The most-played Steam Next Fest demos have been revealed, and I'm not surprised to see what's topped the list.
I'm glad I didn't skip this Metroidvania's Steam Next Fest demo – it's more than pixel art Hollow Knight and has maybe the best graphics settings ever
13.10.2023 - 19:53 / gamesradar.com / Best
Just finding time to play through the best Steam Next Fest demos, let alone all the promising ones that appeal to me specifically, is a tough task. I've had to get pretty aggressive about my selection process this week. If a demo's screenshots and tags don't grab me immediately, it's not getting a download, and if the first five minutes don't feel right, it's getting uninstalled. Life, like Steam Next Fest, is too short. And I was this close to passing on Noreya: The Gold Project, a 2D pixel art Metroidvania from developer Dreamirl, not because it didn't look good, but because I still haven't gotten to demos for some of the event's most popular games. But I'm glad I gave it a shot. The demo is a little rough technically, but I see huge potential in this distinctly post-Hollow Knight game.
Noreya has been pitched as something of a Microvania, or at least micro by the standards of Hollow Knight, which the game closely resembles in its layered backgrounds, clean platforming, and especially the main character's simple, directional sword swipes and pogo hopping. Dreamirl says the early access version coming next month will be about five to six hours, with a full 10-hour version planned for its early access graduation after two to three months of feedback-guided development time. As a point of reference, the game's targeting seven boss fights total, which sounds pretty snacky to me.
I've put some time into the even more limited demo, and it's definitely left me hungry for more, but also hungry for some improvements which should be easy wins. If we can get two little fixes here, I think Noreya could be really nice. First of all, there's a bit of hitching in the frame rate during some jumps, which is a big problem for a platformer to have. Hopefully that's an easily fixed technical hiccup. Secondly, and even more annoyingly, swinging your sword has a little screen shake effect attached to it, not to mention a flash effect upon hitting enemies. I would throw both of these effects in the trash, myself, but they definitely need to be togglable at the very least.
If these visual disruptions get resolved, I think we'll have a tidy little Microvania here, and with a lot more depth than I anticipated. The platforming immediately feels nice, and the levels you're navigating are a minimalist feast for the eyes. The black-and-gold forest opening is particularly lovely, but I'm a sucker for that color scheme. Combat is brutally simple to start – arguably too simple, with some core abilities like the dodge shown in the trailer withheld to be unlocked later on – but punch. I am looking forward to more enemy variety beyond black blobby things, though.
I'm especially intrigued by the skill tree you get pretty early on,
The website gametalkz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Top Authors
Popular Topics
gamesradar.com
16.10.2023 / 22:27
The return of a classic strategy game was one of the biggest Steam Next Fest demos
Steam Next Fest was an excellent opportunity for players to learn about the most exciting and interesting upcoming PC games. However, one game that stood out even among the standouts to become the one of the most-played games from Steam Next Fest was a remaster of a cult favorite strategy game poised to make a solid comeback. Stronghold: Definitive Edition revitalizes the original 2001 game's strategic take on building a kingdom in Medieval Britain circa 1066. Coming from original developer Firefly Studios, the Definitive Edition aims to recapture the scope and story of the original but with some added flair.
gamesradar.com
13.10.2023 / 21:33
The most replayable demo in Steam Next Fest is Ghostrunner 2 and it's not even close
God, Ghostrunner was good. I'd almost forgotten how good until I loaded up the Steam Next Fest demo for Ghostrunner 2, which is just Ghostrunner but with a 2 on the end. It's got some new tricks, but it's the same exhilarating first-person action romp under the hood, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
pcgamer.com
13.10.2023 / 18:37
Out of everything at Steam Next Fest, you shouldn't miss this haunting demo about tracking down a lost expedition
I've seen such sights in this October's Steam Next Fest, but nothing has piqued my interest quite like the demo for My Work Is Not Yet Done, a lo-fi and cryptic «narrative-driven investigative horror game» where you spend quite a lot of time wandering around nature listening to the wind rustle the leaves before going to bed. Trust me, it's fascinating.
gamesradar.com
13.10.2023 / 13:51
This chaotic co-op game is my Steam Next Fest highlight, and it reminds me of some of my favourite roguelikes of all time
When it comes to roguelikes, my preference is always for a game that lets me lean into crazy combos. Unkillable Binding of Isaac runs, or blinding Vampire Survivors attempts that throw so much onto the screen that I can scarcely see my approaching enemies. To that end, Steam Next Fest has thrown me a bizarre gem in the shape of Apocalypse Party.
gamesradar.com
13.10.2023 / 01:07
This bangin' Steam Next Fest demo is a throwback to classic Resident Evil survival horror but with modern graphics
If you've ever wondered what a modern day take on the classic, fixed-camera Resident Evil games would look like, an upcoming indie survival horror called Echoes of the Living is pretty much exactly that.
gamesradar.com
12.10.2023 / 17:57
After 7 years, the follow-up to a legendary Metroidvania dropped a demo in Steam Next Fest, and it's everything I was hoping for
Rabi-Ribi developer CreSpirit is finally returning to the realm of Metroidvanias after seven years spent on a visual novel, a pure bullet hell game, and side-scrolling horror. Not only that, it's well and truly going back its roots with TEVI, a bullet hell Metroidvania that acts as a spiritual successor to Rabi-Ribi. After a brief beta earlier this year, TEVI dropped a meaty demo in this week's Steam Next Fest, and it has won me over in record time.
gamesradar.com
12.10.2023 / 17:57
I usually get overwhelmed with farming sims, but this Steam Next Fest demo hooked me in minutes
If you're looking for your next cozy farming sim after Stardew Valley or Harvest Moon, I've found one for you to try during this year's Steam Next Fest.
mmorpg.com
12.10.2023 / 17:25
Get a Taste of Sky: Children of the Light on PC Thanks to Steam Next Fest
We know that cozy MMO Sky: Children of the Light is making its way to PC, but now you can experience a taste of the game for yourself thanks toSteam Next Fest.
gamesradar.com
12.10.2023 / 01:19
My favorite Steam Next Fest demo proves anime dating sim and '90s horror RPG is a match made in heaven
I've never been big on dating sims, but I'm very much into horror RPGs with gorgeous visuals inspired by '90s anime, and it just so turns out that something truly magical emerges when you combine those two genres with a skillful hand. That's the impression I got after playing the Steam Next Fest Demo for Little Goody Two Shoes, a queer-friendly dating sim that's beautifully married to a full-throated horror game.
gamesradar.com
11.10.2023 / 21:41
In a stroke of dwarven genius, this cutthroat roguelike combines Terraria with Deep Rock Galactic for one of my favorite Steam Next Fest demos yet
I've had my eye on dwarven roguelike Below the Stone for several months, so I was eager to give its Steam Next Fest demo a play. Folks, I'm pleased to report that the Terraria and Deep Rock Galactic vibes I was picking up were dead-on. This is shaping up to be something really special, and handily one of the best Steam Next Fest demos to play this week.
gamesradar.com
11.10.2023 / 17:17
Steam Next Fest casually serves up my own personal Studio Ghibli movie in one of the prettiest, most relaxing games I've ever played
This stunning adventure game basically puts me in the middle of my own Studio Ghibli movie with some Zelda-like gameplay thrown in for good measure.