The highly anticipated game, Stellar Blade, is making its debut on PC. Developer Shift Up has chosen Steam Next Fest as the platform to unveil it early. Given the game’s high-profile status, it’s no surprise that it quickly became one of the most popular demos at the Fest, dominating two out of three charts on its first day. However, since then, another game, somewhat unexpectedly, has taken the lead.
To begin with this month’s Steam Next Fest, Stellar Blade started as the most popular upcoming game, ranked by the total number of wishlists. It also led in the Top Demos chart, which gauges daily user count. However, despite its high visibility keeping it at the top of the former, it has been displaced from the latter’s position currently.
Currently, the most popular demo is for Vindictus: Defying Fate. This demo could be seen as a reboot of the 2010 Korean MMO, Vindictus. Marketed as a soulslike RPG, Defying Fate offers an appealing blend of stylish combat and a sizeable open world to delve into. However, what stands out about this demo is that although it’s ranking high on Next Fest charts (it’s in the top ten based on multiple metrics), its reviews don’t quite reflect its success.
At the moment of composition, reviews for Vicintus: Defying Fate are leaning towards a ‘Mixed’ rating, earning only 46% positive feedback. A notable portion of these unfavorable appraisals revolve around technical issues, which, although not desirable in a demonstration version, one would anticipate being addressed prior to the final release. However, there’s also a common theme that the gameplay, particularly the combat system, appears more stylish than substantial, and that this ‘soulslike’ approach may not resonate well with Nexon’s target audience of MMO players.
Additionally, a significant number of reviews – ranging from favorable to unfavorable – indicate that anime-style female characters play a substantial role in Defying Fate’s allure. It’s amusing to contemplate this aspect when considering the challenges Defying Fate faces at Next Fest, but I’m curious if the ‘waifu’ factor will be enough to maintain its popularity, especially as it seems that some reviews require refinement.
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2025-06-10 16:40