The third STEAM Game Festival has come to an end and what a journey has it been for the past few summer days! This week-long digital event featured gameplay, live streams and chats, and AMAs with developers from across the world. From 40 odd demos in their Spring Edition, Steam has upped their roster to over 900 games! And since it was a limited-time event and it’s nigh-impossible to try out every one of them, our crew took the task to heart. Through a series of short articles, each of our writers will be reporting on the top 3 demos they found to be the most fascinating. So without further ado, here are my STEAM Game Festival Takeaways.
ETERNAL HOPE
Developer: Doublehit Games
Publisher: Doublehit Games
Release Date: August 2020
Available on: Microsoft Windows, Xbox One
Eternal Hope is a multidimensional-platformer where you can travel between realms to overcome logical puzzles. You’ll follow the story of Ti’bi, a lonely boy who lost the love of his life. Embark on a highly unusual journey — one that might bring your cherished girlfriend’s soul back from the Shadow World, a purgatory-like realm. Eternal Hope: Prologue, the free demo covers up to the first 3 chapters of the saga.
The demo seemed largely inspired by ‘Playdead Games’ titles due to its minimalistic art design. It bore the backgrounds of ‘Inside’ embedded onto the platforms of ‘Limbo’. Switching back and forth between the shadow realm and the world of the living was pretty fun. Each puzzle had to be solved in a scripted order, involving the use of its environmental tools. Its intrinsic puzzle design, ambient music, and minimalistic art-style make it an easy recommendation for my wishlist.
A SPACE FOR THE UNBOUND
Developer: Mojiken Studio
Publisher: Toge Productions
Release Date: TBA
Available on: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, Linux
A Space for the Unbound is a pixel art walking simulator with a significant emphasis on exploration and its narrative. This slice-of-life adventure game with beautiful pixel art set in the late ’90s rural Indonesia tells a story about overcoming anxiety, depression, and the relationship between a boy and a girl with supernatural powers.
This demo turned out to be a visual treat for me. Its depiction of Indonesian streets though its pixel art design is life-like. For a pixel art based title, its attention to environmental details is astounding. With stunning visuals, good narrative, and interactive world, if you are into graphic novels this is right up your alley.
CRIS TALES
Developer: Dreams Uncorporated, SYCK
Publisher: Modus Games
Release Date: November 2020
Available on: Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5
Cris Tales is a turn-based Indie JRPG with a classic twist. Here you make choices that dynamically reshape your future. For this, you must peer into your past, present, and future all at once. You land into the shoes of Crisbell, who must embark across Crystallis and the four Kingdoms in a bid to stop the powerful Time Empress and rewrite the future of the world and all those living in it.
Even though turn-based combat isn’t my thing, Cris Tales is strikingly tempting due to its amazing background score and anime-like visuals. From what I have played, this is the most promising Indie title I have played in this fest as it bears the quality of an actual AAA title. If you’re into titles like Persona and Mana, be sure to check this one out.
That’s it from my side, do check out our top picks from Steam Summer Sales. If you’re looking for more demos, check out what Sailesh, Niranjan, Arka, and Sushir have in store for ya! Game On!
This is an interesting blog .Thank you for sharing. Great work and keep it up.
Thanks, Kisaan.