It's that time again! From now until October 7 you get to try out various new demos on Steam, watch developer livestreams and much more.
This is another wonderful chance to test out various games before they see a full release. For the games included in the event, they are supposed to be releasing somewhere between October 7, 2021 and May 1, 2022 so even if you find something you like it might be a while before you get to see the full complete thing.
As for what to check out? There's plenty — obviously. For some of our own quick-picks we can suggest a few that actually have Linux demo builds up:
| APICO | Crawlyard |
| Dome Romantik | Elteria Adventures |
| Ex-Zodiac | Hex of the Lich |
| Lumencraft | Midnight Protocol |
| NeJ | Onsen Master |
| Space Betrayers | TailQuest Defense |
| The Garden Path | Trinity Archetype |
If you find anything especially interesting, do be sure to leave a comment.
See the full event page for more.
You can watch the official livestream below:
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Some you may have missed, popular articles from the last month:
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QuoteSounds bit like TailQuest Defense. I watched recording of the gameplay stream and even in the demo there are things to do during the wave. I almost found the cannon. I guess I was bit too busy planning for the next wave and forgot about it. Hopefully I have time to take a second look at the demo.Yes! This is our game :)
I see you are using Gentoo - did you have any problems running our game?
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Quoting: AnzaSure, there could be developers who are not testing on Linux. I find more productive to assume the best of people instead of assuming the worst. Developers most likely are just very busy as event has strict deadline.
Yes, reporting issues takes a moment, but they won't be fixing Linux related bugs they don't know about, that's for sure. As bonus they will know that there's at least one Linux user interested in their game.
Also if enough of us actively report issues, we could test every game during first day of the event. There's at the moment hundred games included in the event that will potentially support Linux at some point (why else they would advertise Linux support). Of those, handful actually have a Linux demo (one can hope that Valve includes demo availability for the platform filter). I have bit problem that if the game works, I will play it, so I'm not effective at finding all those issues of missing executables and alike.
If error message states invalid platform, then the demo doesn't exist in the first place. With those it's bit too likely it's intentional.
If I'm an existing customer that discovers a way to make a game I'm enjoying better, or if a developer reaches out to a community I'm part of asking for assistance, then of course I'm going to help. Happy to.
This isn't that. The store page is explicitly and directly an interaction between them as the seller of a product, and me as a potential customer. The demo is an advert that's trying to wow me with how much I'm going to want to buy their product. If some marketing magic has got me to the point that I'm checking out their game and the advert doesn't even work?
Guess what? I am not wowed.
On the bright side, I'm unlikely to remember anything at all about the interaction, so it's not a black mark against the developer for the future. But is it a missed opportunity? Absolutely.
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Quoting: RejkeQuoteSounds bit like TailQuest Defense. I watched recording of the gameplay stream and even in the demo there are things to do during the wave. I almost found the cannon. I guess I was bit too busy planning for the next wave and forgot about it. Hopefully I have time to take a second look at the demo.Yes! This is our game :)
I see you are using Gentoo - did you have any problems running our game?
Other than odd thing where I ended up controlling both characters at the same time, I don't think that I had any technical problems. Handily my other technical details are in my profile. And if needed I can paste more information here if it's helpful.
Quoting: CatKillerQuoting: AnzaSure, there could be developers who are not testing on Linux. I find more productive to assume the best of people instead of assuming the worst. Developers most likely are just very busy as event has strict deadline.
Yes, reporting issues takes a moment, but they won't be fixing Linux related bugs they don't know about, that's for sure. As bonus they will know that there's at least one Linux user interested in their game.
If I'm an existing customer that discovers a way to make a game I'm enjoying better, or if a developer reaches out to a community I'm part of asking for assistance, then of course I'm going to help. Happy to.
This isn't that. The store page is explicitly and directly an interaction between them as the seller of a product, and me as a potential customer. The demo is an advert that's trying to wow me with how much I'm going to want to buy their product. If some marketing magic has got me to the point that I'm checking out their game and the advert doesn't even work?
Guess what? I am not wowed.
If the advertisement is software, I'm not surprised it doesn't work
If it doesn't work on Windows, there will be complaints lot faster.
