The Steam Next Fest of June 2023 was a big one. One week, MANY demos! I didn’t actually plan on covering the festival this time as life has become pretty busy, but who was I kidding? It should be clear by now that I can’t resist the allure of the demos, especially when so many others have taken to enjoying these festivals as much as I do.
I didn’t make any video content this time so instead, I have documented my top 6 demos below!
Wishlisting a game on steam helps the creators by aiding in discoverability as well as keeping you informed, so if you see something that you like then don’t be shy about hitting the Wishlist button.
6. Wizard with a Gun
Developer: Galvanic Games
Release Date: 2023
Wizard with a Gun wasn’t even on my original download list but it got recommended by a friend. I didn’t manage to play it in time but thankfully the demo was extended so I still got to try it out, and I am glad for that!
Wizard with a Gun is a stylish, action driven roguelike in which we go back in time in an attempt to prevent the end of the world. Again, and again. The game had me immediatly with its opening animated cutscene, setting the scene with a sad song showcasing the downfall of previous heroes. The wild western, dark fantasy and dystopian feelings merge perfectly in a muted yet somehow still colourful style.
The game play is fun, collecting as much as possible in the short time limit so that you can advance your home base, without getting too greedy and loosing it all. Scanning everything you come across so that you can learn more about them, but not until you get back to the safety of the tower. There is no time to be wasted out in the world, it is a mad dash to find what you need before the chaos takes over.
+ So very stylish. + Fast paced with breathers. + Fun to discover new things. + Looks like there will be plenty of customisation to build up to. +/- The time limit on runs does keep it interesting, but I usually like reading things as I find them so it takes some adjustment to not waste time.
Another game that I almost missed, partly because I ran out of time but partly because I was pretty sure that I was going to want to play this one fully. And I was right.
Flutter away is zen to its core. While the demo was short, it felt like a wonderfully refreshing palette cleanser after playing so many other games before it. Exploring a forest with camera in hand, we are journaling the creatures we find and the moments we experience.
If you are like me and use rainforest sounds as a relaxing background noise, you are going to feel right at home with this game. Calm immediatly washed over me, followed by delight at not only discovering critters, but the way in which they are documented. The journal is so lovely, I wish I had half of the creativity when it comes to the illustrations.
+ Very relaxing. + Love the creatures, especially getting up close looks using the perch. + The environment is stunning. + The atmosphere is well done with both the audio and the on screen life. + The journal. +/- Very short, this was of course only the demo, but the steam description does also describe the game as short so that is something to be aware of.
This is the first demo that I tried this festival. I didn’t finish it, not because I didn’t enjoy it but because I was sold and didn’t want to see anymore without having the rest of the game waiting for me.
Broken Roads is an Australian made and Australian set narrative driven RPG. What struck me immediatly was how much I enjoyed the writing. Whether or not I would like these people in real life is another question, but I very quickly got to enjoy the characters as their dialogue gave good indication of their personalities. Sometimes, in games characters feel very obviously like NPCs and fictional side characters, but these characters felt lived in, even within a couple of lines.
The other thing I love is that Australia feels like a great setting for post apocolyptic drama. The sheer size and hostility of some of the terrain pose troubles at the best of times so that feels like it will add an extra twist on a common genre. It is a country that isn’t massively explored in video games currently but I feel that it will have a lot to offer and I am ready for it.
Finally, from what I played, the drama felt really well done. I have no way of knowing how much it branches in the long run, but I immediatly felt the consequence of a questionable decision and I look forward to seeing what else is in store.
+ Dialogue felt real. + Characters felt lived in. + The setting. +/- The game feels like it will have depth (putting this as a neutral point because I can’t say for certain yet, but what I played was very satisfying).
If this interests you, you can find out more here on Steam.
3. Moonstone Island
Developer: Studio Supersoft
Release Date: Q3 2023
Imagine if the turn-based combat in Pokemon was a deckbuilding style. Now imagine that game crossed over with Stardew Valley. I can’t think of a more appropriate description for this game than that.
Moonstone Island could be the next big thing as far as cozy games go. Within the time I spent in this game, I felt freedom. There was gentle guidance as to what to do, but I had the thrill of having a world to explore, people to meet and making the decision of what I wanted to do. All of that with the bonus of being followed around by an adorable little friend.
I am not a huge fan of deck builders. More often than not I will bounce off them pretty hard, so when I first discovered that was the combat side of this game, I was slightly disappointed. However, the more I played I found I was getting on well with it. It wasn’t super punishing (as far as I saw) and you could bring items that you had prepared in the overworld into the dungeon with you, tying both sides of the game together flawlessly.
+ Creature follows you around. + Both parts of the game tie together well. + A sense of freedom. + The idea of filling a barn. +/- The combat involved deckbuilding (it could be a good intro to that genre)
The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood is perhaps the game that surprised me the most. I had only seen some of the visuals in the past but did not know what the game actually was. Turns out it is a game I am super into.
In this game, we are a witch in exile. What else could a witch in exile do other than make a deal with a demon god in order to get some relief in these hard times? As part of this deal, we get to make our own deck of tarot cards. So, a portion of this game is talking to folk, a portion is giving readings, and a portion is making the cards themselves.
In order to make cards, we spend points that we earn from readings on choosing which elements to include in said card. After that, we are given free rein. As long as some specific parts appear on the card, you are free to adjust it as you please. This was very enjoyable, creating little scenes out of the pieces I had managed to scrape together. Planning ahead to make the perfect card could certainly be a possibility, but there is a creative challenge in putting together what you have, making unexpected combinations into their own little stories. Not to mention how gorgeous the art itself is.
The demo didn’t dive into the card reading portion of the game but now that I have the beginnings of a deck, I desperatly want to use it!
+ Beautiful pixel art. + Being able to use that art in fun ways. + Intrigued at what the rest of the game entails. + Lots of choices. + Abramar. +/- The dialogue had high highs and low lows. Quite a way into the demo, the scene changed and I felt like I was playing a different game (that I unfortunately didn’t like very much). But for the demo, for me, the highs outshined the lows.
If you are surprised that House Flipper 2 is at the top of my list, I am right there with you. But that is because I didn’t even know it was being made! House Flipper is one of those games that got me through some difficult times. It is the perfect game to be playing whilst also watching TV or listening to podcasts. It occupies the job of keeping your hands and part of your mind busy while also allowing for some creativity.
