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Featuring a huge number of upcoming games and opportunities to interact with those behind them, Steam Next Fest kicked off this year from February 21 through February 28.
The extravaganza is a haven for indie title lovers as the platform plays host to hundreds of playable demos for players to dive into.
Indie games have always been the scene of pushing the envelope - be it the boundaries of the genre or the medium, the storytelling, the game mechanics and more.
One would say that these games have their own distinct aesthetic that caters to a large number of players.
10 game demos that players should give a try in the ongoing Steam Next Fest
Steam Next Fest marks an excellent occasion for the developers to showcase their upcoming wares and for players to try and find out which ones they are excited about. The article points out ten games that players should check out once before the festival ends.
By no means is this list exhaustive, as upwards of 600 titles feature in the festival.
10 must-try playable demos in Steam Next Fest February 2022
- How To Say Goodbye
- Nine Noir Lives
- Space Wreck
- IXION
- Silt
- The Wandering Village
- Nobody: The Turnaround
- The Wandering Village
- Food Truck Simulator
- Little Orpheus
1) How To Say Goodbye
- Developer - Florian Veltman, Baptiste Portefaix, ARTE France.
- Platforms - Microsoft Windows, macOS.
- Release Date - 2022
How To Say Goodbye is a narrative-puzzle game accompanied by a surreal world. Players have to "move the elements of decor and manipulate reality to help a group of ghosts wandering between two words reach the other side."
The trailer showcases a number of different settings that look interesting. The description of the game showcases an emotional aspect to the title that many may find alluring -
"How to say Goodbye deals with the theme of grief with kindness and sensitivity.Still shocked by their recent passing, the ghosts of How to say Goodbye try their best to leave the liminal space they are trapped in. Together, they will have to discover how to mourn in order to accept their own death, and “move on”."
2) Nine Noir Lives
- Developer - Silvermode Studios.
- Platforms - Microsoft Windows, Linux, Macintosh.
- Release Date - 2022
Cat aficionados will be elated to come across this "point-and-lick comedy-noir adventure" indie title that is filled with "humor, crazy characters and intriguing locations." Players are tasked with solving a murder following the philosophy of "lick first and meow questions later."
The crux of the game is humorously encapsulated in the official description -
"Solve challenging puzzles and answer the immortal question: how many things need to be licked to solve a murder in this town?"
For those of a feline disposition, Nine Noir Lives is available as a playable demo on Steam now until February 28.
3) Space Wreck
- Developer - Bulwark Studios.
- Platforms - Microsoft Windows.
- Release Date - 2022
There are a number of titles on this list that use space as a setting, and Space Wreck is the same. Heavily influenced by Fallout, the post-apocalyptic RPG provides a deep focus on the notion of role-playing - the trailer states, "Only you will decide who is the hero."
The official description states:
"Inch wide, miles deep - intentionally short yet surprisingly deep and branching adventure with multiple gameplay styles. Combat 100% optional."
This is an interesting title to check out at Steam Next Fest as players decide to be a "smooth talker, sneaky hacker, brawling bully or something else" entirely.
4) IXION
- Developer - Pahris Entertainment SIA.
- Platforms - Microsoft Windows.
- Release Date - 2022
In IXION, players will be guiding the Tiqqun space station while on a treacherous journey in search of a new home for humanity. They will be in charge of taking care of the "station infrastructure, population management, exploration, and survival."
The very notion of being in space looking for a new home makes this sci-fi city building an intriguing title to keep an eye out for. Meanwhile, players can try it out on Steam and see if it caters to their tastes.
5) Silt
- Developer - Spiral Circus.
- Platforms - Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5.
- Release Date - Spring 2022
The trailer of Silt shows that the charm of the black and white visual still holds true when done correctly. The esthetic of the game reminds one of Limbo and Inside. Players are tasked with exploring the ocean abyss in search of long-forgotten mysteries.
The official description mentions that players will "explore the dangerous waters, possess sea creatures, and solve puzzles" as they seek to travel further into the darkness. Silt is an exciting upcoming game and Steam Next Fest provides the perfect opportunity for players to have a go at it.
6) Boundary
- Developer - Surgical Scalpels.
- Platforms - PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows.
- Release Date - 2022
Teased a number of years back, Boundary is:
"A multiplayer tactical space-based shooter game, engaging in fierce team vs team zero gravity firefights and executing low-gravity operations on orbiting space installations against other enemy astroperators and other entities."
Players will have various gadgets at their commands as they suit up as Astroperaters and take part in the space fight. The gameplay showcases fast-paced action with the unique setting of floating in space.
For Steam Next Fest, the developers have announced a number of things - new Astroperators, daily login rewards, player progression rewards and more.
7) Nobody: The Turnaround
- Developer - U.Ground Game Studio.
- Platforms - Microsoft Windows, macOS.
- Release Date - 2022
Players follow the protagonist from a top-down perspective in this realistic survival simulator. According to the official description, Nobody - The Turnaround is "set in a parallel world that echoes modern society."
Players have to manage their time and resources carefully as they struggle to survive "through difficult times and overcome the predicament" they find themselves in. Steam Next Fest brings a playable demo of the survival game for players to try it out.
8) The Wandering Village
- Developer - Stray Fawn.
- Platforms - Xbox Series X|S & One, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Macintosh operating systems.
- Release Date - Spring/Summer 2022
In The Wandering Village, players will build a settlement on the back of a moving six-legged turtle-looking creature known as Onbu. Players will get to experience different biomes as Onbu lumbers through them while the planet has been contaminated with mysterious toxic spores.
The crux of the gameplay involves building the city and planning ahead as Onbu for some time will not be paying any heed to the instructions of the players. The developers have confirmed that visually the game is influenced by the works of Studio Ghibli whereas the music is informed by folklore aesthetic.
Players can check out the demo of the game on Steam which is available during Steam Next Fest.
9) Food Truck Simulator
- Developer - Drago Entertainment.
- Platforms - Microsoft Windows.
- Release Date - Not announced yet
With loads of customizable options available, players are treated to the experience of running a food truck that belonged to the protagonist's father. Players will shop for items, cut, prepare and cook the dishes ordered.
The developers have also mentioned that players will have the option to create their own recipes as they serve customers across the entire city. For those who love to cook, Food Truck Simulator is currently available as a playable demo during Steam Next Fest.
10) Little Orpheus
- Developer - The Chinese Room.
- Platforms - Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One & Series X|S, PlayStation 4 & 5, Apple Arcade.
- Release Date - Apple Arcade - June 12, 2020; Windows, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S - March 1, 2022
Little Orpheus is a critically acclaimed side-scroller that was first released on Apple Arcade back in 2020 by The Chinese Room - the same group behind Dear Esther. A quick look at the above trailer will give players an idea of the surreal world they will be stepping into.
In 1963, Ivan Ivanovich, a Societ cosmonaut who is the protagonist, is headed down into the earth instead of up towards the skies. The game is the tale he tells of his adventures.
The color-bursting frames of Little Orpheus compliments the story it tells and the esthetic it depicts. Players can walk in the footsteps of the Soviet cosmonaut in the playable demo available on Steam at the moment.
