delivering the story hooks- the relationship of your character, Sauge, with the world and their family. There are simple quests, including an introduction to the many tools your trusty caravan can be tricked out to help with exploration.

It’s a bit weird seeing the game fade in and fade out as there’s no animation for getting in and out of the caravan- something you will be doing often. Jumping doesn’t feel good but thankfully the game isn’t about precise platforming, but navigating marked routes to reach your objectives.

A catchy premise, decent caravan controls and a huge world to explore should be a good recipe for a good time. And it doesn’t even need combat.

Caravan SandWitch Steam Page

Release Window: 2024

Schim

Developer: Ewoud van der Werf, Nils Slijkerman Publisher: Extra Nice, Playism

Schim has a simple premise: Imagine if you can only move around as long as you are stepping on a shadow? It’s a fun thing to imagine as kids, and the game even begins with a child hopping from one shadow to another.

As a “Schim”, you’ll be jumping from shadow to shadow. The dark spots in this high-contrast game is your platforms. People walking around are moving platforms you have to time your jumps around.

Thankfully, the platforming is forgiving. Schim jumps are floaty and can last longer if you hold the jump button. Schim will likely lock you to a shadow if you jump close enough but slightly missed the landing. And you can do one small hop if you didn’t land into a shadow.

The very Dutch cityscape (plenty of bikes and pedestrians) and the inventive ways of platforming makes this quite the platformer. And somehow, this game also has a strong narrative, despite it not having any voice acting or even text.

Schim Steam Page

Release date: July 28, 2024

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