The fantastic things about House Flipper 2? It seems to have learned a tonne from its predecessor. It runs so smoothly and it flows so well. There were parts of the previous game that were tedious, so they have decided to just get rid! Not only that, but because everything can be done so quickly, it feels like a dopamine farm. Funnily enough, it gives me Powerwash Sim feelings (which is a compliment by the way), but even better because there is more variety to it. You are constantly completing tasks, seeing the houses before you improve at a very satisfying pace.
I didn’t even realise I wanted it, but now I need it and it could be one of the very few games I buy this year. It is not going to be for everyone but for the people that are interested, I don’t think you will be disappointed.
+ Learned from and improved upon the original House Flipper. + ‘Just one more thing’ flow. + The perfect accompaniment to TV, YouTube or Podcasts. + A little more involved than games like Powerwash Sim.
That is it for another Steam Next Fest. Of course, I didn’t get to try all of the demos I would have liked but these were my favourites from the bunch that I did. If you would like to check out any of my previous coverage please take a look at the links below!
It is Steam Next Fest time! That’s right, it is once again time to celebrate the indie games being created day in day out, all around the world! I love to take this opportunity to play as many demos as possible, trying out as many as I can in my never ending quest to see what passionate developers are creating.
If you are looking for coverage of all genres I’m afraid you won’t find it here. Racing games, rhythm games, deck builders, challenging games, shooters and horror (with a couple of exceptions) are absolutely not my genres. Personally, I am not terribly interested in combat or anything too fast paced. I very occasionally dabble in management games, survival games and simulators but they aren’t my biggest focus. The types of games I am looking for include interesting narratives and ways to tell said narratives. I like exploring interesting spaces and moving in interesting ways. Level design, world building, art direction, story and atmosphere all matter a great deal to me. Whether that is a cozy time gathering materials to craft objects, or a thrilling time investigating a grisly murder. An epic adventure across lands unheard, or an intimate story one can only experience by playing for themself. I game for feelings and I game for escapism. I game for different perspectives and I game for art. Finally, as we all do, I game for fun.
Now that you have an idea of my tastes, shall we begin the search for my Noob Picks of the Steam Next Fest February 2023!? Let’s go!
Wishlisting a game on steam helps the creators by aiding in discoverability as well as keeping you informed, so if you see something that you like then don’t be shy about hitting the Wishlist button.
And that is a wrap on the Steam Next Fest February 2023! You can find my 10 favourite demos below and if you are interested in seeing more, I have created some YouTube Shorts.
Sherlock Holmes The Awakened
Developer: Frogwares
Release Date: Q1 2023
Sherlock Holmes The Awakened was added to my wishlist the second that it was announced. Last year I streamed both Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishment and Sherlock Holmes: The Devils Daughter, and while they weren’t perfect games, we had a lot of fun with them. I have yet to play Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One, but when I saw a demo for The Awakened I was tentatively excited. This game is a reimagining of the 2008 game of the same name. I have no experience of that version so I can only talk in the context of the previous titles that I know. The game plays similarly to Crimes and Punishment and The Devils Daughter, but also feels noticeably different. Firstly, this takes place in a Lovecraftian world, so naturally it is going to have a different atmosphere. But beyond that, based on the demo, I am thrilled by the changes they have made. There are too many to list but it feels tighter. The mechanics simultaneously feel easier, make more sense and yet feel more tricky. The demo did drop us in the middle of the game so I can’t speak for the story, except for how much I loved what I played. It had the drama that I have grown to expect from both the cinematics and the character alike.
+ Made in Ukraine. + I really like what I have seen from this version of the character. + The environments look great. + The Lovecraft influence lends very well to the timeframe and setting of Sherlock Holmes. + Fun detective gameplay. + Drama. + The end of the demo. If you know, you know. + An optional environment scan to highlight clues you may have missed. + New added mechanics like pinning clues to your HUD, which in turn effects the clues you may find. +/- The new systems have a chance of making the game more difficult. – Facial animations and hair textures aren’t quite as good as everything else is visually.
Lakeburg Legacies is the city building management game that I had no idea that I wanted, but now that I have tried it, boy do I know it. The unique mechanic in this game is that you are recruiting individuals with specific skills, interests and desires to live in your village. You then play matchmaker, finding an individual that is compatible to be their partner while also hopefully having the skills you need to fill in your job market. As time passes and you build more resources, the city grows, as do the number of residents and their families. You are free to choose where they work where the more skilled they are, the more they produce.
If you enjoy management games and/or city builders but often find yourself overwhelmed, this could be the game that you are looking for. I didn’t find it too difficult but I did find it very satisfying. Not to mention the attention to detail is great. The sheer number of ways that a character can look means all of my villagers are individual, and their outfit changes depending on the job that they have. This individuality makes the happiness meter feel like more than just a number like it often feels in other games of its kind, and instead something that feels a lot easier and more interesting for me to engage with.
+ Really fun management loop. + Attention to detail. + Nice to look at and easy on the eye. + Huge variety in portraits. + Lots of choices to make without too much micromanaging. +/- Not too difficult (again, whether this is a good thing or not depends on what you are looking for).
If this interests you, you can find out more here on Steam.
Mika and the Witch’s Mountain
Developer: Chibig, Nukefist
Release Date: 2023
My initial impression of Mika and the Witch’s Mountain was if Death Stranding and A Short Hike had a child. I don’t think I was that far off, but I would perhaps replace Death Stranding with Lake. In the Demo, we play as Mika, who must climb to the peak of a mountain to prove she can be the witch that she desires to be. As misfortune has it, all she has to her name is a broken broom. Thankfully, there is a job opening at a local delivery service in which her ability to fly makes her the perfect candidate. We proceed to deliver packages in the village, swooping and diving, on a mission to buy a suitable broom for the journey. Combining fun, unique movement mechanics with a delivery game feels like the next step for a sub-genre that appears to be growing, particularly in the indie scene.
+ The cutscenes are adorably animated. + The world is full of critters, bringing it to life. + Movement is fun. + A sense of freedom. +/- Seems to have a progression loop of – do jobs to get better equiptment, which allows you to do more difficult jobs, to get more equiptment.
When you think of crafting in video games, I think it is quite natural to think of gathering resources to create weapons, tools, better resources, armour, alchemy and sometimes furniture. It’s not very often that you would think of hand crafts, like paper crafts and flower crafts. That’s where Mineko’s Night Market comes in. Set on a Japanese Island, it didn’t take long to get a sense of a cute and hilarious culture that I would like to spend more time in. The demo was very short with no sense of how the ‘Night Market’ side of the game will actually play out, but it charmed me so much based on exploring and chatting to the townsfolk that I am already sold on the game. All I want to do is help this village become again what it once was. In addition, the 2D/3D design blend together to craft something as beautiful as you would hope that a game about crafting would deliver.
