The market indie video games it is a world full of pitfalls and dangers, where it is possible to find experiences of the most desperate types able to satisfy even the most demanding users, but it is also possible to let oneself be “deceived” and stumble upon not exactly deserving productions. In some ways, Steam it is a really greedy place for certain productions and, precisely for this reason, Valve he thought that the best way to prove it to players is through a real digital festival, called Steam Game Festival. During this time period the subscribers to the service can experience a huge amount of demo to test first-hand products that are still in an early development phase, or even about to be released. In this year's edition, which began on February 2021nd XNUMX and ended after a week, they took to the catwalk well five hundred games in test for users, a number that is certainly vast as to make it practically impossible to try them all calmly in a limited amount of time. However, our editorial team has decided to explore this particular world and select in a titanic undertaking, after various tests of the demos, the twenty-five titles that for one reason or another have attracted our attention, those that seem like little gems with a great future ahead (which we sincerely wish to all developers in general, even to those of the games that are not on the list but who participated in the Steam Game Festival). All the games you will read below are in no particular order, so don't consider it a leaderboard.
Happy game
Developer / Publisher: Amanita Design
Release date: 2021
Confirmed platforms: PC, Switch
Happy game it showed up for the very first time in the Nintendo Indie World in December 2020 and, unlike the name implies, it is not a colorful and happy title at all. The adventure in question proves to be a crazy horror, in which we play a child seemingly trapped in an endless nightmare. The European team has created a very particular artistic style, not suitable for all palates, but which demonstrates an enviable character, great passion, and investment in the project. We can therefore expect several puzzles that make the most of the surrounding environment, while controlling some kind of external force that helps the protagonist to get out in any bad situation he is faced with.
2 Windjammers
Developer / Publisher: Dotemu
Release date: 2021
Confirmed platforms: PC, Switch and Stadia
Following a real cult of the sector, 2 Windjammers is ready to bring an unprecedented arcade sports experience to new generations - and to the inevitable nostalgics. Inside we can expect multiple modes such as the offline and online multiplyer, or the classic arcade, which even features a world map and a real narrative. The project in question is now awaited by many users, since its announcement in 2018. The fun seems guaranteed, but the mission to surpass the original of 1994 in all its aspects remains a very difficult task, will you succeed?
Whitewash
Developer: LEAP Game Studios
Publisher: HypeTrain Digital
Release date: March 2, 2021
Platforms: PC, Switch and Xbox One
In the last period, the scrolling fighting game genre has come back to life thanks to products such as Battletoads or Streets of Rage 4, and the following Whitewash the task of honoring the past of the industry continues. Set in the Amazon rainforest with a story that adapts to each game played, the work in question proves unique also for its entirely hand-drawn style. In addition to the already promised co-op up to four players, five unique characters are included inside, including the protagonist of A Hat in Time as a real guest star.
Narita Boy
Developer: Studio Koba
Publisher: Team17
Release date: Early 2021
Platforms: PC, Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
The work in question wants to bring the player back to the 80s, proposing a sci-fi aesthetic for a poetic but at the same time frenetic experience. 2D Action Platform strongly reminiscent of a VHS viewed on a CRT TV, the player is tasked with exploring the depths of the digital realm to find out what's going on and save the day. In doing so the protagonist Narita Boy runs into corrupt enemies, accompanied by a nostalgic soundtrack. The greater the difficulties, the more it will be necessary to upgrade his weapon to deal with them. An adventure that promises to become unforgettable for a certain slice of the market.
Graven
Developer: Slipgate Ironworks
Publisher: 3D Realms, 1C Entertainment
Release date: 2021
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X / S
Spiritual sequel to Hexen 2, Graven is a FPS action adventure in a dark fantasy setting, which puts us in the shoes of a faithful priest of the so-called Orthogonal order. Like any good product from the publisher 3D Realms, this one presents itself as a combination of the 90's videogame and the modern one, managing to combine pure and simple action with environmental puzzles and riddles, in an attempt to create a fun single player experience. Surely, one of the main features of the work concerns the power derived from magic. The latter are able to modify the surrounding world to our liking, in order to make the experience in every single game always varied and unpredictable.
