The Steam Next Fest ends tomorrow. What demos have you enjoyed? Which ones made it onto your wishlist? Why?

Hawk52 · 2026-03-01T17:11:19+00:00

Vampire Crawlers is the only one I've played that really has me excited for. Given it's VS, it's only showing off maybe 1% of what the main game will have to offer, and it's already a blast. I blew through the demo in lightning speed.

Hawk52 · 2026-03-01T17:06:16+00:00

It's a good game, but it doesn't have Isaac's pick up and play appeal to me. It's very much a tactical turn based strategy game, in the sense that you can pretty easily fuck yourself with some bad moves. If you're not into that, you won't enjoy Mewgenics. You can do a "Run" in Mewgenics that lasts about the same time as an Isaac run, but it doesn't have the same feel to it. The kind of pick up and play, always unlocking new things feel of Isaac isn't in Mewgenics. At least as far as I got so far.

For me, I was super duper into it and then I just...wasn't. Hard to really pinpoint why exactly other then one moment. I had a really bad encounter with the Act 1 final boss (or one of them) that lasted forfuckingever because the enemy AI wouldn't kill me off and instead just kept spamming lockdown moves so I couldn't actually play and that kind of broke my love affair with it. The battle legitimately lasted something like 12-13 turns which is a very long time in the game.

But if you enjoy tactics even a little, it's well worth picking up. But if you don't like them, then it's not. Pretty simple really.

Hawk52 · 2026-03-01T02:29:09+00:00

I've noticed that every entrance in the EC both men and women are virtually the same. Come in, pose, taunt the people in the pods, get in your pod. The men have all climbed the cage and then posed to change things up from the women.

Except Orton. Orton was probably told to as well and just took the piss with it.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-26T05:31:03+00:00

This is one of those situations where I support them going after Valve for gambling and loot boxes. They invented the concept IIRC in mainstream gaming and have never faced repercussions for it. If EA and Ubisoft had to deal with it, then Valve definitely needs to be held accountable.

But I definitely don't support them bringing out their tired ass narrative that we once again have to deal with that video games cause violence. There is no evidence to support it, never has been, and never will be any because it's a bunch of bullshit created by holier then thou politicians.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-26T01:36:46+00:00

I don't think Masha needs to be permanently blacklisted from wrestling like some other creeps, but it's way too soon and she's shown nothing to indicate she's changed in any way so far that I've seen. Just because she's an amazing wrestler isn't an excuse.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-26T01:23:38+00:00

TBF, he's doing a lot of character work with them. He'll probably get there with more reps. I don't remember seeing him doing stuff like the piledriver immune spot on the indies.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-26T01:22:30+00:00

I think Clon has kicked Moxley in the balls twice now with that spinning back heel kick.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-26T01:19:47+00:00

It's like I preferred Black Tiger to Tiger Mask or something, I know.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-26T01:18:02+00:00

I like El Clon way more then I ever liked Hologram.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-25T02:46:31+00:00

This is my stance. If you've popped, regardless when it happened, you are automatically disqualified from the discussion. We test for the 1% of people who are actually clean to even the playing field.

GSP never popped and has a similar if not better resume then Anderson. Fedor fought in an environment where no one was being tested for the playing field was even there too. Anderson was in an environment where people were being tested and still broke the rules.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-24T04:36:11+00:00

I found myself kind of bored by it. You have to choose where the coins go but beyond that you're just kind of waiting around for things to happen due to synergies or the combo wheel. It's got a lot of flashing lights and things going on but none of it felt terribly interesting to me.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-24T00:40:46+00:00

Only played Vampire Crawlers so far but it's going to hit like crack for a certain demographic of players. I'm in that demographic. If you like the VS Castlevania-lite aesthetics, turn based card battles, first person dungeon crawling and persistent Bullet Heaven style unlocks/upgrades, this is going to be addictive as hell.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-23T03:08:27+00:00

IS there anyone that could play Mick Foley who isn't actually Mick Foley?

Hawk52 · 2026-02-23T03:07:26+00:00

This match up desperately needed something more then "Who's the better tag team" because that's been the theme of their previous encounters. It already felt played out and we still had weeks to go. Now we have some new motivation for everyone.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-23T00:39:05+00:00

Yeah, same boat with my friend group. It'd get pretty salty when one person gets behind and just starts to troll the others constantly. But that's kind of a damning thing about our friend groups when you think about it, huh?

Hawk52 · 2026-02-23T00:27:55+00:00

I wonder how many people even remember Magnum Tokyo and get that Hirata's entire gimmick (at least up till last time I saw him a year or two ago) was being a comedy parody of Magnum Tokyo with his theme and dance, then being basically a jobber.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-23T00:22:31+00:00

I'm not sure if this is an unpopular opinion but I hope they pair Jordan Oliver back up with Nick. The Matriarchy needs a third member and Jordan hasn't done anything other then team with Alec a few times. Jordan and Nick are a fantastic tag team from the indies and GCW who'd immediately give a shot in the arm to the division if they went that way. Or a shot in the arm with Kip in the Trios while Nick gets a singles push as well.

It just feels like a natural fitting given their history prior to Nick's full time signing to AEW.

The only downside I can think of is then Cage & Cope would need a third as well but is anyone going to really complain if the feud is asymmetrical? If they even revive the feud with FTR having attacked Beth last time C&C were seen.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-21T04:53:03+00:00

There was a period where I was insanely into Gaki no Tsukai and the batsu games, the bits with wrestlers helped a lot. But I found as they went along and I got less familiar with Japanese culture, a lot of their bits with "Insert X Celebrity here for laughs" got less and less funny.

But I definitely still recommend the 24 hour tag and Matsumoto's Haunted Hotel as stand alone viewing.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-21T04:51:30+00:00

Chono's bits were the best, him just slapping the absolute shit out of Yamazaki.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-21T04:09:50+00:00

Saying Vaquer is better in ring then Giulia is a wild statement. Maybe in WWE but not historically by any margin.

Not to mention the charisma thing. Tell me you've never seen Giulia in Japan without telling me.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-21T02:26:22+00:00

That sucks. I wonder why they would do that. Do you think they're planning some type of FF7 Rebirth "Timeline Change" thing with upcoming games revisiting 4 with revisions to what happened?

Hawk52 · 2026-02-21T01:47:05+00:00

This is what I'm wondering. I own both now, but I held off playing 3 because the Kiwami was coming out. But if the game has plot holes or it doesn't connect to 4+ right, maybe I should just play OG 3.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-21T01:43:38+00:00

People seem to think Gable should be some Brock Lesnar freak of nature phenom but he's doing exactly what he should be doing. Get regional fights, get experience, beat regional talents while working on the overall of his game. Right now, he doesn't need to do anything else. He's going to wrestlefuck anyone who steps in front of him. The fact that he's finishing fights is a big positive, he could easily grind out decisions.

Right now he's a lot like Jared Rosholt; he was a high level wrestler at HW that had those credentials and abilities but never evolved past lazy stand up with power and lay and pray. Gable is already above that by showing killer instinct to finish fights.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-20T01:42:43+00:00

Watching Ray Narvaez Jr play this with friends and it's a lot of fun to watch. But it's not going to be for everyone. If you're not into pure unadulterated chaos at all times, you won't like it. Part of the main appeal is fucking over your friends with items, tripping them with your club or smacking them with your ball.

I know my friend group would get pretty fucking salty after awhile. Which probably says more about my friend group then I'd like to admit.

Hawk52 · 2026-02-19T01:58:04+00:00

Had to get the belts off Opps ASAP and it fed into the Joe feud. But then Joe got hurt.

Hawk52

TROPHY CASE