The sun is out, our drinks are cold and we’re sweating buckets – in other words, summer is officially here, and with it, yet another Steam Next Fest has arrived to give us a lovely truckload of indie demos to look through. As usual, we’ve found a handful of gems we’re very much looking forward to sharing with you, so without further ado, here are five wonderful little indie titles that – in our humble opinion – most definitely deserve your attention.
Dimhaven Enigmas
Dimhaven Enigmas is a narrative-focused puzzle/adventure game inspired by, among other things, the Myst franchise and the more recent Firewatch (yes, an 8-year-old game is “recent” for me). In it, players travel to the titular island of Dimhaven in search of their missing uncle, only to be faced with a deserted, retro-futuristic tourist paradise and a host of brain-tickling puzzles to solve. The puzzles really are refreshing, by the way – inspecting every nook and cranny of the island (every drawer, filing cabinet and so on) while piecing together clues in a logical way lies at the foundation of Dimhaven Enigmas, and yes, I’m ashamed to admit that I did occasionally need to ask for a bit of help whenever I found myself stumped, but thankfully, I managed to figure out most things on my own... and boy was it satisfying. Needless to say, Dimhaven Enigmas is very much a game filled to the brim with creativity, making it one of my personal favorites from this summer’s Next Fest. Developer Zadbox Entertainment is also currently running a Kickstarter campaign for the game, so do check that out as well.
Zero Protocol
A retro-style sci-fi horror FPS with creepy, System Shock-esque vibes? Sign me up! I’m not going to lie, this horror gem from developer R_Games caught me by surprise: it’s a game where you-know-what hits the fan very quickly, and the futuristic research complex you so innocently enter soon becomes the stage for something disturbingly sinister. Despite its intentionally oldschool graphics, Zero Protocol kept me sufficiently uneasy during the entirety of the demo – its flickering lights, weird hallucinations and ominous blood trails made sure to keep me on my toes, and by the time the infected staff members showed up, I knew this game would earn a well-deserved spot on our list. I, for one, can’t wait to see more of it.
Deep Sleep: Labyrinth of the Forsaken
I came for the pixel art and stayed for... everything else. Well, and the pixel art, too. Because it really is nice. Either way, Deep Sleep: Labyrinth of the Forsaken is a point & click horror adventure game with bits of turn-based combat, and it tells the story of a young woman looking for a brother she thought had died. Although the demo only gave me a very short slice of the adventure, if the little teaser clip at the end is a solid representation of what’s to come, I’m already more than eager to continue lucid dreaming my way through whatever nightmarish and/or fantastical location the game will throw at me.
Edge of Sanity
Edge of Sanity turned out to be yet another very pleasant surprise for me because it appears to combine two things I love: John Carpenter’s The Thing, and H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos. Crafting or scavenging in games is usually not my cup of tea, but I found myself immediately drawn to the world of Edge of Sanity – set in the snowy Alaskan wilderness, the game throws you into an environment where, despite everything, the cold will probably be the least of your worries. Encroaching madness, vicious traumas and deadly, Lovecraftian abominations are just a few of the things you’ll encounter as you explore Alaska and its abandoned facilities, hoping to find supplies, survivors... and some much-needed answers for all the horrors you’re witnessing.
Tormenture
Tormenture is a fascinating project to me, because its basic setup is endlessly comfy. It’s the 1980s – you’re a kid sitting in front of a TV in your nice and cozy room, the lights are off, the console is on, and you’re just chilling with some video games. There is no one to disturb you – life is simple and good. Until it’s not. The game you’re playing begins to get creepier and creepier, strange things start happening in your room, and the monstrosities on the other side of the TV screen seem very eager to come out and get you – yes, all things seem to point to the unfortunate conclusion... that you’re playing a cursed video game.
