Baldur's Gate 3 was a welcome reminder of just how special the best RPGs can be; that freedom to create and customize your squad, making meaningful choices that dramatically affect major and minor aspects of your characters' lives and the world around them. The magical steampunk world of New Arc Line is the next setting I'm eager to explore and impact. Developer Dreamate has built a bustling universe combining BioShock style steampunk with the classic fantasy of Dungeons and Dragons, and you can get a proper taste for yourself right now thanks to a free demo for Steam Next Fest.
In our New Arc Line preview, Lauren describes it as "a great steampunk twist on Baldur's Gate 3's turn-based bones." I also got to take a look at the upcoming tactical RPG at Gamescom, and came away similarly impressed - despite the obvious comparisons, its world is distinct and intriguing, and it feels like a lot of care has been put into promoting true freedom of choice. If you're curious to try it out, the good news is that this New Arc Line demo is different from what we saw during our hands-on preview, so you'll get another fresh glimpse at what's on offer.
New Arc Line's Steam Next Fest demo takes place a little further into the game's story, dropping you into a medical facility located in the slums around a harbor. This is a community ravaged by the Iron Plague epidemic that lies at the heart of New Arc Line's story - a mysterious disease that spawned from the war between magic and technology, it causes a person's skin and organs to slowly turn to iron. The way it manifests is different in everyone, but it's universally fatal, with the expensive luxury of dragon blood the only known way to stem its progress slightly.
The local Leprosarium is a place where the disease is treated and studied, yet one of the doctors has been missing from her rounds. Here's where you come in. You have the option to pick between the human and elven races. After that, you can opt to embrace your magical side as a Voodoo Shaman, or lean into the might of technology as a Diesel Engineer.
The New Arc Line demo is available now as part of Steam Next Fest, and will be playable until Monday October 21. You can download it by heading to the game's page on the Valve storefront, where you can also wishlist it if you want to stay up to date with its ongoing development.
If a good narrative is what really brings you joy, the best story games on PC are the place to be. For more of a focus on thoughtful challenges, dive into the best strategy games instead.
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