With countless demos, live dev playthroughs and other goodies, Next Fest is great for devs and players alike. Next Fest June 2022 has been a particularly strong one, so we thought we would round up our ten favourites to offer for your demo-ing pleasure.
Next Fest features unreleased games, so the release date of each title is in brackets. Also, please note these games are in no particular order. We wouldn’t want the devs to fight and whine about not getting into the number one spot, would we?
- Naiad (Q3 2022)
Flowing along rivers and streams. Becoming one with the water. Reuniting ducklings with their parents. It doesn’t get much simpler, relaxing or more wholesome than 2D adventure puzzle adventure game Naiad.
- Gust Of Wind (Early Access: late 2022)
Have you ever dreamed of a game where you play as a seagull? How about a stealthy seagull? How about a stealthy seagull with the acrobatic moves of Assassins Creed? And a great story on top of all that? If you’re nodding violently, 3D stealth game Gust of Wind is the one you.
- Faerie Afterlight (Summer 2022)
Cute, 2D metroidvania with a beautiful aesthetic and a calming palette. Gameplay is chilled too but with just enough variety and challenge to keep you going. ‘Nuff said about Faerie Afterlight. Wishlist it!
- Bloodhound (no date given)
Violence, beautifully macabre visuals and thrilling gunplay. Any fan of the gameplay and cheesy storylines of Painkiller will love gothic FPS Bloodhound.
- Grunnd (Q4 2022)
Dripping with atmosphere and chock-full of dialogue options for the player, noir point and click Grunnd has got as hooked.
- The Cub (no date given)
Flawless animations, an endearing protagonist, plus an incredibly unique and immersive soundtrack. Plus, the entire world is a hauntingly convincing depiction of what life would be like if humans populated Mars. Wishlist and play the demo of the 2D apocalyptic story-driven game The Cub now.
- There’s No Light (no date given)
This is our absolute pick of the litter. A gorgeously gothic art style reminiscent of Castlevania, a deeply engaging story right from the offset and a truly immersive and well crafted world make this our fave. Wishlist There’s No Light and give the demo a go. You won’t regret it!
- 30 Birds (”when it’s ready”)
2D adventure creature-collector 30 Birds stuns with its vibrant and unique visual style. But the real joy lies in the gameplay where you run around collecting creatures for reasons not to be spoiled here. Give it a wishlist and try the demo.
- The Last Worker (dispatching 2022)
With a cast of film stars and an amazing story to boot, The Last Worker is a bit of a diamond in the rough. There’s also loads of top-notch humour and fresh gameplay. Check out the demo for this unassuming FPS delivery-SIM now.
- Nuwe: First Seeds (2023)
Explore the flora and fauna as an alien in an alien land. 2D Action adventure platform game Nuwe has loads of thrills and spills as you navigate the environment, dodging, jumping and rolling your way to victory. Have a look at the demo and give it a wishlist.
Next Fest June 2022 is on Steam and ends on 20/6/22 @10AM PST