+ The art style means that every frame looks like it could be a still painting in a very distinctive style. + The character design is fun, they all have character. + Made me laugh more than once. + The location feels culturally wonderful. + Feels seamless and well made. + Cats. – My only complaint is that I didn’t realise that I could run till the end of the demo, if there was a prompt I missed it and one area is quite big, making the walk speed feel very slow.
In Boxes: Lost Fragments, we are solving puzzles to open intricate boxes, locked by mechanisms that are even more complex than the puzzles themselves. Although I admittedly haven’t played The Room – aesthetically, it feels very similar. I feel fans of one could certainly find enjoyment in the other. Each box that you open is contained within its own level, but the process of opening it is a journey in itself. The fun and elaborate designs make opening a lock exciting as you don’t know what wild mechanical process it is about to set in motion. The gameplay is smooth, it looks great and while what is happening on the screen can look complicated, the beauty of the demo was in its simplicity.
+ The way the boxes change as a result of your actions is satisfying. + Lovely graphics. + Smooth as heck. +/- I found the puzzles quite easy (I have no idea whether to expect them to get more difficult or not and whether that is a good thing or not depends on the individual).
In The End of the Sun we travel to the past, guided by fire to aid in peoples fates. This is a walking simulator in which we identify what is going wrong and figure out ways to fix it, following the journey of a couple throughout their life. The game is gorgeous, and the Slavic mythology and design really bring the atmosphere to life. I want more, to learn more about both the lifestyle of these folks and the folklore surrounding them.
+ Gorgeous scenery. + A fun, unique idea for a walking sim. + The atmosphere. + The way that you can feel the culture and time period in the environment. + The mythology. + The game directs the player without explicitly telling you what to do. + Guardian Angel Simulator?
From the creators of Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery is this relaxing point and click puzzle game. Or at least, the demo was relaxing. During my 30 minutes with the game I solved an escape room style puzzle in a beautiful art style along side some very chilled out music. Throughout this time, we get to know a little about our character and his relationship with his mother. The section played gave off the energy of love, creativity, and mindfulness. I assumed that this is how the rest of the game will be too, until the end. As I reached the abrupt finish, I am left wondering whether this is after all going to be a chill, peaceful experience, or is it going to break my heart instead?
+ Art style is nice to look at. + Fun puzzles. + I like the positive messaging so far. + Chill vibes. + Taking photos can reveal more story and flavour. +/- Unsure whether it is going to stay chill. +/- The demo wasn’t about the finding a good angle or correct lighting side of photography. +/- Can be played entirely with the mouse. All movement is click and drag. – There is some vaguely hint-y text as you explore, but I personally would have preferred a dedicated hint system.
For more information check out the Steam page here.
Planet of Lana
Developer: Wishfully
Release Date: Q2 2023
Planet of Lana is a side-scrolling, puzzle adventure game that takes you on a journey through a sci-fi narrative. Many games of this type are going to be compared to Inside as it is a classic and a staple of the genre. I am pleased to say that this game really feels like its own fresh take while still having a somewhat familiar style. The colours are vibrant, giving the world life in a surprisingly soft way. While we are only told the story through the world and haven’t yet seen much of it, I am sold on the idea that this is a world worth protecting. As appealing as the environments are, there are dangers both big and small, bringing a nerve-wracking contrast to the peace and beauty. Finally, a key detail that separates this game from others like it is that we have a friend. Not only do we control Lana, she then controls an adorable little chinchilla-monkey critter. Having two controllable characters in puzzles creates moving parts that you can’t really create in a single character scenario. The game may take your breath away with the vistas, or cause you to hold it in intense stealth moments. Either way, it is sure to be quite a ride.
+ Stunning backdrop. + The little friend adds to the narrative and the gameplay. + The contrast of the enemies is effective. + The eco-system makes the world feel alien but alive. + Something new for Inside fans. +/- I get the impression that there is going to be quite a bit of stealth. +/- Some of the enemies in the demo were based on fast moving spiders, it will probably work well for most people but this is just a personal bummer as I don’t hate spiders and am starting to fatigue of how they are treat in media (and as an extension in society) as a whole.
A Tower Full of Cats – a continuation of A Building Full of Cats and A Castle Full of Cats – is a hidden object game where you have to find, wait for it, cats! Depending on your personality type, you may meditatively scour the environment, precisely clicking everytime you find a little fury delight. Alternatively, you may furiously click everything you see (or don’t see) in a slightly different kind of meditation. Either way, this game provides a little humour and observation training in an easy to use, well presented package. I would love a game like this on mobile to play on the go using touchscreen. The best part? The game is developed entirely by 5 rescue cats.
+ Cats being cats. + The doodles are very charming. + Search your way through different themes. + The music is great and themed to each location. + The way colour is used. + Therapeutic. + Adopt don’t shop. +/- There is not a whole lot to it, it’s like an interactive Where’s Wally. – I imagine I will get frustrated if I have used my hint and have a single cat left to find.
While Voltaire isn’t a game that I will personally continue, I have to give it a shout-out. It is quirky and whimsical while being cute – but not in an overbearing way. It would be easy to think this game was like Cult of the Lamb based on the fact this has base building aspects in the rogue-lite genre, not to mention the art style. But when you start playing you realise that it isn’t really like that at all. Rather than dungeon crawling – slaying any enemies in your path through procedurally generated areas – the enemies will come to you. Expect tower defence as you are protecting your home and land. Hunger is your biggest currency and you have to divide your attention between growing plants to satiate that, and deciding which plots to give up to protect the plants, ensuring that you still have a yield by the time the sun rises. There is a learning curve that is a bit beyond me, but if you enjoy tower defence then you should certainly check it out. The awesome opening cutscene set up the charm that follows and I really hope that this game finds it’s audience.
+ Great animated opening cutscene. + Charming concept and execution. + Lots of decisions to be made. + Randomised perks were exciting. +/- Tower defence/base building rogue-lite. +/- Complexity.
This is the second festival that I have covered under the Indie Showcase name, the first being October 2022 where I created a magazine. If you would like to check out any of my previous coverage please take a look at the links below!
Remember the Steam Next Fest that took place one month ago that I said I would make some content for? It’s here! I played so many great demos and I am very excited to finally share them.
One night I had an idea – which then became a personal goal – to create a magazine. It seemed like a fun challenge to get to practice writing, graphic design and art all at once, and that turned out to be true.
Although the festival has been and gone, the games last forever. Some still have demos going and some have even released, so it is always worth taking a look.
