Game News Steam Next Fest, October 2021: Demos of upcoming RPGs available from October 1st to 7th

[Infinitron]

Tags: Blacktorch Games; Disciples: Liberation; Frima Studio; Mechajammer; Skullstone; Steam Next Fest; Urban Strife; Whalenought Studios; White Pond Games

Compared to summer, there aren't nearly as many noteworthy demos for upcoming RPGs in this autumn's edition of Steam Next Fest. Since titles that participated in the event back then are ineligible now, that does mean we have an all new batch of demos to check out. The most notable of these is zombie survival tactical RPG Urban Strife, which is available to play publicly for the first time. Its final release has however been postponed to 2022. Anyway, here's the list:

Disciples: Liberation
Mechajammer
Skullstone
Urban Strife
​

These and the hundreds of other demos released during Steam Next Fest will be available until October 7th, along with the usual schedule of developer livestreams and Q&A sessions. Have fun, Codex.

 

[JDR13]

The Urban Strife demo is definitely worth playing.

 

[Thonius]

Grabin US maybe Mechajammer just to see what they did before they change style again!

 

[ropetight]

Grabin US maybe Mechajammer just to see what they did before they change style again!

Mechajammer demo is combat demo as seen from Age of Decadence or Colony Ship when they test engine at the beginning of development.
So nothing to see here for at least two years.

Everything looks like heavy laboured, overthinked and unneeded suffering - inventory is in some sort of isometric, all is handdrawn, engine is 3d, but sprites are pixelated sprites (ok, this actually gives game that retro look ala Doom).
Sure, it has spirit, but after all this time... It reminds me of things FEZ developer did to make his life miserable and development harder.

But, they implemented every cRPG buzzword from last couple of years: cover system, physics, stealth mechanics, visible rolls.
If they add crafting and survival, we just might have a hit here.

 

[50726f73706572]

Probably too late for my game to be part of whatever this is.

Even If I wanted to join the CIA would probably hunt me down if I appeared on stream.
In fact I had a creature named "Cia" appear in my game very recently. That's no coincidence.

Ofcourse it's not coincidence it's randomness! Ofcourse it's not coincidence it's randomness!
Ofcourse it's not coincidence it's randomness! Ofcourse it's not coincidence it's randomness!

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

AHHHHHH! The feds run!!!

 

[lukaszek]

suplice - one of those games that pick screen from 1st port, rather than what is being chosen as main. To make it worse its not something you can change in options, no thanks Im too lazy to disconnect cables

forgive me father - based on music I think they wanted to emulate doom experience, but it doesnt really work with those tight spaces

blood west - this one I like. Sneaking is hard up to the point you cant rely on it honestly. Wild west setting with zombies do work for me.

fallen aces - charming but quite boring with curent state of ai. Enemies seem only capable of running towards you. You can lure them around while running in circle, while picking up random objects and keep throwing at them. Got potential

mechajammer - feels like game I should enjoy but there is quite a feature bloat. You go through demo getting tired by prompts showing you yet another mechanic. Then suddenly its over and what you are left with is this overwhelmed feeling. I believ eit would be better without vehicles, companions and breaking boxes(that one is the worst). There seem to be character sheet but for all those random prompts, never really interacted with it

skullstone - meh, yet another grimrock. Except I hate controlls in this one. To interact with objects you need to first pick them up. To read a letter you must place it in inventory first. To open random box, you must place it in your bag too.

EDIT: disciples I already did in another thread

doesnt feel like im playing disciples game

writing doesnt match the setting. Setting appears quite grim while dialogs are written around children playing dnd.

More impressions - there is literally no explanation what is going on and why we can or should recruit any units at all. You open a portal to some city and you already have 4 pre-built buildings where you can recruit a unit from each faction. However, I don't see why you are given the choice to recruit literal demon worshippers that look like budget Cenobites and actual walking corpses. Then your character just casually says "oh, let's go to the necromancers, I'm sure they'll help us out!"

the way it goes, if you follow prompts you will head out to lvl3 battles without any army.
Whole start is just weird. You are a good guy? But then you seem to be sent to assassinate some sort of bishop for good reasons? But then it is just for money. Oh and bishop is a good guy taking care of orphans. But then why does do something(whatever that is) with their clothes in the sewer? Why would bishop do anything in sewers at all? So if you are good guy, why tentacles and being teleported to some angelic city(that was my impression). And then you casually start with: we need allies, lets grab necromancers.

Saying that its rollercoaster would be understatement.

 

[AndrewCC]

Spooky Milk Life seems like the Codex's kinda game.