Quoting: CatKillerOn the bright side, I'm unlikely to remember anything at all about the interaction, so it's not a black mark against the developer for the future. But is it a missed opportunity? Absolutely.
Yes, that's the thing. It really is a missed opportunity. I would think getting more developers out there that know how to make games for Linux that just work would be good thing. It's just that nobody is Ethan Lee when they start out, far from it. But people learn, it just takes time.
Also if they reach out, nobody might notice. Unless GamingOnLinux or something similar picks it up and makes it into an article.
Of course everybody has to draw line somewhere, I don't think anybody here gets paid to test those games. I'm just bit odd that I enjoy testing at work and during free time.
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I had time today only for one and that happened to be Blight
Blight is isometric survival crafting game that aims for realism. Luckily there's two difficulty levels
I haven't played lot of crafting games, maybe some Don't Starve (that order is hard to follow...), Valheim (hey, in this one not starving is actually doable) and Long Dark (why it's so cold all the sudden),. So maybe I have played some.
What Blight has is all kind of bars for stamina, hunger and thirst and the usual. So you at least in the beginning have to hunt lot of wabbits. And chop lot of wood.
Crafting system is bit complex, so there's lot of things you can do with it. What I managed to do before dying was lot of cooking and I made also some chamomile tea. If you manage to fend of hunger and thirst, there's always coyotes and blight to look out for.
There seemed to be bit of a plot also, though I didn't get far enough to see where the plot is going.
It does seem to have some potential. I can see that it's possible to get into flow of just crafting things. Especially if there's some way to get food bit more reliably. I guess this one goes into my try again later if there's time list.
Blight is isometric survival crafting game that aims for realism. Luckily there's two difficulty levels
I haven't played lot of crafting games, maybe some Don't Starve (that order is hard to follow...), Valheim (hey, in this one not starving is actually doable) and Long Dark (why it's so cold all the sudden),. So maybe I have played some.
What Blight has is all kind of bars for stamina, hunger and thirst and the usual. So you at least in the beginning have to hunt lot of wabbits. And chop lot of wood.
Crafting system is bit complex, so there's lot of things you can do with it. What I managed to do before dying was lot of cooking and I made also some chamomile tea. If you manage to fend of hunger and thirst, there's always coyotes and blight to look out for.
There seemed to be bit of a plot also, though I didn't get far enough to see where the plot is going.
It does seem to have some potential. I can see that it's possible to get into flow of just crafting things. Especially if there's some way to get food bit more reliably. I guess this one goes into my try again later if there's time list.
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For today there's more. There might not be time for another batch, but lets see.
Magna Graecia
Tile placement puzzle, be sure to read the rules as there's no tutorial. Basically the idea you expand land by upgrading tiles and you upgrade tiles by placing three similar ones in triangle shape where each tile has two similar tiles next to it.
Seems like good distraction for a while if you have patience for reading the rules. As is, can't be sure if there will be something that will keep you playing longer.
Retro Commander
It's clearly retro RTS for sure. Too bad I couldn't figure out how to launch the tutorial as I would have been wiped out if enemy was there to actually to kill me. There seems to be electricity and resource gathering and stuff like that. There might be good game in there, I just didn't have enough patience.
Hex the Lich
Hex based strategy with strange creatures and strange attacks. Tutorial gets you started, though user interface could indicate better which characters have actions left. Nice thing is that once you get past the level, you can buy upgrades. Upgrades can be new attacks or you can add tiles to your existing attacks.
Might be worth a revisit later, though I usually feel awake enough for strategy games.
Woodland Empire
This is as developer states, it's a city builder, but you place plants and trees instead of buildings. There's some ecology simulation going on and tutorial explains the fundamentals.
In practice it seems bit of a sandbox game with some limitations so you can't place everything right away.
I didn't get bored with it as it crashed and froze now and then. Idea is interesting, though full game would need even more stuff to be more than one hour diversion. I think demo had predators too, just didn't try them because of the instabilities.
Art of Destruction
Art of destruction pretty much sums the game. It's pretty much a toy once you figure out how to interact with it. Tab opens menu with all kinds of disasters. Some you can control, some you can't. There's also three scenarios, the default one is the most boring. Two others are better at killing your framerate.
