Image: Sense Games
Here are our action-packed highlights of this month's Steam Next Fest game demos.
Steam Next Fest has gone live once again this month, bringing thousands of demos to Steam for everyone to try. Granted, it can be difficult to sort through all of these demos to figure out which ones might best suit you. You might prefer games that either scare or relax you for example, but there are a decent amount of people who prefer something in between the two: an adrenaline-pumping thrillride that leaves you feeling full of energy and ready for another bout.
Here are our picks for five action-packed game demos you should try during Steam Next Fest to chase that high:
Supervive (Q4 2024)
Developer: Theorycraft Games
This flashy multiplayer game is worth checking out for MOBA and battle royale enthusiasts alike. Supervive is a hero battle royale game developed by Theorycraft Games, a studio founded by ex-developers from Riot Games, Bungie, and Blizzard Entertainment. The game is set in an open “improvisational action sandbox” where an encroaching storm forces a group of heroes to come into conflict with each other over the course of every match.
With lots of ways to get around the map and multiple powers and equipment to chase for powerful builds, the game is shaping up to be a pretty addictive fast-paced PvP slugfest. More than 16 “storm-chasing hunters” are available to play with unique ability kits, across multiple game modes including four-player battle royale squads and special event modes.
Rivals of Aether 2 (October 24, 2024)
Developer: Aether Studios
Aether Studios is making a sequel to its hit platform fighting game Rivals of Aether, featuring more elemental fighters than ever in its playable roster. Rivals of Aether 2 will launch with 10 Rivals, but more characters will be added to the game for free over time. Post-launch updates will also add special events, more modes, and other customisation options over time - making it a great pick for fans who might have already burned through the original’s content many times over by now.
Rivals of Aether 2 will feature 1v1, 2v2, and Free-for-All game modes in online multiplayer with rollback netcode, local PvP, or CPU matchups. Even the Rivals you might already be familiar with have been revamped with new mechanics and moves for this sequel, so give the demo a shot.
Cursebane (TBA)
Developer: Flyway Games
Cursebane is described as a “katana-action roguelite” that has players use their blade and spells to save others from an affliction known as the Curse. Players will explore the Forest of Fate and face down mobs of enemies with their trusty katana and handy collection of spells, as they fight to confront the Curse itself. Every time they die, they’ll have to start their journey again - hence the roguelite label. However, they’ll also meet new characters and find new locations in the procedurally-generated world to keep things fresh.
What makes Cursebane particularly interesting, besides its charming pixel graphics, is its focus on narrative choices. Players will have to make various choices as they make their way through the story, and whichever ones they make - or don’t make - will impact their playthrough to some degree. If you’re waiting for new content for Hades 2, this might tide you over in the meantime.
DieselDome: Oil & Blood (TBA)
Developer: GHST Studios
I miss Doom. Don’t you? Until we get Doom: The Dark Ages next year, developer GHST Studios’ ‘RomanPunk’ first-person shooter DieselDome: Oil & Blood looks more than capable of tiding us over, with fast-paced shooter gameplay in creative combat arenas and hordes of enemies to fight. Gameplay-wise, it offers a cross between Doom Eternal and Vampire Survivors in look and feel, with the ability to form powerful builds in every run.
No matter what weapon or build you use, however, your objective remains the same: defeat waves of gladiators in the DieselDome by any means necessary. Four playable characters are available with over 70 gameplay perks, along with a map split into four different regions players have to defend against enemies. DieselDome: Oil & Blood will launch in early access at a later date, but its demo is available during Steam Next Fest now.
AI Limit (TBA 2024)
Developer: Sense Games
Who doesn’t love a good sci-fi action RPG? AI Limit takes place right after the enigmatic collapse of an entire civilisation, leading to the emergence of monsters from a strange widespread substance called the Mud. Human civilisation is survived by a lone city called Havenswell, which is where players will explore to uncover the origins of this world’s collapse into monsters and ruin.
A wide variety of weapons and weapon skills are available to the player, along with no small amount of spells, to rid this world of its many threats. Gameplay-wise, AI limit’s combat and setting remind us of contemporaries like Stellar Blade and Nier: Automata, making it worth checking out if you’re a fan of either game.