You can view on desktop directly or download a PDF below to view at your own leisure. This is something that is a little different for me so if you have enjoyed, please don’t hesitate to let me know!
I recently made a post about a bunch of the Indie Games that have released this year, of who’s demos I had played over the years. Since I didn’t cover all the Indie Game Festivals as comprehensively as I would have liked at the time, I decided to do the same thing again except this time, for games that got their releases last year. This still feels relevant as thankfully, the games havent gone anywhere. In fact, now may be better than ever what with updates and such.
NUTS is a single-player walking simulator surveillance mystery. Record the squirrels, report your findings, and piece together what’s really going on in Melmoth Forest.
This games striking art style grabbed my attention almost as much as the premise. We play as a sort of wildlife watcher. Our job is to place cameras and watch them each night, in order to track the movements of Squirrels. I really enjoyed both the puzzle of the tracking and the potential of the story that is being told through it.
Restore an abandoned bakery and prepare pastries from farm to table! Grow fresh ingredients in the greenhouse, cook pastries & sweets in the kitchen and serve your baked goods to hungry customers in your own shop!
Lemon Cake is an especially cute bakery management game. The adorable art and the cozy vibes made this a pleasant experience all around. Eloise from Cozy Bee Games is also very open with her development, sharing her designs and progress on Twitter and Twitch!
26th February 2021 – Tiny Room Stories: Town Mystery – Kiary Games
Everybody are missing in a town. Find the answers of town mystery in a point and click adventure game with escape the room mechanics
I love escape room games. Tiny Room Stories: Town Mysteries features escape rooms – or escape buildings/areas – each in their own little dioramas, connected by an ongoing story. The difficulty was perfect for me to make it an enjoyable experience that I want more of.
Hack into crime scenes, look for evidence, analyze data, interrogate criminals, track suspects and deal with the consequences of your decisions. This is a dark and brutal detective story with a Black Mirror-esque atmosphere of digital dominance and the narrative structure of a US crime procedural.
The Song of Farca Prologue is still available to play for free at the time of writing. This game is set in an apartment, but it is easy to forget as you are interacting with the story through different panels, experiencing the world beyond. It is fun making use of the tools given to you and working your way through mysteries in a way that only a private detective could.
Set off on a delightful expedition and use your photographic eye to uncover the mysteries of the magical TOEM in this hand-drawn adventure game. Chat with quirky characters, solve their problems by snapping neat photos, and make your way through a relaxing landscape!
TOEM is a black and white adventure game where our goal is exploration and taking photographs. I had a lot of fun scouring every area for things to snap to fill up my compendium. Best of all, the game has just had a big update, including new areas and more. So even if you have already played there is every reason to go back and take another look.
This is the story of your life. Experience the entire journey from toddler to adulthood. Go to schools, learn new things, meet new friends, and have wild adventures! Every choice you make will influence your future career, and decide who your romantic partner will be. Who will you become?
When I first started this demo I had no idea what to expect. I had never played a game that looked or played like it. I ended up really enjoying it and being sad when I reached the end. In this game you will play through your characters life, shaping their personality and experiences through the choices that you make. Balance their needs and life decisions and see how you turn out.
18th October 2021 – Sacred Fire: A Role Playing Game – Poetic
Sacred Fire is a psychological role-playing game. You’re a refugee hunted by Rome, your actions compromised by fear and rage. Build up your willpower to control story choices and master battle tactics. Outsmart opponents and gain allies. Wage war or strive for peace. End up a hero or an outcast.
I loved this demo. I have never played anything like it and I got really into it. The art style is somehow simple and complex at the same time. It is a game full of choices and you are in a lot of control of how to deal with situations. Or at least, you are in control of how you intend to deal with them, as long as the dice roll goes your way.
The game is currently in Early Access with a free demo here.
19th October 2021 – Escape Simulator – Pine Studio
First-person puzzler you can play solo or in an online co-op (best with 2-3 players, but playable with more). Explore a set of highly interactive escape rooms. Move furniture, pick up and examine everything, smash pots and break locks! Supports community rooms through the level editor.
Escape Simulator is an escape room experience specifically designed for multiple players. The rooms themselves are fun and well themed, and another selling point is that you can create your own rooms, as well as play rooms others have created.
Here is the Steam page if you would like to check it out.
21st October 2021 – Growbot – Wabisabi Play
An adventure about a robot saving her home from a dark crystalline force. Set upon a biopunk space station bursting with fantastic plants and aliens.
Growbot is an adorable point and click adventure. While art style can play a huge part on whether I enjoy a game, that isnt the only reason I liked it. Upon solving the puzzles and reading every bit of lore I could find, I was fascinated by this world that I was learning about. From what I can tell, this game is fairly short. I would love to stream it sometime.
Moncage is a unique puzzle adventure game where you explore a fascinating world trapped inside a mysterious cube. With each face displaying a unique scene, you’ll have to leverage the illusions and discover the hidden links to solve the puzzle.
There were so many unique games released in 2021 and Moncage is no exception. This is a puzzle game in which you need to manipulate objects within an environment, in order to alter the perspective. It is very satisfying when you solve a puzzle and everything lines up the way it should. It is also telling a story throughout. I would say it is comparable to a 3D Gorogoa, all be it in a totally different style.
There were of course many more Indies released in 2021, but I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed the demo of every game above. It is so great to watch a game go from releasing a demo to releasing the full game, rooting for them and seeing how they do. Now, I will get back to playing more demos, scouting for more of these delights!
Over the last couple of years since the very first Steam Game Festival, I have spent a lot of time playing the demos of Indie Games. The idea of these festivals was fantastic to me. Games get the chance to showcase what they are, and I get the chance to try games that I may not try otherwise. Since then, I have covered festivals on my blog, on my YT channel and in my discord. It is something that I enjoy very much and would like to continue for years into the future. Seeking out the Indie gems is like panning for gold and when you find it, it makes you want to shout from the rooftops.
I got the idea to look back over the demos I have played back in July when 4 of those games released in one month! It is so nice to see games that I first tried back in 2020 finally get their release. So here are the demos that I enjoyed that have released this year, and some more to watch out for in the coming months. I haven’t played them all but I am itching to!
March 19th – Eternal Threads – Cosmonaut Studios
Eternal Threads is a single-player, first-person story-driven puzzle game of time manipulation, choice and consequence.
I prioritised playing this demo, not only because it looked up my alley but it is set in the North of England. I was not disappointed. Taking place within a house, this narrative based walking sim absorbed me, flashing between the past and the present, piecing together what happened. This is a game that I would love to stream sometime.
