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MagyarGamescom 2022: 4 playable Steam demos of games that starred at the Indie Arena Booth
1. Gatewalkers
Gatewalkers is a survival-focussed, third-person, co-op RPG that sees you trying to save the world by travelling through portals to other worlds on the hunt for resources. Each world is procedurally-generated to keep you on your toes while you fight various enemies and nature itself to survive and return home victorious. The approach to combat in Gatewalkers is unique—for better or worse—with the lack of auto-targeting adding an extra level of difficulty and freedom to what might otherwise be mindless button-mashing. The combination of crafting and a lack of any class system also gives you tremendous potential and flexibility in terms of gameplay.
If Gatewalkers' somewhat-unique combination of third-person, survival, exploration, crafting, and combat systems sounds like something you might be into, check out the demo on Steam and add the game to your wishlist so you get notified when it gets a release date.
2. Deadlink
Deadlink is a fast-paced FPS with roguelike elements that pits the player against the man himself. In Deadlink, you pilot a combat shell—a humanoid battle armour of sorts—that you'll use to fight your way through procedurally-generated corporate headquarters until you inevitably get overwhelmed by the sheer number of enemies. As you're playing a roguelike, you pick yourself up—by your bootstraps, as some might say—upgrade your mech, and do it all over again.
The main premise of the encounter design in Deadlink is that you're outnumbered and overwhelmed, and you must use your wits, abilities, weapons, and agility to stay out of harm's way. You can experience Deadlink in all some of its chaotic, cyberpunk glory with the Steam demo.
Deadlink might not be one such game, but there are certainly games that benefit from a good controller like the 8Bitdo SN30 Pro USB Gamepad, available on Amazon.
3. Metal: Hellsinger
Metal: Hellsinger came out of left field, winning the Most Wanted Game of the Year award during the Gamescom Opening Night Live event, beating out even the much-anticipated Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. Metal: Hellsinger is a rhythm-based FPS where you take control of the devil himself on a vengeful warpath through hell, hacking, slashing, and blasting to the beat of music by some of contemporary heavy metal's greatest artists (some of whom will also be performing live at Gamescom on August 25, by the way).
Aside from the epic soundtrack featuring Matt Heafy (of Trivium), Alissa White-Gluz (of Arch Enemy), and Serj Tankian (of System of a Down), Metal: Hellsinger—at least the demo—is a solid package, with visceral weapon feedback, satisfying sound effects, and good enemy and level design. If "Doom, but somehow more metal" sounds like your cup of tea, give the Metal: Hellsinger Steam demo a bash before the release date on September 15, 2022.
4. Duru - About Mole Rats and Depression
Duru is an odd game that takes you on an educational journey about mental health as a mole rat in an underground world. At first glance, you might assume it's a simple, 2D puzzle-platformer, but you'd be missing a key element of the gameplay—the less-than-useless, antagonistic AI companion that you have to drag along with you through the underground world—that makes the game all the more difficult. Between the game's tagline, the frustrating uselessness of your companion, and the visual design of said companion, it's clear that the NPC is an analogue for depression or mental illness.
Aside from the mental illness metaphor that contrasts beautifully with the bright colours and whimsical music, the game is designed to be easy-to-approach—focussing more on the story and lessons learned than adaptive problem-solving. Don't let Duru's educational focus deter you from having a good time with its unique character and world design though.
