In a bygone era, experiencing a game before its launch required a pilgrimage to a major trade show like E3, hunting down a demo kiosk in a crowded department store, or waiting for a monthly magazine to arrive with a plastic disc glued to the cover. Thankfully, those days of physical gatekeeping are over. Steam Next Fest has returned, unleashing a deluge of playable previews that cater to every niche imaginable.
Running from February 23 through March 2, this iteration of Next Fest is particularly eclectic. Whether you want to pilot a skateboarding locomotive or battle through a culinary-themed RPG, the sheer variety is staggering. To help you navigate the noise, we’ve curated a list of 10 standout Steam demos you should prioritize this week.
1. Denshattack!
The premise of Denshattack! is so absurdly compelling it sells itself: it is a high-octane anime title where you can perform a kickflip with a literal train. Set in a stylized, futuristic Japan where sprawling metropolises are preserved under massive glass domes, you assume the role of a conductor tasked with connecting these urban hubs. However, the narrative is merely a backdrop for the real draw: treating a high-speed subway car as if it were a skateboard. Between tre-flips and high-speed grinds, the demo offers a tantalizing glimpse into a project that feels like one of 2026’s most stylish prospects. If the full game maintains this momentum, we’re fully on board.
2. Titanium Court
Describing Titanium Court is a challenge, as it defies traditional genre boundaries. Developed by AP Thomson (co-creator of Consume Me), this title is a sophisticated blend of text-based adventuring, match-three puzzling, and grand strategy. The core loop involves defending your stronghold from rival fortresses represented on a puzzle grid. By strategically aligning terrain tiles—such as mountains, plains, and rivers—you secure tactical advantages before the combat phase begins. Once the timer expires, you manage resources by hiring laborers for harvests and soldiers for raids. This only scratches the surface of the complexity found in the demo, but its idiosyncratic design is nothing short of brilliant.
3. Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors
The “bullet-heaven” genre has been flooded with imitators since 2022, so it’s only fitting that the original developer, Poncle, would be the one to reinvent the wheel. Vampire Crawlers reimagines the frantic action of Vampire Survivors as a retro-inspired first-person dungeon crawler. Instead of dodging thousands of projectiles, you navigate grid-based corridors and engage in turn-based combat where classic weapons are reimagined as collectible cards. Despite the shift in perspective, the addictive progression and constant stream of unlocks remain intact. What might look like an April Fools’ joke at first glance is actually a masterclass in genre adaptation.
4. Dosa Divas
Outerloop Games, the studio behind Thirsty Suitors, returns with Dosa Divas. The game draws clear inspiration from the Paper Mario lineage, utilizing a turn-based combat system layered with real-time defensive and offensive inputs. While it may not have the astronomical budget of a AAA blockbuster, its visual flair is undeniable. The story follows two sisters and their mechanical companion as they attempt to dismantle a corporate fast-food empire helmed by their own sibling. Filled with mouthwatering South Asian culinary minigames and vibrant character designs, this demo is a delightful treat that will likely leave you craving a snack.
5. Australia Did It
From Rami Ismail and Aesthetician Labs comes Australia Did It, a tower defense title that refuses to follow the rules. Your mission is to escort a train across a desolate wasteland teeming with nightmarish desert fauna. The gameplay is split into two distinct modes: a strategic placement phase where you merge units to create powerful hybrids, and a mobile defense phase that feels like a locomotive-themed survival shooter. The depth provided by the unit combinations makes this a standout evolution of the defensive strategy genre.
6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Empire City
For those who grew up idolizing the Heroes in a Half-Shell, TMNT: Empire City is a dream realized in virtual reality. Described as the ultimate Turtle LARPing experience, the game allows players to step into the shells of the iconic brothers to utilize their signature ninja skills. Refreshingly, the developers have pivoted away from Shredder to focus on Karai, his daughter, as the primary antagonist. While the full release promises a cooperative experience, the current Steam Next Fest demo is a solo affair, focusing on the visceral satisfaction of VR combat.
7. Armatus
Counterplay Games is moving past the mixed legacy of Godfall with its new project, Armatus. This third-person roguelike shooter feels like the spiritual successor that many hoped for, blending the kinetic intensity of Returnal with high-fantasy spectacle. Players battle through procedurally generated runs, stacking weapon modifications and elemental abilities to decimate waves of foes. During our time with the demo, we experimented with a shotgun-flamethrower hybrid that turned enemies into walking bombs—a testament to the game’s commitment to pure, unadulterated spectacle.
8. Damon and Baby
Drawing inspiration from arcade classics like Smash TV, Damon and Baby is a relentless twin-stick shooter featuring lushly detailed pixel art and extensive character customization. While the pace is blistering, the game introduces clever mechanics to assist the player, such as a melee-lock system that automatically tracks targets after a physical strike. This allows players to focus on movement and evasion without losing their offensive flow. It is a polished, retro-infused adventure from Arc System Works that excels in both solo and local co-op play.
9. Wax Heads
Part visual novel and part logic puzzle, Wax Heads is an incredibly charming love letter to music culture. As the newest clerk at Repeater Records, your task is to decipher the vague descriptions of customers to find the perfect album. The game flips the “customer is always right” trope on its head, requiring you to navigate the egos of post-punk elitists and hyperpop fanatics. With a phenomenal original soundtrack and a heartwarming narrative about workplace camaraderie, it is one of the most uniquely cozy experiences of the festival.
10. Zero Parades: For Dead Spies
The arrival of Zero Parades: For Dead Spies is a major event for CRPG fans. Developed by ZA/UM, the studio behind the legendary Disco Elysium, this title carries the weight of significant studio controversy and high expectations. Centered on a botched espionage mission, the game retains the sharp, surrealist writing and tabletop-inspired depth that made its predecessor a hit. While the aesthetic similarities to Disco Elysium are striking—verging on self-parody—the demo proves that the studio’s knack for biting wit and bizarre scenario-building remains sharp. It is a demo that demands to be played so you can form an opinion based on the work itself rather than the headlines surrounding it.
Source: Polygon
