Five Upcoming Indie Games That Stole the Show at Steam Next Fest
In an era where indie games often seem dominated by co-op extraction shooters or roguelike deck-builders, the Steam Next Fest offers a refreshingly diverse array of upcoming titles. This week-long February showcase provides downloadable demos, allowing players to explore a vast and varied selection that defies genre conventions. It's a perfect opportunity to sift through the sometimes overwhelming Steam store and uncover hidden gems. Here are five of the most interesting indie games that stood out from this year's event.
Titanium Court: A Surreal Strategy Puzzler
Already nominated for four awards at the Independent Games Festival, Titanium Court is garnering significant attention for its surreal humour and stylised pixel art visuals. This game blends strategy and match-three puzzle mechanics, requiring players to move tiles to protect their castle from rival armies. Water tiles block enemy soldiers, while hills slow their advance. As you match tiles, you gather resources like stone and food and acquire military units. Once the landscape is set, a battle sequence ensues, with your troops invading nearby strongholds. It's a ridiculous yet incredibly clever mashup that could easily become this year's breakout hit, reminiscent of Balatro.
Shutter Story: A Tense Horror Experience
For horror enthusiasts, Shutter Story by Frostwood Interactive is a standout title. Players assume the role of an amateur photographer whose friend, Eli, believes his family is haunted, with evidence hidden in photos and home videos. Using software called SpectralAware, you must analyse images by adjusting exposure and contrast and examining negatives to uncover apparitions lurking in the background. The game is genuinely tense and unsettling, evoking the eerie atmosphere of cult Australian horror film Lake Mungo, which similarly uses family photos to convey chilling imagery.
Don't Panic! It's Just Turbulence: A Co-op Flight Sim Puzzler
Fans of the multiplayer bomb disposal game Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes will appreciate Don't Panic! It's Just Turbulence. This co-op flight sim puzzler tasks a pilot and an air traffic controller with working together to safely land a plane. The challenge lies in decrypting controls and cockpit displays, with neither player having all the answers and numerous alarms blaring. Featuring various aircraft with unique features and challenges, the game is both hysterically funny and panic-inducing, as players argue their way to safety or disaster.
Outbound: A Tranquil Camper Van Adventure
For a more relaxed experience, Outbound offers a camper van survival adventure set in a breezy post-human utopia. Players drive through rolling rural landscapes, gathering resources, crafting tools, and preparing meals while enjoying wildlife and completing side quests. Unlike typical survival games, there's no peril—just a gentle sense of exploration and discovery as you maintain and upgrade your electric vehicle and stumble upon scenic views. It's no surprise this was one of the most downloaded demos during Next Fest, providing much-needed quiet escapism.
Wanderburg: A Roguelike with Monty Python Humour
Embracing the roguelike trend, Wanderburg is a unique blend of Nuclear Throne and Howl's Moving Castle. Players drive a wheeled castle across procedurally generated battlegrounds, blasting enemies with cannons and mortars while upgrading their modular citadel with new weapons. The game's charm lies in its ability to drive over trees and sheep to gather resources, infusing a jolly Monty Python humour into the action. Unsurprisingly, this title was another favourite among Next Fest attendees.