First Class Trouble
Developer: Invisible Walls
Publisher: Versus Evil
Release date: Early 2021
Platform: PC
The Steam Game Festival offers us this time a completely crazy online party game, or at least this is the goal that the developers have set themselves with this First Class Trouble. In order to survive the impending disaster in ISS Alithea, players must work together to complete various objectives such as putting out fires or repairing elevators. Some players are gods though real impostors, ready to kill their comrades in secret. In the general delirium it proves a work based on trust and deception, in which only one of the two factions can bring home the coveted victory. A title that follows the trend of the moment, and which we will probably hear about soon.
Frozen Flame
Developer / Publisher: Dreamside Interactive
Release date: Spring 2021
Platforms: PC
After waking up from an apparent eternal sleep in a world now devastated by the calamity of the frozen flame, the player embarks on an open world Action RPG adventure with a strongly cell shaded aesthetic. The unnamed protagonist finds himself in spite of himself in an ever-changing setting, between powerful enemies that roam the valleys, impetuous atmospheric conditions, and with the entire destiny of Arkana in his hand. Fortunately users are not forced to keep all the weight on their shoulders, thanks to the possibility of ally with both NPCs online through public or private servers. Then we cannot ignore the artifacts, left by the ancients, which evoke powerful fortresses as well as giving powers that go beyond any imagination.
A Space for the Unbound
Developer: Mojiken
Publisher: Toge Productions
Release date: TBA
Platforms: PC, Switch, PLayStation 4, Xbox One
A slice of life adventure in which the player takes control of Atma, a high school boy who one day comes into possession of a book capable of influencing the subconscious of any person. Developed in a two-dimensional Pixel Art feature, the player explores the past of the city and its inhabitants on a journey that recounts touching themes such as overcoming anxiety, depression and the love relationship between young individuals. The aesthetics inspired by classics of the Ghibli studio do the rest, thus accompanying a work with the aim of entering the hearts of many people. A title that in the Steam Game Festival has literally kidnapped us with its test.
Unbound: Worlds Apart
Developer / Publisher: Alien Pixel Studios
Release date: Second quarter 2021
Platforms: PC, Switch
In development for over five years, the work of Alien Pixel Studios is a 2D puzzle-platform in which the protagonist is able to create portals to travel between different realities. The non-linear gameplay and story of Unbound they take the player on an adventure to the limits of the world, who does not want to renew anything, but who has the possibility to surprise. Mechanics such as the control of the elements or gravity, the artistic style, the hidden collectibles and even the soundtrack, have the possibility of becoming a new spearhead for the videogame industry of the reference genre.
Tamarindo's Freaking Dinner
Developer / Publisher: Celery Emblem
Release date: August 31, 2021
Platform: PC
Tamarindo's Freaking Dinner stands as the spiritual sequel of Baobabs Mausoleum, and introduces itself at the Steam Game Festival as an out-of-the-box product that attempts to blend a particular humor with the overused first-person adventure game genre. The protagonist of the story is Macario Macabro, an unfortunate delivery boy who finds himself bringing a normal pizza to a home that is anything but ordinary. From the beginning it is possible to notice a certain inspiration from the sitcoms of the 90s, but also very small spits from the great classics of the past from the caliber of Metroid Prime and Luigi's Mansion. A title that is certainly unexpected, bringing tension and laughter at the same time in the mind of the gamer. Although it does not seem to excel in the graphic and technical sector, it could reserve several surprises.
Mamiya
Developer: Kenkou Land
Publisher: Fruitbat Factory
Release date: Spring 2021
Platform: PC
Visual novels are highly appreciated, a genre capable of creating worlds and characters that remain etched in the minds of fans. Mamiya does not seem to be outdone, since it features four intrigued protagonists within the main storyline. From the beginning of the narrative he is preparing to be melancholy and intimate, but also anxious and devoted to the dark imaginary, entering the subconscious of each of the main characters to discover a world that seems on the verge of destruction. The package ends with ben 6 obtainable endings, thus increasing the replayability of this visual novel.
