Next Fest is again! The biannual Steam occasion that celebrates demos for a whole lot of forthcoming video games begins at this time, October 13, and runs till 1 p.m. ET on October 20. However with 3,276 demos to select from, it’s an awesome beast. Worry not, for we—just like the courageous knights we’re—are right here to focus on among the greatest we’ve discovered throughout a breadth of genres, from indie to AAA.
I like to think about Subsequent Fest because the video games trade’s demonstration that genres don’t mean anything any more, because the hundreds of demos are categorized by means of a mixture of lies and jazz, and the phrases “point-and-click” are taken to imply “games that feature pointy objects and clicking sounds.” It might probably make in search of specific sorts of video games an astonishing headache. So as a substitute, push all such intentions apart: Subsequent Fest is greatest loved by simply scrolling by means of into the deepest recesses and putting in something that catches your eye. Overlook concerning the kinds of video games you already like; as a substitute plunge in deep and experiment. And to avoid wasting your scroll wheel, we’ve picked out a number of video games that might be your new large obsession.
After all this by no means definitive! There can be a whole lot of demos value enjoying, and in case you’ve found something you’d advocate your self, then we encourage you to take action within the feedback.
Tingus Goose
Developer: SweatyChair
Launch date: This autumn 2025
Demo link
Usually with these roundups I like to begin with a widely known title so everybody feels comfy, protected, and acquainted, earlier than I then begin including the super-weird delights. However no such easing ourselves into the deep finish at this time, as a result of there isn’t any extra vital demo to inform you about than Tingus Goose. I…phrases can’t suffice.
This can be a clicker within the vein of Cookie Clicker, besides you’re…effectively, pay attention, you’re clicking on the bizarre little baby-creatures known as Tingus that fly out of the beak of a goose. A goose that’s rising out of the stomach of a girl mendacity on a mattress. As you water your goose (you heard me) its neck grows longer, and it reaches for the loving kiss of one other goose hanging down from the sky above. They wish to mate, and it’s your job to have them meet. However you want cash to water a goose, and that’s gained by, um, having the infants roll over protuberances that develop sideways out of the goose’s neck. That, as you’d anticipate, earns money. And don’t fear, you may click on on the infants, too, to get more cash, however don’t click on too typically or they pop.
That is all an excellent piece of batshit loopy animation and gibberish recreation design, and I like each second of it.
PowerWash Simulator 2
Developer: FuturLab
Launch date: 23 Oct, 2025
Demo link
See, in different years this may have been my extra welcoming first entry. We’re all wanting ahead to PowerWash Simulator 2, proper? And now we lastly get to play it! Hooray!
And sure, it’s in fact completely marvelous. It’s extra PowerWash Simulator, however barely prettier and with much less clunky controls. I’m having to pressure myself to cease enjoying to put in writing this, and play the remainder of the demos, and it’s proving tough, and that’s what PW at all times did greatest: take over your whole life with its demonic pressure-washing powers.
Slots And Daggers
Developer: Friedemann
Launch date: October 24, 2025
Demo link
Oh my goodness that is the perfect I wish to play it endlessly. This being Slots And Daggers, a post-Balatro roguelite slot machine recreation that purifies the mechanics to sweetest perfection. You start by selecting the icons that may seem on the slots (beginning with cash, sword assaults and protect) after which cease every dial to struggle a monster. For those who win, cash earned may be spent on new icons (maybe a bow assault, or an improve to your protect), in addition to on power-ups that enhance your assaults, protection, and method. You and the enemy have protect and well being meters, with some assaults capable of do true harm, others protected by your defenses. And, in fact, the second you lose it’s again to the beginning. Besides you additionally win poker chips as you play, and these may be spent on “illegal” hacks to the slot machine that may completely enhance issues.
It’s all there, proper? All of the components of a terrific roguelite, within the neatest potential approach. And I can guarantee you that it’s outstandingly moreish.
Mosaic of the Unusual
Developer: Mark Ffrench
Launch date: 7 Nov, 2025
Demo link
Mark Ffrench makes a really particular style of recreation. It’s Fill-a-Pix puzzles writ massive, the logic puzzle video games that normally fill a small grid in your telephone now taking over wall-size friezes. Proverbs was my favourite of his, a large rendering of Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s portray, Netherlandish Proverbs, become a puzzle. And which may sound pretentious, however damn it was wonderful. Later got here 2024: Mosaic Retrospective, an unbelievable collage of occasions of the earlier 12 months, and subsequent comes Mosaic of the Unusual, the follow-up to a recreation I now understand I totally missed, Mosaic of the Pharaohs. (I do know what I’m doing once I ought to be working tomorrow…) Extremely, this combines the puzzle idea with a point-and-click journey, and my thoughts’s made up.
