The 10 Best Steam Next Fest Demos to Play Right Now
With a packed November looming, Steam Next Fest shows up this week as a welcome warm-up act. Through Oct. 26, PC players can download free demos of a huge range of upcoming Steam releases. It’s a fine way to fill the time before the GTA 6 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time one-two punch, and you might find your next indie obsession along the way.
Finding your way around this edition is trickier than usual. Reports indicate the event has more than double the demos it had last year. A flood of games padded out with generative AI makes the real gems harder to spot. If the sheer volume feels overwhelming, start with these standouts.
1. At Fate’s End
If you want to spot a 2027 Game of the Year contender in a sea of demos, head straight for At Fate’s End. The newest project from Spiritfarer studio Thunder Lotus is shaping up as an inventive blend of 2D action and character-driven family drama. Its generous demo gives you a real taste, including a standout boss fight in which two sisters settle their differences in a duel staged almost like theater.
2. Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered
Next Fest is full of brand-new games, yet one of its most thrilling demos belongs to a remaster. Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered restores a GameCube cult favorite with sharper visuals and online play. The demo is a blast and proves the game has aged far better than its lukewarm 2002 reviews would suggest. It’s easy to see why fans still adore this monster brawler.
3. El Paso, Elsewhere 2
In 2023, El Paso, Elsewhere emerged as a sleeper hit. Its retro love letter to Max Payne put developer Strange Scaffold firmly on the map. The highly anticipated sequel arrives in 2027, and Next Fest offers an early look. The demo is a bit rough around the edges, but it shows how the stylish slow-motion shooting is evolving. You get roomier spaces to dive through and a fresh batch of monsters to put down.
4. My Arms Are Longer Now
My Arms Are Longer Now has held a spot on my radar since I played it earlier this year. This slapstick comedy puts you in charge of a mischievous, absurdly long arm. The demo captures its zany humor well, letting you wreck people’s days by sending that serpentine limb into mayhem. There are puzzle elements, but it works best as a comedy sandbox in the spirit of the hilarious Thank Goodness You’re Here.
5. Curse of Resthaven
Hilltop Studios made a splash in 2024 with the charming Lil’ Guardsman, and now it’s heading into darker territory. Curse of Resthaven is a narrative roguelike in which you search a cursed island for your missing niece. A time loop complicates things further. The free demo walks you through an entire six-day cycle and gives you plenty of islanders to interrogate. Your demo progress carries over to the full game, which launches Oct. 29.
6. Guns of Eschaton
Guns of Eschaton made a strong impression when we played it at Gamescom. Its refreshed Next Fest demo, timed neatly ahead of the early-December launch, shows why. This peculiar first-person shooter comes from the late Viktor Antonov, the art director famous for his work on Half-Life 2. It’s a visually striking Soulslike that mixes grim fantasy with Wild West gunslinging. The updated build introduces a new archetype, the Deadeye, so even returning players have a reason to jump back in.
7. Splatchinko
A cosmic-horror Pachinko roguelike? Why not. Splatchinko has the kitchen-sink pitch that drives so many indies these days, and I’ll admit it hooked me. The demo drops you into a gloriously chaotic game of Pachinko set in deep space, surrounded by aliens and Lovecraftian horrors. Fans of Balatro and Raccoin will probably love the outrageous builds you can seemingly cook up here.
8. Dumpster Gang
Looking for your next multiplayer fixation? Allow me to point you toward Dumpster Gang. This co-op game delivers the ultimate power fantasy by turning you and your friends into raccoons. Naturally, your mission is to swipe goods and leave a trail of destruction, which makes it feel like a close relative of Untitled Goose Game. Round up a few pals if you fancy a little furry larceny during Next Fest.
9. Talaka
Next Fest has no shortage of roguelikes, but Talaka deserves a slot in your queue. Developer Potato Kid’s debut boasts a hand-painted art style that’s best experienced firsthand. Its story draws on Afro-Brazilian mythology, and it stands out as a distinctive entry in the indie lineup of the newly revived Acclaim.
10. Tearoom of Terror
I’m a sucker for a good murder mystery, and I also adore a well-made shop management sim. Tearoom of Terror blends the two into one darkly comic cup. You’ve inherited a tearoom, and you need to uncover who killed your aunt. While questioning suspects, you’ll also brew the ideal drinks and match them with the right snacks. It’s a fitting demo for spooky season, even though the full game doesn’t arrive until early next year.
Source: Polygon
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