With a brand new season comes one other spherical of Steam’s Next Fest—and this summer time’s crop of recreation demos consists of some stunners.

If you’re not conversant in Next Fest, it’s Steam’s showcase of indie PC video games coming to the platform inside the yr. Like earlier rounds, you get only a week to attempt them out. With Monday, June 29 because the final day to play video games, you can begin combing by means of the lists now for some weekend play—or simply begin with those we tried and like. These are our prime 12 picks this time round, in no specific order:

Davigo

Steam

Despite encompassing PC, console, and cellular {hardware}, VR is usually handled as its personal platform. But in Davigo, VR and PC are united…effectively, in the identical recreation at the least. Four PC gamers run and swing round taking pictures rockets at a VR participant, who takes the type of an enormous “boss” attempting to seize them and throw them into oblivion. The idea is completely sensible, even when an idea is mainly all it’s. The bite-sized play classes give me Attack on Titan vibes, however the actual draw is that you just don’t want a VR headset to take part within the enjoyable. -Michael Crider

Viewfinder

Steam

In this non secular follow-up to Superliminal, you may manipulate the world round you by bringing objects from pictures into actuality. The twist is that the 3D objects seem real-sized based on your 2D perspective, with some really mind-bending outcomes. (Watch the video to grok it, it’s arduous to elucidate in textual content.) Puzzle followers who love unconventional approaches will dig Viewfinder. -Michael Crider

Venba

Steam

In the temper for one thing cozy and heartwarming? Then this cooking game would possibly simply be the suitable factor on the menu. You’ll spend your time following the story of Venba, an Indian mother who immigrated to Canada along with her husband within the Eighties. Expect to be taught one thing about cooking throughout this stunning narrative recreation, all whereas feasting on visuals as luxurious because the meals you whip up. -Alaina Yee

En Garde!

Steam

In En Garde, you play ’90s-era Antonio Banderas Zorro. Okay, probably not: You’re Spanish as a substitute of Californian, and also you’re a noble woman kicking butt in her metropolis overrun by an evil duke. Careful, parry-heavy fight depends on utilizing the setting to manage crowds, all whereas throwing out quips that the Dread Pirate Roberts would admire. Check it out if you need a recreation that mixes deep fight mechanics with a light-hearted world. -Michael Crider

Let’s Revolution!

Steam

What if Minesweeper had a surprisingly deep story, and techniques extra advanced than “count the adjacent tiles”? Let’s Revolution does that, tasking you to clear a hidden grid of enemies with particular strikes and abilities. It’s an attention-grabbing mixture of puzzle and turn-based fight, to say nothing of the adorably puffy 2D artwork fashion—followers of Steven Universe will really feel proper at residence. -Michael Crider

Cosmic: A Journey Among Shadows

Steam

The darkish is shocking comforting and comfortable in this Metroidvania game, which options an intense distinction between mild and darkish. You begin within the depths of a virtually pitch-black cavern, with solely patches of shiny spots to point out your path. With such inky environment, it’s a must to pay rather more consideration to the place you’re going—particularly given the sport’s slippery mechanics. Exploration is a much more intense expertise in such gloom. -Alaina Yee

Stray Gods

Steam

Point-and-click journey is a style that can by no means die. But it is going to get endlessly iterated, resembling on this recreation that replaces the press with singing. You’re Grace, a younger singer who’s thrust into an city fantasy the place the Greek gods are actual…and assume she simply killed the final muse. Stunning artwork course, top-notch voice appearing, and surprisingly good music spherical out this rock opera, simply be ready to look at Stray Gods extra typically than play it. -Michael Crider

Jumplight Odyssey

Steam

As far as I do know, a recreation primarily based on basic anime Starblazers (AKA Space Battleship Yamato) has by no means been launched outdoors of Japan. Jumplight Odyssey goals to repair that, with a administration sim that duties you with commanding a familiar-looking house cruiser because it runs from the Gamilon alien fleet that destroyed your homeworld. A mixture of Evil Genius and FTL, get this one in case you’re itching for some anime-inspired house opera and useful resource juggling. -Michael Crider

An Everyday Story

Steam

In this puzzle-platformer, three toys assist inform a narrative about…an unusual household. You play as an origami bat, tin soldier, and picket boat to navigate acquainted environment whereas the narrator plies you with extra particulars concerning the individuals who dwell there. Despite its barely stiff controls and glued digital camera angle (which may nonetheless enhance earlier than remaining launch), An Everyday Story has a heat vibe that’s compelling. -Alaina Yee

Ebenezer and the Invisible World

Steam

This is a fundamental Metroidvania recreation. That stars Ebenezer Scrooge of A Christmas Carol. I’d make a joke right here, however I can’t consider something goofier than its precise premise. You leap round Dickensian London because the famously old and creaky spendthrift Scrooge, smacking ghosts and union-busters with a cane, moonwalking like Alucard in Symphony of the Night. Jokes apart, it has some pretty hand-drawn animation and beautiful backgrounds. -Michael Crider

Three Kingdoms Zhao Yun

Steam

If you’re bored with watching angels and demons endlessly swat at one another in Diablo, give this demo a attempt. While not formally a part of Koei’s long-running sequence, it’s clearly borrowing from the Dynasty Warriors aesthetic to inform tales set within the well-known Three Kingdoms saga. The mixture of acquainted setting and top-down, hack-and-slash gameplay ought to hit the spot, because it’s been years since Warriors followers have been capable of scratch that itch. -Michael Crider

Station to Station

Steam

Sometimes you simply want one thing peaceable and enjoyable—and Station to Station suits that temper completely. You don’t must be a practice fanatic to understand its cute tackle mannequin practice constructing, which continues to be difficult regardless of the mellow vibe. You’ll need to pay shut consideration as you construct stations and lay observe, as there’s no undo. Fortunately, even if you make a mistake (as I typically did), the attractive artwork and soothing background music boring any misery you’ll really feel. -Alaina Yee