Loop hero
Developer: Four Quarters
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Release date: March 4, 2021
Platform: PC, Switch
In a world now forced to live within an eternal loop and endless chaos, a mysterious nameless hero embarks on an adventure armed with a dangerous and powerful card deck. This expected roguelike deck-builder it presents itself as a journey full of characters from the most desperate classes, strategies to create your own path, fights with menacing creatures and even modifiable equipment to your liking. All this is combined with a pixel art style that strongly recalls the past, but also winks at the present. Finally, if we think that it was none other than Devolver Digital who gave his trust to the title by becoming its publisher, expectations for this particular game rise considerably.
Bloodroots
Developer / Publisher: Paper Cult
Release date: March 12, 2021
Platform: PC, Switch and PlayStation 4
The time has come to bring out your animal instinct, at least according to the events narrated in the work of Paper Cult. Believed to have been killed after being betrayed, Mr. Wolf sets out on a bloody mission to seek revenge on a ruthless killer. the surprising thing about this title is the fact that the whole world is the player's weapon, since the latter is able to exploit everything around him to defeat enemies in the most brutal way possible. The whole is graced with a vast - and crazy - difference in characters, as well as a colorful and completely hand-drawn art design. The title was already known to most, and the Steam Game Festival is just another stage that prepares it for the final consecration next month.
Vesper
Developer: Cordens Interactive
Publisher: Deck13
Release date: 2021
Platform: PC
Puzzle platform developed entirely by a small team, Vesper is presented as a game that wants to combine classic and modern in a two-dimensional experience. The story tells of Seven, a small android in despair in a hostile and forgotten world, where the only way he has to protect himself is to use the powerful Drive Gun: a weapon capable of absorbing light, controlling minds and turning the tide of a dangerous situation. By combining these three fundamental powers with suggestive art style, the work has no intention of renewing the market, but that of entering the hearts of fans of the genre. We have already written a preview of the title after trying the demo, and you can read it at this link.
Don't forget me
Developer / Publisher: The Moon Pirates
Release date: TBA
Platform: PC
Strongly innovative game with a captivating pixel art style, Don't forget me catapult us into a cyberpunk adventure with strong puzzle elements inside. At all times the player is always put to the test in the field of observation and deduction, since he must be careful to discover every little detail from the memory of every single patient of the protagonist. A story that wants to restore hope to humanity, in a world now devastated and increasingly controlled by technology.
Pecaminosa - A Pixel Noir Game
Developer: Cereal Games
Publisher: BadLand Publishing
Release date: May 2021
Platform: PC
There is plenty of room at the Steam Game Festival for graphic adventures. Sinful is a title that mixes the atmosphere of the noir genre with that of the action RPG, the work of Cereal Games takes us into a decidedly new style of play. Our job is to interrogate suspects, explore the crime-ridden city, but also engage in last-minute combat, character customization, and more. There are even several in the game secondary activities like Blackjack, brothels, police stations and several other surprises. A product that combines modern style with a more classic one, all thanks to a skilful use of pixel art.
Slender Threads
Developer / Publisher: Blyts
Release date: 2021
Platform: PC
The world of points and click is always magical and full of pitfalls, as well as Slender Threads wants to prove. A story of premonitory dreams, impossible coincidences and unsuspected motives that push Harvey in search of a chilling and disastrous truth. The gameplay is the classic one of the genre in which we explore the environments, solve environmental puzzles and meet eccentric NPCs with the most bizarre characterizations. What is very striking is the artistic style adopted, which completes a package that could be interesting for lovers of the genre.
Tower Princess
Developer: AweKteaM
Publisher: HypeTrain Digital
Release date: TBA
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Switch
The history of cavaliere that must save the Princess on duty it is now the oldest in the world, but here it is exasperated beyond belief thanks to the cartoon style shown since the animations. Our knight explores dangerous dungeons filled with traps, powerful opponents, platforms to jump and procedurally generated areas. The special thing is that you have to win the heart of a princess, and to do that you have to create the perfect date… which maybe even includes killing a boss. A game certainly crazy, but that has features that can prove innovative for the 3D Platform genre. Tower Princess is the second title on the list published by HypeTrain Digital, which is confirmed full of new interesting ideas.