I have seen better destruction games, but at least the demo is free.
Magna Graecia
Tile placement puzzle, be sure to read the rules as there's no tutorial. Basically the idea you expand land by upgrading tiles and you upgrade tiles by placing three similar ones in triangle shape where each tile has two similar tiles next to it.
Seems like good distraction for a while if you have patience for reading the rules. As is, can't be sure if there will be something that will keep you playing longer.
Retro Commander
It's clearly retro RTS for sure. Too bad I couldn't figure out how to launch the tutorial as I would have been wiped out if enemy was there to actually to kill me. There seems to be electricity and resource gathering and stuff like that. There might be good game in there, I just didn't have enough patience.
Hex the Lich
Hex based strategy with strange creatures and strange attacks. Tutorial gets you started, though user interface could indicate better which characters have actions left. Nice thing is that once you get past the level, you can buy upgrades. Upgrades can be new attacks or you can add tiles to your existing attacks.
Might be worth a revisit later, though I usually feel awake enough for strategy games.
Woodland Empire
This is as developer states, it's a city builder, but you place plants and trees instead of buildings. There's some ecology simulation going on and tutorial explains the fundamentals.
In practice it seems bit of a sandbox game with some limitations so you can't place everything right away.
I didn't get bored with it as it crashed and froze now and then. Idea is interesting, though full game would need even more stuff to be more than one hour diversion. I think demo had predators too, just didn't try them because of the instabilities.
Art of Destruction
Art of destruction pretty much sums the game. It's pretty much a toy once you figure out how to interact with it. Tab opens menu with all kinds of disasters. Some you can control, some you can't. There's also three scenarios, the default one is the most boring. Two others are better at killing your framerate.
I have seen better destruction games, but at least the demo is free.
0 Likes
As the event is ending soon and some demos might disappear. Here's summary of the good ones from the last several posts. To keep things short, I'll list just games that I'm totally sure about and I wont' repeat the longer review.
APICO
Bees and crafting, what's not to like. The demo has been there before the event, so I assume it won't vanish. Hopefully you only bugs you'll find is the bees though. But maybe it works better for other than me.
LumenCraft
Tower defense like game with mining. Has some learning curve, but the gameplay is solid once you get hang of it.
The Garden Path
Great atmosphere and there's also game in there. If you're not allergic to gardening, try this one out.
Neverlooted Dungeon : Almost Epic Adventures™
There's not too many immersive simulators available for Linux. This one seems to get quite lot of things right.
Woodland Empire
What can I say, I like ecology and nature simulations. Hopefully it's more stable for you than me.
Logic Light
If you need easy puzzle, this one is good diversion for a while.
If you would also tell your favorite ones, now would be good time, as said there might not be lot of time to play the games.
APICO
Bees and crafting, what's not to like. The demo has been there before the event, so I assume it won't vanish. Hopefully you only bugs you'll find is the bees though. But maybe it works better for other than me.
LumenCraft
Tower defense like game with mining. Has some learning curve, but the gameplay is solid once you get hang of it.
The Garden Path
Great atmosphere and there's also game in there. If you're not allergic to gardening, try this one out.
Neverlooted Dungeon : Almost Epic Adventures™
There's not too many immersive simulators available for Linux. This one seems to get quite lot of things right.
Woodland Empire
What can I say, I like ecology and nature simulations. Hopefully it's more stable for you than me.
Logic Light
If you need easy puzzle, this one is good diversion for a while.
If you would also tell your favorite ones, now would be good time, as said there might not be lot of time to play the games.
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Quoting: elmapulHEY! isnt "The Garden Path" an godot game?
and ex-zodiac definitely is
wait, tail quest too! how many godot games do we have on this list?
ok, never mind, i didnt understand what the list was about ...
I guess this is the best place to drop this. There was actually 34 games made with Godot in the Next Fest: https://godotengine.org/article/godot-games-steam-next-fest-oct-2021
Half of them clearly support Linux. Some of the rest might have Linux in the roadmap, but figuring that out would need digging in quite deep as there might be just one mention in games discussions.
Last edited by Anza on 12 October 2021 at 3:49 pm UTC
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