Next Fest Archives

AppWizard

July 25, 2025

‘People hate it. It’s very annoying. It’s like a boss in Dark Souls’: Quarantine Zone’s biggest source of negative feedback is that damn supply cart

The demo for the zombie apocalypse management simulation, Quarantine Zone: The Last Check, launched in May and received extensive player feedback through a survey. Devolver Digital will publish the game in November. A new demo will be released in October as part of the Steam Next Fest to further engage players and refine gameplay based on user insights.

AppWizard

July 12, 2025

Ghost Town Confirms PC VR Launch For Next Week

Ghost Town, developed by Fireproof Games, will be released on Steam for PC VR on July 15, following a successful demo at Steam Next Fest. The game features Edith Penrose, a witch turned ghost hunter, and is set in the UK during the 1980s. It was initially launched on the Quest platform in April, and a free demo is currently available on Steam. Fireproof Games has not announced a release date for the PlayStation VR2 version. The release date was moved up from July 17 to July 15.

AppWizard

July 9, 2025

Steam Users Buy Games They’re Never Going to Play, Says Analyst

Steam remains the largest online gaming store for PC users, despite Epic Games' efforts to compete. Valve takes a 30% revenue cut from developers, while Epic takes only 12% after the first million in revenue. Steam's popularity is attributed to its large community of gamers who often buy games they do not play. Analysts note that Valve has successfully marketed to individuals overwhelmed by entertainment options, creating a scenario where gamers feel they might eventually play the games they purchase. A survey indicated that many players add games to their wishlist without trying them. An example is Chris Wray, who owns 6,062 games on Steam but has only played about 20% of them. Steam frequently offers significant discounts, especially during sales events.

AppWizard

July 4, 2025

I played 10 free Steam demos this week: here are the 5 games that made it onto my wishlist

The author explored various free game demos on Steam after playing Dune: Awakening. They highlighted several games: 1. Star Birds: A resource management game where players explore asteroids, establish factories, and unlock technologies. The demo impressed the author enough to add it to their wishlist. 2. Watchword: A wordplay and strategy game where players connect words on a grid and use magical tomes. The author found it captivating and recommended it for word game enthusiasts. 3. Discounty: A life simulation game where players run a discount grocery store and uncover town mysteries. The author expressed eagerness to explore it further. 4. Herdling: A game where players guide large creatures across a countryside, featuring minimalistic instructions and an immersive atmosphere. 5. Ball X Pit: A mashup of Vampire Survivors and Super Breakout, combining base-building and farming mechanics with monster-fighting gameplay. Additionally, the author mentioned other games that caught their attention, including: - Quarantine Zone: The Last Check: A management sim in a zombie apocalypse with engaging scanning mechanics but lackluster base management. - City of Voices: A narrative-driven adventure from a developer known for The Rise of The Golden Idol. - Morsels: A creature-collecting roguelite with a challenging color palette. - Scale the Depths: A casual fishing game lacking complexity. - Half Sword: A physics-based medieval brawler more entertaining to watch than to play.

AppWizard

June 18, 2025

Turns out that fantasy Factorio is a pretty good idea, and if you doubt me try the MoteMancer demo

MoteMancer is an automation game developed by indie studio CyanAvatar, where players act as an alchemical apprentice managing a magical factory across six elemental planes. Players extract elemental motes from magical energy veins, which can be mixed to create various materials and devices. The game features a non-linear research system that allows multitasking and unexpected discoveries. Each of the six interconnected worlds presents unique puzzles and challenges, requiring players to adapt their strategies as they transition between planes. The game utilizes a hexagonal layout for factory design, enhancing complexity. A demo is available on Steam, with progress potentially carrying over to the full game.

Winsage

June 16, 2025

Microsoft Weekly: redesigned Windows 11 Start menu, Xbox handheld is here, and more

Microsoft has released Patch Tuesday updates for June 2025, with Windows 10 receiving KB5060533 and Windows 11 receiving KB5060842 and KB5060999. The Windows Insider Program has unveiled several new builds, including a redesigned Start menu in build 26200.5641 and various enhancements in other builds. Microsoft has introduced Copilot Vision with Highlights for Windows, currently available in the U.S. for two applications. A quirky bug in the latest builds causes Windows 11 to play the Windows Vista startup sound. Microsoft Edge received an update in the Dev Channel, while Firefox rolled out version 139.0.4. Microsoft announced enhancements to Outlook and OneDrive for Mac. New Xbox handhelds, the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, were unveiled, optimized for gaming. Steam's Next Fest allows free trials of hundreds of games until June 16, 2025, and the Epic Games Store is offering Two Point Hospital for free.

