Steam Next Fest offers new demos for Broken Roads, Stray Souls, Lil’ Guardsman, and Tamarak Trail
Versus Evil, one of the leading independent video game publishers, are showcasing its upcoming line-up by offering free public demos of four of its games for Steam Next Fest, running from June 19th-26th. Here players will get a hands-on sneak peek at the post-apocalyptic isometric RPG Broken Roads, survival horror nightmare Stray Souls, whimsical narrative deduction game Lil’ Guardsman, and dice-based deck-building roguelike Tamarak Trail.
“We’re really happy with the lineup Versus Evil has planned, with super high quality games spanning multiple genres,” said Steve Escalante, general Manager of Versus Evil. “From the mature terror of Stray Souls to the family-friendly humor and light-hearted puzzles of Lil’ Guardsman, Versus Evil has something for everybody in 2023. These demos offer a small taste of what’s to come later this year!”
Here are more detailed summaries of each game for you to check out during Steam Next Fest:
Broken Roads
Drop Bear Bytes
PC, Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms
Broken Roads is a narrative-driven RPG that brings exploration, strategic turn-based combat and meaningful philosophical choices to an all-new Australian post-apocalyptic setting. Broken Roads skillfully blends traditional and all-new role-playing elements on top of a classless system offering near-unlimited character development options built around four philosophies: Humanist, Utilitarian, Machiavellian, and Nihilist. Furthermore the game presents players with an original morality system: the Moral Compass which sees dialogue options and questing decisions influence, and be influenced by, a character's philosophical leaning and the tough decisions they make along the way.
Broken Roads’ locations are all authentic recreated from the team visiting towns and landmarks in West Australia and taking photos, videos and audio recordings for it to be as true as possible. Furthermore, even the game's atmospheric soundtrack composed by Tim Sunderland is composed with instruments constructed from everyday objects which brings a wholly unique and distinctive tone to the game.
This demo puts players in the role of the Hired Gun, one of four origin stories available in the final game. Your starting story impacts your reputation, how people interact with you, and even where you begin your journey and which locations will be available to you. In the full game you’ll be able to choose a different origin story, including that of a Jackaroo, Surveyor or member of a Barter Crew.
Stray Souls
Jukai Studio
PC, PlayStation, and Xbox Series platforms
Stray Souls is a mystery-driven psychological horror game that puts you in the mind of Daniel, a teenage boy who inherits a home from his estranged grandmother. As he moves in, Daniel meets the enigmatic Martha who knows more about the house than he would expect. As night falls, dark secrets hiding within the dwelling and Daniel’s past come out of the woodworks - secrets Daniel cannot seem to outrun…
The new demo begins with Daniel and Martha arriving outside the Aspen Falls police station, which is locked down tight. Players will explore the area in search of a way inside, but will encounter dark forces hellbent on keeping them out.
Stray Souls combines beloved elements of Japanese survival horror games with an array of new tricks, including a variety of randomized systems where enemy encounters, item placement, paranormal activity and even weather patterns are always changing so no two playthroughs are exactly the same. Using the power of Metahuman technology and Unreal Engine 5, characters and environments are authentically brought to life, throwing you straight into the dread and dismay of the narrative.
Tamarak Trail
Yarrow Games
PC, Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox Series platforms
Tamarak Trail is a turn-based deck-building roguelike that uses customizable dice instead of cards. As a member of a secret society named the Sturgeon Lodge it’s up to you to piece together the mystery of a decaying earth, hunt down the source of this corruption and put a stop to it at all costs.
Embarking on this adventure, you can choose one of three characters; The Magician, the Tracker or the Detective, each with their own unique abilities and traits. Depending on your preferred playstyle, the character’s different skills and attributes allow you to craft a unique strategy for your character as they navigate the ominous trail. Procedurally-generated paths create a myriad of possibilities where you can encounter events, monsters, campsites, treasure and more. Every new discovery reveals new bonuses and strategies to explore.
To combat the monsters and nefarious foes you’ll encounter, you’ll have to be tactical in your dice-building, as each face could mean the difference between victory or defeat. Different dice sides can be used to attack directly, apply buffs and debuffs, inflict damage over time, defend yourself, to “flip” them to another side for combo awesomeness and much more. You can even apply “dice cores” to secure passive abilities. You’re given direct control of your dice rolls, and getting them to smack together allows you to create killer combo attacks. In true deck-builder fashion, dice faces can be customized with more abilities after each victory, adding new attacks, defenses and combinations to take forward into future battles.