Immersive sims are an odd and exceedingly specific niche that some players just don't feel like dealing with, but those who enjoy them play all of them. If you're a fan, too, then you'll be thrilled to hear that Gloomwood's next major ??update is coming very, very soon. Kind of!

More specifically, Gloomwood is an Early Access ImSim that's going through a slow and meticulous production process headed by the developer Dillon Rogers. The game's next major update, titled 'The Underport' had been slated for mid-2024 for some time at this point, but plans have now changed, and the chunk of content featured in it was so substantial that it had to be sliced in half. The Underport is now, therefore, two updates instead of one, and its first half, titled 'The Power Station' is comi?ng later this month.

Gloomwood's Power Station level is coming this month, The Hive is on the horizon

Gloomwood first launched via Steam Early Access in August 2022, and the game has been iterating upon its immersive sim core ever since. While the fact that the Underport has bifurcated into two separate releases is a bit sad, the flip side of the equation is that we'll soon have a sizeable new chunk of Gloomwood goodness to tide us over. A fair trade, I'd say.

At this time, we don't know when the second half of the Underport, now known as 'The H??ive' might be coming out. Presumably, it's still slated for 2024, but we'll need to wait and see what Rogers has to say on that front.

The bit that we do know for a fact, though, is that Gloomwood still has a fairly long and storied road ahead of it. As per the pre?vious bit of news about the Underdark update, Rogers intends to focus on the aptly titled Research Update after all of it??s content comes out: "[Research] will allow the doctor to take body parts from enemies back to the lab at the lighthouse in order to study them and gain new abilities." Fun!

After the Research Update, Rogers explained his team will be working on the 'Bank' level, which is due to introduce a high?-tech section of the city, which is a wholly different? brand of excitement, all things considered.

So, it's slow going, but Gloomwood's been nothing short of great so far, and ImSim fans are used to waiting anyway. Especially now, with the studio behind the legendary Prey sadly about to close down. For those who'd like to play Gloomwood in its 1.0 form, all I can say is - stay tuned.

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New Blood announces two dates at once

While the date for one game is moving back a few weeks, another is sliding in to take its place. Publisher New Blood confirms that Gloomwood will have its Early Access launch pushed back, with Ultrakill Act 2 taking its spot.

While the immersive sim Gloomwood was set to hit Early Access on August 16, the game will need some extra time to come together. A few issues have cropped up over the last few months, according to a statement, as well as some developers coming down with COVID-19. The team made the decision to push its release date back by three weeks, to Sept??emb??er 6.

//twitter.com/NewBlood/status/1554532639259783168

It's a little extra time for those who have been patiently waiting, but from the ash arrives a new launch to take its place. New Blood confirms that the second act of Ultrakill, a retro-inspired FPS inspired by the heydays of the '90s, ar?rives on August 16.

Ultrakill, which is in Early Access right now, has an overwhelmingly positive reception so far on Steam's user reviews. And while it's only $20 at the moment, the price will be going up on August 16 with the launch of Act 2.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXiCFvaoVik

Hot swap launches

While Gloomwood fans may be waiting a bit longer for their particular brand of immersive sim, there is at least more Ultrakill on the way to tide them over. And really, both seem to scratch an itch of retro-inspired first-person PC gaming. Just each in their own little way; Gloomwood in sneaking and surviving, and Ultrakill in over-the-top shooter fashion.

It's a fun swap that New Blood has done, and I'm down with it. Plus, Gloomwood also has a pre-alpha demo available on its Steam page right now, if you're quite eager to try it out. Ultrakill also has a demo, and Act 1 is currently in Ear?ly Access.

The post Gloomwood Early Access has been delayed, and Ultrakill Act 2 is moving ??into its slot appeared first on Destructoid.

If you're looking to try something new, here are a few good options

The Steam Next Fest demo party is currently on, with many ??studios showcasing their ??upcoming games. From big to small, solo devs to publisher-backed projects, there's a lot to explore.

I took a browse through the selection over the last day or so, and now I'm back with a list of some demos that seem worth checking out. Keep in mind: this is, by no means, an exhaustive list. There are a ton of demos to find, and if you're looking to fill a specific need like "deck-building roguelike" or something, Steam's tag system will ??get you there.

These are just the ones that caught my eye, and might catch yours too. Some I've even already played, as you'll see in the writeup, at previous ex??pos and demo fests. But with the selection here, there are plenty of cool upcoming games to try out.

Without further ado, let's start with the spooky.

Metal: Hellsinger

The rhythm-FPS genre is quickly filling up, but Metal: Hellsinger has been garnering some attention for its extremely metal approach. I imagine many people who played Doom (2016) found themselves entering a Zen state of chugging guitars and splattering demons, and Hellsinger is the meeting point of t??he two. It's currently set to launch in full on Sept. 15, 2022.

Find the demo on Steam here.

Signalis

Maybe arena shooters aren't your thing. Maybe you prefer your nostalgic, retro-vibes games more in the vein of Resident Evil, with a twist of existential cosmic dread and cyber-horror. Well, Signalis has it in spades. It's atmospheric, moody, utilizes shifts in perspective and audio pips extremely well, and is easily one of my most-anticipated indies headed into later 2022. And it's slated just in time for Halloween, on Oct. 27, 2022.

Find the demo here.

Cult of the Lamb

Okay, so maybe dark-and-creepy is your vibe, but you want a splash of cute. Maybe some isometric roguelite action, and a surprisingly compelling base management system. You should head over to the Cult of the Lamb, Massive Monster's adorably chaotic game about a cute lil' lamb starting a cult. Slay the false prophets, reclaim the forest, and convert the critters to your belief system so they can work while you're away. Cult of the Lamb arrives on Aug. 11, 2022.