Tasomachi: Behind the Twilight
Developer: Orbital Express
Publisher: PLAYISM
Release date: Spring 2021
Platform: PC
The Steam Game Festival also proposed us Tasomachi. The game tells about the journey of Yukumo, a girl who arrives in a totally deserted city ... were it not for a suspicious and strange being similar to a cat. The player's task in this oriental-hued adventure is to explore the place, complete dungeons and find the parts to repair the protagonist's airship. The location of the work then shows an enviable aesthetic side, making it easy to get lost in admiring the scenic composition, also thanks to the promising soundtrack. How much will the game have to offer to membership? We will find out this spring.
Who is He: Let Me Out
Developer / Publisher: 4Happy Studio
Exit date. TBA
Platform: PC
Set in the 60s, the Indonesian team's work presents itself as one of the most traditional survival horror on the market. The player plays the role of Alvin, a child who after waking up from a nightmare discovers that his mother has mysteriously disappeared. With the help of his older sister's ghost, he discovers that the entire city has disappeared, leaving the poor younger alone in the middle of the night. Thus begins a dangerous adventure filled with mysteries, environmental puzzles, exploration, and even supernatural creatures. With Who Is He the authors do not seem to want to innovate the genre or its mechanics, but the conditions for a more than decent result are all there.
GUILT: The Deathless
Developer / Publisher: Outer Brain Studios
Release date: 2021
Platform: PC
Guilt presents itself as a rogue-like action RPG where levels are procedurally created in an interconnected online world, where what a single player does has an effect on everything else. The story is heavily inspired by Slavic folklore, all while fighting fierce battles with fully customized weapons and gear. However, the player must be careful, since the death of any single hero is permanent. Of course, it is possible to hunt your previous corpse to recover materials, but you have to be careful that other players do not reach it sooner. These can turn out to be both our greatest allies and our greatest enemies, with an ecosystem that promises to entertain for several hours.
Blood Oath: When The Sword Rises
Developer / Publisher: Distorsion Games
Exit date. third quarter 2021
Platform: PC
The charm of medieval battles is hardly emulated, but the boys of Distorsion Games they have set themselves this arduous goal, however, inserting bizarre situations. Indeed, Blood Oath is a multiplayer title that promises to be full of activities for the player to enjoy such as Team Deathmatch, Steal the Flag, Free All, Defense and many more. With four maps of different sizes available since launch, the developers want to ensure healthy and “harmless” arcade fun. The main modality of the work, however, remains the “Freemode”, which allows you to create your own story in an interconnected world such as joining a faction or not, exploring cities or creating your own building. An enormous enviable freedom of movement, which promises hours of boundless identification.
Trail of Ayash
Developer / Publisher: Nowsky
Release date: TBA
Platform: PC
With the ambition of becoming a new market benchmark, Trail of Ayash introduces itself to the Steam Game Festival as a first-person open world single player, inspired by the stories of Native Americans and the pre-Columbian era. In a world populated by myths and legends, the player must interact with various American tribes to ward off the threat of dark creatures that are being generated inside the woods. With a historical research both in the setting and in the language, we must try to survive in the best way a hostile world in every little corner. A product certainly not for everyone, but which seems to promise very well at least from its intent.
Almighty: Kill Your Gods
Developer: RUNWILD Entertainment
Publisher: Versus Evil
Release date: TBA
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
The last title of our climb within the Steam Game Festival that we propose is Almighty: Kill Your Gods. As the name of the work says, here the player's task is to hunt and fight the false gods who want to take over our house. This Action RPG can be played in both single and co-op multiplayer, so that island exploration and combat become more unpredictable. Each hero can be customized to your liking, even including a crafting system to make the player feel comfortable at all times. The mother island is no exception, since it is possible to update it with new tools capable of defending it from giant enemies. Finally, if you visit the homes of our companions, the latter can receive considerable advantages.
