The Steam Next Fest is currently running. You can try out some new games in development completely free through Steam. We at MeinMMO present MMORPGs, online shooters, and a new battle royale that you can try out this weekend.
What kind of event is this? The Steam Next Fest runs from Wednesday, June 16 at 7:00 PM, to Tuesday, June 22 at 7:00 PM.
During this time, you can watch various developer livestreams as well as try out new games or their demos for free. The focus is on games that are currently still in development but are set to be released soon.
What are we presenting? We at MeinMMO have picked 4 interesting online games and reveal what makes them special and who they are interesting for. This is just a small selection, as there are over 700 games available to you (via Steam Next Fest).
The order in this article does not reflect any ratings but is primarily meant to provide variety.
Swords of Legends – The new MMORPG
Genre: MMORPG | Developer: Juvty Worlds | Platform: PC | Release Date: Summer 2021 | Model: Buy-to-Play
What kind of game is this? Swords of Legends Online is a theme park MMORPG from China that was released there in 2019 and has received regular updates since then.
- In PvE, the game focuses on a linear yet interesting story with many cutscenes and English voice acting. In addition, there are some dungeons and unique life skills like bounty hunting or an integrated card game that can be played against NPCs.
- In PvP, SOLO offers various arenas, faction battles, and PvP in the open world, which is heavily regulated.
Swords of Legends shines mainly with its action-packed combat system and very fair treatment regarding equipment. It is buy-to-play and costs 40 Euros in its cheapest version. There is also a shop that completely avoids pay-to-win.
To give you a glimpse into the game, here is the YouTube video from KiraTV:
What can be tested? In the demo, you can only try up to level 15 out of 37 (36 + student 1). Many of the interesting contents like PvP or housing will only be unlocked at max level.
Who is it interesting for? If you are looking for a new theme park MMORPG and don’t mind the Asian style, then Swords of Legends is just right for you. Although the initial leveling phase is a bit slow, at max level, the MMORPG impresses mainly with its dynamic battles and the many activities you can engage in.
Although Swords of Legends has received some criticism for its open-world PvP and for the publisher Gameforge, this new MMORPG impressed us in our hands-on test: I played Swords of Legends for 80 hours and say: “The MMORPG is much better than you think”.
Naraka: Bladepoint – Battle Royale
Genre: Battle Royale | Developer: 24 Entertainment | Platform: PC | Release Date: August 12, 2021 | Model: Buy-to-Play
What kind of game is this? In Naraka: Bladepoint, 60 players land on a mysterious island and fight each other. Unlike in Fortnite and PUBG, you don’t just rely on firearms, but also on traditional Asian martial arts.
The focus is on melee combat, using sticks, swords, or fists. You can also use rifles and bows to attack enemies from a distance. Naraka also emphasizes freedom of movement. You can:
- Climb towers, rocks, or trees
- Use grappling hooks to swing through the air
- Walk along ropes
In April, there was an open beta for Naraka: Bladepoint that we reported on. This trailer from E3 2021 gives you a first glimpse of the gameplay:
What can be tested? In the demo, you can use all contents in Naraka: Bladepoint.
Who is it interesting for? If you’re in the mood for a new battle royale but have had enough of the shooter setting, Naraka: Bladepoint is worth a try. While the game may not necessarily impress with its graphics, it certainly does with the action-packed battles that should be familiar to MMORPG players.
On Steam, the game is currently celebrating huge successes, having over 160,000 concurrent players at peak within the first 24 hours: Naraka: Bladepoint explodes on Steam – What makes the new battle royale so good?
Nine to five – 3v3v3 Shooter
Genre: Shooter | Developer: Redhill Games | Platform: PC | Release Date: Unknown | Model: Unknown
What kind of game is this? The multiplayer shooter places you in the near future, where large corporations rule and the dirty work is done by mercenaries. You are such a mercenary and must take care of various contracts in Nine to Five with your team in shifts.
You are in teams of three and must survive three phases per match to achieve your goal. Each phase offers an individual task to complete. Depending on how you proceed and whether you achieved your goal, the course of the match is supposed to change, which should provide a lot of replayability.
During the rounds, you compete against two other teams that want to complete their own objectives and will stand in your way. This gameplay trailer gives you a first look:
What can be tested? All contents are available during the Steam Next event. In fact, new content such as weapons has even been added compared to the last beta.
Who is it interesting for? Nine to Five is aimed at fans of tactical shooters like CS:GO or Rainbow Six: Siege. The game features modern graphics and looks really good. A match is supposed to take about 15 minutes, which is a pleasantly short period of time.
Are you looking for more free shooters? Then we recommend this list: The 10 best free-to-play shooters of 2021.
Bless Unleashed – MMORPG
Genre: MMORPG | Developer: Round 8 Studio | Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S | Release Date: August 6, 2021, on PC, already in 2020 on consoles | Model: Free-to-Play
What kind of game is this? With Bless Unleashed, a new MMORPG is coming to the market that is based on the world of the flop Bless Online. However, the developers promise that the mistakes from the other game will not be repeated.
Bless Unleashed utilizes an action-packed combat system and promises exciting boss fights and open-PvP in the endgame. At launch, you have the choice of 5 different classes, some of which are tied to gender locks.
The release of Bless Unleashed is scheduled for August 6. This video from TheLazyPeon gives you a first insight into the MMORPG:
What can be tested? In Bless Unleashed, you can only test the tutorial contents. In previous beta events, you could see more of the game. It is worth waiting for the full release.
Who is it interesting for? Bless Unleashed is intended for fans of action MMORPGs who have no problem with open-world PvP. It plays indeed better than Bless Online and especially fighting is a lot of fun.
However, the very monotonous quests and the grind, which already takes on large proportions in the mid-game, are negatives. Additionally, the graphics, which looked fantastic in the first trailers, are significantly weaker in the game itself.
A first experience report on Bless Unleashed from 2020 can be found here: How the new MMORPG Bless Unleashed plays on PC. The mentioned points are still up to date, except for navigation with the mouse. This has been improved a bit in recent tests.
What do you think of the titles selected here? Will you play one of them? Or do you have any other hidden gems that should be tried out at the Steam Next Fest? Feel free to write it in the comments.