You can find the demo here.

Gloomwood

Okay, dark and grimy, but maybe a little more immersive sim. How about a survival horror game with a heavy heaping of the Thief series in Gloomwood? It's set in a dark Victori?an city where guards with? bright, glowing eyes patrol. Plan your route, escape with stealth and ingenuity, and deploy all kinds of fun tools along the way. Just don't get caught.

Find the demo here.

Escape Academy

Okay, I get it. Let's lighten the mood a bit, while sticking with the escape theme. Escape-the-room games have always been quite popular, but Escape Academy brings a little something extra to the table. It's got a narrative twist, as you're a new student at the titular school for escape artists, learning to get out of any sticky situation and meeting classmates and professors along the way. What I really dug about the demo, which is one of my favorites in th?e Next Fest lineup, is that it has online co-op. It was remarkably easy to hop into a room with a friend in another state and play through the demo together, and we had a blast. The release date is right around the corner on July 14, but I can't recommend this demo enough for co-op folks looking to try something new.

Find the demo here.

Potion Permit

Sometimes, you just want to hang out, hunt for some ingredients, and brew some potions. Potion Permit is one of the cozier games in the Steam Next Fest, and I really dug its small-town alchemist sim setup. It's definitely one of the slower starts compared to other games on this list, but if you want to just hang out and brew some potions with your dog, who's a very good boy, then Potion Permit seems up your alley.

Find the demo here.

Terra Nil

This city builder that's actually a nature builder has been top of my to-watch list for some time, and for good reason. Free Lives turns terraforming and restoring the scorched earth into an extremely pleasant experience. With each new installment and fixture, you get some gorgeous animations of grass flowing out across the soil, or water filling desolate canyons. Then, when it's all said and done, you pack up and leave. Terra Nil is beautifully serene ?a??nd definitely worth your time.

Find the demo here.

Anger Foot

And now for something completely different from Free Lives, it's Anger Foot. Jordan recently declared this might be Devolver's most unhinged game yet, and after playing the demo, I'm inclined to agree. That's not a bad thing, though. Anger Foot has powerful kicks and speedy runs through brutal, blistering chaos, but its bass-pumping, pulse-pounding pace can really put you in the zone. It's fast and bizarre, and might be a bit much for some, but I have to?? admit I do love how the gators break it down after bringing you down.

Find the demo here.

Naiad

Okay, wheel it back around. Let's go back to the comforts of nature. Naiad is a gorgeous, almost dreamy game about being a river guardian and hanging out with your river pals. HiWarp has crafted some incredible visuals here, and it makes the whole experience wonderfully serene and flowing in a way that really sticks. Naiad was a Day of the Devs standout, and I'm happy to see it's got a demo in the Next Fest??.

Find the demo here.

Goodbye World

Another Day of the Devs standout for me was Goodbye World, from solo developer Yo Fujii. It is a narrative adventure about the life of two indie developers, who struggle to make their hit game while juggling part-time?? jobs. Interspersed throughout, you actually get to play their game, a cute little puzzle platformer. It's a great concept with wonderful art and huge potential for drama.

Find the demo here.

Frogun

Another nostalgic surprise is Frogun, a throwback 3D platformer about a girl with a frog gun. This seems like it should be on the r??adar of anyone who dug the Nintendo 64 or PlayStation 1 era of platformers. But the bonus is now, with modern technology, we've got a frog-themed grappling gun. Molegato's game ??seems both adorable and pretty interesting for platformer fans.

Check out the demo here.

WrestleQuest

I'm sorry, did you think I'd write a whole Steam Next Fest demo roundup and not include wrestling RPG WrestleQuest? I was pretty surprised and entertained by the demo I played at PAX East 2022. Mega Cat Studios is combining the world of wrestling with action figures and Super Mario RPG-style combat for something that, somehow, works. Works pretty darn well, actually. Pump up the h?ype and pin some fools (or be pinned, if need-be) in RPG fashion.

Find the demo here.

Those are all the games I'm keeping an eye on and checking out. But if you've got any cool demos you like from the Steam Next Fest, please shout them out in the comments!?? Summer showcases are always a landslide of info, but these demo fests are a really great oppor??tunity to test the waters, expand horizons, and add some cool new indie projects to your Steam wishlist.

The post Steam Next Fest: 12 cool demos you should try out appeared first on Destructoid.

Axe you nicely

If there's one thing that the PC Gaming Show nailed this year, it was remembering not to forget to show New Blood's Gothic first-person adventure Gloomwood, which previously had the misfortune of being left off of the show by accident, and uploaded to social media once the stream? had finished. Oops.

Anyway, those who have been waiting to dive into its gory gaslit world will be pleased to hear that Gloomwood finally has an Early Access date, and will be opening its creaky wooden doors on Steam come August 16. Gloomwood's stealth 'n' slash action will come as snug entertainment to those who enjoyed that '90s Thief titles,?? which clearly presented a form of inspiration to the New Blood devs.

In between all the creeping and cranium-axing, players can also indulge in a spot of suitcase arranging, ala Resident Evil 4, which as fans know is almost a compelling game in and of itself. If this is your first time hearing about Gloomwood, then be sure to check out the trailer below to get yourself up to speed on New Blood's latest old-school-cool release. Check out the trailer below, which features several titles from the New Bloo??d catalog along ??with some e-e-edgy comedy.

Gloomwood goes live on Steam Early Access August 16.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVhs6wG0dUA

The post Gothic ‘n’ gory Gloomwood hits Early Access August 16 appeared first on Destructoid.