Steam Next Fest is here once again, bringing with it hundreds of demos for upcoming titles to try, love, and wishlist. Described as a “celebration of upcoming games,” this triannual event brings players free demos from a range of titles (indies and AAA alike).
Steam Next Fest is live now and will run until 5 AM AEDT on Tuesday, 13 February, so you’ve got a week to get through as many demos as possible to find your up-and-coming favourite. Given there are over 1,200 games to choose from, which can frankly be overwhelming, we’re saving you some decision paralysis. Below, you’ll find a curated list of Next Fest demos we think you’ll love from a variety of different genres – keep an eye out later in the week for a list of great Aussie and NZ titles you can try out during the event, too.
Without further ado, let’s get into it.
Pacific Drive
Pacific Drive drops you into a surreal, post-apocalyptic exclusion zone in America’s Pacific Northwest where your station wagon is your only lifeline against the dangers that lurk in the dark. Unravel the mystery of what happened in the Olympic Exclusion Zone, maintain and repair your car. Drive to survive with a level of granularity that will appeal to driving sim fans, with all the spooky intrigue and story-rich adventuring horror, sci-fi and survival game players will love too. Pacific Drive is set to release on 22 February, so Steam Next Fest is likely your last chance to go on a (not so relaxing) cruise through the anomaly-filled world of the Pacific Northwest before it launches.
Helskate
Described as a “skateboarding action roguelite,” Helskate takes classic arcade-style skating gameplay (a la Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater) and combines it with monster-slaying. Customise your weapon loadout for different playstyles while fighting the foes of Vertheim, get tattoos to upgrade abilities and ollie your way to victory in style. Helskate feels decidedly inspired by Sunset Overdrive and it looks cool as hell. You can try the Steam Next Fest demo here ahead of the planned Early Access launch on 15 February.
Backrooms
Backrooms is a psychological horror online co-op game that transports you into liminal spaces filled with dangerous entities and mysterious places. Much like many other popular co-op titles sprinkled with a dash (or three) or horror, Backrooms employs proximity voice chat to add another layer of strategy – and depending on your group of friends, the opportunity for a whole lot of comedy when they get thrown into a pants-shitting scary situation. Experience the world through a VHS taped lens, navigate through different levels, and build your own. The Backrooms Steam Next Fest Demo can be played here, before the game launches in March this year.
Fight Crab 2
If you’ve been fiending some crustacean smackdown action, Fight Crab 2 has you covered. Flip your hard-shelled opponents onto their backs while doing exactly what it says on the lid; fighting crabs (you are also a crab). This game builds upon the first Fight Crab game with a ‘Modern’ control option which might feel more familiar for those used to third-person action games, as well as a number of other improvements to bring the ultimate crab wrestling experience to players. Fight Crab 2 will go into Early Access on 13 February, so we’d recommend trying out the Steam Next Fest demo in a pinch before release. (How many crab puns can I fit into this paragraph?)
Magical Delicacy
Magical Delicacy is an upcoming pixel art platformer from wholesome publisher Whitethorn Games (Calico, Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island) that sees you play a young witch exploring an unfamiliar town, cooking up magical dishes, getting to know a diverse cast of characters, and learning about the world of magic. You’ll be able to cook up a storm of different potions, meals, teas, and baked goods for friends and customers alike, all the while making your way through the harbour town platformer-style to shop, meet new people, and uncover the mysteries of the island. Magical Delicacy doesn’t have a release date just yet, but has a planned launch window of some time this year – for now, you can give the Steam Next Fest demo a go here.
Trash of the Titans
Trash of the Titans blends a roguelike tactical turn-based RPG with…trash animals. Think opossums, badgers, and racoons (“dumpster-diving trash bandits”) all banding together to defend their magical wizard trash from the invading Rat Crue – and then promptly eating said garbage to upgrade your team with different abilities so they can hoard even more trash. In some ways, one might say (and by one, I mean David upon hearing about this game) that Trash of the Titans is a little bit like turn-based strategy game Armello, if it was overrun with the dirtiest little garbage bandits you’ve ever encountered. Check out the Steam Next Fest demo here before it launches into Early Access some time in 2024.
Soulmask
Sandbox survival games are always a bit of fun (on top of being a major time sink), and Soulmask promises an “authentic survival experience” set in a primitive land where you must start from nothing after escaping a sacrificial ritual. Armed with nothing but a mysterious mystical mask, you’ll explore, build a base, expand your clan and carve out your own path. As one of Steam Next Fest’s trending upcoming games ahead of its release this year, this demo is worth a go if you’re a survival game fan.
Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge
Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge is a cozy game through and through – there’s frogs (although capybaras, as I predicted, have become the new it animal for cozy games of late), farming sim elements, a relaxing painterly art style, and a wholesome goal to foster a sanctuary for said frogs and restore the biodiversity of the wetlands around you. Collect and raise frogs, photograph and breed them, decorate your sanctuary and restore the wetlands of your childhood in a game that feels akin to a warm hug. Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge is due out in 2024, with this week’s Steam Next Fest demo is the perfect time to get your amphibian enthusiast on and relax into a wholesome game.
There’s plenty more Steam Next Fest demos I’d love to bring to your attention, but we’d honestly be here all day. Special mentions go to INDIKA and Summerhouse which both look like great fun to try if you’re after even more demos to pack out your week before the event wraps up on the 13th. Do any of these games sound up your alley, or have you got your sights set on another demo? Let us know!
Image: Valve
Leave a Reply