Travel to the sleepy village of Caterwaul Way and rebuild your grandmother’s cat cafe. Renovate your restaurant, befriend the local cats and townsfolk, forge lasting friendships, unravel catty mysteries, and build a home for dozens of unique felines!
Cat Café Manager is a very chill, cute, management game. The problem with management games is that you don’t know whether there will be a difficulty spike, or equally, whether it will stay engaging for long. As far as I can tell, this is a nice, easy going game that would be a good entry to the genre for anyone intimidated by management sims or looking for something that isnt too taxing on the brain.
APICO is a laid-back beekeeping sim game about breeding, collecting, & conserving bees! Set in a series of lush environments, APICO uniquely combines resource gathering, biology, and beekeeping minigames, taking ideas from a mix of real-life and fantasy apiculture & floriculture.
This is another management game, but instead of serving food you are breeding bees! The simplistic art style is easy on the eyes, giving way to the addiction of repopulating the island. I really enjoyed trying to breed them all, and the demo is still available so you can try bee-fore you buy.
Welcome to Escape Academy. Train to become the ultimate Escapist. Solve Puzzles. Hack Servers. Meet the Faculty. Brew the perfect cup of tea. Escape Rooms in single player or co-op with a friend – local or online!
Escape Academy is a delightful escape room puzzle game. If you enjoy escape rooms then you are sure to like it. With a fun story between and silky smooth gameplay, I can’t recommend this one enough. This is the only game on the list that I have played in full, and you can too right now if you have Game Pass!
July 15th – The Final Earth 2 – Florian van Strien
The Final Earth 2 is a vertical sci-fi city builder. Earth is unlivable, so you decide to create a space colony. Gather resources, then build and research your way to a better future! Grow your city from an exploration ship to a huge metropolis, full of advanced technology. What will you build?
This is a great city builder. Easy to pick up, but so difficult to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. The graphics are simple but clean and clear, making a visually unique game that you can get creative with. Definitely a recommend from me.
Hazel Sky is a heartfelt adventure about a young engineer facing his destiny and his desires. Fix ramshackle flying machines and jump, climb, swing, and slide through a beautiful, mysterious world.
Hazel Sky is one of the earliest demos that I played and I was very happy to see it recently get a release. I can’t speak for the rest of the game, but the demo made me laugh out loud, and contained intrigue that made me want to see the rest of this world.
Bear and Breakfast is a laid-back management adventure game where you build and run a bed and breakfast…but you’re a bear.
I am seeing a trend here. And the trend is lovely, laid back management sims. In this one, you play as a bear running a bed and breakfast. I really do have a spectrum of management covered! You can explore while gathering resources to make your business the best that it can be and meet the people(?) around you, all with minimal stress!
July 28th – Lord Winklebottom Investigates – Cave Monsters
It’s the 1920s and the world’s foremost detective is about to embark on his most challenging case yet. Thankfully, in this world that’s not quite like our own, there’s nobody better to crack the case than the great detective and gentleman giraffe, Lord Winklebottom.
I really want to play this game! Lord Winklebottom is a classic, point and click murder mystery adventure game. I love the style, it feels so nostalgic and has charm. The people are animals (obviously), fully voiced, and British. As someone who loves playing detective.. Yes please to all of the above!
September 13th – Deadwater Saloon – Creative Storm Entertainment / Tanglefoot Games
Dive into the wild west as a saloon owner in a volatile frontier town. Customize your character and face the consequences of your choices as you forge friendships and enemies of townsfolk, travellers, outlaws and lawmen. Build the most famous saloon in the territory, or be overwhelmed and destroyed.
I was so mixed about this one. On one hand, I had problems with it. But on the other, I couldn’t stop playing. Two hours in and I finally forced myself to stop. At the time of writing the game has just released, so I will be interested to see if the problems have been fixed!
All of the above have released so far this year. But wait.. There’s more! September and beyond are full of releases.
September 22nd – Beacon Pines – Hiding Spot
Beacon Pines is a cute and creepy adventure game. Sneak out late, make new friends, uncover hidden truths, and collect words that will change the course of fate!
I really enjoyed this one. The mixture of its really unique art style, and the contrast of cute but eerie makes me want to continue. The closest tone I can think of is if Night in the Woods, except younger characters. The gameplay however is a story book narrative puzzle. You collect terms that you can add to the story in certain places to alter the sentences and as a result, branch the paths. I have seen similar mechanics in Fate of Kai, and Indie Showcase demo Storyteller, and I have loved them every time. If this couldn’t be better, it is, because it will be available day one on Game Pass! I’m really looking forward to see how this one does.
Wishlist on Steam here to be notified when the game releases!
September 26th – Monorail Stories – Stelex Software
Monorail Stories is an adventure game focusing on extraordinary things happening to ordinary people. Board the monorail and experience a special story about humanity, friendships, and intertwined destinies manifesting during the everyday commute.
This is another demo that I played a long time ago. It was short but sweet, telling a story and building a world through rides on a monorail. You only need to look at the screenshots to see how much care has gone into the art. I wish them all the luck for a successful launch!
Mine for resources, choose from powerful upgrade paths and fend off waves of alien attackers in this innovative roguelike mining action game. There’s just enough time to mine a little deeper, find a little more and get back to defend before the next wave attacks your dome.
I played the Dome Keeper demo earlier this year as recommended by a few friends. They were right, it was a blast! In this roguelike your time is split between mining for resources and defending your base, using upgrades gained from said resources. It is fast paced, easy to learn but I imagine not so easy to master, and has that ‘one more try’ appeal. I hope this one blows up!
September 28th – The Excavation of Hobs Barrow – Cloak and Dagger Games
The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow is a folk horror narrative-driven adventure. Explore the isolated moors of rural Victorian England as you uncover the mysteries of Hob’s Barrow. The answers lie in the soil…
I am generally not a fan of horror so I avoid it, but for whatever reason this is one of the demos that I played. And honestly? I was so glad I did. I played this one on my own without recording and I remember having a great affection for it. But – my memory being my memory – I can’t remember exactly what happened or how it played. What I do know, is that it immediately went on my Wishlist, and I would love to stream it sometime after it releases. The art is gorgeous and I want to be back in that atmosphere.
Previously known as Incantamentum, you can wishlist on steam here.
2022 – Nobodies: After Death – Blyts
Nobodies: After Death is a puzzling point-and-click adventure in cleaning up dirty work. After your agency takes out a target, you make the evidence disappear without a trace. Find a way to get in, get out, and leave no bodies behind.
