miika

I have played a lot of demos this next fest and as always, I enjoyed finding plenty of games to be excited for as per usual, I have made a tierlist of the games I personally enjoyed, with writeups for the top two tiers in the thread below 🧵 #steamnextfest #nextfest

store.steampowered.comHillthorn on SteamA disappearance in a secluded community. A mountain hiding its secrets. A detective running out of time. Welcome to Hillthorn, a dark investigation game that invites you to uncover the mystery without...

Hillthorn - this investigation game had me hooked with its card-based system. by performing actions on different cards, you can gain items, information, etc.. the vibes are very on point and I found myself drawn into the story right away. by @hillthorngame.bsky.social

expand (HT 1/3): the moment I started playing this game, I immediately thought of Weather Factory's card based games like Cultist Simulator or Book of Hours, both of which I have dipped one toe in but have not yet dedicated full attention to.

(AFE 2/3) I also love the tarot card details and how it is integrated in the family tree, the powers, even the modifiers that are shown. I have been getting so many signs to explore tarot and maybe I'll take this as another one of those signs.

(AFE 3/3) and last but not least, Spiritfarer gave me a narrative that was caring, had a definite thesis, and such a wonderful execution and even just the initial conversation with Camilla, the subsequent fight, and then the aftermath showed me that there will be more of that in this game

store.steampowered.comAt Fate's End on SteamAt Fate’s End is an action-adventure game where you fight the ones you love and your skill tree is your family tree. Explore a lush fantasy world, defeat the foul creatures of the realm, and face your...

At Fate's End - my hands-down most anticipated game. absolutely drop-dead gorgeous animation, interesting combat, and compelling narrative puzzle of the family tree. I can feel this family's dynamics will wreck me, and I am looking forward to it. by @thunderlotusgames.com

expand (AFE 1/3): not to be such a transparent fangirl of this dev but I need the animation team to know how much I (and everyone I showed this game to) appreciate the details: from the brushing of Shan's hair to the side, to the way that the swords materialize, to the stunning backdrops

store.steampowered.comEverything MUST Fit! on SteamIn this puzzle game, transform, combine, and break items to arrange them to fit the grid. No matter what, everything MUST fit!

Everything MUST Fit! - 'fit oddly-shaped tiles onto the board' puzzle but you can change the items you have through combining or even breaking them. this ability to transform adds a dimensionality to the game and there are different ways to solve some levels. by @janbehchanbeh.bsky.social

store.steampowered.comDEG on SteamA non-linear pure puzzle game where you solve various puzzles using logical reasoning. Explore unknown puzzles in the game world.

DEG* - a game where you discover the rules of the puzzles by interacting with it and observing allowed solutions and disallowed moves. it is minimalist, but with a lovely hand-drawn aesthetic. I look forward to discovering more in this game.

store.steampowered.comInkblood on SteamYou're an Inquisitor following a trail of death. A cult is at work, your predecessor has vanished, and the region teeters on the edge of chaos. Find the truth. Uphold the Inquisition. Do not fail.

Inkblood - this is an eerie detective game where you play as an Inquisitor with a very unique relationship to the carriage you are riding. both the past and the present provide clues that you have to put together to solve the disappearance of your predecessor among other mysteries.

store.steampowered.comGraytail on SteamA small island in the Pacific. The greatest female pilot has vanished. Suffering from severe headaches, our protagonist depends on medication as they search for her, but... What is real and what is ha...

Graytail* - an investigation/adventure game where you try to find a young girl's mother but coupled with environmental puzzles and combat. there also seems to be a sinister plot in the background of the medication we're taking and the memories we appear to be losing. by @teamconcode.bsky.social

store.steampowered.comFields of Aaru on SteamA cozy life sim set in the mystical afterlife of Ancient Egypt. Farm along the Nile, befriend the locals, and decorate your eternal home. Venture into the desert and discover oases, pyramids, and tomb...

Fields of Aaru - you play as someone in the Egyptian afterlife, making the most of a second life. the setting is vibrant and lush and the characters interesting. I can see myself spending time in this afterlife sim (and provoking more crocodiles). by @zymartugames.bsky.social

store.steampowered.comYour Painting, Sir on SteamA puzzle game about forging paintings using newspaper cutouts. Fool your legally blind boss or lose your job!

Your Painting, Sir - the humour in this game is top-notch - the premise of forging paintings to fool your boss, reading the articles that you're cutting pictures out of, the himbo-esque butler, this insane plan - all of it comes together for a lot of arts and crafts fun. by @voskip.com

store.steampowered.comMilitsioner on SteamEvery move you make is being followed by a Colossal Policeman. Anger, flatter, disappoint, deceive or even romance him to escape in this kafkaesque immersive sim.

Militsioner - being able to see how someone feels and manipulate it through your actions seems like a powerful boon but given that you start accused of a crime and branded as a criminal, you can use all the help you can get. also cannot ignore the large policeman in the sky.

store.steampowered.comCurse of Resthaven on SteamIn this single-player narrative roguelite, govern a cursed island as you investigate your niece’s mysterious disappearance. Interrogate, trade, upgrade, and embark upon card-based expeditions to uncov...

