Nordic Game Spring 2024 Was Incredible — Here Are the Games We Saw at the Event

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It was impossible to try out every game showcased during the Developer Showcase at Nordic Game Spring 2024 in Sweden. There was so much to see: plenty of panels, talks, and numerous games across many genres set to release this year or the next. Here are seven games that really caught our attention:

IDUN

IDUN is an action RTS and single-player game that includes a story campaign. Your goal is to hold the line against massive swarms of enemies on a fully simulated battlefield and survive while completing mission objectives. Your task is to extract resources from a hostile planet.

What stands out is its impressive suite of simulations and rendering features, including fully destructible terrain with vegetation, fluid enemy pathfinding, and a staggering number of projectiles and explosions. The developer presenting the game was engaging and entertaining, and the game itself was packed with action and enjoyable to play.

You can build and upgrade various rooms, and as you invest in farms, factories, warehouses, and weapon systems, you’ll notice visible changes on your station’s 3D model, inside and out. Missions bring in valuable resources that can be used for future upgrades. The game also features multiple playable characters and even allows you to control your robot. Combined with multiple difficulty options, no two runs will feel the same.

A demo version is available on Steam if you’d like to explore it further.

Blood Bar Tycoon

The moment we saw this game, we wanted to try it. Unfortunately, no demo was available, but the alpha playtest begins this June, so we’ll be able to dive deeper into it next month — and you’re all invited to join. All you need to do is join the official Discord server, with more details coming soon.

So what is Blood Bar Tycoon? A small Belgian studio, Clever Trickster Studio, is bringing us a humorous simulation game where you manage vampire-themed bars. You decorate and expand your establishments to attract “juicy” humans. Like other games in the genre, you’ll manage staff, automate processes, expand operations, form alliances, search for bizarre machines, and avoid vampire hunters.

The developers, Virginie and Ludovic, confirmed that Two Point Hospital was a major inspiration. They also explained how building underground blood factories, upgrading facilities, unique machines, staff systems, and gameplay loops function. You can manage up to seven different bars and revisit older ones to earn new rewards.

One standout element is the influence system and the strategic gameplay required to overthrow your tyrannical vampire overlord, the infamous Vladimir. The game will feature both a sandbox mode and a campaign with unlockable blood-production techniques and vampire powers. Your goal is to recruit other vampires to do your dirty work while optimizing workflows to satisfy your mortal and immortal customers.

The game launches at the end of October this year, and you can already wishlist it on Steam.

Crystal of Naramunz

I’m not personally a big fan of ARPGs, but when a game cites Path of Exile and Diablo as inspirations, you have to take notice. Crystal of Naramunz is an upcoming free-to-play hack-and-slash action RPG set in a post-apocalyptic steampunk world. With cat-like characters, Web3 technologies (don’t worry – no pay-to-win tricks), and seasonal challenges, the game shows real potential.

During Nordic Game Spring 2024, the developers kindly walked us through everything it offers. Skills and loot are fully randomized, so you never know what you’ll get. Merging crystals into skills of varying rarities to upgrade their power and tailor them to your build shows how Web3 mechanics can be used creatively.

Two classes will be available during the closed beta, each featuring a wealth of active and passive abilities and gear options. There are also aethereal items, a special item class that survives seasonal resets, meaning you can craft, trade, and use them in-game and on the open market.

Developers emphasized that procedural dungeons, challenging bosses, and fast combat make the experience dynamic and engaging. The game doesn’t yet have a Steam or Epic Games page (planned for launch day), but you can find details about the closed beta happening on June 12 on the official website.

REPLICORE

The gaming market desperately needs titles like REPLICORE. When was the last time you played a game where you can shoot enemies, solve puzzles, enjoy more than just action, and transform into a ball?

This co-op shooter set in an ancient sci-fi world revolves around transforming into your core form to roll, charge, or let teammates throw you into hard-to-reach places, handling various challenges and puzzles. Shooting is straightforward — headshots deal more damage, body shots less. The longer you stay in an area, the harder the game becomes.

The early version we played at Nordic Game Spring 2024 caught our attention immediately. Cooperation is essential, teammates may need to throw you to higher platforms while in ball form, or protect you while capturing objectives.

There’s also the Outburst ability, which lets teammates throw you directly into enemy groups or weak spots for explosive results. This ability is customizable with a variety of effects.

The game supports 1–4 players, and after missions, you earn XP and high-tech resources to upgrade your cores. You can also customize weapons and equipment. REPLICORE is available on Steam, but developers told us it will take several years to fully complete.

River Towns

“Let’s combine Tetris with city builders,” said the team from Frogsong Studios, and judging by the crowd around their booth, it worked. While the game doesn’t yet have a Steam page, we had the chance to try it. The concept is simple: build beautiful riverside towns, match shapes, and restore a broken world. You collect points to earn stars and progress through varied environments, each more stunning than the last.

Buildings come in various Tetris-like shapes, cubes, odd forms, or flat tiles, allowing strategic placement and giving you room to plan. We played a small level where the river divided the map, and the objective was to build one color of buildings on one side and another color on the other. Obstacles like gold deposits prevented construction in certain areas.

We also previewed a large world map filled with unique challenges. You can rotate buildings, zoom in, and admire the vibrant graphics. The style is colorful and charming, making each district feel unique.

Watching the world transform as you build, bridges forming automatically, landscapes shifting, trees and structures evolving, was truly delightful. We suggest keeping an eye on the studio’s X account for more updates.

Hollow Home

We’ve been following this game for a long time; we first saw it last year during the Ukraine Game Fest on Steam. Hollow Home is an isometric narrative RPG told from the perspective of a teenager trapped in an occupied city. You’ll learn survival skills, build relationships, and face difficult decisions as each day brings new tragedies and destruction.

What makes this game special? Tetiana, the researcher behind Hollow Home, had the task of documenting real events from Mariupol during the early days of the war. The game’s city is directly inspired by those real-world tragedies.

You play as 14-year-old Maksym. The game begins on the eve of the Russian invasion, showing the protagonist’s final 24 hours of carefree childhood. The story unfolds through dialogue-heavy gameplay, branching quests, and choices. There’s no combat system and no graphic violence — the focus is on the impact of war, not the spectacle.

Tasks revolve around survival and helping others survive. Each day is limited by a set number of action points, forcing you to make painful decisions. The developers explained that Hollow Home is heavily inspired by Disco Elysium and Planescape: Torment, something that’s evident in its art style.

The game offers high replayability thanks to its nonlinear structure, multiple builds, and choice-driven outcomes. We particularly enjoyed the journal mechanics, which made exploration intuitive and engaging.

You can wishlist Hollow Home on Steam, with a planned release next year.

Red Metal

Red Metal was arguably the most exciting and fun game we played at Nordic Game Spring 2024. It’s an action-packed vehicle-based roguelite filled with intense moments and tons of unlockable customization.

It’s easy to pick up, fast-paced, and lets you battle a wide range of enemy types. You can upgrade your arsenal as you progress toward mission goals to earn money for new vehicles and upgrades. The difficulty scaling ensures that enemies grow tougher as your power increases.

A selection of unique vehicles, over a dozen weapons, dozens of items, and more than a hundred unique weapon mods make every run fresh and full of surprises. As a roguelite, expect a high level of replayability.

The driving physics are simple but satisfying: easy steering, smooth acceleration, and plenty of ways to attack enemies using both your vehicle and your weapons. Expect multiple boss encounters as well, each requiring smart strategy.

Red Metal is the kind of game that keeps you glued to the screen – fast, action-driven, and offering something refreshingly different. While it doesn’t have a set release date yet, you can find it on Steam.