In today’s newsletter:

• finishing signalis
• steam next fest demo recommendations
• tips for navigating the next fest

last week's recap 🎧
​our podcast discussion of the game + other media we've gotten into over the last week.

Remember your promise. This phrase became the main question for me in this last section of Signalis. We've transitioned from looking for her and now attempting to sort out just what exactly we need to do to fulfill this long-standing request. Joel and I still have tons of questions, even as we compare endings, so if you have insights, I'd love to hear them! Listen to the episode to find out what endings we did get, and join our Discord to chat with the rest of the community about your theories!

Also! Our monthly hangout is almost upon us ~ a reminder that October 26th at 3 pm PT will be our chance to gather in Discord, discuss the game (and any Next Fest demos that caught our eyes), and celebrate the upcoming game for November.

🥐☕ the pastry case (show links)

• I am obsessed with the new Atlus RPG. Yes, I will eat my words: I scoffed at the title and wondered how good it could really be. But the music slaps, the UI is stylishly jam-packed, and the story so far has me interested in what’s happening next! Watch my let’s play here.​
• Finished Echoes of Wisdom, and while it’s not my personal favorite Zelda, it was a bunch of fun and I’m super happy to have played.
• Neva released this week! What can I say? It's a beautiful game. Here's my playthrough if you want to check out some gameplay.
• Joel finished off Adventure Zone: The Suffering Game, and as a long-time fan of the Adventure Zone DND podcast, this graphic novel adaptation was a lot of fun for him!
• ​Yumi and the Night Painter by Brandon Sanderson is Joel's next physical read. He hasn’t been able to focus on physical books in a while and is excited to get back at it!

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👀 🎮notable indie releases this week initial steam next fest recs

We're switching it up this week just to help you kick off some Steam Next Fest options to try! Here are four demos that we think may be worth exploring ~ we list a few more on the podcast this week if you'd like more recs (and, of course, there's the community in Discord who'll be talking demos this week too). Let us know if you give any a try!

Sorry We're Closed​ ​Survival Horror Multiple Endings A nostalgic, single-player survival horror game. Enjoy atmospheric environments driven by classic fixed camera angles and the thrill of arcade-style first person combat. Enter the perilous demon world, collecting items and managing your resources to stay alive.

Chrono Sword​ ​​Souls-like Dark Fantasy A somber souls-like action RPG uniquely crafted around time travel. Stepping beyond the limits of pixel graphics, players travel between the past and future to uncover the complicated truths of the destruction of this world, all set within this beautiful, intricately-crafted realm.

Scarlet Deer Inn​ ​Platformer Story Rich An embroidered narrative platformer with an emotional story, an interesting cast of characters, a dark dungeon full of monsters, and a world inspired by Slavic folklore. The only thing protecting you from certain death is your torch. And all character images are actually embroidered.

Cats & Dice​ ​Roguelike Dice A roguelike dice-building game where the goal is to overcome an ever-increasing target score each round. Assemble a synergistic set of Cats and dice, go for crazy combos and try to attain as high a score as you possibly can. Master the synergy between cats and dice to win!

this week's brew ☕
​the section of the game we're playing and pondering this week.

Over 2700 demos are available to try this weekend. That's a LOT of demos!

Around once a quarter, Steam dedicates a week to upcoming games and their demos in an event known as Steam Next Fest. What began as a response to COVID and the rise of digital showcases is now a staple in a game's marketing efforts. What began as a list of about 40 demos, though, has now grown to the thousands, which makes finding what resonates best with you even more challenging. That's why we're dedicating next week's podcast to highlighting favorite demos, from us and the community! Read on for this week's reflection question and for a few tips in how to navigate this massive treasure trove of titles.

reflection question 💭​
​reflect on a question related to what we're playing this week

If you'd like, send your thoughts my way – I read all of them – and consider leaving a voicemail by Oct 21st to be included in the upcoming podcast!

pour over ☕
​additional links, activities, and resources to expand your understanding of the game

Since we're trying out demos in Steam this week, I wanted to provide a couple of tips that have helped me enjoy each Next Fest!

• Use the charts (located in the centered top tabs). 'For You' can be a hit or miss, but they do have a category called 'On Your Wishlist' which can be great if you've curated your wishlists and want to start there with games you already showed active interest in!
• The other tab I find quite interesting -- and helpful -- is the 'Charts' tab. I use this to see what other folks are interested in, and especially after the first day or two, you can start to see what's catching people's attention. In 'Charts', you'll have three filtered views ranking games from highest to lowest: Trending Upcoming (recent/trending wishlist counts), Popular Upcoming (all-time top wishlist counts), and Top Demos (daily demo user count).
• There are also filters on the left-hand side of the page: mix and match, and use what makes sense for you. I generally find that the tagging system in Steam - which is what this filter is based on - ends up being quite broad and not always helpful. I mean, Adventure? Action? Those are broad tags. BUT, it can help narrow down and make the scrolling a little less intimidating!
• Ask friends and fellow G&G community members! Some of the best recommendations for demos will come from other people who know me and know if something would be up my alley. It's fun to share recs too!
• Remember: you know your tastes best, and you don't have to play the entire demo! If you're not enjoying it, feel free to just move on.

Stay in the loop -- listen to the weekly podcast on Spotify and Apple, hang with the community in Discord, and find us on Instagram!

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Thanks for joining our digital café this week -- talk soon!

Jenny