The final recap for February is dedicated primarily to the Steam Next Fest, currently running through March 2. For those who might not know, Next Fest is an event focused mainly on indie projects, held three times a year.
During the event, there’s an overwhelming number of playable demos, usually the perfect opportunity to finally get hands-on with that strategy or RPG you’ve been waiting on for months.
This year’s edition has been especially packed, so I decided to follow up on my Wednesday article where I highlighted 19 RPGs and strategy titles worth trying. Consider this the second wave of that list.
Deified
- Developers: Unexpected
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: 2026
- Steam Page
A game I never heard of is Deified. A game where relics do most of the heavy lifting. You play as Sator and build your run around corrupted artifacts linked to seven Lords, with each item fitting into limited slots that come with both perks and drawbacks.
Combat drops mana, cooldowns, and action points, so every turn is about using your full kit well and making smart positional choices. It feels built for players who like testing synergies and adjusting on the fly.
LumenTale: Memories of Trey
- Developers: Beehive Studios
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: 2026
- Steam Page
It’s been on my radar for a long time, and now it’s finally playable thanks to the Steam Next Fest demo. LumenTale: Memories of Trey revolves around magical companions called Animon.
Trey forms contracts with them as the story moves forward, and those bonds shape how battles play out through different skills and team combinations. There is a clear focus on roster building, exploration, and ability synergy, which gives the game a more creature-driven spin on turn-based combat.
Sidyq
- Developers: Yozamu
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: TBA
- Steam Page
A grim fantasy backdrop gives Sidyq its tone, but the real hook is squad control. Battles ask you to manage characters with different roles, think about placement, and time abilities carefully if you want the party to hold together.
As the campaign unfolds, progression adds more options and pushes you toward tighter coordination. It looks like the kind of RPG that values discipline more than flashy systems.
Tileweaver
- Developers: Mattalarc & Wolter
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: 2026
- Steam Page
Tileweaver does not frame combat around a regular skill bar. Its whole structure is built on tiles that represent actions and tactical tools, so each turn becomes a small puzzle about placement, order, and chaining effects together.
New tiles gradually open more possibilities, and that gives the roguelite loop a strong build crafting angle. It is an unusual setup, but one that could click with players who enjoy systems first design.
Full Metal Sergeant 2
- Developers: CarloC
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: Q1 2026
- Steam Page
This one moves away from fantasy and goes straight into military tactics. It’s the comeback to one of the most intriguing strategy-management games I tried.
Full Metal Sergeant 2 puts you in charge of a squad across modern combat scenarios where line of sight, movement, and role coverage matter as much as firepower. Missions seem built around deliberate decisions rather than brute force, and squad upgrades help widen your options over time. For players into grounded tactical structure, that focus may be the main draw. Here you can find my overview of the game.
Valor of Man
- Developers: Legacy Forge
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: March 19, 2026
- Steam Page
Classic party-based RPG design sits at the center of Valor of Man. You recruit characters, shape your group around their combat roles, and work through turn-based encounters that reward timing and solid team coordination.
The progression looks straightforward in a good way, with new options opening as the roster develops. It feels aimed at players who still enjoy traditional tactical foundations without too many gimmicks. The release date is set for March 2026, so this demo could be the perfect way to test it before buying it.
ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies
- Developers: ZA/UM
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation
- Release Date: 2026
- Steam Page
The first title from ZA/UM was Disco Elysium, so I probably don’t need to add anything else, just tell you that ZERO PARADES is their new game.
Espionage gives it a different flavor than most of the other games in the lineup. It mixes investigation, putting pressure on how you move, when you act, and how much attention you attract during each mission.
There is a strong sense of operating in hostile territory where mistakes can spiral fast. That combination of stealth tension and tactical planning gives it a more covert identity.
Bane: Dawn of the Lost
- Developers: Ludomotion
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: TBA
- Steam Page
Maybe Bane: Dawn of the Lost is one of the titles that intrigues me the most, and I’ll be taking my time with it this weekend.
You guide a group through dangerous encounters, building around each member’s abilities and trying to keep the team effective as the world gets harsher. The appeal seems to come from long term squad growth and the need to adapt your tactics as new threats show up. It has the shape of a dark fantasy campaign where resourcefulness matters.
Chronia: The Rotcore
- Developers: GAMLIC Studio
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: 2026
- Steam Page
Everything about Chronia: The Rotcore sounds tied to decay. Its turn-based battles are built around managing a party in a hostile world, with survival depending on how well you combine roles and respond to pressure over time.
Character development expands the tactical side as the game goes on, giving more room for specialization and smarter setups. The tone looks bleak, but that fits the methodical pace it is aiming for.
Titanium Court
- Developers: AP Thomson
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: TBA
- Steam Page
What can I even say about Titanium Court? I’m not sure, but I definitely loved the reveal trailer, which sparked a serious wave of curiosity in me.
Science fiction takes the lead where political struggle and tactical command seem closely linked. Battles focus on positioning, unit strengths, and the composition of your force as you push through a fractured futuristic setting.
The structure appears campaign-driven, with gradual growth in your tactical options as you move forward. For sure, something quite original.
Dverghold
- Developers: Kvltgames/Team Sorgarn
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: TBA
- Steam Page
Another First-Person Dungeon Crawler RPG I’m glad to introduce is Dverghold. It ties its combat to the idea of building and protecting a dwarven hold.
You lead dwarves with different battlefield roles through turn-based encounters while also strengthening the stronghold itself over time. That link between squad tactics and base development gives the game a steady sense of progression. Anyone who likes a defensive fantasy framework with long-term growth may want to keep an eye on it.
Australia Did It
- Developers: Rami Ismail, Aesthetician Labs
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: TBA
- Steam Page
This is probably the strangest game in the group, and that seems to be the point. Australia Did It mixes tactical combat with surreal and satirical elements, throwing players into odd encounters shaped by unusual characters and a weirder world than most RPGs go for.
Party setup and synergy still matter, but the tone clearly wants to stand apart. That alone could make it one of the more memorable picks in the roundup.
Psychic Kung Fu Master
- Developers: 金十四工作室
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: TBA
- Steam Page
Martial arts and supernatural powers come together in Psychic Kung Fu Master. The combat revolves around choosing attacks and psychic abilities that work well against enemy patterns, with growth centered on expanding that toolkit and finding stronger combinations.
It sounds more character-focused, which helps separate it from the rest of the list. For players who like a personal progression angle, that could be enough.
Of Grit & Graves
- Developers: Melted Monster Game Studio
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: TBA
- Steam Page
Survival pressure seems to define Of Grit & Graves alongside its dice. Its dark fantasy battles ask you to manage a fragile group through dangerous encounters, making good use of positioning, timing, and each party member’s strengths just to stay alive.
As the team develops, your tactical options widen, and the compositions get more specialized. The overall feel is grim, steady, and very much centered on careful play.
A Tale of Silent Depths
- Developers: Crit42 Studio
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: TBA
- Steam Page
And I want to close this round-up with an intriguing underwater game that gives A Tale of Silent Depths a different kind of atmosphere.
From there, it builds around combat and exploration through a submerged world filled with danger. Battles appear to depend on controlling threats and using each character’s tools with precision, while progression deepens that tactical layer as the journey continues. It sounds like a slower, moodier kind of RPG, which could help it stand out.
