It’s time for Steam’s first Next Fest of 2024! With hundreds of demos to try during Next Fest which takes place February 5th through the 12th, it might be difficult picking out a few choice options from so many games. Here’s a list of 10 single player and multiplayer online games that are right up your alley if you’re an RPG fan.
Baladins
Our list is full of dark locales and dungeon dwellers, but Baladins developed by Seed by Seed has a distinct bright, stylized fantasy world that feels a lot like Paper Mario. The game is inspired by tabletop RPGs where you can team up with up to four other players. Teaming up can be done locally or online, giving you plenty of options to adventure with friends.
Baladins boasts a “choose your own adventure” style story, 4 classes to choose from, and some fun dice-rolling gameplay that lets you play at your own pace. If you’re a tabletop RPG fan looking for a little online play, you’ll want to check out the demo of Baladins.
Codex Lost
If you’re itching for a new soulslike, then Codex Lost by Freemana might be worth your time during Steam’s Next Fest. As the Curator, you’ll jump into a world of ancient magic, dangerous monsters, and a large open world, all to find the stolen grimoires.
A unique point of this soulslike is the ability to craft 80 spells and combine them with various staves to destroy your foes. As with most soulslike games, you should be prepared for some brutal combat, so masochists may find some enjoyment in this demo.
WyrmBound
Who doesn’t love a good dragon-riding RPG? In WyrmBound by Moonlit Dragon Interactive, you’ll fight with dangerous deities and make friends with dragons, and eventually, take to the sky with numerous dragon companions.
While WyrmBound takes a lot of inspiration from the Dark Souls series, the vast world and ability to join forces with your favorite dragon grants players another level of gameplay where you can tailor your bond with your dragon to fit your preferred playstyle. WyrmBound plans to release later in 2024, and hopefully they’ll hit this target and they’re not just blowing smoke.
Dungeonborne
Extraction games have become far more popular in recent years. If you’re looking for a medieval Elder Scrolls style extraction shooter, then Dungeonborne by Mithril Interactive will be right up your alley. Group up with up to two of your closest friends and find the treasures that lie deep within the dangerous dungeons.
With 7 classes to choose from, visceral first-person combat, and a lively auction house, there’s going to be a lot here to like in this PvPvE action-adventure RPG. Dungeonborne doesn’t have a release date as of yet, but the developers have stated that there is plenty more content on the way outside of the demo, including an arena, gameplay modifications and more.
Deathbound
Faith and science clash in Deathbound, an action-RPG by Trialforge. This single-player title has a lot in store for gamers that want some challenge with their RPG. Deathbound provides players the opportunity to curate their own playstyle through their binding system where you’ll swap through different warriors to harness their skills.
You will combine your powers to create “morphstrikes” and build the ultimate attacks. This lore-heavy game has the essence of a soulslike running through it, and the enemies look particularly gruesome, so take heed when jumping into the demo.
Terra Memoria
In a wild mix of 2D and 3D graphics, Terra Memoria by La Moutarde is a cozy RPG that has a lot to explore. Embark on a grand adventure where you’ll take control of six friends as they investigate the cause of a crystal shortage in a world where crazy robots have attacked.
The gameplay consists of some interesting puzzles, a construction system that lets you build and construct a village, and uncover plenty of lore to write regional guides of the world you’ve traversed. Terra Memoria is a cute single-player diversion that turn-based RPG fans will get the hang of in no time.
Sinderfury
Humongous monsters, gigantic weapons, and the chance to team up with up to four of your friends? That’s what you can expect from Sinderfury by Lake City Gaming. This third person action RPG has a lot going for it, like PvP arenas, time trial dungeons, an in-depth skill tree system and more loot than you can shake your wand at.
However, Sinderfury employs a roguelite permadeath system, which mean that when you lose all of your ‘engravings of truth’ your character dies completely and you’ll have to rebuild your character. Get in and check the game out now ahead of the March 2024 release.
Southfield
Southfield is a cartoony and cozy builder that Radical Forge Ltd has billed as a “weird” farming sim meant for you and up to three of your friends. If you’re familiar with farming sims, this one takes a wild turn to Southfield where chaotic crops can be combined together for unexpected results.
If that wasn’t enough, strange creatures called “Bud” inhabit the land, and you’ll need to use the physics-based gameplay to help you navigate the world. Bud aren’t the only creatures on the land though, at night, Ruffians will roam the lands, and attack your settlement. If you’re a cozy builder fan, take this wacky demo for a spin with a few of your closest loons.
Voxlands
Mutants meet Minecraft in VoxRay Games building RPG Voxlands. In this raytraced block world, you’re going to have to contend with mutated creatures as you uncover the mysteries surrounding the world, and build your voxel empire. Unfortunately, for the Next Fest demo, you won’t be able to team up alongside players, but multiplayer will be available when the game gets closer to release, though no date has been announced yet.
Still, Minecraft and Wurm Online fans will certainly find themselves in good company with the mutants of Voxlands. Hunt for treasure, complete quests and mine to your heart’s content,
Coridden
Coridden is a solo or co-op RPG by Aftnareld that puts you in the control of a shapeshifting monster. In order to shapeshift, you’ll need to defeat some baddies, but to do that, you’ll have to find some gear, level up your skills, and explore a science fantasy world called Heera.
Coridden aims to launch in 2024, but has unleashed a kickstarter with a funding goal of 21,597 dollars. The team believes this amount will help the team improve the game ahead of their release, but in the meantime, whether you decide to back the game or not, you can jump in and try the demo for free during Next Fest.
