Steam Next Fest is a busy time when many developers hope to find their audience. As a first-time player, it was both hectic and enriching.
In today’s fractured social media landscape, independent developers must use every avenue possible to get the word out about their upcoming games. After all, what is working for 3+ years on a passionate idea if no one will be there to experience it? Marketing a game is a never-ending effort, from the reveal to pre-release trailers, the launch, and post-launch updates, interviews, and hopefully working on the next project. One thing I had not been aware of—a severe omission on my part—is the Steam Next Fest. In my defense, I just finally got a gaming computer in August of last year.
For the uninitiated, the Steam Next Fest is a demo event that runs for a week on Gabe Newell’s marketplace during three different times of the year: February, June, and October. The games featured are usually close to release, with usually up to a three-month window from the event. As a newcomer to the experience, it can definitely feel daunting. Thanks to the ever more accessible tools for game development, generative AI slop, and overpopulation, every year it becomes so much more difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. Offering close to 4,000 demos, it is not easy to stand out.
What counters this overwhelming bit of data is the excitement for it. Even on a smaller social media website like Bluesky, you could see content creators to game developers, all engaging with it in some way. Interviews, articles, podcasts, and threads—I had not seen this much activity since the game of the year conversations. As a gaming journalist myself, I constantly try to promote indies I like, so I ventured head-on in this new journey. While I did not play as many demos as I would have liked, here are some that I did get to play that caught my attention.
I admit this game was not on my radar at all, but if there is something that I value from a person, it is their tenacity. The developer of this game, going by F0lak on social media, infiltrated my Little Victories Discord server to promote his game as a solo dev. I really admire this approach. It also helps that they are a delight to talk to. Anyway, 86’d is a pixel art cooking game by way of Overcooked with a twist. Playing as an orc, the increasingly nasty dishes that you have to cook lead to some pretty funny moments. A trial by fire, it was a good start to my Steam Next Fest.
Oh, they know how to get me. Sonic Adventure 2 was one of those formative experiences for me. As a GameCube kid, I spent dozens of hours caring for my Chao as they ran, swam, and flew through obstacle races that would give American Ninja Warrior a run for its money. Or at least that’s how I remember it. Boby Bay knows exactly what it is trying to be: a Chao Garden. After waiting more than 20 years for Sonic Team to do something about it, I, for one, am glad this developer took matters into their hands. The big question with indies trying to recreate well-known ideas is, will they pull it off? Based on this demo, yes, yes, they will.
I can sin of overhyping video games and leaning a bit too much into superlatives when talking about them. But that is because that is really how I feel, even though I try to rein it in when possible. Not today, Satan. LUCID is incredible. Billed by their developers as the amalgamation of games they’ve loved, there’s something for everyone here. Mega Man Zero? Check. Celeste? Check. Metroid and Castlevania? Check. Check. Check.
What stands out apart from the ingenious platforming is its atmosphere. Pixel art can still offer so much more than what we have witnessed so far, and LUCID proves it. With so many options to choose from on the Steam Next Fest, I am glad I stumbled upon this one. The soundtrack, between curious electronic music and hard rock during boss fights, is appropriate at every turn. I can’t wait to play the whole thing.
Most of us have a deeply personal relationship with music. It could take you back to a nostalgic era, bring you solace during a hard time, or just make you get up and dance when the chorus drops (thank you, Nobody by Mitski). Wax Heads takes this complicated art form and uses it as a vehicle to explore human nature—arguably even more complex—as a vinyl record store clerk. Finding the perfect album that someone is looking for while an overarching plot with your boss develops has the potential to strike an intimate and rebellious chord.
Giving all types of games a try is something I have been working on, even more so during the Steam Next Fest. In my eternal quest I stumbled upon Angel Clicker, which is described as one of those idle games where you occasionally click on things on the screen as automated mechanisms satisfyingly work in the background. This sounds like a pretty straightforward idea, maybe even boring for some, but Angel Clicker does the unthinkable: it wraps you in its warm veil to never let go. Its sultry soundtrack, spellbinding art style, and fulfilling incremental systems are dangerously compelling. When I thought I was going to try it for 10 minutes to form an opinion of it, it quickly turned into an hour.
I have a funny story with this one. I have been aware of Truckful for years now. The sideways perspective overlooking a pleasant landscape as a worn-down truck drives by is almost ingrained into my head now. At one point, and without doing much research, another game called Fruitbus—which I reviewed and is great in its own right—was released, and I thought it was Truckful. Can you blame me? Regardless, now that I have given it a try, I can see that there are intricate options to customize the truck and that its idyllic driving takes a turn for the worse at some point. I’ve got to love a mysterious narrative.
With parallels to my Bobo Bay thoughts, Wild Blue Skies can be described as the spiritual successor to Star Fox 64. It being another franchise neglected by its original creators, I left quite impressed with what I saw. Four anthropomorphic pilots, crumbling buildings, and elaborate boss fights were all on the menu. Even the progression on the map resembled that forgotten Nintendo 64 classic. Some polish and a more vibrant soundtrack, and we are looking at a possible home run.
Voxel art styles, reminiscent of Minecraft, have a particular way of looking on screens. If there is no defining feature, it risks appearing muddled. Emery Hearts, an action JRPG inspired by the classics like Breath of Fire, manages this look by adding dynamic lighting and varied biomes. The active combat played well, and it at times reminded me of Final Fantasy 7 if it was not turn-based. I appreciate events like the Steam Next Fest for putting this on my radar.
Language can be a true source of laughter if you know where to look. Mayor May Knott (may or may not) is a cozy horror game set in a ghost town. Directly inspired by the PS2 game Chulip, the gameplay loop is charming enough to see it through to the end. Fishing, crafting, and solving minor nuisances of the weird townsfolk—even the constant jumpscares become familiar after a while. What made me burst into laughter once I got used to the puns of characters like Dick Tater was being surprised by one called Reel McKoi. Fun times ahead.
Developers need to hone their craft. It is almost impossible to create a masterpiece the first time around. Hades would not have existed without Bastion. In that same analogy, Alabaster Dawn could not have existed without CrossCode. Radical Fish Games has been hard at work creating their magnum opus, and it shows. Citing influences from Kingdom Hearts 2 and Devil May Cry, its slick combat and astounding pixel art are shaping it up to be nothing short of a masterpiece. The surprisingly emotional story that took unexpected turns also hooked me instantly. Hope to see a release date soon.
This was an exciting experiment. Of course, with the relentless passage of time and my inclination to certain art styles, I cannot cover 4 thousand games even if I wanted to. I would like to mention 1348 Ex Voto, Dosa Divas, Super Meat Boy 3D, and Planet of Lana 2 as promising games that I played but did not formulate definitive thoughts on. Remember to wishlist them for visibility if anyone catches your eye. Rest assured, I will be there for the upcoming Steam Next Fest, covering even more potentially great indies.