I loved the demo for this one and it is still available now! The best comparison I can make is that this is like a point and click, escape room style game. You are cleaning up after murders and trying not to get caught by solving the puzzle of the area you are in. The art is gorgeous which sounds like a contrast to the concept of the game, but it makes it even more fun to see where you might end up next. I hope this one finds its audience because the demo is a strong recommend from me!
A dark and satirical management sim, where you take control of a recycling factory with a twist: it recycles humans. Your job is to decide who gets to escape our dying planet in a cozy spaceship and who sacrifices their blood, sweat and tears for humanity. Literally.
Finally, Organs Please doesn’t have a release date except 2022. Despite the dark humour in the dire world that we are living in, it is easy to forget the horrors of what you are actually doing as you enter a flow state of maximum efficiency. The mechanics are introduced at a satisfying pace, building you up from rookie to mega multitasker in no time. I really enjoyed the gameplay of this one and would definitely like to play more upon release.
And that is it. Apparently this has been a quiet year for games. While that may be true in the AAA spaces, new indie games are coming out every day. It can be hard to know how to filter through the volume of games, so hopefully someone will not only find this list useful, but also give these ones a chance! Some of these games were created solo and they are absolutely excellent. Let me know if you give any of them a go!
The Steam Game Festival: Autumn Edition 2020 is here! Usually I play many demos, record them for YouTube and make a video of my highlights and top pics. I’m extremely disappointed that – due to technical reasons – I will not be able to do that for this season. So instead, I am going to write about all of the demos that I play here!
I will keep updating is post as I try new demos! Right at the bottom of the post is a playlist of 12 demos that I played during previous festivals, that are available once again this week. Highlights for me that I would highly recommend playing are ‘NUTS’, ‘Superliminal’, ‘Backbone’, and ‘LOVE: A Puzzle Box Filled with Stories’.
The Tenants
Steam Description – Become a landlord and deal with problematic tenants as you build your rental property empire. Decide how to react to annoyed neighbours or police interventions. Will you rent your apartment to a college couple or an older lady with four cats?
Developer – Ancient Forge Studio
Release Date – TBA
My Thoughts – This game was already on my Wishlist but I am not entirely sure how it came to be on my radar. Upon playing the demo I was pleasantly surprised. The best way that I can describe this game is this – It’s kind of like The Sims, but without the life sim part.
To begin with, you start off doing basic renovation tasks for other people. You have to clean a place up, then renovate and redecorate to their specification and within their budget. As you progress, you level up to unlock new redecoration and furniture options, as well as earning money that you can put towards your own projects. Eventually, you will invest enough into your own space that you can rent it out to your first tenants. While the game may seem quite basic at first, it impressed me that there is clearly more depth beyond the demo. Eventually you will earn enough money to buy more buildings, you can rent out house shares, choose your tenants, manage the social side of being a landlord, all while decorating and renovating the spaces how you would like.
This is going to sound strange but bare with me. Did you ever download a mobile game because you just wanted to do some mindless decorating and management, only to find out that it is a game full of in app purchases and you have to wait hours of real time to do anything? The Tenants is exactly the game that I hoped for every time I downloaded one of those games. No add, no waiting around, just the good stuff. It feels like the perfect distraction game while you are half watching tv.
+ Addictive gameplay loop
+ Good sense of progression through unlocking more decorating options
– Some of the samples of walls and flooring looked very different when you actually used them, a testing system would be nice.
Would I play more? Yes
Lemon Cake
Steam Description – Restore an abandoned bakery and prepare pastries from farm to table! Grow fresh ingredients in the greenhouse, cook pastries & sweets in the kitchen and serve your baked goods to hungry customers in your own shop!
Developer – Éloïse Laroche
Release Date – February 2021
My Thoughts – Lemon Cake is another game that was already in my Wishlist and I’m not sure where the recommendation was from. However, the description sounded right up my alley so I was excited to try it. I have been looking for a Diner Dash type game since before I started covering the Steam Game Festivals.. one of those games where you can get into a strategic flow.
In this game, you are helping a ghost restore their bakery. Every day you earn money, which you can spend on upgrades to make your life easier, and you get more recipes as you go. The demo lasted around a week of game time and I enjoyed my time with it. Beyond the demo there seems to be a lot of upgrades left on the skill tree, as well as the idea that you will be able to customize your own recipe book. I don’t think this game is going to be a game that I would spend huge amounts of time on, but I would for sure be interested in continuing and seeing how getting more upgrades impact the game.
+ A nice example of the Diner Dash formula
+ Lovely art style
+/- I am unsure on the controls. Having to click the recipee with the mouse felt a little jarring sometimes and took me out of my flow.
– The sprint was not very reliable. It would give you a sudden boost in a direction, but I would just prefer a toggle on speed boost. Especailly considering the ground you have to cover between rooms.
Would I play more? Yes, but only with a controller or on switch
Undying
Steam Description – Infected by a zombie bite, Anling’s days are numbered. She must now fight to survive, not for herself but her young son, Cody. Ensure Cody’s survival in this zombie infested world by protecting him, searching for safety, and teaching him valuable skills, at any cost.
Developer – Vanimals
Release Date – 2021
My Thoughts – As soon as I read the description of Undying I was very interested. I don’t often play games with zombies but I have never heard of a game that has this take on it. I have always wanted too see it, as a persons story doesn’t necessarily have to be over once they are bitten
I would describe this game as having a vibe similar to This War of Mine, but it is very different stylistically. It is primarily a survival game where you start off in your own home. From there you can venture out onto your street – and beyond – collecting items to aid your survival. Classically, you have to manage your hunger and thirst, but there are also some other cool mechanics. To access certain areas you need certain tools, but the tools and weapons only have limited uses. Most importantly, everything you do, your son Cody gains experience from you. Eventually this adds up to be able to buy abilities, which I guess is the aim of the game, to leave him in a good position by time you are gone.
I lasted for around a week of in game time before we starved to death, and felt like I learned a lot. There are areas to discover, some safer than others, some with more resources, and you can even set up a farm for more reliable food.
+ Gorgeous art
+ Atmosphere is perfect
+ A different take on a zombie story
+ Feels difficult, but it’s tempting to play again to have a better run. Nice progression
– If you don’t like hunger and thirst in your games you will not like this game, it runs low pretty quickly
Would I play more? Yes definitely, if I was in the mood for a survival game.
Papetura
Steam Description – Papetura is an atmospheric point & click adventure game, handcrafted entirely out of paper. Little creatures Pape and Tura will face monsters that will try to burn down their beloved paper world.
