Steam Next Fest June 2023 special
Short reviews of the games I played during the event
Oh my, look at the time. It's time for another Steam Next Fest entry! It feels like it was yesterday when I wrote about the fest back in February and discovered many new games, just like I did this time. Are you in the mood for some spicy demos? Then keep reading!
#1 - Indecent Wife Hana: Gravure
This one caught me by surprise because I heard about Indecent Wife Hana on Itch.io months ago, but I had no clue it was on Steam too. The demo starts sometime after the first game ends and puts you up to speed with what happened back then. The visuals are enticing and the story is quite enjoyable, though be ready to see the meanest cliffhanger ever because the demo ends right before a sex scene starts.
#2 - Isekai Janken Hero
If there's something you can say about Isekai Janken Hero is that it's original. It's a solid JRPG in which picking up the right action and getting the timing right determines whether you win or lose.
#3 - Paintings Thief
Painting's Thief is an entertaining stealth game with solid gameplay, pretty artwork, and a decent plot. Even if the maps are a bit basic, it's the kind of game you don't want to stop playing once you give it a go.
#4 - Take Me To The Dungeon!!
I was excited to try this one since every lewd card battler I played has been fun, and this one didn't disappoint. Take Me To The Dungeon's solid gameplay and top-notch 2D visuals make it worth checking, though be aware it's more story-driven than other gameplay-focused games like Last Evil.
#5 - Strip'Em III
Not too different from the previous games. It keeps the same game mechanics while adding some improvements, such as a smarter AI that won't always fall for your bluffs and more CGs in the strip and sex scenes. All in all, it's an entertaining strip poker game.
#6 - Rhya's Crusade: The Aradia's Reavers
Rhya's Crusade is a fun sidescroller shooter that nails the 80/90s vibes thanks to its eye-pleasing pixel art, neat soundtrack, and solid game mechanics that remind me of Contra and Metal Slug.
#7 - Absorption Battle Racing
Probably one of the best games I played in this event, if not in all the Next Fests I covered. It wasn't easy to get used to it because the game mechanics are different from your usual racing games, and the default keyboard setup didn't help, but I had a blast playing it once I got the hang of it. I can't wait to try the full version and see what is in store.
#8 - Ropu Barastu no X
I expected many things from the Adult-only section of the NextFest, but a bullet hell that reminded me of Touhou wasn't one of them. It's entertaining but a bit grindy when it comes to unlocking the spicy bits.
#9 - Remote Control
This one wasn't for me since I'm not into JOI games, but it deserves some credit for its beautiful graphics and for being the first one that has an android woman giving you the instructions.
#10 - Vampire Syndicate: Gangs of MoonFall
Vampire Syndicate: Gangs of MoonFall is rough around the edges, as mentioned at the start of the demo, but it's a very promising tactical RPG. It reminded me of the Vampire games lore-wise, and I can't wait to check out the full game once it's out.
#11 - Monster Lover: Balasque
Monster Lover was a nice albeit short BL visual novel about a scammed guy who desperately summons a vengeful demon to get back at the people who tricked him. The demo barely progresses story-wise, but it does a good job of setting the tone of the VN.
#12 - The Frozen Kingdom
And I couldn't leave out the other BL visual novel in the Next Fest. It takes a lot of inspiration from old sword and sorcery fantasy media, featuring loads of magic, fantastical races, and burly scantily-clad men. It still has some placeholder art, but the demo was good enough to make me want more of it. I'm a sucker for fantasy stories, after all.
#13 - My ex-Future Family
My ex-Future Family is an entertaining 3D visual novel with sandbox elements and multiple choices you'll make along the way. The demo was quite short, but it gives you a good idea of what to expect from the full version of the game.
#14 - Succubus Summon
Succubus Summon is a decent 3D visual novel with neat graphics and an enjoyable story about a girl who summons a futa succubus for shits and giggles and is forced to obey every order the succubus gives her, or she'll be punished.
#15 - Princess Survivors
Princess Survivors is a fun Survivors-like game that adds some twists to the gameplay to make it more unique, and its 3D graphics are visually pleasing. The demo didn't have any spicy content, but I assume the full game will have an 18+ patch, as usual.
#16 - VTuber Beats
I played VTuber Beats expecting your typical rhythm game, but I found a fun mix of rhythm game mechanics and platforming elements. It takes a bit to get used to the gameplay, but you can't stop playing it once you do. The full game will need a patch to unlock the adult content, though I have no clue about how they plan to make it fit into the game.
#17 - Ojiv
AI art aside, Ojiv is an entertaining and challenging rhythm game with solid gameplay and decent visuals. The nudity was censored in the demo, so I guess the full game will have a patch once it's released.
That's all, folks! I hope you enjoyed it. Stay tuned for more incoming reviews!