Here we are – the doors of Steam Next Fest 2022 have opened a few days ago, and beyond them awaits a myriad of Turn-Based RPGs and Strategies.
What is Steam Next Fest?
Steam Next Fest is a festival, celebrating developers & publishers, and highlighting games that are currently in development. During the event, you can try many demos, and test the quality of Indie and non-Indie projects. Next Fest began on 13th of June and will close its doors on the 20th – so trying every title is quite a feat. However, with some advice, you can at least make sure not to miss those that most interest you.
All the Turn-Based Games from the Steam Festival of June 2022
We started our coverage of the Fest with Erik Strateture’s list. Inside there are many interesting projects, especially for those who love card-based games, or somewhat different-than-usual experiences.
Below however, you’ll find a list of turn-based games that I, personally, really want to try. Maybe you’ll want to try them as well. I’ve collected 20, but I assure you there are many more, that I had to leave out… It is madness how many there are.
By the way, in the next few days I’ll try some of these titles live on Twitch – and I’ll also upload the gameplay to YouTube.
20 RPGs & Strategy Games you must try during Steam Next Fest of June 2022
Of Blades & Tails
From the creator of Colmen’s Quest, Felix Laukel, comes a brand new roguelike RPG. Of Blades & Tails puts the players in the shoes of a fox named Reik on his quest to save the realm. A classless progression, a beautiful open world to explore and much more. The game should come out sometime in 2022.
WrestleQuest
Wrestling and turn-based combat, what else would you ask for? Meet Randy Savage, Jake the Snake, Andre the Giant and many other iconic characters in this story-driven turn-based RPG. Players must fight their way to the top by battling it out on the ring. Opponents to defeat and spectators to entertain in crazy turn-based battles. No release date yet.
Nitro Kid
Nitro Kid is a deckbuilding roguelite where players control a Kung-Fu master as he fights against Infinity Megacorp. A mix of 80s Kung-Fu films and cyberpunk. Players must make smart use of the deck by composing super combos and upgrading cards to improve their effectiveness.
Celestial Project
An interesting roguelike tactical RPG set on spaceships – where players must fight on 9×9 square grid maps using many weapons and skills, some of which you’ll get by capturing enemies. The release date is set for this month.
Queen’s Wish 2: The Tormentor
Spiderweb Software is a legendary dev, famous for their Avernum and Geneforge series. You can expect the same depth and complexity in the next chapter of Queen’s Wish, called The Tormentor. A huge world to explore, offering over 50 hours of gameplay, more than 100 quests to take – and a ton of artifacts to find. Queen’s Wish 2: The Tormentor is expected for release in August 2022.
Tyrant’s Blessing
I tried Tyrant’s Blessing a few days ago, and I defined it as Into the Breach – but with swords, spells, and dragons. In fact, the game offers the same tactical approach, where we must take actions according to what the enemies will do once the end-turn button is hit. A huge number of characters to choose from and a lovely pixel art style. The release date is set for Q3 2022.
Lost Eidolons
We’ve been following Lost Eidolons for a long time, and after some playtesting, offered by the devs during the last month, now there is a whole demo to enjoy. Lost Eidolons is a Fire Emblem-esque tactical RPG where players will take on the role of a mercenary captain in a war-ravaged land of Benerio. Over 20 characters to choose from – many of whom must be convinced to join you, and lots of tactical square grid maps to go through. The release date is set for Q3 2022.
Dunnigan’s Trail
Traveling the world of Dunnigan’s Trail as a merchant is dangerous, so you must choose wisely which character to add to your party. Tactical battles, tough decisions to take, and new units to unlock by finding special artifacts. Dunnigan’s Trail has no release date yet, so be sure to try the demo.
Rising Spire
Rising Spire is born of the dev’s love for Final Fantasy and Persona. A turn-based RPG that offers a solid combat system where you can switch between different weapons to exploit enemy weaknesses. An inspired world to explore, where players must go deep into their allies’ stories to improve their bond and unlock events – to enjoy the full tale. Rising Spire is expected during 2022 with no release date yet.
Cricket: Jae’s Really Peculiar Game
A unique take on the JRPG genre, Cricket offers a strange version of reality to explore, where throwing watermelons is a viable combat tactic. A wacky cartoon-style tactical adventure, full of weird yet memorable moments, like crashing a rock concert, or meeting the sad rock.