AppWizard

June 14, 2025

The 10 Best Steam Next Fest Games You Need to Wishlist

The Steam summer sale is approaching, and Valve is hosting the Summer 2025 Next Fest, showcasing various indie games. Notable titles include: - Dead as Disco: A beat 'em up game where players control Charlie Disco in a rhythmic combat system. Release date is not announced. Platforms: PC. - Voidbreaker: A first-person shooter focused on environmental destruction, set to launch on August 20. Platforms: PC. - Morsels: A twin-stick shooter roguelike featuring magical cards and strategic combat, set to release in 2025. Platforms: PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch. - Dragon March: An arcade adventure with a mecha-dragon protagonist, release date unconfirmed. Platforms: PC. - House of Necrosis: A survival horror game with a turn-based system, release date not revealed. Platforms: PC, Linux. - DuneCrawl: A cooperative hack-and-slash game for up to four players, set for release in 2025. Platforms: PC. - Hell Clock: An action RPG based on Brazil's War of Canudos, launching on July 22. Platforms: PC. - 1000 Deaths: A platforming game exploring pivotal life moments, set to release on August 7. Platforms: PC. - Passant: A chess roguelike with unique mechanics, available on August 11. Platforms: PC. - Under The Island: A 2D RPG hack-and-slash game inspired by Zelda, release date unannounced. Platforms: PC.

AppWizard

June 14, 2025

Weekend PC Game Deals: Total War grabs, management freebies, demos to try, and more

The Humble Store has released two bundles: the Narrative Arc collection, which includes Mutazione, Venba, and Frank and Drake, with additional tiers featuring Season: A Letter to the Future, Dustborn, Harold Halibut, and Six Ages 2: Lights Going Out; and the Case and Consequences Collection, which offers Heavy Rain, Song of Farca, Lacuna, and Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments, with a second tier including Murders on the Yangtze River, BROK the InvestiGator, and Between Horizons. Both bundles are available for two weeks. The Epic Games Store is offering Two Point Hospital for free until June 19, coinciding with the launch of The Operator as the next free game. Valve's Steam Next Fest is running until June 16, featuring demos of upcoming games, along with several active free events, including Stardeus, Barony, Hell Let Loose, Construction Simulator, and Towerborne. The Steam Summer Sale is approaching, with significant promotions already launched by various publishers, including a Total War historical sale and early summer promotions from 505 Games. The GOG store is also offering DRM-free discounts across various genres.

AppWizard

June 14, 2025

The Stellar Blade PC release finally convinced me to try it out, but after its Steam Next Fest demo I’m going straight back to Elden Ring Nightreign

The Stellar Blade PC demo was released during the Steam Next Fest, attracting attention despite not topping the charts. It features an introductory cutscene, a tutorial, and a significant boss encounter, allowing players to explore its upgrade system. The demo showcases a visually appealing aesthetic but raises concerns about gameplay depth and performance issues, even on recommended settings. Design choices, such as surprise enemy ambushes and floaty physics puzzles, detract from the experience. The combat mechanics are criticized for feeling insubstantial, and comparisons to Elden Ring highlight Stellar Blade's lack of polish.

AppWizard

June 11, 2025

This medieval slasher looks like an ’80s comic that inspired 100 death metal bands, and you should try its 10-minute Steam Next Fest demo

The Steam Next Fest demo for Black Raven, a 2.5D action-adventure game inspired by Slavic folklore, features striking visuals that attract players. The game begins with the protagonist, Ivan, returning to find his home destroyed, his wife killed, and his child missing, setting a dark tone for the narrative. The visual style resembles a 1980s comic strip, and the demo lasts about ten minutes, allowing for a single death. While the combat mechanics are straightforward, the artistic direction generates interest and anticipation for the full release.