This summer has been packed full of game releases, announcements, and game fests! Between Summer Games Fest and Steam Next Fest, there are plenty of demos to keep you busy well into next year. With all the goodies, I made sure to care out some time to check out a few demos from Steam Next Fest and I found quite a few gems! So, here are my thoughts on some of the demos I played from this year’s lineup.
Celestia Chain of Fate – Agate
Game Details
- Genre: Fantasy | Romance | Otome
- Developer: Agate
- Publisher: PQube
- Release Date: TBD
Celestia: Chain of Fate is a romance-fantasy visual novel that delivers a captivating player driven narrative.
The perfect life you’ve known as a daughter of a Duke is about to change forever. With the revelation of your new hybrid identity, as a descendant of Angelus and Daemon, you must learn to live in a new world.
Compelled to accept an invitation to the Academy of Celestia to explore the world of magic, you must set out on a fresh journey in a world filled with demons and angels.
Uncover the secrets of your family history and learn to control the magical abilities you hold. Along the way, you’ll have the chance to develop relationships with one of three romanceable characters, each with their own unique traits and personalities.
It’s down to you to hold your friendships and advance your love interests while also prioritizing your education. Remember not to neglect your studies as you’ll need to overcome a series of challenges to graduate!
Synopsis
This is a pretty hefty demo covering the first 2 in game chapters. Explore Aria’s identity as a hybrid and the start of her journey to magic school (and spend time with the three love interests). Celestia isn’t as complex as some of the other otome games I’ve played, probably due to it’s mobile game roots. But, I had a lot of fun playing it. The art is GORGEOUS and I am already head over heels in love with bad boy with a heart of gold, Val. It reads more like a school romance and less like an epic fantasy adventure, which I like. You don’t really need super high stakes to tell a good story. It’s cute and I’ll definitely be checking this out when the full game drops.
B-PROJECT RYUSEI*FANTASIA – MAGES Inc.
Game Details
- Genre: Joseimuke | Idol Manager | Simulator
- Developer: Mages Inc
- Publisher: PQube
- Release Date: July 15, 2024
Put your headphones on and get swept away with this colourful, idol, visual novel experience.
Do you love boybands, JPop? Have you ever dreamed of being the driving force behind a successful idol group? Well now you can experience it in visual novel form!
Step into the hardworking role of A&R (Artist & Repertoire) to the talented idol group, B-Project. Take 14 young members under your wing, each with different personalities and struggles. It’s your job to support them, help them grow, and allow them to flourish!
Discover the beginnings of the different idol groups – Kitakore, MooNs, THRIVE and KiLLER KiNG. Learn about their trainee days and the struggles they faced on the path to success. Follow the story as they join together to become one group, B-Project, and stand on Japan’s brightest stage.
Synopsis
This demo was kind of lacking. There’s no gameplay or choices, it’s just an extended info dump of how the MC became the AR for B-PROJECT. Which is such a let down, sure you meet all the guys, but there are so many of them you don’t get enough time to really marinate on any of them. I was expecting more from this demo and all I got were pretty boys and lovely VA work. Also the sprite animation kind of weirds me out, it’s a bit to uncanny for me.
Boyhood’s End – Why So Serious Playground
Game Details
- Genre: Sci-fi Adventure | Puzzles | RPG
- Developer: WSS Playground
- Publisher: WSS Playground
- Release Date: September 5, 2024
Boyhood’s End is a juvenile science fiction horror adventure game, in which the world is ruled by a mechanical overlord “R. Karellen”. Every aspect of every person’s life is rated with a “human score”, and R. Karellen decides everything from academic and professional careers, romantic interests, to one’s daily meals.
The protagonist, Giovanni, has the lowest human score among the entire human race. Every day, he receives “special treatment” for everything including his meals and classes. On top of that, he gets bullied relentlessly by his classmates at the School, both in real life and online.
But one day, everything and everyone in the school starts attacking Giovanni, trying to “remake” him and raise his human score by making him “more human”. A senior student, the famously eccentric genius Campanella, reaches out to Giovanni, and they hop onto (and take over) a driverless train on the galactic railroad. And so, Giovanni gets swept up in a journey to find the “Crimson Southern Cross”, located at the farthest edge of the universe.
