Steam Next Fest can feel overwhelming, particularly when its enormous demo catalogue includes games carrying generative-AI disclosures or material that is difficult to sort through. Social-media users have responded with slop-free recommendation lists, browser plugins and other tools for filtering the options.
Even with those shortcuts, there are still plenty of demos competing for attention. My standout so far is Fallbearers, a compact co-op game that turns carrying a coffin into a gloriously unstable team exercise.
Two pallbearers, one very difficult journey
The concept feels like a collision between Bennett Foddy’s physics-driven athletics game QWOP and the “Coffin Flop” sketch from Tim Robinson’s HBO series I Think You Should Leave. You control two Victorian-era pallbearers as they move a deceased passenger from a hearse to a grave.
The characters walk automatically, leaving you to manage their pace, decide when they jump and adjust how high they hold the coffin. That would be challenging enough on an ordinary path, but the streets are packed with hazards, including manholes, steep slopes and the occasional hostile bulldog.
It is an immediately understandable premise with the sort of physical comedy that makes every small mistake entertaining. The coffin is not merely something to escort: it is a slippery, awkward burden that demands constant coordination.
A short demo with plenty of potential
The demo ends far too soon, but it provided enough time to learn when to lift and lower each side of the coffin. Solo play is difficult without feeling impossible, while two-player sessions look ready-made for loud instructions, mistimed movements and inevitable laughter.
Difficulty settings determine how many failures you can absorb. Once the body tumbles from the coffin, however, the attempt is over. That simple rule gives every obstacle a little more tension without removing the game’s ridiculous charm.
The full release is planned to expand the journey with more varied environments, including snowy areas where the pallbearers will need skis. There is no release date yet, but Fallbearers has already earned a place high on my Steam Next Fest list.
For more unusual interactive ideas, browse RETROCADE’s arcade blog, explore the latest arcade videos or consider how a playful concept might translate into a home arcade machine.
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