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I played almost 40 Steam Next Fest Demos. Here are my Impressions
I usually don’t do much sampling with Steam Next Fest. I do the odd article here and there, focusing on this demo or that. But this year, I decided to go all in and play as many demos as I could. I think I may have bit off a little more than I could chew—because between my upcoming coverage, the Marathon server slam, the fact I was sick most of the week, and my cat Mr. Worf demanding my attention, I felt like I was drowning in demos for a long time.
Antal Bokor
Mar 313 min read
Escape From Ever After Channels a Classic Nintendo Formula for Modern Fun
I wanted to clear some of my early-year backlog as we started to move into the bulk of this year’s releases, and I figured I should finally write about Escape From Ever After. It’s not that I was putting off playing it. In fact, I’ve been steadily putting time into this Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door clone. Because that’s exactly what it is—and there’s nothing wrong with that, especially if it's exactly what you want.
Antal Bokor
Feb 253 min read
Star Trek Voyager: Across the Unknown Scratches the Nostalgia Itch
If you’re a fan of all things Star Trek, you’ve likely spent plenty of time after rewatching a series wondering how things might’ve turned out if any number of characters made different choices. Thanks to Star Trek Voyager: Across the Unknown, we get that chance.
aaroncynic
Feb 243 min read
Senara: The Sacrament Blends Hyperrealistic Graphics and Old School Survival Horror
I’m an absolute sucker for old school survival horror, and based on my time with the Steam Next Fest demo for Senara: The Sacrament, that’s exactly what developer Influsion Inc. is going for. But instead of relying on retro aesthetics, they want to up the scares with "hyper-realistic" graphics that do their best to mimic real life.
Antal Bokor
Feb 192 min read
Scarlet Hollow Episode 5 Raises the Stakes
Screenshot: Scarlet Hollow I just arrived in Scarlet Hollow. I know some of you have been trapped in this town for years, waiting patiently for every drop of content since 2020. I, however, am spoiled. I binged the first four episodes in a couple of days. But that luxury has a cost: hitting the wall of Episode 5’s split release has been excruciating. After absolutely loving the majority of the first four acts, I found myself strangely underwhelmed by the start of Episode 5—un
Antal Bokor
Feb 142 min read
Review: ANTHEM#9 Has the Vibe, But Lacks the Staying Power
Screenshot: ANTHEM#9
ANTHEM#9 is a game of "buts." It is the debut title from self-taught solo developer koeda, but it feels surprisingly polished in its presentation. It has some serious style and seriously catchy music, but a gameplay loop that makes me feel like it’s missing that certain something. It features a clever gem-matching combat system that feels great when it works, but the world around it feels empty.
Antal Bokor
Feb 123 min read
Preview: Ranger’s Path National Park Simulator is More Important Than You Might Think
Did you ever wonder what went into maintaining our national and state parks? Did you ever want to be a park ranger, thinking you’d spend your days sipping coffee in a fire tower somewhere? Ranger’s Path: National Park Simulator actually approximates the day to day activities of a National Park Ranger.
Antal Bokor
Feb 122 min read
Preview: Whirlight – No Time To Trip Captures Old School Point and Click Adventure
I can’t wait to see more of Whirlight – No Time to Trip when the full game is released. The developers obviously understand the heart and humor that made those old games timeless.
Antal Bokor
Feb 112 min read
Witchfire is So Damn Good
This probably won’t be the last I write about Witchfire this year. It’s just so damn good. If you told me a game was able to blend Dark Souls with first-person gunplay, I’d be horribly skeptical. But Witchfire not only pulls it off, I think saying it’s "Dark Souls with guns" undercuts just what developer The Astronauts has accomplished here.
Antal Bokor
Feb 33 min read
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check Is As Janky and Buggy as It Looks
Despite the main gameplay loop being reminiscent of a Milgram experiment, it justifies its ickiness through “but zombies!” as so many more violent and exploitative games did in the past. Maybe I’m just getting too old for this shit. I’ll just go back to chunking people into giblets with my boltgun in Darktide like a respectable person. But Quarantine Zone: The Last Check is ultimately a janky, buggy mess of a game that happened to nail down the feeling of a zombie apocalypse
Antal Bokor
Jan 195 min read
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