Steam Next Fest Wrapup

If you aren't familiar with it, Steam Next Fest is a weeklong event featuring hundreds of free demos of upcoming video game releases. The most recent Next Fest event took place from October 9th to 16th and while I didn't get to check out as many games this time as I have for previous events, I did still check a few off my list. I'll definitely be checking out a few of them when they release in the future!

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The Witch's Cookbook

Concoct magical potions with or without the help of your community's chat. You'll experiment with different ingredients to create powerful spells, but beware - your viewers can add their own twists resulting in hilarious and unpredictable outcomes. Get ready for a chaotic and exciting experience!

This game was cute, though the controls took me a little bit to figure out. I feel like it could have used more detailed instructions. Still, the artwork is nice and the recipes included are fun. I'm not sure there's much to this game for solo play, but I could see it being a really fun stream game.

Made Marion

A romantic action-adventure visual novel based on Robin Hood lore. Play as Lady Marion and choose what kind of leader and lover you want to become. Join Robin's rowdy rebels in Sherwood or tackle the political pitfalls of the Sheriff's Nottingham. Fight for freedom and fall in love!

I love a good dating sim and/or visual novel, and this one defintiely caught my attention. I love the use of the Robin Hood lore with the focus on Maid Marion and am very excited to explore more of the story when the full game comes out. I also love the gender diversity among the romance options and the artwork of the game.

Speakeasy

In this exciting otome, join Old Hollywood heiress Cora West for a whirlwind of forbidden romance in the depths of a decadent illegal jazz club in Prohibition-era Los Angeles by navigating six possible romance routes.

Will you fall in love? Rule the city? Or damn it all and descend into ruin?

Content Warnings provided on Steam: Speakeasy features dark and mature subject matter. Depicted within the game are: tobacco use, alcohol use, drug use, violence, prostitution, nudity, explicit sexual content, death (including murder and suicide), kidnapping, sexually charged humiliation, and adultery. Content that is discussed but NOT depicted in the game include: child abuse, queerphobia, sexual assault, and wartime atrocities.

The artwork and music of this game were perfect for the prohibition-era vibes and I love that it seems to include LGBTQ+ characters and romance options as well. The demo was basically just a short intro to the story and then to each of the characters, but it gave me enough of a taste to get me very interested in seeing how the rest of the game shapes up.

It is definitely a spicy romance visual novel though, so be aware of the content warnings if you check it out.

Paper Trail

Paper Trail is a top-down puzzle adventure about leaving home, set in a foldable, paper world. You play as Paige, a budding academic, leaving home for the first time to pursue her studies. On the journey, you learn to fold the world, merging two sides to solve puzzles, explore new areas and uncover long-lost secrets.

This is a game that I would probably need some guides to help me get through, but that doesn't interfere with my enjoyment of it. The art and music of this game is beautiful and while the puzzles could be tricky (in my opinion, at least), it definitely felt satisfying when I did eventually get through them. The sounds and looks of the folding paper were also very satisfying and this seems like a very cozy puzzle game. I look forward to checking out the full game and exploring the world a bit more.

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Did you check out any game demos during Steam Next Fest? What are you most looking forward to?

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