We Love It’s guide to…
Next Fest is awesome, but HUUUGE and gone too quickly! The Next Festival Explorer is here to do the hard work of finding you the best, possibly hidden, demos to play!
EXPLORE THE DEMOS ↓
*Clutched!* is a 2D side-scrolling steampunk adventure game! Experience the exhilarating fun of physics-based swinging, climbing, and impacts! It's a small, exquisitely crafted indie game, essentially made by one person.
The game's programming uses AI to generate code.
Code
Build and defend an armored train through ever-changing underground routes. Recruit gunners, alchemists, and mechanics, upgrade your wagons, choose your path, and survive relentless kobold raids and colossal bosses.
The game uses AI for procedural dungeon generation, gameplay management, and realistic enemy behavior simulation.
Level/World Design, Code, Runtime AI
Two empires, one sea. Tides of Empires is the tower defense roguelite game you can finally play competitively. Command warships, aircraft and submarines in ranked 1v1 & 2v2 duels with real MMR matchmaking, in a challenging campai…
Some graphics (e.g. backgrounds, unit art, UI elements and store page images) were created by the developer with AI assistance. AI also assisted in writing the in-game texts and in translating game and store page texts into the supported languages.
2D Images, UI Elements, Writing, Localization
The party platformer where you build the track yourselves: every round a new trap, every race fresh chaos. In the end, all that counts is who reaches the finish first.
Some of the user interfaces were generated using AI; the reason for this is that I am not a graphic designer myself and cannot afford to hire a service provider to create them.
UI Elements
Brokk has set up a tiny forge just above your taskbar. You tap the keys, he swings the hammer. Mostly it is horseshoes or kettles, sometimes a legendary sword. Brygida sells it all in their shop. You type, he smiths. Together, th…
I use AI to support developing code, graphics and some promotional materials.
Code, 2D Images, Marketing Assets
Plum is a 3d cozy platforming and collectathon game where you will have to roll and bounce through the valley in search for home. On your way, meet different ghost plums each which a story to share. This game is a colorful styliz…
Human solo dev made: writing, music, game design, game production, voice acting, SFX, and basically everything else. In addition, some 3D and VFX asset packs (plus additional SFX) were purchased from third-party marketplaces, where they are explicitly labeled as non-AI, human-made content, and credited in-game.AI usage: AI helped with localization corrections, and was used to refine assets, strictly following human artistic direction and human-made examples — no generation from scratch. Example: Plum's character portraits are in-game mesh screenshots, inserted by me into pre-designed empty icon frames, then refined with AI for a more polished result.Note: I would be happy to replace AI-refined assets with human artist's work, if this becomes financially possible in the future.
2D Images, 3D Models, Localization
Build an ever-growing colony of autonomous dwarves in an immense procedural world. Mine deeper, manage resources, unlock explosive weapons and industrial vehicles, and turn a tiny settlement into a screen-filling mining empire.
All previously used AI-generated or AI-assisted content has now been completely removed from both the full game and the demo. (That was old UI and intro).**No AI-generated images are used in the game.****The only remaining use of AI in the game is for localization and translations.**As the game generates revenue, I plan to hire professional translators for each supported language and gradually replace all AI-assisted translations with professionally translated versions.
Localization
It moves the way you built it. It wins the way you built it. Assemble the 18cm-tall autonomous hobby robot “SIGNOS” and program its behavior logic with flowchart-style “Thought Tiles.” No controls during battle — SIGNOS fights on…
Generative AI tools were used to assist with the creation of some 3D models and sound effects in this game.The core elements of the game experience—including the scenario, game design, AI logic design and implementation, and parts balancing—were created and decided primarily by the developer.In keeping with the game's concept of "building logic for AI and having it battle," AI was also actively incorporated as a collaborative tool during development. Through ongoing dialogue and collaboration with AI, the developer was able to overcome some of the limitations of working alone and bring the game to completion.
3D Models, Sound Effects, Ideation
A cute puzzle game about sleepy monsters and their alarm clocks. Every monster wakes up on its own number. Place your monsters and get everyone up on time.
Generative AI will only be used in game development, especially localization.All puzzles in the game is hand-crafted by human beings.
Localization
Zombie Mystery: 100 Hidden Cats challenges you to rescue 100 cats that survived the zombie outbreak and are hiding in abandoned streets! Find them, click carefully, use clues wisely, race against time, and climb to the top of the…
AI tools were used during development solely to assist with coding, including identifying and fixing bugs and making minor code corrections and improvements. AI does not generate any content for players during gameplay.
Code, QA/Testing
Nico's grandparents just gave him the orchard he spent his whole childhood resenting. The plan is to strip it bare, sell it, and never touch an apple again. Six gardens, three tools, and a season system that keeps handing him a r…
Generative AI was used for parts of the game's 3D assets, voice and narration, ambient audio, translations, and store artwork.All generated content was reviewed and edited by hand. No AI is used at runtime.
3D Models, Voiceover, Sound Effects, Localization, Marketing Assets
A wuxia life-sim card game.You die, and the jianghu remembers you. Reborn — this life, are you a noble scion, or an orphan beggar? Learn, roam, make enemies, find love — every choice rewrites your fate. Reincarnate, carry your pa…
Music and images created with AI assistance.
2D Images, Music