Steam Next Fest June 2024 Roundup

As the June 2024 edition of Steam Next Fest begins to draw to a close, there were plenty of great demos to check out and wishlist. Some titles have release dates just around the corner, while others require a bit more patience before players get to experience them in full. With so many great demos on offer, it was impossible to try all of them, but the following ten titles were the ones that caught our eye and ended up on our wishlist. Here they are in alphabetical order:

Aero GPX

Developed Aaron McDevitt
Published by Aaron McDevitt

Aero GPX is an anti-gravity racer focusing on high-velocity flight and machine-to-machine combat. It promises responsive controls that are easy to pick up and play but difficult to master. Races will begin with 30 machines on the circuit, but players can perform slam and spin attacks to disrupt or destroy their opponents. However, you put the health and integrity of your own machine on the line when doing so. The game also features a complex physics system allowing machines to drive on any surface in any orientation in 3D space. Aero GPX is clearly inspired by classics of the genre, such as the F-Zero series, but players can expect it to have a few unique twists of its own to provide them with a new experience. No official release date for Aero GPX has been announced yet.

Evil V Evil

Developed by Toadman Interactive
Published by Toadman Interactive

Evil V Evil is an action-packed, bloodthirsty co-op shooter in which players live out their ultimate vampire power fantasy. The game rewards players for mowing through hordes of enemies without remorse and features a cast of vampires with powerful abilities. Players can take on an evil cult on their own or team up with up to two fellow vampires. Players will also have access to a diverse range of powerful artifacts to mold their character and an arsenal that includes everything from modern firearms to ancient relics of the night. In addition, weapons can be modded with an extensive selection of upgrades. Evil V Evil is planned for release on the 16th of July, 2024.

Hollowbody

Developed by Headware Games
Published by Headware Games

Hollowbody is a tech-noir survival short story set in the urban decay of a long-abandoned British city. It offers classic survival horror gameplay inspired by early 2000s horror titles, so players can expect a cinematic blend of dynamic and fixed camera angles. Hollowbody will also offer logic puzzles, resource management, and limited combat with a focus on narrative and exploration. The emphasis is on solid world-building, and the game will use carefully placed save points to ensure that tension is maintained. However, Hollowbody will also offer difficulty options to aid players who prefer exploration over combat. Finally, players can expect post-game unlocks and features to enhance the replay value. No official release date for Hollowbody has been announced yet.

Iron Meat

Developed by Ivan Valeryevich Suvorov / Retroware
Published by Retroware

Iron Meat is a run-and-gun arcade shooter that pits players against an all-consuming interdimensional biomass called The Meat. Players must battle mutated victims and machines, dodge bullet barrages and crush bosses as a soldier named Vadim. Iron Meat will feature nine levels and three difficulty settings with intense boss fights that have multiple phases. Thanks to couch co-op, players won’t have to battle alone, and the game will have over 30 unlockable skins for players to customize their character. Iron Meat is scheduled to be released sometime in 2024.

Kill Knight

Developed by PlaySide
Published by PlaySide

Kill Knight is an ultra-responsive arcade-inspired isometric shooter. Players will step into the reanimated armor of a once loyal knight who was betrayed and banished to the Abyss. The game features a polished, minimalist aesthetic and retro visuals that pay homage to the neon-soaked arcades and shooters of the 90s. As players complete challenges and survive the otherworldly onslaught, they will unlock powerful new equipment. Kill Knight will offer three distinct difficulty settings, and players must descend through five fatal layers, each more deadly than the last. The game will also have a Master Mode that combines all five layers into one extended arena challenge and global leaderboards where players can vie for supremacy. Kill Knight is scheduled for release sometime in 2024.

Megacopter: Blades of the Goddess

Developed by Pizza Bear Games
Published by Pizza Bear Games

Megacopter: Blades of the Goddess is an isometric overhead shooter in the vein of classics like the Strike series and television programs like Airwolf. Players get to pilot a sentient helicopter called Megacopter as they battle Reptoid forces in the air and on the ground. The game promises a variety of mission types, including seek and destroy, rescue, defense, and boss hunt missions. Megacopter will have four different biomes and over a dozen missions. As players exchange Pizza Tokens at the armory, they will be able to unlock even more guns and firepower for their helicopter. Megacopter: Blades of the Goddess is scheduled for release on the 21st of June, 2024.

Mother Hub

Developed by S. ODale
Published by ODale Studios

Mother Hub is a retro first-person shooter with a strong horror backbone. It is set in a world where all humanity is trapped inside a single massive vault, and players must descend into the abandoned lower levels in search of a cure for the sickness that plagues them. As they explore the Hub, players will rediscover futuristic weapons and use them against the terrifying creatures that have evolved and mutated there. Players will also learn more about what went wrong through audio logs, emails, ancient writings, and documents. Mother Hub is scheduled for release in 2025.

Necrophosis

Developed by Dragonis Ares / Adonis Brosteanu
Published by Dragonis Games

Necrophosis is a chilling first-person horror adventure that plunges players into a nightmarish realm teeming with grotesque forms and ominous visuals. The game promises a deep, immersive experience where every element is steeped in a rich backstory, and each step players take will unveil a new layer of mystery. Necrophosis will also feature puzzles to challenge players as they piece together the larger, enigmatic narrative. This atmospheric journey through the macabre has no official release date yet.

Pinball Spire

Developed by Apparition Games
Published by indie.io

Pinball Spire is a one-of-a-kind pinballvania adventure where action adventure meets pinball. Players take control of a brave, plucky little pinball called Pip as they explore the inner chambers of the mysterious spire that appeared in their world overnight. The spire is a strange pinball maze full of secrets to unlock, enemies to bump off, and contraptions to interact with. Pinball Spire combines traditional pinball tables with atmospheric dungeons and passageways to explore, while the mana-powered pinball abilities allow for unorthodox ways to interact with the environment. No official release date for Pinball Spire has been announced yet.

SCHiM

Developed by Ewoud van der Werf, Nils Slijkerman
Published by Extra Nice, PLAYISM

SCHim is a game about jumping from shadow to shadow in a relaxing and lively environment. Each level has its own scenery with small stories, and the setting is a beautiful abstract world. The shadow platforms and environments are animated, with elements of light, shadow, and animation added directly to the gameplay. According to the developers, a schim is the soul and spirit of an object, thing, or living being which should not be separated from their thing. In this game, players will take control of a schim that is attached to a human being but is separated from them early on. The release date for SCHim is the 18th of July, 2024.