Over the weekend, I tried out a few of the many games that had demos available as part of the Steam Game Festival: Spring Edition.
Divisadero (Team2Bit)
I’m not entirely sure about what the backstory to Divisadero is, but I know it’s incredibly intriguing. The demo starts by dropping you into a jail cell, where you can talk to other prisoners and look around. You learn that you were a cop at some point, but something clearly went wrong. A seemingly apocalyptic event has befallen San Francisco and covered it in a mysterious slime, meaning the local police are desperate for members. You’re re-recruited out of your cell, given a partner, and tossed into the now-desolate California.
The demo was divided into a variety of sections, each showcasing different aspects of Divisadero. In one segment, my partner and I were interrogating a weapons dealer. I got to decide how far the interrogation went, and whether I’d accept a bribe or pursue the truth. Another eerie part had me wandering around outside an abandoned home and the cornfield surrounding it. The simple pixel-art adds an unsettling feeling to the whole demo, so I can’t wait to see how off-putting the atmosphere of the full game is. I’m excited for Divisadero to release, as it seems to be my kind of tense adventure game.
she dreams elsewhere (Studio Zevere)
As the game that I was most excited to check out initially, I found myself becoming pretty disappointed with the demo for she dreams elsewhere as I played it. From its trailers, I found the Game Boy-esque sprites and Earthbound-inspired gameplay appealing. The gameplay ended up feeling a bit too basic, but the sprites and environments were genuinely great.
It’s the writing of she dreams elsewhere that really turned me off, as it heavily leaned into the “relatable young adult” style of games like Life is Strange and Night in the Woods. The characters spout memes and internet slang to one another and say phrases that would fit in the worst types of Tinder bios. Hating everything isn’t a replacement for a personality, so I found most of the characters to be either dull or grating. There are definitely lots of people who enjoy this style of writing, and I’d recommend they look into she dreams elsewhere if they also like RPGs, but I found the writing and basic gameplay to be a bit too much for me to enjoy.
Duster (Coldrice Games)
If you were to combine Oregon Trail with a top-down action game and a roguelike, you’d end up with Duster. Right off the bat, you make your own character and determine what skills they’ll have. Then you’re given a set amount of money to buy supplies and weapons and dropped into the world of Duster.
As I wandered around the grassy plains, I was attacked by rats, snakes, and ruffians. With only a pocket-knife to defend myself (guns are expensive), I quickly learned that I’d have to be careful as I hacked and slashed my way through the West. I was doing alright until I foolishly decided to travel at night during a snowstorm. Unable to see and slowly freezing, I was quickly set upon by bandits. All the raw rat meat and water couldn’t save me, as I died before I could find a way to escape. Though there were a couple of technical issues (I got stuck in walls a few times), I quite liked my time with Duster, harsh difficulty and all.
Haven (The Game Bakers)
Haven is a lot of things. Part RPG, part 3D exploration game, and part love story– all conveyed with colorful and excellent visuals. The demo primarily jumped between dialogue segments between the two main characters, Yu and Kay, and roaming sections where I explored the world that our ship had crashed in. The dialogue sections were quite genuine, as the writing and voice acting sold me on the chemistry between the two main characters.
Exploring the surrounding area was really a blast, as the foreign world’s colors and landmarks were soothing to look at. As Yu and Kay, you can glide around slightly off the floor to move more quickly. The fluidity of motion that gliding provides added to the laid-back atmosphere of Haven, which was probably my favorite part of it. If you’re into engrossing visuals and strong character chemistry, be sure to keep an eye on Haven.
