Read our reviews of various demos released during the event.
June 2025
Dispatch Demo – Carve Your Own Superhero Redemption Sitcom
When the Dispatch trailer first debuted at the Game Awards last year, I thought a new superhero animated series was in the works. My excitement multiplied when I read AdHoc Studio’s name and realized Dispatch is going to be an interactive narrative. A first look at the game was made available as a 30 minute…
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FEROCIOUS Demo is Far Cry meets Jurassic Park on Skull Island
Summer is my favorite time of the year because it marks the start of monster season for the entertainment industry. I’m always looking forward to seeing franchises like Jurassic Park release its blockbusters in these middle months. However, what excites me more than a dinosaur movie is a dinosaur game. I’ve been on the prowl…
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Abyssal Blade: Hack-N-Slash Through Grief
When it comes to gaming, I sometimes think of myself as a corvid. I see a game with new and shiny graphics, and I immediately need to pick it up. Conversely, if a game doesn’t have the ‘shiny polish’, I may very well miss out on it despite its quality. I’m not proud of this,…
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AM Demo Has You Keep the Faith and Keep Driving
AM by BrocBois takes the concept of a midnight drive into a fight for survival against demonic forces. Something evil hunts you on the dark American roads, and your car is both your sanctuary and a trap, as faith becomes as crucial as fuel. With gas stations serving as checkpoints, charging stations for your flashlight,…
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Undusted: Letters from the Past is a Heartfelt Exploration of the Past
There’s no telling what you’ll find when you go searching through childhood memories. You might laugh or cry. You might even cringe. No matter what, though, there’s going to be nostalgia. Undusted: Letters from the Past captures that feeling perfectly. Developed by 5minlab Corp. and published by Toge Productions, Undusted is a casual game about…
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City Garden Harvest Demo – A Promising Seed Needs Extra Care
This year I started a personal produce garden after feeling the burden of rising grocery prices. I figured growing some simple vegetables at home was a worthy investment and realistic enough to commit to. Starting was tough, but after 6 months I’m proud to have saved a few trips to the grocery store. I’m not…
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No, I’m Not a Human Demo is a Promising Descent into Distrust
No, I’m not a Human transforms paranoia into gameplay with a deceptively simple premise: determine who’s human and who isn’t before it’s too late. Originally developed by Trioskaz and now published by Critical Reflex—the horror powerhouse behind Buckshot Roulette and Mouthwashing—this atmospheric nightmare drops you into a world where the sun’s deadly heat forces desperate…
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SSR Wives: The Murder of My Winter Crush KILLS It!
It’s a rare, rare thing when a game evokes the same uncanny feeling I felt marathoning Silent Hill as a kid. Even rarer when my chosen protagonist is a, quote, ‘Puppy Girl’. SSR Wives: The Murder of My Winter Crush might appear tongue-in-cheek, but after playing the demo it’s clear the developers are bringing their…
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February 2025
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s Demo Sets Sail
SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio bring back the Yakuza action with Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii! Fans of the Like a Dragon series, formerly Yakuza outside of Japan, will be thrilled with this over-the-top Pirate twist on…
The Wacky West Demo Beats All the Phone Ads
Wacky West delivers the action-packed experience you’ve always imagined from those endless runner mobile ads—except this time, it’s real! Dive into a fast-paced, post-apocalyptic world from debuting developer OnlyStuff. You’ll fight off mutants, create insane combo builds, craft powerful weapons,…
The Neon Runner Demo Is A Sweet Treat
Neon Runner is a high-speed runner game that challenges your reflexes and precision as you race to complete levels and set record-breaking high scores. The first game from iRL Games debuting for Steam Next Fest, Neon Runner’s demo offers a…
Tales of Seikyu Demo Brings the Yokai Fantasy
Welcome to your enchanting new life in a magical world of wonder and adventure! Tales of Seikyu by ACE Entertainment and Fireshine Games brings Japanese mythology to the farm sim genre this Steam Next Fest with an amazing demo. Seikyu,…
Zombies Overloaded Demo Is Simple, Violent Fun
Zombies Overloaded is an upcoming horde survival game by Vinterm Games. With a pleasing graphic novel-esque art style, a lemony announcer celebrating your undead killing spree, and a Duke Nukem-esque grizzled protagonist, the game hits several marks for being a…
Dare to Lucid Dream’s Demo Sparks Interest
Let’s take a look at the whimsical demo for Dare to Lucid Dream, a visual novel by Ghost Penguin debuting for Steam’s Next Fest. This casual drama promises a fantastical story with multiple endings depending on your choices and LGBTQ+…
Anoxia Station’s Demo is Darkly Gripping
Let’s take a look at the thrilling demo for Anoxia Station by Yakove Butuzoff and Abylight Studios! Debuting for Steam Next Fest, Anoxia Station is a strategy colony sim set in a horrifying post-apocalyptic world. Survival depends on finding fossil…
October 2024
Review: Rock Digger Has a Demo You Can Dig
Rock Digger is the debut game from indie developer Rockin’ Games. Start as a humble rock and evolve into an unstoppable mining golem! We checked out the demo from Steam Next Fest, and here’s what we found. Rock’n’Roll After crash-landing…
Review: Royal Revolt Warriors is a Jaw-Dropping Experience
Never before has a demo felt like a fully released game already. Dive into the electrifying world of Royal Revolt Warriors, an exhilarating co-op experience for 1 to 4 players where survival and action-roguelite gameplay come together. Prepare to face…
Review: TOTAL RELOAD Might Need a Total Reload
Have you ever gotten the urge to step back into the Portal universe, just to play with the puzzles? Well, we can get you halfway there with TOTAL RELOAD, from the two-person team TORSHOCK. This is their first release, coming…
Review: Slime Heroes’ Demo Gets a 10/10
You don’t even need to die to reincarnate as a slime this time. Slime Heroes is another gem of a game from Whitethorn Games, developed by Pancake Games. Step into the shoes of the last slime, tasked with saving your…
Review: Lynked: Banner of the Spark is Ready for Combat
It takes a village to save the world, and you’ll need all the help you can get in Lynked: Banner of the Spark. Lynked is an action roguelike developed by FuzzyBot and published by Dreamhaven, where you join the robot…
Review: Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders’ Demo Wins Gold
The creators of Lonely Mountains: Downhill, Megagon Industries, have released the demo for their highly anticipated sequel, Snow Riders. This sports game invites players to test their skiing skills in stunning mountain landscapes. You can perform tricks, uncover shortcuts, and…
Review: SOPA – Tale of the Stolen Potato is a Delight
SOPA – Tale of the Stolen Potato is a delightful new game from StudioBando that invites players into a magical world through the eyes of Miho. When Miho steps into the pantry to fetch a potato for his grandmother’s soup,…
Review: The Legend of Perchta’s Demo Defense
The Legend of Perchta is an engaging first-person shooter tower defense infused with roguelite elements, developed by the independent Austrian studio Sleepy Creepy Studio. In this game, players choose their hero to defend their castle against relentless hordes of enemies.…