Developer – Petums
Release Date – 2020
My Thoughts – The Papetura demo was very short, lasting for around 5 minutes. It contained light puzzles set in a very nicely crafted scene, centered around a little paper character, lights and moths. The closest comparison to another game I can make – although I haven’t played it yet – is Unravel. Having such a sharp image with a unique art style are the reasons I make that comparison, not the gameplay. Ultimately, I’m unsure if the demo made me want to play the rest of the game, just as it was extremely short, but it was a nice little taster.
+ Very good looking game
– Demo just too short to really make an opinion
Would I play more? Probably yes but I’m not hooked.
Going Medieval
Steam Description – Stake your claim in this colony building sim and survive a turbulent Medieval age. Construct a multi-story fortress in a land reclaimed by wilderness, defend against raids and keep your villagers happy as their personalities are shaped by the world!
Developer – Foxy Voxel
Release Date – Coming Soon
My Thoughts – Imagine Rimworld, but in a medieval setting, and 3D. That is Going Medieval. While I don’t quite think it is there yet, for reasons I will explain below, it is a great start.
It almost feels unfair to compare it to Rimworld – a game that I have spend my fair share of time playing – because not only was that game in early access for a long time, it has also been out for a while now. But it would be a injustice not to compare it, as they are very similar in the way that they play and it is clearly an inspiration.
I think the key difference between the two currently is that Rimworld, at its core, calls itself a story generator. The small, random events that happen are just as important as the base building, and the characters feel as though they have a personality, as well as the environment as a whole. During my playthrough of this demo, there weren’t a lot of social interactions going on (or I couldn’t find them) and that made me feel just slightly less immersed, and hence less invested. When I first begun the game I felt extremely excited at the prospect of building my camp, and I did enjoy what I played, but there were certain things that I found to be a little finicky. Nothing game breaking, just small things, like I couldn’t figure out how to get a roof over my building, or what exactly classes as safe storage to stop deterioration. I also couldn’t figure out how to move any furniture that I had already placed, which became troublesome. I will say though, this game does have enough of it’s own ideas to also differentiate itself. For example, the idea that ‘research’ is actually a physical item and can get stolen, and being able to construct multistory buildings.
I hope it doesn’t come across that I am being very negative. I only get very critical when I can see that something has a lot of potential and want it to be the best that it can be. This game is ambitious. They have a great base, and if they keep working at it (which they will.. this is just a demo of what they have got so far) then it could turn out to be fantastic. Either way I will be keeping my eye on it for sure!
+ Great potential
+ Great attention to detail
+ I liked the UI, it wasn’t too busy
– Not much social interaction
– Feels slower than Rimworld and not as much depth yet
Would I play more? I want to keep my eye on development. If they work on the things I mention above then I would jump straight in.
Suzerain
Steam Description – As President Rayne, lead Sordland into ruin or repair during your first term in this text-based role-playing game. Navigate a political drama driven by conversations with your cabinet members and other significant figures. Beware or embrace corruption; shirk or uphold ideals. How will you lead?
Developer – Torpor Games
Release Date – TBD
My Thoughts – Suzerain is a text based game about being the President and leading a country. I had intended on playing this one during the last festival but ran out of time. Since then I have also seen it recommended elsewhere, so I had to jump in. When I begun playing I instantly thought this game was not going to be for me. I am not a very political person and a lot of the terms used went over my head. But the further in I got I became completely immersed and I had to know the consequences of the choices I had made.
The demo begins with a long stretch of questions that lead into the story of your characters past, shaping him into who he is now. It skipped between the key moments of his life but was also quite in depth. For a while I thought this was what the whole game was going to be. Then the rest of the game started. It takes place on a map of the fictional country that you are in charge of. All of the different cities and towns have markers, each of which can flag up with reports about their status whenever necessary. The gameplay consists of attending meetings and other functions, making the decisions that you think are best for your country, dealing with emergencies, balancing the opinions of your staff and country, and even spending time with your family. It is not all politics. In my opinion the game was paced very well and the fact that it had a story as it does took me by surprise, as well as how well it all ties together. I went in without a clue what to expect and honestly had a great, great time.
+ The game works brilliantly. If I need information about something, I am not afraid that anything is going to get broken when I pause a conversation to read through my files
+ The attention to detail and sheer amount of information is absolutely brilliant
+ Every decision I made felt extremely important and weighty
+ The story was engaging and even thrilling at times
+/– Gameplay is reading and making choices. This is not a negative and certainly not an issue for me, but it does mean it wont be for everyone
Would I play more? Absolutely. I played for two hours and was sad when it ended.
Insurmountable
Steam Description – Confront various terrains as a lonely mountaineer and endure the countless dangers of climbing! Many tough decisions await you in a risky environment. Make your way up and down the mountain, overcoming insurmountable heights!
Developer – Byterockers’ Games
Release Date – March 2021
My Thoughts – Insurmountable is described as ‘a strategic adventure game with rogue like elements’ and I couldn’t put it better myself. The aim of the game is to make it to the top of the procedurally generated mountain. Movement is tile and energy based, and there are other stats that you have to manage including sanity and temperature. Certain tiles have different random events that can help or harm you, and it is your job to navigate through them while keeping your climber alive.
I was instantly attracted to this game purely because of my fascination for mountains. I did manage to make it to the top, but only just. The game sort of just throws you in and lets you figure things out for yourself. Although it can be argued that some games benefit from that, I personally prefer a little bit more instruction when I am first starting out. Having said that, I think that I understood a lot of what the game is about by the time I reached the top. I wouldn’t recommend this game to someone who was looking for an action packed, fast paced strategy game. In my opinion, it felt quite slow. Having said that, I almost found it more therapeutic than anything else. It was a game that I enjoyed my time with and I am glad that I played, but I can’t say I am hungry for more. But don’t forget to take into consideration that roguelike games don’t tend to be my type of games.
+ I love the look of this game
+ Almost meditative
+/- Could use more random events, although I did like the ones I got
+/– Slow paced. Could use a fast forward button for climbing sections
– No tutorial
– Camera angle just felt a tiny bit wonky at times
Would I play more? If I heard they had made some changes then I probably would, however I actually feel satisfied with the experience I had.
Craftlands Workshoppe – The Funny Indie Capitalist RPG Trading Adventure Game
Steam Description – From the out-there imagination behind the Shoppe Keep series comes a brand-new fantasy business adventure set in the clouds. Craftlands Workshoppe is hiring! But can you run your store, master three noble crafts and solve the former owner’s mysterious disappearance?
Developer – Arvydas Žemaitis
Release Date – Early Access – 13/10/2020
My Thoughts – In Craftlands Workshoppe you begin the game with a choice. Do you want to go down the Alchemy route, the Cooking route, or the Blacksmithing route? From my understanding you eventually get to try out and master them all, but I personally went for Blacksmithing, as it seemed the most different and I didn’t have to grow my own ingredients.