It’s exhausting to know the best way to persuade a skeptic to offer a recreation like this a strive, however they’re blissfully absorbing and I actually can’t advocate them sufficient.
Painkiller
Developer: Anshar Studios
Launch date: 21 Oct, 2025
Demo link
I’d someway totally missed that Painkiller was coming again. As 3D Realms trawls its archives, 2004’s Painkiller is the most recent recognizable title to get a complete overhaul. A decade off has finished it some good, and its return offers it contemporary new central characters, and it’s playable alone or in 3-player co-op. It strikes extraordinarily shortly, which is my major want from any 3D Realms shooter, and the AI bots appear to do a good sufficient job within the demo. It’s additionally gloriously gory and bursting with Quake 3 vibes.
Heroes of Would possibly and Magic: Olden Period
Developer: Unfrozen
Launch date: 2026
Demo link
Fingers up, who’s sufficiently old to recollect the Heroes of Would possibly & Magic video games? No, it’s OK, don’t pressure your arm. And let’s not even ask concerning the OG Would possibly & Magic followers, because the breath of the query would possibly trigger them to break down into mud. The RPG sequence goes again so far as 1986 extremely, with its turn-based technique spin-off Heroes of Would possibly & Magic beginning in 1995. Extremely regarded turn-based technique video games proper up till they weren’t, the sequence noticed diminishing returns starting with HOMM 5 and 2015’s Would possibly & Magic Heroes VII polished the entire franchise off for a decade.
Properly, it’s again, and its newest entry is coming from Iratus developer Unfrozen. Apparently it has the nice sense to not meddle with a beloved components, letting you construct your mythological armies and develop a city, with its emphasis squarely on recreating everybody’s joyful recollections of HOMM 3. And look, I might misinform you and faux I understood this demo, however turn-based technique is a style I’ve by no means gotten my head round. I’m simply excited for all of the Would possibly & Magic followers I’ve identified and liked that it’s again.
Kingdom of Night time
Developer: Associates of Security
Launch date: This autumn 2025
Demo link
I put in this one on an entire whim, and I’m very glad I did. It’s an RPG by means of a point-and-click journey, set in Eighties Arizona with some heavy Stranger Issues vibes. You play a teenage child at highschool who finds himself embroiled in a weird journey of invading demons and magical powers. The demo instantly reveals how the traits you choose have an effect on the way you play, with a alternative between brains and brawn opening up completely different dialog choices and methods to deal with college encounters. It comes with an intricate spell system, real-time fight, and plenty of pretty isometric pixel graphics. And I’m actually stepping into it. This was first introduced six years in the past, however is seemingly arriving this 12 months, full with an choice to play the entire journey in co-op.
Servant of the Lake
Developer: Rusty Lake
Launch date: 2026
Demo link
The unbelievable Rusty Lake sequence just celebrated its 10th anniversary with a typically macabre birthday game, however now could be again with an upcoming full entry within the long-running Lynchian sequence. Servant of the Lake has the participant arrive to the Vanderboom home by horse and cart, there to be a servant to the household for a single weekend. Nonetheless, long-term followers will understand this places us within the period of the primary technology of the Vanderbooms, and thus within the presence of Aldous Vanderboom, the person who turns into the sequence peculiar antagonist, Mr. Crow. And, actually, you personal it to your self to play each Rusty Lake recreation so as, constructing as much as subsequent 12 months’s launch of this one.
Reanimal
Developer: Tarsier Studios
Launch date: TBA
Demo link
Reanimal is in fact what Tarsier Studios is making as a substitute of Little Nightmares 3. It’s an entire new venture from the crew and, nonetheless a 12 months on from its announcement, it doesn’t but have a launch date. However at the least we are able to play a few of it now! You play as a sack-headed boy, who begins the sport steering a ship to tug a mask-wearing woman from the ocean, earlier than lastly reaching dry land and starting the journey of their try to flee their hellish house. It’s all extraordinarily atmospheric, however very sluggish to get going for a demo. Nonetheless, persist and also you’ll expertise this horror-themed journey for a good whereas.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion
Developer: Tribute Video games
Launch date: 2025
Demo link
I’m delighted to report that Marvel Cosmic Invasion is an entire delight. Tribute Video games follows up TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge with one other old-school side-scrolling beat ’em up, this time with a broad forged of Marvel heroes to biff with. You choose two at a time (Spider-Man and She Hulk make for a terrific pairing), then alternate between the 2 of them as you arrange combos and Streets of Rage your approach down these pixel-perfect streets. In actual fact, it’s so Streets of Rage that you just even eat meals you discover by smashing rubbish cans, identical to actual superheroes do.
It’s so colourful and punchy (in each sense) that it feels prefer it might be a traditional arcade cupboard hit from the ’80s, rejuvenated for contemporary machines.