Manafinder
An entire world, full of magic and mystery, awaits just beyond the shining white walls of the holy kingdom. For an exile, there’s no way back – and so begins a long journey across the vast, beautiful land of Aevi, where danger lurks around every corner. With its retro JRPG-inspired art style, its strange and terrible monsters to defeat in turn-based battles, and a great quest, that’ll decide the fate of the exiles, Manafinder truly looks to be a grand adventure.
Netherguild
Deep underground, where weird monsters dwell amidst the shadows, and strange plants glow with ghostly luminance, the cure for the terrible plague is hidden. Now, it’s up to the player to lead a party of fearless adventurers into the subterranean realms – and bring it to the surface. I’m sure many have already guessed the genre – Netherguild is a classic-style dungeon-crawling roguelite and, with its sorcerous lighting effects and unique voxel graphics, it truly captures the imagination.
The Outbound Ghost
A charming gothic cartoon-esque adventure with quaint cottage-style scenery, The Outbound Ghost tells the sad, yet humorous tale of a group of ghosts trying to ascend to the afterlife. Their way of doing it involves plenty of exploration, turn-based JRPG-like battles and a lot of funny dialogue. Definitely a unique-looking journey through the realms of the supernatural.
Subterrain: Mines of Titan
Subterrain‘s story is about as grim as science fictions gets. A lone survivor, in an infected, underground bunker-like city, where extraterrestrial horrors lurk around every turn. Thirst and hunger are a constant danger – as the hero navigates the dark, metal hallways of the vast abandoned base, scavenging for supplies. Overall – a truly nightmarish survival horror, where the glow of your lightsaber is about the only thing you can trust.
Powerchord
The developers call the style “rock’n roguelite” – and it’s a good description, if you want to get a sense of what the game’s all about. In Power Chord, the heroes’ arsenal consists not of sword and battleaxes – but of no less dangerous-looking bladed guitars and morningstar-like drumsticks. The way those look, you could expect the warband to straight-up hit their enemies with their musical weapons. The game, however, uses a somewhat more inventive card-based system. Its combat involves battering foes with power chords and thundering drum solos.
Immortal Tactics: War of the Eternals
What, at first glance, seems like a simple tactical RPG is, in reality, a fairly complex and challenging game. Choose your god and three heroes and fight on hex-based puzzle-like maps; unlock more heroes as you reach – and win – the final battle of each scenario. The release date is 15th of July 2022.
Also – I’m going to play it live on Steam on the 18th, 7:30 am CET.
Deadzoned: A Credits Bounty
Personally, I love roguelikes, or rather “traditional roguelikes” – so, to me, Deadzoned: A Credits Bounty looks awesome, with its retro cowboy sci-fi aesthetics. Enter various scenarios with each-time-different events to face; from walking through serene Park Zones or stinky Sewage Zones, to dealing with Cannibal Clans, Necromancer Cults and more. According to its Steam page, Deadzoned should come out this very year.
Tidewoken
Tidewoken is a co-op multiplayer tactical RPG where a party of up-to-four epic heroes must face dungeons full of all kinds of monsters. Four classes, in addition to many skills and perks to choose and unlock. In addition, the game offers a very solid PVP mode. Tidewoken should come out in Q4 2022.
Ash of Gods: The Way
I played lately – and really enjoyed Ash of Gods: The Way, even without having tried the other games in the series. One of its strongest features is a unique card-based combat system, where you must defend your commander, while defeating the opposition. As the player follows the story, he’ll unlock new units, complete side quests and make difficult decisions – that will take him to 20 different endings. No release date yet.
Hard West 2
Let’s end this list with Hard West 2. This Turn-Based RPG is set in a supernatural version of the Wild West, where dynamic environments truly bring a breath of fresh air to the genre. Bullets, spells, teleportations make it as crazy as super fascinating. Hard West 2 should come out during 2022.
Let me know what you think about these 20 turn-based RPG & Strategy Demos from Steam Next Fest 2022 on Twitter and on our Discord channel. Also remember to reach me on Twitch – live almost every morning 7:30 AM CET.
