EDITORIAL NOTE: This is a researched pre-release feature based on developer and publisher information, official Steam listings and trailers. Coloured Static Press has not tested this game for this article. It is not a hands-on preview, review or endorsement.
Steam Next Fest runs from 19–26 October 2026. Our Next Fest Signal hub follows games worth investigating, with a clear distinction between announced projects and games we have actually played.
Most fantasy swords are introduced as tools for dealing with monsters. Queen’s Domain has another use for its legendary blade: flight. The Holy Sword Endu lets players cross gaps in the game’s interconnected island, giving developer duo Freshly Baked Games an unusual way to tie combat equipment to exploration.
An island designed to be investigated
The story begins on the Isle of Neasied, where the protagonist searches for a missing father while a dormant queen and dark forces threaten to wake. Future Friends Games is publishing this retro-fantasy action RPG, due for release on 30 October 2026, only four days after Next Fest ends. The developer cites a classic dungeon-crawling sensibility, but the published feature list points beyond nostalgia.
There are charge attacks, a stamina-based combat system, weapon-specific skills and throwable secondary weapons. The studio also highlights a large selection of melee equipment, enemies and boss encounters. That suggests a game asking players to experiment rather than rely on one trusted sword for the entire journey.
A movement mechanic could be the key
The sword-flight ability sounds simple. Its significance depends on the island wrapped around it. When a traversal tool affects which paths you can reach, the best surprises are often the places you notice early but cannot access until later. The developer says Endu can be upgraded to fly further, which may encourage players to revisit old routes. Whether that leads to clever discoveries or repetitive backtracking remains something to test.
A public Steam demo is already available, so there is no need to wait until the festival opens to begin investigating. That is particularly useful for a title with its full release so close: the demo can offer an immediate way to decide whether the pace, combat and first-person exploration suit you.
What we will be checking
Our hands-on checklist is straightforward: how clear the world’s geography is, how combat responds to different weapons, whether sword-flight feels intuitive, and how performance holds up across a typical PC setup. None of those judgments can responsibly be made from a trailer or press release alone.
Developer: Freshly Baked Games LLC. Publisher: Future Friends Games. Planned release: 30 October 2026.
Queen’s Domain on Steam, including the demo · Publisher’s Next Fest press roundup
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