With a busy November right around the corner, Steam Next Fest arrives this week as a delightful appetizer. From now through Oct. 26, PC players can try free demos for tons of upcoming games coming to Steam. It’s a great way to pass some time before the GTA 6 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time double-header by trying a unique smattering of games that could become your next indie obsession.
This week’s celebration is a little harder to navigate than usual, though. According to reports, there are more than twice as many demos featured in this fall’s edition compared to last year, with the rise of generative AI-filled games making it tougher to find true gold in the mountains. If you find it all a little intimidating, here’s a handful of demos we recommend checking out first.
A weekly cheat sheet to what you’ll eventually love to play. No buying, no commitment — just saving for later. If you’re trying to find 2027’s potential Game of the Year among a sea of demos, you should go straight to At Fate’s End.
The latest game from Spiritfarer developer Thunder Lotus is shaping up to be a unique fusion of 2D action game and narrative-driven family drama. You can get a taste of that in its lengthy demo, which features a stellar battle where two sisters work through their issues in a stage combat-like fight. There are plenty of brand-new games to try during Next Fest, but one of the most exciting demos out there is for a remaster.
Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered returns a GameCube cult classic to glory with a spiffy touch-up complete with updated visuals and online play. It has aged remarkably well, as you’ll soon discover in a wildly fun demo that shows why Godzilla fans still love a brawler that didn’t review all too well in 2002. El Paso, Elsewhere was a bit of a hidden gem in 2023, delivering a retro ode to Max Payne that put developer Strange Scaffold on the map.
The studio is working on its much-anticipated sequel, set to launch in 2027, and you can get a taste of it during Next Fest. While it’s a little rough around the edges, it’s enough to give you a sense of how the stylish slo-mo action is evolving in a sequel with more open space to dive around and lots of new monsters to slay. My Arms Are Longer Now has been firmly on my radar ever since I demoed it earlier this year.
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