Games Tried from Steam Next Fest (June)
Things to look at to start the summer!
Provided footage from games I played and recorded.
Valve has been on a tear after the success of Steam Next Fest. Which I find funny in hindsight. Considering there have been criticisms about their games not getting seen. Well, this has resolved for the most part, and while not perfect, it’s a good start. It’s been hard to keep up at times, depending on the month. Late May into June, I saw two festive events from Steam merge with each other. Zombies vs Vampires fest, and right after that is TurnBasedThursday Fest.
All appetizers towards the main course, which is Steam Next Fest, to start the summer off! Five games I want to showcase to you. As always, these games are a wide range of genres that interest me, and you too. Changing the format a little bit, where I would give a quick overview and personal thoughts of each game. No more than five sentences long. Keeping things snappy and not bogging things down. Let’s go!
Table of Contents
Dead as Disco
Artis Impact
Lost and Found Co.
Hell is Us
Dead as Disco
Developer/Publisher: Brain Jar Games, Inc.
Type of Game: Third-Person Cyberpunk Rhythm Beat ‘em up
Platform: PC (Steam)
Release Date: Coming Soon
Price: N/A
What do beat ‘em ups and rhythm games have in common? When you get in the flow… it feels like you’re dancing in a way. Dead as Disco takes this feeling and runs with it (for better or worse). Similar to Tango Gamework’s Hi-Fi Rush but set in a cyberpunk setting. Combat might be too on-rails despite my initial excitement. Might have to do with the rhythm side of the game, something to keep in mind.
Artis Impact/Meji Spa
Developer/Publisher: Mas
Type of Game: Hand-Drawn Pixel Art Turn-Based JRPG
Platform: PC (Steam)
Release Date: August 7, 2025
Price: N/A
Developed by one person, this JRPG takes on a more laid-back approach in its storytelling. In the POV of Akane and her AI companion, BOT, throughout. Enhanced through its unique manga panel cutscenes.
Not your average JRPG, so sure, but doesn’t hide its influences. Hand-drawn animations combined with a competent battle system. Albeit a bit too basic as of the time of writing. August can’t come soon enough for me! (This particular demo takes place at a hot spring.)
Lost and Found Co.
Developer: Bit Egg Inc.; Publisher: Gamirror Games
Type of Game: Isometric Cozy Hidden Object
Platform: PC (Steam)
Release Date: TBA 2025
Price: N/A
I haven’t played a hidden object game since the early 2000s featuring Nancy Drew. Lost and Found adds its spin on the genre, but is very Japanese throughout. An animal turned human intern, helping its patron goddess get her original form back. Working at a startup to help your quirky customers with whatever their requests are. Discovering where the items are could surprise you, as it did for me.
Hell is Us
Developer: Rogue Factor; Publisher: Nacon
Type of Game: Semi-Open World Action Adventure RPG
Platform: PC (Steam)
Release Date: September 4, 2025
Price: $49.99
The highest-budgeted game I’ve showcased on Steam Next Fest findings so far (minus Mecha Break). Appears to be a soul-like game, while it’s not? At least Hell is Us features a protagonist who is not a bystander this time around. Features themes related to the human condition, and might have a winner on our hands. If the combat improves, as the animations feel unfinished in the demo version.
Honorable Mentions
Chrono Gear: Warden of Time
Developer: Team Chrono Gear, GalaxyTrail; Publisher: holo Indie from Cover Corp
Type of Game: Time Manipulation 2D Retro Platformer
Platform: PC (Steam)
Release Date: Coming Soon
Price: N/A
Here we have a fan game, but with the IP holder giving them the green light to put a sticker price on it for commercial use. A great retro-inspired platformer in the making, even to those who don’t know what a V-tuber is.
What a way to kick off summer for 2025! A mixture of indie and high-budget games to feast on, with different genres to choose from. Doing these articles helps me broaden my tastes. Anyone else who might find these helpful as well is a bonus. If they are willing to give themselves a chance to dedicate time to one demo that might interest them. We’re living in what is to be the golden age for customers within the video game realm. Happy gaming!