Five frighteningly fun new indie.io gems worth trying this Steam Next Fest

Standing ever ready to deliver a swathe of new games, indie.io is primed to deliver horror, adventure, and bare-knuckle brawls to the June edition of Steam Next Fest. In helping to translate the ideas of independent developers into polished releases, the team is set to debut five new titles alongside two returning favorites that are right around the corner. So, if you're struggling to wade through the bountiful pages of the latest Steam Next Fest catalogue, let us take away the stress of what should be a fun-filled couple of weeks. Get ready to start summer off strong by tasting a bunch of original titles before they're ready for release.

Shrine's Legacy

Explore two full dungeons and meet the villagers of just as many towns in this generous demo of Shrine's Legacy - a gorgeous action-RPG inspired by the greats of the SNES era and the recent 16-bit resurgence.

Three bosses with shifting perspectives await your blade, and there's plenty of time to see how this whimsical yet dramatic, character-driven tale of magic might bubble and brew over time.

And, as a neat extra nod to the multiplayer nature of its inspiration, Shrine's Legacy features full co-op. You'll be able to give that a whirl in the demo through local co-op, or even via Steam's Remote Play Together feature.

Troublemaker 2

If you're a fan of Streets of Rage, Like a Dragon, or yearn for a more comedic take on Suzuki's Shenmue, Troublemaker 2 is well worth fighting for.

Bringing back the Parakacuk gang from the original, you hop into this demo with free roam already unlocked. Explore the streets of South Jayakarta on your own terms while tackling up to 12 silly side stories and minigames ranging from jamming at the studio in new rhythm games, catching a few fish, or… becoming a cow.

Of course, it wouldn't be Troublemaker without a little mischief, too. Any number of those relaxing or productive tasks can break out into street brawls. Set down your rod and learn to throw hands in this bizarre and brazen demo that brings the colorful cast of the original game head-to-head against the Beyond Dream crew of this new locale.

Don't Die, Collect Loot

Next up is a game that needs little more than an introduction. Don't Die, Collect Loot wears its premise on its box art. Take your pick of three open-book classes and customize them to your liking with robust and wacky upgrade paths.

Gear up with your findings and head into a bustling brawl against countless enemies in a frantic flurry of maddening bullet-hell action that grounds the typical sky-high flavor of the age-old genre, turning the SNES-era RPG template into a high-stakes and fast-paced vertical slice of dodge, shoot, and survive. You'll play this game the same way you likely just read that sentence - without breaking for a breath.

Don't want to spoil the full release? No worries. The Steam Next Fest demo thrusts you into the leaderboard-enabled Endless Nightmare mode in a quest to subdue Alethia, an Uber Boss exclusive to the Next Fest build. Defeat that big bad to score exclusive items for the full release.

Mythrealm

Take on the night in Mythrealm, a deliciously retro dark fantasy combat game. On your quest to defend the magic that makes the Mythrealm of Arloria, you'll tangle with traps, lock iron with demons, and explore a beautifully shaded section of a wondrous realm, releasing wizards imprisoned by the demons of Ragratha, looking to cast their dark shroud over the land.

As you progress through dangerous castles and the twists and turns of the land's overgrowth, you'll come across treasure chests teeming with powerfully enchanted loot to help you combat what lies ahead.

Find the Legendary Warhammer of Wilmer hidden somewhere in the demo, and you'll stand a pretty good chance of survival in this tricky action-RPG inspired by the ever-evolving soulslike genre.

Aris Arcanum

Bear witness to the manic descent of a scholar once bound for greatness. This early slice of Aris Arcanum lets you toy around with the basics of spellcrafting, teasing the unbridled power of the carefully combined creations to come.

With a hidden secret encouraging subsequent runs, one tough boss encounter, and a side quest to supplement the narrative thread that punctuates Clyde's dark journey to the grand library of Aris, there's plenty to get stuck into with this isometric dungeon crawler roguelike.

Aris Arcanum is a cosmically supernatural tale of survival and subjugation inspired by Bloodborne and the RPGs of yore. Your mastery of the teachings found in the perilous ancient archive can dramatically increase your chances of fighting back against the twisting force imprisoned within its walls.

VoidSayer and NEDRA return

Beyond the new reveals, indie.io also has two new releases on the summer slate worth checking out: Voidsayer and NEDRA.

Voidsayer, described by players as Darkest Dungeon meets Pokemon, is a twisted and tactical roguelike creature collector that landed just in time for Steam's recent #TurnBasedThursdayFest event. If you can command battle-hardened beasts to take on the monstrosities of the Abyss, this could be a great strategy game to download to a handheld for your next flight.

That leaves NEDRA, a 3D psychological horror adventure inspired by cosmic Lovecraftian lore. Set in the icy cold confines of a Soviet-era Antarctica station, push through blizzards and against frigid climes to discover the eerie fate of your crew. Crush skulls with a crowbar and char the remains with a trusty flamethrower, and you might just manage to keep a shambling army of horrors from pulling off their dark and twisted rituals at the expense of your men.

NEDRA releases on June 23. You can get a feel for the frostbite to come with a demo available during Steam Next Fest.

That's just a tiny taste of what indie.io is bringing to the mid-year Next Fest celebrations. Check out the full indie.io Next Fest page, and you're sure to find an indie team working on your ideal game.

If you're looking to take the next step with your own game, reach out to the indie.io team to learn how they can help with anything from distribution and management to marketing your grand ambition.