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Summer Game Fest 2024 isn’t over just yet. For Steam, it has only just begun as Steam Next ushers in a plethora of upcoming game demos you can test for free from June 10 to 17. Truth be told, there are too many of them to cover, so if you want to try out the best, my money’s on these 10 Steam Next games. They might just become the next big thing.
Once Human
| Release Date | July 9, 2024 |
| Platforms | Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows |
If you’re not tired of serious open-world survival games yet, Once Human is here to shake up your experience once more. It’s a post-apocalypse survival RPG that seemingly takes inspiration from AAA titles like Death Stranding and Remedy’s Control.
Some even compared it to Stranger Things. We got a chance to try this one out during the closed beta, and it’s already one of the most promising survival games out there. Base building is less tedious, and the whole gameplay loop can be infinitely satisfying.
The Alters
| Release Date | 2024 |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows, |
Yes, it’s another survival RPG, but the twist here is that you play as a man who made copies of himself to both cope and survive more easily. The problem is being stuck in a dangerous area with your clones is hardly an ideal situation. This is one scenario where more doesn’t necessarily mean merrier.
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Summer Game Fest 2024 GuideHence, The Alters is definitely one of the strongest entries among the Steam Next games. It’s a survival game with a heavier focus on story and narrative — something you don’t often get these days. The concept and premise alone are enough to make the game interesting.
Aska
| Release Date | June 20, 2024 |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows |
If there’s one thing Valheim taught us, Viking survival RPGs are awesome. So, Aska is taking a page from that book and creating its version of a Viking survival RPG but with better visuals. You can even invite up to three other players to make building Asgard easier.
The game is also set to be one of the prettiest games in 2024, which explains why it won’t be available yet on consoles. The system requirements will likely be demanding. It’s still a small price to pay to live out your dreams as a fantasy Viking survivalist but without freezing or getting eaten by bears.
Mirthwood
| Release Date | Q3 2024 |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows |
Mirthwood doesn’t exactly look as demanding as Aska, but it will only be initially available on the PC. It’s a top-down sandbox game and farming sim similar to Stardew Valley but with better combat and adventuring opportunities. Better graphics too.
Mirthwood immediately stands out due to its Grimm fairytale storybook visuals, which, you have to admit, adds much to its atmosphere. Whether you want to be a farmer, trader, explorer, or warrior, it’s up to you how you want that story to unfold.
Dungeons of Hinterburg
| Release Date | July 18, 2024 |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, |
Looks like RPGs are still going strong today because the game Steam Next game we’re recommending is another action-adventure RPG called Dungeons of Hinterburg. This one is more of a modern fantasy, which should be a breath of fresh air.
The visuals are funky and cel-shaded which should gel well with younger gamers these days. In it, you play as a young girl here on a tourism adventure in the alpine town of Hinterburg which happens to have magic, monsters, and dungeons.
Metal Slug Tactics
| Release Date | Q4 2024 |
| Platforms | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, |
Metal Slug has never been this accessible before! The new Metal Slug Tactics looks just about set to expand its horizons and introduce a more modern take on the franchise. This time around, it’s turn-based with rogue-lite elements.
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Avowed Continues to Have the Best Key Art Possible, Despite Not Having a Firm Release Date YetYou assemble your squad (like in XCOM) and have them take on hordes of enemies from the Rebel Army. Old school fans will be pleased to know that it looks and feels like the original thing, but less hectic this time, and with a tighter focus on the battlefield rather than rescuing raggedy POWs.
Tiny Glade
| Release Date | Q3 2024 |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, Linux |
All these games about winning and surviving can get stressful, so here’s something to counterbalance that extreme. Tiny Glade is similar to Townscaper but cuter and with a smaller scope. You basically just unleash your creativity here and transform the old ruins into a diorama of a manor in a gridless building system.
It’s the perfect game with which to unwind after a long and busy day of fragging people online or constantly losing to Elden Ring bosses. If you’re the type to endlessly pore over the details of your starting house in The Sims 4 before actually playing the game, Tiny Glade might just be your thing.
Duckside
| Release Date | TBA |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows |
Speaking of relaxing games, Duckside is one of them despite being a multiplayer survival and crafting game. That’s because you and your friends play as ducks who can wield guns and build forts. That’s the main draw. It’s no doubt less serious and less stressful compared to most other survival games.
Being a duck isn’t just for show or laughs, however. That duckbill can prove to be an effective all-around tool that can break rocks and cut trees. Moreover, your duck wings can take you where human feet can’t. PvP ought to be interesting.
Level Zero: Extraction
| Release Date | 2024 |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, |
Moving back to something more exhilarating, Level Zero: Extraction is looking good as a multiplayer horror extraction shooter. It ought to be similar in gameplay to Left 4 Dead or even Helldivers 2. Like Left 4 Dead it has an asymmetrical PvP aspect where you can assume the role of the monsters.
The goal for the human players is to escape and survive. Those graphics and visuals are looking shiny and “next-gen.” That ought to seal the deal for anyone looking for their next multiplayer “home” after Helldivers 2 soured the bug-blasting experience.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown
| Release Date | September 13, 2024 |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, |
Open-world racing is not exactly arcade racing’s most successful foray, but Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown might just redefine that front. It definitely has those NFS Underground 2 vibes and is set in a rather faithful recreation of Hong Kong.
While the test demo doesn’t exactly show the game’s graphical strength, it’s surprisingly popular among all the Steam Next games. And who knows? Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown might just succeed where the other big open-world MMO racers have failed.