Synopsis
This isn’t in my usual wheelhouse, but I’m trying to branch out from visual novels… and I LOVE ‘Night on the Galactic Railroad’. You spend the bulk of the demo with Giovanni a severely bullied teen as he tries to survive in a world that is constantly against him. Fight a evil “benevolent” AI overlord that determines your worth based on an unfair point system. To make ends meet, you use your hacking skills to manipulate the world around you and solve puzzles. I’m not the best at games like this, I think I got slurped by a killer Roomba 10 times before I figured out how to not die. Frustrating AF, but so satisfying when I figured it out. And while Giovanni and Campanella don’t spend much time on screen in the demo… the chemistry is there *wink* *wink* I am definitely playing this when it comes out! I’m hooked!
Keepers of Astraela – GSE Studios
Game Details
- Genre: Amare | Fantasy | Romance
- Developer: GSE Studios | Wrenna Stone
- Publisher: GSE Studios
- Release Date: Q3 2024
Eva has a world inside her head: the land of Astraela, where Darkness and Corrupted beasts threaten eternal doom. Vivid dreams have given her four books as an up-and-coming author, but when undead fiends appear on Earth for a killing spree, she is caught in the crossfire between dreams and reality.
These creatures shouldn’t exist outside the pages of her books—and neither should Emrys, the fictional hero who slips in from the shadows to tell her that Astraela is facing its ultimate destruction. With the fate of her own world at risk, and her main character’s life being drained by an age-old curse, the player must guide Eva’s actions in order to protect the people she cares about and avoid the total destruction of all she holds dear.
Synopsis
Full disclosure, I played this demo long before Steam Next Fest. But, I love Keepers of Astraela and I need more people to play it! The game is based on a fantasy romance novel by Wrenna Stone and the demo does have a bit of a YA urban fantasy vibe to it with just a dash of reverse isekai. Fantasy and reality blur for Eva, when her own characters start appearing in the real world. The art is gorgeous and the mystery will have you invested. This is such an immersive story that will keep you hooked through all the twists and turns! Also Emrys and Bobbi give me life!! I CAN’T wait for this game to come out!! I need more NOW!
Fields of Mistria – NPC Studio
Game Details
- Genre: Farming Sim | Cozy | Romance
- Developer: NPC Studio
- Publisher: NPC Studio
- Release Date: August 5, 2024
Get ready to begin a brand-new life in a world that’s brimming with possibilities!
Mistria, an idyllic village tucked between forest and sea, has offered you an overgrown but full-of-potential homestead in exchange for your assistance. Restore the town to its former glory after an earthquake wreaks havoc and strange magic begins to flow through the land.
In this spiritual successor to the Farm-Sim RPGs of the late 90s & onward, build the farm of your dreams as you discover magic, romance, and adventure!
Synopsis
I’m still new to farming sims, but, I’d be lying if I said Fields of Mistria was going to revolutionize the genre (Grave Seasons might). Though it does tweak the formula enough to have a few new features that veterans may love. But, the biggest draw of the game is it’s 90’s RPG and anime inspired style. Fields of Mistria definitely plays on your nostalgia and I can’t say I am immune to it’s charms. Also, I am loving all the marriage candidates (of course grumpy redhead, March is my fave). If I had one real complaint, it’s that 3 days of in-game play for a farming sim demo is not enough, we need at LEAST a week. But, I’ll check Fields of Mistria a try when it comes out, if not to get a break from Stardew Valley.
After Love EP – Pikselnesia
Game Details
- Genre: Adventure | Rhythm Game | Story Based
- Developer: Pikselnesia
- Publisher: Fellow Traveller
- Release Date: Q3 2024
Step into the shoes of Rama, a young musician struggling to move on with life after the death of his girlfriend, Cinta.
Whilst his close friends and bandmates are all determined to help him move on, Rama has been stuck for more than a year. He’s neglecting his music, his mental health and his relationships.
Making things harder, he’s hearing Cinta’s voice inside his head, unsure if she is a spirit or part of his imagination.
Rama’s band has a critical gig in one month’s time. Either he gets serious about his music and delivers the new songs he has been promising or the band will move on without him.
