"Steam's week-long bonanza of demos once felt like a cool club to be in, indies sharing their progress on games in development and gathering wishlist clicks for forthcoming releases. This year, I've been bombarded with PR emails about games coming to the event since early January, and with over 3,500 demos, people are finding themselves disappointed by the amount of AI slop that is clogging up the pipes."
"Seth is a stage-based shooter in which you take on an arena of enemies in order to gain new abilities, more health, or points to spend between rounds, and it is a complete thrill. There are two weapons to choose from in the demo, the Fang of Anubis and the Bow of Neith, and can I please implore you to pick the latter? It's a crossbow that briefly slows time when you aim, allowing you to pick off perfect headshots in busy crowds of furious demonic enemies, then follow up with an almighty punch to polish them off."
Steam Next Fest, once an exclusive showcase for indie developers to share work-in-progress games, has evolved into a crowded event with over 3,500 demos. The influx of AI-generated content has diluted the experience, prompting curators to identify standout titles. The featured games span multiple genres including first-person shooters, word puzzles, farming simulations, platformers, and text-based survival games. Seth, a stage-based FPS, exemplifies the quality available, featuring fluid combat mechanics reminiscent of classic arena shooters with modern design. The event remains valuable for discovering innovative indie projects despite the noise.
Read at Kotaku
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