You take the fast-paced, 360 degree combat of Doom, blend it with some Drive-esque synthwave, vibrant, low-poly visuals, and a dash of RPG inspiration from the original – and still best – Deus Ex, and this is what you get. Beyond Sunset is a new FPS game playable now as part of Steam Next Fest, and as the ambitious and brilliant-looking shooter arrives on Valve’s storefront (it’s technically, kind of, a Doom mod – more on that later) it’s time to unsheathe your katana, whip out your dual SMGs, and jump back to the classic era of PC games and boomer shooters.
The year is 20XX. The streets of Sunset City are plagued with zombies, cyborgs, and yakuza gangsters baying for blood. As Lucy, a young woman with no memory of her past, you’re offered an irresistible bargain: become a ‘street samurai,’ help clean up Sunset City, and your memories will be returned.
Enter Beyond Sunset’s unique mix of FPS and RPG elements, as you combine guns and melee weapons, explore large, open levels, meet NPCs and take sidequests, and gradually cultivate and customize your own build.
Backed by a pulsing synthwave score from artist Karl Vincent, while Beyond Sunset plays like a dream – a swift, stylish mix of Doom, Duke Nukem 3D, Deus Ex, and even Cyberpunk 2077 – it’s all about the aesthetic.
Chunky pixels, low-poly models, and searing, neon colors make Beyond Sunset an instantly striking indie shooter. Believe it or not, it’s all built using tools from GZDoom, the stalwart modification that adds up-and-down look to id Software’s 1993 masterpiece.
This means that Beyond Sunset is also fully moddable. You can build your own levels, create your own weapons and attacks, and share them all among the ever-active Doom mod community.
While we’re still waiting on a release date for Beyond Sunset, you can play the substantial demo right here. Alternatively, if you want another one of our choice picks from Steam Next Fest, try the racing game they’re calling “Counter-Strike with cars.”
You might also want to feed your nostalgia with some of the best old games that still run today, or maybe go off the beaten track with some of the best and most imaginative indie games on PC.