The gameplay loop of this game is something that I have wanted for such a long time. I have never played Moonlighter, but a section of this game is what I imagine the none combat section of Moonlighter to be. You basically get to do every part of running your own store. In order to smith things into items to sell you need ingredients. In my case, I had to hit stone for ore, chop down trees for wood and buy blueprints from another store. Next, you make the goods. It was a simple clicking game but I really enjoyed it. Then, you get to choose what to advertise, and sell the goods. Now though, the part of this game that I enjoyed the most is that you can plan all of that stuff out yourself. It is up to you how much of which item you want to make to sell. You have limited energy points to use so you have to make choices about whether you want to use them gathering more ingredients or making more stuff. You can figure out what is going to make the most profit margin, then you need spares too because people might ask for them too and even pay more. What I am trying to say is that the management in this game gives you a lot of freedom, and to me it felt very very satisfying.
Beyond the demo it seems you can expand into all of the different crafts, hire workers, and unlock lots more areas on the map. During the demo it was possible to explore a little and some of the other residents had quests. I did some of them and appreciated that they were there, but I never had the feeling that I wanted to go out of my way to help or talk to any of these characters. As much as I loved the game by the end, it didn’t click with me for the first half of the demo. There is something about the style that I cannot put my finger on, as well as some of the points that I will make below. Eventually though, I was addicted and dreading that it was going to end.
Once again, it may seem like I have a lot of negative points, but its only because I love the concept so much. I recognize that a lot of this is subjective and I hope others can see that I actually really liked this game!
+ Very addictive gameplay loop
+ Lots of freedom
+ Good feeling of progression and working towards goals
+/- Movement/Camera movement was very strange. However there were many settings to choose between
+/- I would love this on the Switch
+/– I liked that I could go to sleep just before 6am and still get my energy back. I’m not sure if it was intentional but I enjoyed it
– I think I just don’t quite have the right sense of humour to appreciate the game properly
– I wasn’t keen on the layout of the town in relation to my shop, would have liked a bike or something to be able to move around quicker
– I found the character models very off putting for some reason
Would I play more? 100% Yes.
Sadly that is all of the demos that I got to play this time around. Hopefully by the next Steam Game Festival I should have a PC, and therefore be able to go back to making video content!
Full playlist of the Steam Game Festival: Summer Edition 2020, this time featuring 40 demos!
I tried something a little different this time. Since I have now played so many of these demos, I thought it would be helpful for anyone new to the festival to have a guide to know where to start.
So this time I have made a more comprehensive quickfire guide of games that I think are worth your time.
Here is a list of all of the games. If you would like to see more of what they are about, my video at the bottom of the page covers all 18 of these games in under 5 minutes!
Port Valley – The (not so) classic Point & Click adventure where perspective changes everything! Witness Port Valley’s Election Day from 3 points of view and find out what’s really going on in this bizarre town.
One Helluva Day – An egocentric businessman is desperate to save his company from collapse. However, he is forced to save the whole city from an impending disaster.
Lord Winklebottom Investigates – It’s the 1920s and the world’s foremost detective is about to embark on his most challenging case yet. Thankfully, in this world that’s not quite like our own, there’s nobody better to crack the case than the great detective and gentleman giraffe, Lord Winklebottom.
Backbone – Backbone is a noir roleplaying detective adventure. You are raccoon private eye Howard Lotor, a second-class citizen of dystopian Vancouver, BC inhabited by animals. Interrogate a diverse cast of characters, collect evidence, and choose which leads to follow.
Roki – Röki is an adventure game inspired by Scandinavian folklore – a dark, contemporary fairy tale underpinned by a touching narrative, an alluring art style, ancient puzzles and atmospheric exploration.
Hazel Sky– Hazel Sky is a heartfelt adventure about a young engineer facing his destiny and his desires. Fix ramshackle flying machines and jump, climb, swing, and slide through a beautiful, mysterious world.
Omno – A single player journey of discovery through an ancient world of wonders. Full of puzzles, secrets and obstacles to overcome, where the power of a lost civilisation will carry you through forests, deserts and tundras – even to the clouds.
Travellers Rest – You are an innkeeper, on a journey to transform a run-down inn into a bustling social space. Brew your own beer, run a farm, explore the world, and build relationships with your customers to create your own fantasy tavern!
Cartel Tycoon – Cartel Tycoon is a story-driven business sim inspired by the ‘80s narco trade. Expand and conquer, stave off rival cartels and authority attention, earn people’s loyalty and try to overcome the doomed fate of a drug lord with too much power.
The Final Earth 2– The Final Earth 2 is a vertical sci-fi city builder. Earth is unlivable, so you decide to create a space colony. Gather resources, then build and research your way to a better future! Grow your city from an exploration ship to a huge metropolis, full of advanced technology. What will you build?
Grounded– The world is a vast, beautiful and dangerous place – especially when you have been shrunk to the size of an ant. Can you thrive alongside the hordes of giant insects, fighting to survive the perils of the backyard?
The Survivalists – A living world full of surprises, secrets and danger awaits in The Survivalists, an adventure-filled survival sandbox set in The Escapists universe. Explore, build, craft and even train monkeys with up to three friends in a desperate bid to survive. Have you got what it takes to be a Survivalist?
Superliminal – Perception is reality. In this mind-bending first-person puzzler, you explore a surreal dream world and solve impossible puzzles using the ambiguity of depth and perspective.
Moncage – Moncage is an adventure puzzle game, where the player will explore a lonely world trapped in a mysterious cubic device. Each face of this cubic device will display a different scene. The player will navigate through the island and the factory by finding the connections among the scenes.
Love – A Puzzlebox Filled with Stories – Everylife has a story. Every story has regret. But what if you could change the past? LOVE is a puzzle game about finding the things we’ve lost in ourselves and the people who help us find them.
Summer in Mara – Take care of your own island and explore the ocean in this farming adventure. Summer in Mara mix farming, crafting and exploring mechanic in a tropical archipelago with a colorful style and strong narrative.
Jessika – Jessika committed suicide, and it’s up to you to find out why she did what she did by prying into her digital past. What at first seems to be a job like any other quickly develops into a dark drama with twists and turns.
NUTS – A single-player surveillance mystery set in a remote forest – record the squirrels, report your findings… and uncover the secret that the curious creatures are hiding.
My top game picks from the Steam Game Festival: Summer Edition 2020. 18 games in under 5 minutes!
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