Curse of Resthaven - trying to find our niece and managing the island so that people open up to us seem to go hand in hand. I am interested in the timeloop aspect of this game and how you can live the same six days again to prioritize different interactions or pursuits. by @playhilltop.bsky.social

store.steampowered.comSoda-Powered Penguin on SteamControl a soda-propelled penguin in this fast-paced precision platformer!

Soda-Powered Penguin - this platformer is quite zoomy, feeling like Celeste meets Sonic, but the controls are good (which is very important). there is a lot of physics and momentum with plenty of secrets to find and collecting all the soda bottle caps will be a good challenge. by @domo-yoro.games

store.steampowered.comMidgardr on SteamA board game where you play as a Duke sent to build and protect a village at the edge of the realm. Every choice you make will shape its future. But be aware: the board itself may not be all it seems....

Midgardr - I appreciate the ability to choose how to respond to different missives and events and equally intriguing is the hints of the meta game, the question of who is playing this board game and what is happening in the wider world. by @holyradish.bsky.social

store.steampowered.comNight Hike on SteamFind your way through a dark wilderness in this puzzle roguelite where you assemble the trail. Choose your path, interact with lost souls and navigate obstacles with the spin of your compass to escape...

Night Hike - the drafting of the paths is interesting and loading up my compass (effectively the skill check tool) is neat. I am definitely fond of the presentation and the gameplay loop and the coziness of this game even though I am told I cannot leave this hike. by @mneumanngames.bsky.social

store.steampowered.comOne More Flight on SteamA 2D pixel-art psychological horror game set aboard a doomed flight trapped in a relentless time loop. Nothing carries over between deaths except what you learn. Intervene in passengers' fates, uncove...

One More Flight - a timeloop game as point and click adventure, where you have to figure out how to prevent the events which doom the flight, or which kill you. it does have some horror elements for sure but I am curious about how to break this cursed fate.

store.steampowered.comQuiet Express: Cabin 909 on Steam“Do you know anything about Cabin 909?” In Quiet Express: Cabin 909, you spend seven days on the titular train, journeying from one side of the continent to the other.

Quiet Express: Cabin 909 - finding a train cabin that doesn't exist through drafting changing train cars per day and add in a timeloop element. talking to other characters to learn their stories, making changes to the train cars over a period of days, and the magic realistic setting are all a draw

store.steampowered.comSparrow Warfare on SteamPlay ever-crazier combinations of 3 tiles to free the birds in our synergy-rich deckbuilder. Let your mind take flight as you scheme and strategise. This… is Sparrow Warfare!

Sparrow Warfare - this deckbuilder has an appealing synergy based on freeing birds, getting their rewards at the correct times, and piling on damage. there are multiple decks to choose from and so far I've only played with one and am curious on how the others play out. by @neonaurelius.bsky.social

store.steampowered.comAbort Sequence on SteamScour your desk, find the right pages and decipher their content to find the defusal codes in this fast-paced puzzle experience! Beat multiple difficulties, optimize your solving strategies and find t...

Abort Sequence - I like the fast-paced and almost frantic puzzling of trying to diffuse bombs based on codes on your very messy desk. figuring out the references and then figuring out the puzzle made me feel very smart (until I exploded, but we don't count that). by @spacepigeonproject.bsky.social

store.steampowered.comLelu on SteamGet your gears in motion for a captivating monochromatic adventure where you play as Lelu, a small but determined clockwork toy who has gained consciousness and found a taste for freedom!

Lelu - this is a fun adventure game where the clockwork toy we play as is adorable. I thought the combat hit a good sweetspot for fun and difficulty. the monochromatic art is also quite detailed and expressive, and I do like the theme that infuses the whole game. by @jamierowan.bsky.social

store.steampowered.comI SHALL NAME THE DEAD on SteamThe Nameless Dead cannot be buried, their remains pile up in a mass of indignity. You have crawled from the gutter to name them. Explore the cemetery and uncover their names before the Worm eats your ...

I SHALL NAME THE DEAD - the real hook of this game was how in trying to name these uninterred and investigating their stories, we also get a look at Imaculada herself, and now I am invested in learning more about her fate and this worm eating her. by @tiagorrech.bsky.social

store.steampowered.comSloppy Forgeries on SteamSloppy Forgeries is a fast-paced competitive painting game. Practice your skills by butchering iconic masterpieces in one of the few drawing games that measures accuracy pixel-by-pixel in real-time.

Sloppy Forgeries - I had a very fun time playing this and seeing how much the odds are stacked against you but then trying to replicate the paintings is hilarious. I can foresee a lot of very fun times with friends. also if you want to feel hunted by classical music. by @playfulsystems.bsky.social

store.steampowered.comBottled by Bears on SteamJoin a family of bears and run the buzziest little honey farm! Collect and discover rare bees, bottle honey jars, expand your farm, and watch your flowery field bloom in this cozy idle management game...

Bottled by Bears* - an adorable family of bears who run a honey stand with gameplay a mix of idler and creature collector; new bees for your hives are from opening up booster packs with cards of bees. the charming bee art and personalities make this such a delight. by @monoii-studio.bsky.social

note that games in the Maybe or Not For Me list do not mean they are not good or that I did not enjoy them, but mostly that I am not sure I'd be down for a whole game experience with it or I think it does need some more development for me to judge at a later time