Steam’s latest celebration allows players to explore new virtual horizons with demos, all while taking a deep dive with talented developers. It’s a great way to get your calendars lined up for your next gaming binge, from cozy entries to horrific titles that may keep you up at night.
But if you aren’t quite sure where to start, here are our picks for the Steam Next Fest 2024 games that should be on your radar.
Pacific Drive
Release Date: Feb. 22, 2024
You are in for a bumpy ride with Ironwood Studios’ Pacific Drive. Players will strap into this first-person driving survival game that takes them on a deadly supernatural route in the Pacific Northwest. They’ll find themselves lost in the Olympic Exclusion Zone, a deserted research facility that holds a secret.
The only problem is that you are not alone, and the hostile environment around you may very well be the reason for your demise. It is here you must use your vehicle as a shelter, upgrading each piece gradually to establish a mobile fortress. You’ll need it to survive this demented version of the Pacific Northwest, especially with the Zone Storm tailing close behind you.
Minami Lane
Release Date: Feb. 28, 2024
As a cozy gamer, I immediately put Minami Lane on my Steam Wishlist due to its Japanese-inspired art style and intricate gameplay mechanics. Various city builder games typically focus on the structures alone, but this entry goes further by customizing the inventory and pricing of ramen shops, bookstores, and boba cafes. In particular, players can place the ingredients of their recipe right down to the amount of noodles in a bowl.
Each level features a mission lineup to complete in order to keep the residents happy. Like City Skylines, players will notice reactions from villagers that can help you shape the way your town runs. This also comes with the responsibility of keeping your streets clean, so you’ll need to be on the lookout for trash.
Backrooms
Release Date: March 2024
If you were a big lover of Lethal Company, then it may be time for a new obsession with the Steam Next Fest 2024 game, Backrooms. It utilizes similar online co-op and proximity voice chat mechanics, with new levels expected to come every second week. Using a VHS recorder, you’ll navigate through an area brimming with grotesque monsters and puzzles.
Collaborating with other players may be your only means of survival, and you can speak with each other to get some much-needed help. In addition to the base game, creative builders can develop their own levels via the editor, setting up a nightmare of a map for an all-new horrific experience. But if you’re having trouble finding this one on Steam (there are multiple titles of the same name), you can find it through this link.
Summerhouse
Release Date: March 8, 2024
Many game developers have brilliantly whipped up their own games without even having a team onboard. We’ve seen this with the likes of Stardew Valley, and now, it’s been done again with Friedemann’s Summerhouse. In this game, you’ll design a tiny neighborhood based in various areas, including the city, sea, and mountains.
Summerhouse is the ultimate way to get your creative juices flowing without restrictions or rules. Many casual titles often don’t have any goals, and this game is no different. In return, it doesn’t tie you down to any time-limited tasks, giving you the freedom to do almost anything you want while building the neighborhood of your dreams.
Backpack Battles
Release Date: March 8, 2024
One game that has been on the rise of the Steam Top Wishlist charts is the auto battler management game Backpack Battles. On the management side, players must organize their inventory to boost efficiency and create powerful recipes. Then, once you’re ready with your plan of action, it’s time to take it to the battlefield and use the materials you’ve acquired to eliminate another player’s build.
It’s essential to place your objects down in the right backpack slots, or else it may hinder your performance in the fight. But don’t worry too much because you’ll have a lot of time preparing with craftable potions, legendary weapons, and fiery dragons. You can also reduce the stress of PvP by using Casual mode instead, differing from the competitive Ranked challenge.
Lightyear Frontier
Release Date: March 19, 2024
The buzz around Lightyear Frontier is real, as the entry continues to trend on the Steam Next Fest 2024 boards. It’s perfect for those who love a good old-fashioned open-world game but with a new mechanical twist. Rather than getting your hands dirty, you’ll wield the power of a mech and grow alien crops to maximize the productivity of your home.
If the combat in Minecraft or Palworld has ever stressed you out, you should definitely pick this one up due to its low-stress experience. That means there is absolutely no battling involved, where you can kick back and relax on this vast, peaceful planet. It also helps that the soundtrack features a cosmic country vibe for all those cozy gamers.
Spirit City: Lofi Sessions
Release Date: April 8, 2024
The YouTube world was one of the main reasons why the Lofi genre took off, especially with the never-ending moments of Lofi Girl. More recently, the cozy vibes have gone to the gaming world, providing a tranquil virtual space. One new addition is Spirit City, a hub that allows you to create tools meant to keep you focused.
You’ll initially get to customize your character and room while listening to the Lofi musical composition of the streamer-friendly Homework Radio. While there, players can pet their spirit companions, all of which are collectible throughout their gameplay experience. Other than these adorable animals, Spirit City: Lofi Sessions is all about productivity through its organizational tools, leveling you up with XP based on the amount of work done.
Serum
Release Date: Quarter 2 2024
A mysterious substance is the only thing keeping you alive in Serum, forcing you to inject the liquid into your veins to restart the clock on your arm. As you may have expected, the timer depicts your life duration, and a zero will ultimately end your life. Yet, even if the liquid works against you, it can also be used to your advantage by crafting formulas that will brew up unique abilities.
Outside of the threat of the substance, the world around you proves just as dangerous. That’s why you must hunt and gather materials to set up your safe zone in this apocalyptic universe filled with mutated creatures. Plus, if you don’t want to go at it alone, you can play in 4-player co-op mode to make the race against time much more accessible.
Copycat
Release Date: Coming Soon (TBA)
The feline adventures of Copycat follow the life of Dawn, who has always preferred the outdoors until she meets her owner, Olive. The two develop a loving bond with one another when Olive discovers her at a shelter (the choice of the cat is entirely up to you.) Sadly, the owner becomes ill, and a stray “copycat” moves in to take Dawn’s place.
You’ll then explore the world as Dawn as she comes to terms with her emotional situation. Your decisions will determine her journey, spanning the city alleyways to the wilderness. Will you go back and take what’s rightfully yours? You’ll just have to see what escapades await in this heartfelt kitty adventure.
Millennia
Release Date: Coming Soon (TBA)
4X lovers should keep the Steam Next Fest 2024 game Millennia on their radar. Similar to the Civilization series, you’ll create your own nations that will span thousands of years. Players will start out just like the ones that came before us and develop settlements that will last for generations to come.
Although it follows a timeline similar to ours, your choices could change the course of history. The Victory Age should be your primary target, which could occur early on, depending on your strategy, or in modern times for those who are in it for the long run. However, the world will also decide your fate, and things could take a turn for the worse if the people aren’t treated right.
