Geeks & Grounds is an asynchronous, monthly game club where we play video games and brew good conversation, together! ☕ Each week, receive a newsletter with a reflection question and curated materials meant to help you thoughtfully connect with the games we play.
Next Fest Demo Recap 🎮 Steam Next Fest [Geeks & Grounds #076]
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In today’s newsletter:
last week's recap 🎧
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Another Steam Next Fest has come and gone, and it was illuminating to see the wide difference that Joel and I had in our experiences! There's been a recent update in how Valve's algorithm suggests demos to us during a festival like this (see here), which seems to take the first day or two to try and fine-tune recommendations based on other people who wishlist the same games as you, and hopefully provide stronger recs on the remaining days of the event.
This new system seemed more fruitful for my searches and much less so for Joel. We talked about the demos we played, the struggles for Joel in finding a working demo, and the specter of AI on Steam.
Finally, the last official heads up! Our monthly hangout is this Saturday, October 26th at 3 pm PT in Discord. We'll discuss Signalis and any remaining Next Fest demos that we'd like to share, and get excited for our November brew (announced below!)
🥐☕ the pastry case (show links)
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Jenny
- I'm on a haunted house kick, and just finished a week-long binge of The Haunting of Hill House. A solid show for folks who love character-driven horror and family drama, rather than gore and jumpscares.
- The reboot of one of the most significant anime of my childhood (perhaps other than Sailor Moon) has been a delight to watch. What I love most is that the animators seem to have truly embraced and highlighted the dynamics and expressions of Rumiko Takahashi's style. My only complaint is that we're getting only one 30-minute episode each Saturday! 😄
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Joel
- Currently watching this long-form improv show, from Netflix a few years back. If you’re looking for something funny without a long-term commitment, I highly recommend!
- Bleach 1000 Year Blood War is back! If you liked the original but the pacing killed you, I’d highly recommend this. Peak animation, killer outfits, what’s not to love?
- Jenny was totally right about this fantastic demo. A game I’ll probably pick up after Neva. I’ve only started Neva, but already it's giving me what I hoped for!
👀 🎮notable indie releases this week
this month's brew ☕
the game we're playing and pondering this month.
We have a special episode coming up next week: a conversation with Abby and Tony of Black Tabby Games!
To help prime us for a November playing Slay the Princess (YAY!), we're kicking off with a conversation with the lovely duo behind the game, Abby and Tony. They're friends of G&G, and this is the second time they'll be visiting to chat with us!
Last time we talked, we delved into horror and comedy -- how they're two sides of the same coin -- and touched on the demo of Slay the Princess. This time around, we'll REALLY be able to chat about the game as they've just launched the Pristine Cut, which is FREE to anyone who already has the game! Get ready for us to talk about themes, inspirations, their favorite snacks while making this title, and more.
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Check out the playthrough guide for our general schedule for playing Control:
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reflection question 💭
reflect on a question related to what we're playing this week
If you'd prefer to respond via email, that's great! You can also consider leaving a voicemail by Oct 27th to be included in the upcoming podcast.
pour over ☕
additional links, activities, and resources to expand your understanding of the game
- Activity Suggestion: Create a tier list of the Voices/Princesses as you encounter them, and share it with a friend (or the G&G community!)
- Catch up on our previous conversation with Tony and Abby here, where we discuss elements of horror and the Slay the Princess demo.
Stay in the loop -- listen to the weekly podcast on Spotify and Apple, hang with the community in Discord, and find us on Instagram!
Thanks for joining our digital café this week -- talk soon!
Jenny
Jenny | Geeks & Grounds
Geeks & Grounds is an asynchronous, monthly game club where we play video games and brew good conversation, together! ☕ Each week, receive a newsletter with a reflection question and curated materials meant to help you thoughtfully connect with the games we play.
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