Steam Next Fest a week long event for developers to promote their upcoming games on Steam is currently on. This has grown so much over the years that discovering games on Steam is quite difficult(althought seems to improve a few days in) so I've been checking out anything I've seen people recommend that looks like my kind of game and here's a bunch I think you should check out too. The quality and variety of games outside of the mainstream is incredible and if you're reading this and don't normally play games I hope there's something in here that is worth checking out for you. I've tried to cast a wide net. Next Fest is over now but these days most games leave their demos available so hopefully you can still try any of the games below.

This is an absolutely fantastic game, I was only playing demos for 20 - 30 minutes to get a feel for them and then waiting for the full release but I played this for over 90 minutes in total. I actually had to uninstall it to get away from it until the full game releases and I will probably cave and reinstall it still! It's a Vampire Survivors style auto-shooting game but plays as a side scrolling platformer and feels really well balanced with its weapons, upgrades and progression. There's a nice level of skill to the movement, the level layout is persistent and there's different characters that each have their own twist that will dictate your play style. Add to that Messhof's fantastic style with great weird graphics and excellent music and it's a game that's so difficult to put down. I'd turn it off after a couple of runs and be back 10 minutes later for more. Can't wait to lose an entire weekend playing this later in the year. It also makes me want to get some friends over for some Nidhogg.

p.s. A couple of days after writing this I did reinstall this and played for another 90 minutes.

A game that's taking inspiration from System Shock 2 in setting but for gameplay feels closer to BioShock. This is really promising and the developers have already released an update addressing some initial feedback. I need to play this a bit more, but the atmosphere is great and the Fallout-ness of the corporation works well.

An interesting puzzle game where you're using an old cursed PC to uncover a mystery. Very much in the vein of The Roottrees Are Dead(a great way to spend a rainy evening) and a bit of Hypnospace Outlaw as well. I liked what I played.

A mix of survival and dungeon delving, I really liked the graphics and atmosphere of this. It being a hand made dungeon to explore appeals to me as well as opposed to something procedurally generated. Could definitely be a fun co-op game too.

Metal Gear Solid but you play the Colonel helping out Solid Snake. Interesting and wears that MGS influence on its sleeve. The writing was a bit too jokey at times, I think it's something that's better played straight but not so bad as to put me off just yet.

This was fun! Genuinely felt like playing a FPS from the 90s that I'd have bought when it was published by Sold Out a few years later and cost a fiver. The combat was fun, but the key hunting and repetitive level wasn't great and that's an aspect I wish these retro shooters didn't carry forward. I like the b-movie style of it though and will be keeping an eye on how it comes along.

A quick side note: 3 of the demos open with a fake BIOS screen. I'm getting a bit tired of this opening now!