Steam Next Fest Archives

AppWizard

March 3, 2025

Card Games Are Getting Even More Inventive On PC, And I Couldn’t Be More Excited

Traditional deckbuilding card games are evolving with innovative titles that blend elements of tactical RPGs and tabletop gaming. The Steam Next Fest showcased new games hinting at the future of card games. Shuffle Tactics combines deckbuilding with tactical RPG elements, featuring multiple units on a grid and characters with unique hands of cards for buffing allies and attacking enemies. It includes inventive abilities and emphasizes positioning for strategic gameplay. As We Descend incorporates adventure game elements, allowing character card enhancement and dividing the battlefield into guard and support zones. Players protect an artifact while engaging in narrative and light city-building elements, utilizing cards for interactions within a hub. Into the Restless Ruins redefines deckbuilding by focusing on dungeon creation, where players use cards to build a dungeon and then explore it, engaging in automatic battles. The game emphasizes creative problem-solving and combat, drawing inspiration from tabletop RPGs.

AppWizard

March 3, 2025

Our favourite demos from Steam Next Fest Winter 2025

The latest Steam Next Fest showcased a variety of indie games, encouraging players to explore unique demos. - DoubleWe: A first-person roguelite game where players navigate a world filled with tension, facing their murderous clone among twitching NPCs. - 1950s Delivery Game: A top-down delivery game set in the 1950s, featuring chaotic streets and absurd jobs for an underachieving courier, with destructible environments. - Wanderstop: A game centered on a grouchy protagonist, Alta, where players help him unwind and enjoy mundane tasks. - The Horror At Highrook: A cosmic horror board game that invites players to explore haunted environments and uncover hidden malevolence through card-crafting systems. - Hotline Miami-inspired Game: A game that allows players to switch perspectives and link environmental elements for strategic gameplay and destruction.

AppWizard

March 2, 2025

Steam Next Fest’s biggest Soulslike is about to jump from PC to PS5 and Xbox, and everyone seems to love the demo just as much as we did

The First Berserker: Khazan is an action RPG prequel to Nexon's Dungeon Fighter Online, set to launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on March 27, alongside its PC release. The game has received praise for its smooth mechanics and responsive controls, distinguishing itself from other action games by avoiding sluggishness. It integrates classic elements familiar to FromSoftware fans while featuring a quicker combat system. The game ranks as the sixth most anticipated title in Steam Next Fest, with nearly 4,000 user reviews and a 90% approval rating. Players appreciate its combat mechanics, art style, and features like the absence of loading screens upon death.

AppWizard

March 2, 2025

This week’s hot PC gaming Steam deals Feb.23-Mar.1

The Steam Next Fest is currently ongoing, offering significant sales and free game demos. Ubisoft is holding a Big Publisher Sale with discounts on various titles, including: - Star Wars: Outlaws - 50% off - Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown - 50% off - Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag - 70% off - The Rogue Prince of Persia - 25% off - Riders Republic - 80% off - Anno 1800 - 90% off - Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege - 80% off - Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora - 67% off - Rayman Legends - 80% off Sales from indie publishers Annapurna Interactive and New Blood Interactive include: - Neon White - 50% off - Ultrakill - 33% off - What Remains of Edith Finch - 75% off - Blood West - 55% off - Flock - 20% off Notable cultural games on sale are: - Lies of P - 40% off - Cocoon - 40% off - Black Mesa - 75% off - Dredge - 50% off - Unpacking - 50% off Ubisoft's sale ends on March 13, while the indie sales conclude on March 3, 2025.

AppWizard

March 1, 2025

I did not expect the most promising turn-based tactics game of Steam Next Fest to star the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but here we are

TMNT: Tactical Takedown is a new turn-based tactics game featuring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, showcased during the Steam Next Fest. The game presents battles against the Foot Clan in a board game-like format on a dynamic battlefield grid, where players allocate action points and utilize various abilities. Each turtle has unique gameplay styles, but the demo reveals balance issues, particularly with Michelangelo being more challenging than Leonardo and Donatello. Some ability tooltips can be misleading, affecting gameplay clarity. The game features a one-versus-many setup against simplistic AI, allowing for strategic maneuvers. The demo lasts about an hour and is currently available for free until March 3, after which it will be removed from the store. The release date is marked as "TBA."