Over twenty-eight days and nights it will be your choices that determine the path Rama takes. Explore the city, choose which relationships to repair and which new ones to pursue. Come to terms with the past, rediscover your creative voice and help Rama shape a future for himself.
Synopsis
From the creator of Coffee Talk and What Comes After, of course After Love EP is gonna be an emotional ride. This game wastes no time hitting you heavy in the feels as we follow the emotional and mental fallout of Rama’s girlfriend Cinta passing away. The game blends visual novel storytelling, comic styled paneling, and even rhythm gameplay elements to tell an emotionally resonant story. Thank JACK JEANNE for preparing me for the music rhythm game portions! I only played a bit of this one, but I am invested in Rama’s journey. I know it will be messy, but want to see Rama pick up the pieces of his life and learn to move forward.
Threads of You: Beyond the Bay – Lavendeer Studios
Game Details
- Genre: Indie Otome | Romance | Amare
- Developer: Lavendeer Studios
- Publisher: Lavendeer Studios
- Release Date: TBA
You’re on a much needed road trip to visit back home after being away for college when your car suddenly breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, a sheriff drives past and takes you to the humble town of Brine Bay until your car gets fixed.
Synopsis
As you settle in, you’ll have the chance to get to know seven interesting men: Caring yet stern Jean; high-maintenance and pompous Wyatt; determined and talented Kevin; masterfully flirtatious Kai; loyal and gentle Chris; nonchalant and brooding Vince and supportive and friendly, Andrew.
Get to know them over the course of two weeks and learn all about them. Will you pursue a relationship or choose to make lifelong friends instead? Maybe you want more than one partner or want to see them with each other? Either way, it was clear you were meant to be in their lives and them in yours.
A cozy romance in a summer beach town, it’s giving Our Life vibes. Settle into the warm and inviting Brine Bay, soak up some sun and get to know the hotties that live there. In a fun twist the full game promises to let you ship the love interests with each other. So, you can either play this as a normal romance VN or play matchmaker and ship to your hearts content! This is such a cool idea and I can’t wait to get these boys to kiss each other!! But, if I had to give one nitpick, the art style between the sprites and CGs is pretty inconsistent. It’s not enough to put me off since the game is still in progress, but I do hope they make some changes before the final release. On a positive note, the English voice acting is AMAZING!!
Obscura – Rotten Raccoons
Game Details
- Genre: Mystery | Romance | Amare
- Developer: Rotten Raccoons
- Publisher: Rotten Raccoons
- Release Date: TBA
I once heard a story…
There’s a marketplace under the mountain where anything can be bought and sold. Visitors wear masks to become faceless strangers. It’s home to the unscrupulous, the outcast, and the desperate.
You’re one of the desperate.
Strangers with their own secrets and ambitions can show you ways through the market. They’ll guide you to your goal, but don’t trust them to have your best interests at heart.
Synopsis
This is another demo I played before Steam Next Fest. I first came across this one during Otome Jam 2022 and Obscura has been in development since then with only the first chapter of it’s episodic story available to play. Episodic games are a bit hit or miss for me since they tend to get hit with a lot of production delays and I prefer to consume my games all in one go. But, I like the dark mystery storyline and sexy Dom priest Cirrus still brings me to my knees… So, I don’t want to completely write the Obscura off, because it is really good. However, I’m going to need to see a few more chapters before I completely invest myself in the story.
Thanks for the Demos Steam Next Fest 2024
Steam Next Fest 2024 may have come and gone, but it left us with some amazing demos and games to add to our wishlists! These are just a handful of the games from the Fest, but I am definitely going to keep these on my radar and you should too! What are some games that you discovered during this year’s Steam Next Fest? Are any of your favorites on this list? If I missed one that you think deserves a spotlight, let me know about it down in the comments section!
You had me at “from the creator of coffee talk” tbh. Boyhood’s End seems cool too.
LOLOLOL right, that’s where they got me too! BRING ON THE FEELS!
I am obsessed with Boyhood’s End, I can’t recommend it enough!
That after love ep one. seems right up my alley. probably check it out
I played a bit of the demo and I know that game is gonna wreck me when it comes out! Prepare for some feels!