Heya folks, Shaun here, and with this article, we’re finally wrapping up our coverage of the June 2023 Steam Next Fest. This is far from the last demo showcase that we’ll do, however, because games get demos all the time and there’s plenty more upcoming games to cover. In this final Next Fest showcase, I’m featuring some roleplaying games and I tried to pick some unique/lesser known ones for this article, much like the Strategy article. So, with our intro concluded, let’s get this article started!
Demo #1: Testament: The Order of High-Human by Fairyship Games.
Testament: The Order of High-Human is a really intriguing first person RPG that puts you in the shoes of the King of the High Humans as you journey across the lands to prevent someone from destroying the reputation of the high humans. The demo showcases the beginning section of the game where you learn combat basics and various other mechanics that you’ll need to progress through the game. It also has you going up against a strong opponent who protects the forest that you wake up in. There are also halflings and wolves for you to contend with along the way as well. From what I’ve experienced in the demo it feels really solid and it’s a really fun experience as well. Definitely a game to keep an eye on if you’re in the market for a new first person RPG. This game also has a pretty close release date as well on July 13, 2023, so even more reason to check it out.
You can wishlist the game, or try the demo, here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2176430/Testament_The_Order_of_HighHuman/
Demo #2: Islands of Caliph by Schmidt Workshops
Islands of Caliph is a first person grid-based dungeon crawler that’s heavily inspired by the dungeon crawlers of the 1990’s. The game puts you in the shoes of an unnamed hero who must traverse the islands of Caliph doing quests, and defeating enemies. The demo features two islands, one a forested region, and the 2nd a desert region. From what I’ve played, the game has a great sense of adventure and is a ton of fun to play. It’s also completely controlled by a keyboard, much like the games from the 90’s. Even though the game’s graphics resemble the classics, they’re quite gorgeous to look at. The combat is a ton of fun as well. For the sake of this article I enabled easy mode in the options .ini file to fit as much into the video as possible. The game is great though, and definitely one to check out if you love the genre.
You can wishlist the game, or try the demo, here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1845670/Islands_of_the_Caliph/
Demo #3: LunarLux by CosmicNobab Games and Freedom Games
LunarLux is an indie JRPG that follows a young woman named Bella who is sworn to protect the people of Luna from interdimensional monsters known as Murks. The demo focuses on the first chapter in the game which sees Bella fighting against Murks while protecting the townsfolk. Bella doesn’t like fighting the murks, however, and seeks to find a way to achieve peace between humans and murks. From what I experienced in the demo, it’s got a really solid framwork and I love the affinity system that the game utilizes. Basically, every time you talk to an NPC you gain hearts, which go towards increasing your reputation amongst the different factions and can grant you discounts and unlock new side quests. It’s a really cool system. If you’re in the market for a new 2D sci-fi JRPG with a traditional turn based combat system then LunarLux is your game.
You can wishlist the game, or try the demo, here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1932680/LunarLux/
Demo #4: Everafter Falls by SquareHusky and Akupara Games
Everafter Falls is a rather unique take on the farming sim genre where your character gets hit by a car in a simulation, and wakes up in a world inhabited by anthropomorphic animals, definitely not the typical opening to a farming sim, lemme tell you. It’s also humorous in nature and much of the dialogue is written to make you laugh. The character designs also make me think of the Cyanide and Happiness comics, and the animations are surprisingly incredibly smooth, almost unnaturally so. The demo doesn’t really send you in any real direction and you’re left to discover where everything is and what to do next on your own. There are a bunch of side quests for you to discover and complete, as well. It’s a pretty intriguing game to say the least, and I definitely wasn’t expecting that kind of opening. I laughed out loud at it, so making me laugh right out of the gate is definitely a big thumbs up. Definitely worth checking out if you enjoy sandbox games or farming sims with RPG elements.
You can wishlist the game, and try the demo here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1416960/Everafter_Falls/
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