Palworld dev endorses this sand-powered sim that looks like Terraria with automation, which already has 97% positive reviews in Steam Next Fest

If you're looking for a Steam Next Fest demo to try, one Palworld developer suggests a mining and automation game called Sandustry.

Answering one Twitter user asking that very question, Palworld designer and community manager John "Bucky" Buckley highlights the game, saying it may be "rough" but urging anyone to give it a go as "there is something special about it."

Currently available to try on Steam, Sandustry is a mining and automation game that features "dynamic sand physics."

"Explore a destructible world by digging and demolishing terrain," the description reads. "Construct a sand-processing factory, expand your logistics network, and delve deeper into the mines. Uncover new technologies and unravel the mysteries."

Certainly, in terms of aesthetics alone, there's plenty of visual charm that is reminiscent of Terraria. What particularly sounds amusing to me is curbing the "chaos" of a constant stream of falling sand. Sand may not be one Anakin Skywalker's vibe, but I'll give it a go. Looking at the current Steam reviews, it seems that plenty of other fans are also taken with it.

"Absolutely amazing, this was the first game since Factorio to send me into that magical zone where time was accidentally fast-forwarded 10 hours instead of one," one review says.

Another reads: "Pretty great. A solid 'best of show' entry for Steam Next Fest. But damn everything is just so slow. Even gravity. It makes the game such a grind. Hopefully, the final version will run a lot faster. No joke, you could easily increase the speed of everything in the game by 50% and it would only improve it."

Palworld dev Pocketpair has received "hundreds" of pitches to its publishing arm, and its manager sympathizes with devs "desperate for funding" who could end up with "horrific contracts."