 

[Ivan]

SpiderHeck is glorious. played w/nephew, had a blast

 

[Fenix]

SpiderHeck is glorious. played w/nephew, had a blast

Trailer with music makes me smile. :D
Seems liek little fun game.

Downloading Urban Strife now.

 

[lukaszek]

SpiderHeck is glorious. played w/nephew, had a blast

Generic-Giant-Spider

 

[lukaszek]

urban strife - basically seem to be isometric new vegas. Casually interested and optimistic. Dialogs seem to zoom in weirdly in ultrawide

madness: project nexus - seem like fine game to play in coop. Demo was easy up to the point where I got stuck and follower wouldnt do teh hacking. Would be even mroe fun if firearms had less ammo, thus forcing you to change more often

unexplored2 - seem fun, exploration(as in map traversal) and survival mechanics got added. That being said I liked previous combat style more and not a big fan of running around with a staff when I wish to larp a thief

 

[Ontopoly]

Skullstone has so many games they can take inspiration from in terms of UI and yet they still decided to put 4 people really small in one corner. If it didn't ruin Grimrock I guess it could work here but I feel like there are a bunch of better ways to do it.

If they add crafting and survival, we just might have a hit here.

Don't forget drying

 

[JDR13]

What I've tried so far...

Urban Strife - Squad-based tactics games in a post-apocalyptic setting. Excellent demo. I think this game is going to be really good. Wishlisted.

Skullstone - A Grimrock style dungeon crawler. Nice old-school RPG feel and atmosphere. Wishlisted.

The Bookwalker - An adventure game where you have the ability to enter books and explore their worlds. You're contracted by an employer to enter different books and obtain certain items that clients are paying for. The demo features one of the books and part of another. I found it pretty interesting. Wishlisted.

Starship Troopers - Terran Command - An RTS game in the Starship Troopers universe where you command various squads of the Mobile Infantry and carry out missions against the bugs. The demo has 3 levels. It seems competent enough, but I'm not much into the genre anymore. RTS fans will probably dig it if they like the IP.

Dread Delusion - An open world RPG with retro graphics. I think it's supposed to be an homage to games like Morrowind and King's Field. Bizarre setting. Nice music. The demo is a little rough, and it didn't really grab me.

 

[Iluvcheezcake]

Really looking forward to Urban strife

 

[AndrewCC]

That's the movie Starship Troopers universe. Vastly less interesting than fighting bugs with power-armor elite soldiers. There was a true ST game around 2000, iirc.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Damn pity no demo of skullstone on gog.

 

[lukaszek]

I think I found my demo festival winner

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

The Troop is quite promising WW2 platoon level turn based tactics.

 

[karnak]

I think I found my demo festival winner

Brings me some Witchaven vibes.
And also makes me wish a proper open-world RPG with these type of retro graphics was made?

Is there any Daggerfall-type of game around? I know that stuff like Call of Saregnar are being made but I can't remember any other retro open-world games around (and not grid-based like The Quest).

 

[Tyranicon]

From Urban Strife's info blurb

Old school TBS, post-apoc survival and RPG. Recruit deranged locals in your militia, ally local factions and fight those you hate. Haul loot back and rebuild your shelter, doctor your wounds, and fix your guns. People need feeding, booze needs brewing and there is an end of the world to enjoy.

Nice.

I really, really wish this didn't have zombies in it. A post-apoc world more along the lines of The Road would be straight .

 

[ropetight]

From Urban Strife's info blurb

Old school TBS, post-apoc survival and RPG. Recruit deranged locals in your militia, ally local factions and fight those you hate. Haul loot back and rebuild your shelter, doctor your wounds, and fix your guns. People need feeding, booze needs brewing and there is an end of the world to enjoy.

Nice.

I really, really wish this didn't have zombies in it. A post-apoc world more along the lines of The Road would be straight .

Urban Strife looks good, could be worth playing.
But I'm really sick of zombies.

Zombie apocalypse always looked like lazy writing to me - I never could suspend the disbelief that they are sole reason for civilization collapse.
Especially anything resembling to modern civilization.
Like symptom of collapse - sure, but modern civilization brought to knees by frankly stupid, slow moving undead who are not resistant to napalm and nukes?
Having zombie cities or pockets of territory where infection rages is perfectly fine, though.
Portrayal of zombie infection like some kind of invincible supernatural force is silly - that is why Shaun of the Dead works that good.

The Road, on the other hand, is frightening as it is disheartening - breaking of human spirit and devolving into cannibals because of lack of resources looks more plausible.
I had to drink more than couple of drinks after watching movie, never got to read the book because of that.
Adrian Smith's comic and board game Chronicles of Hate is similar in atmosphere.
https://aiptcomics.com/2014/09/23/is-it-good-chronicles-of-hate-hc-review/