AppWizard

February 28, 2025

I became a domestic terrorist to steal a lightbulb in the best immersive sim I’ve played this Steam Next Fest—and it isn’t even a Next Fest demo

Peripeteia is a cyberpunk immersive sim set in an alternate reality of Poland, where players control a character named Marie who awakens disoriented and augmented in a warehouse. The game features a labyrinthine environment filled with gas-masked soldiers and surreal elements, such as a bar playing the USSR's National Anthem. Players must navigate creatively to complete quests, such as retrieving a bulb from a planetarium, which involves planning and stealth, including bombing a government building. The game recently entered early access, showcasing its potential for complex gameplay.

AppWizard

February 27, 2025

You’ve got to try these 5 brilliant free roguelike deckbuilder game demos before Steam NextFest ends on March 3

Steam Next Fest features numerous deckbuilder demos available for free until March 3rd. Five standout demos include: - Aliosso: A dice rolling and deckbuilding game where players manage water resources to craft armor or use in other ways, set in charming pixel art desert landscapes. - Castle Clash: Players take on the roles of a knight, witch, and builder, aiming to destroy opposing castles while managing resources and making strategic choices. - Haunted House Deckbuilder: Players control a haunted house, defending against visitors by eliminating them or driving them mad to upgrade their home, with a humorous twist on classic simulation games. - Ballardo: A chaotic billiards game where players create mayhem by bouncing balls off each other, with a deckbuilding element that allows for strategic enhancements. - Word Migration: A word game where players help a bird migrate by forming words from letter tiles, generating 'flaps' for movement and utilizing special feathers for bonuses. Honourable mentions include Kindfolx, Inkborn, and A la Card.

AppWizard

February 27, 2025

This 93% positive Steam Next Fest survival game demo wants to combine Minecraft and No Man’s Sky with “RPG-style depth,” and so far it’s actually pulling it off

Cubic Odyssey is a game developed by Atypical Games, featured in the Steam Next Fest, where players explore vibrant planets, craft tools, construct vehicles, and face the Red Darkness. The gameplay emphasizes an extensive tech tree and a sub-crafting system that enhances the crafting experience. Players gather resources to upgrade facilities and fortify their base against threats. The game showcases sharp graphics and a freeform voxel aesthetic. It is scheduled for release later this year.

AppWizard

February 26, 2025

Slack is down, and that means it’s time to start playing games on company time

Slack is currently experiencing significant disruptions, preventing many users from accessing the platform. While some users who were logged in initially may still have access, new users are unable to log in. Alternatives for communication during this downtime include Discord and IRC. Users can also engage in browser-based games or take advantage of free titles available on the Epic Games Store, such as Garden Story. Additionally, the ongoing Steam Next Fest offers various game demos for users to explore. Updates on Slack's status will be provided as the situation unfolds.

AppWizard

February 26, 2025

Haste: Broken Worlds finally lets me live out my childhood fantasy of running really fast and then slamming into a rock at Mach 1 and breaking all my bones

The demo of Haste: Broken Worlds has launched during Steam Next Fest. It is a roguelike bone-breaking simulator where players master the art of strategic falling, starting each level with speed and launching into the air on inclines. Smooth landings are crucial for maximizing boosts and energy for special abilities. The game features a health bar and three hearts, with unique character abilities, including a hoverboard. Levels are randomized and filled with hazards like lasers and missiles, and players can damage the single boss by hurling themselves at it. The game has vibrant visuals and an urgent gameplay dynamic due to a pursuing wave of doom. The demo serves as a proof of concept, with players eager for more content and a potential release date hinted by developers.