10 – Ship, Inc.
I might be scrapping the barrel with this one, but just because Ship, Inc. has a cute cat, doesn’t mean it can’t be a standout strategy management worthy of being highlighted this Steam Next Fest. This demo puts you at the helm of a small, but hard-working shipping company, challenging you to navigate the complexities of international trade, optimize routes, and manage a diverse fleet of vessels… Not really, no. You’re a packing expert processing orders, improving your office, doing time management challenges, and making sure you select the right boxes and arrange the items properly for the job. Sometimes that’s good enough. Yes, this list has some chill games too, and if you’re looking for more military lists, you can look them up here.
9 – Anvil Empires
From the makers of the highly successful Foxholes, comes the ambitious world of Anvil Empires, a massively multiplayer medieval strategy game. This unique title challenges thousands of players to collaborate in a persistent online world, where they’ll build empires, establish complex logistical supply chains, and engage in epic, large-scale battles, skirmishes, and sieges. The Steam Next Fest demo is being used as a stress test, but you can play the game in order to get an idea of this is something you might be interested in. I know I am because having 1000 other players coordinating to fight melee battles is something I don’t think we have ever seen. This isn’t necessarily a strategy game in the strict sense of the word, but if you’re a commander in the game, it certainly feels like it.
8 – Kaizen: A Factory Story
Have you ever worked in a corporate environment? If so, then you must have heard of the Kaizen method. If you haven’t, then you can delve into the intricate world of efficiency and optimization with Kaizen: A Factory Story, a compelling factory simulation game featured in the Steam Next Fest from the team that made Opus Magnum, Infiniafactory, and SpaceChem. This title challenges players to design, build, and refine complex production lines, focusing on the principles of continuous improvement (Kaizen) to maximize output and minimize waste. The demo offers a chance to experiment with various assembly processes, troubleshoot bottlenecks, and implement clever logistical solutions to create the perfect manufacturing ecosystem.
7 – General Command
This is a fun one I had never heard about. General Command is a turn-based tactical wargame set in the Napoleonic era with a demo currently available in the Steam Next Fest. This demo will see players lead their armies against other army generals immerses players in intense, hex-less combat scenarios, in a fast-paced kind of gameplay with a very smooth and slick control scheme demanding meticulous planning and strategic foresight to achieve victory.
6 – Dispatch
We don’t get enough strategy super-hero games in my opinion, so I love it whenever I see something new that’s trying to do something a bit different. Dispatch is a strategy/ management game where you’re basically a dispatching officer managing a team of superheroes. If you have played 911 or 112, you know what this game is trying to be about, as you, Robert Robertson, the Mecha Man, whose mech-suit was destroyed, is now forced to take upon a desktop to make ends meet. I’m curious to see how this one is going to balance storytelling with the freedom that other games like 911 gave players, which was a major part of what made that game work so well. There’s a lot of potential here.
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