You have an impressive variety of games to pick from when it comes to demos to try out during the latest Steam Next Fest event. If you’re not an indie fan, and you prefer your games to have high production value, you may be tempted to avoid the event altogether. However, you’re highly advised to at least give Europa a shot, because it is one of the gems of Steam Next Fest that is quickly gaining attention online.
The demo throws you onto Europa, which is one of Jupiter’s moons. The landscape has been turned into a paradise teeming with alien plants and animals. It’s a game that relies on minimalism when it comes to gameplay and storytelling. This will, naturally, turn some players off. However, if you have the patience for it, you may find the experience irresistibly alluring.
Exploring Europa
I never tired of exploring and taking in the fantastic sights of Europa, and the game does an excellent job of making me feel like I’m in a new, better world. During the demo, I didn’t manage to unravel too much of the story save for a few items that provide some background information, but there is enough there to pique my curiosity and have me wondering what the rest of the moon holds.
As many have pointed out, Europa looks like a Studio Ghibli game come to life. It feels like you’ve been transported into the most whimsical storybook where nothing can go wrong. I instantly fell in love with it, but some may find it a little too saccharine.
I believe I can fly
To get around, you can run, but it’s more fun to levitate instead. You can do so with the help of your trusty Zephyr jetpack. The more you explore, the more you’ll level up your ability to levitate, allowing you to soar further. It’s both fun and calming to glide over meadows, and it prevents traversal from feeling like a chore.
Europa isn’t perfect. The menus look a little too low-effort, which stands out when the rest of the game is so polished. It also feels like Europa relies a bit too much on its atmosphere at times instead of engaging gameplay. Despite this, the game is certainly worth checking out.
If you enjoy Kena: Bridge of Spirits, you’ll enjoy Europa, as it has a similarly fairytale-like world. Fans of Journey will enjoy Europa for its eccentric storytelling style, and if you like Forspoken‘s smooth traversal, you might get a kick out of this game as well.
Europa is set to release in 2024.
