The 15 Best Steam Next Fest Demos to Play Right Now

Oct 21, 2026 - 22:05

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The 15 Best Steam Next Fest Demos to Play Right Now

Updated Oct 21, 2026, 1:00 PM EDT

Steam's free demo event is on, and there's a lot to try

Four raccoons hang out together in Dumpster Gang.

Usually, Steam Next Fest is a cause for celebration. Steam's digital demo event is always a great way to find exciting and eccentric new PC games from a wide range of developers. This October's edition, which runs through Oct. 26, was especially exciting on paper given that it would give some air to upcoming games that aren't named GTA 6 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Unfortunately, this fall's showcase has turned out to be one hell of a mess so far. According to reports, there are more than twice as many demos featured in this fall’s edition compared to last year. That's thanks to the rise of generative AI-filled games, which are making it tougher to find true gold in the mountains. Some real developers, like the team behind Dunken Goddess Reflux, even went as far as to cancel their planned demos for fear of AI copycats. Look through the list of demos on Steam, and you'll be met with a depressing flood of games with generative AI disclaimers.

It's a major bummer for anyone who believes in games as an expression of human craft, and it has made it clear that Valve desperately needs to take some measures to moderate the low-effort slop. Don't let the wave of AI games fool you though: There are still plenty of games created by real people featured during Steam Next Fest. We've done our best to round up some highlights we've seen and played so far, minus games that come with a major AI disclaimer. Based on what we've found, there's still plenty of reason to be hopeful that great, human-made games can still rise to the top.

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1 At Fate’s End

A princess dueling her sibling with magical swords in At Fate's End

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.

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2 Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered

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.

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3 El Paso, Elsewhere 2

James Savage jumps in the air in El Paso, Elsewhere 2.

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.

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4 My Arms Are Longer Now

An arm lays around various kids and a dingo mascot in My Arms Are Longer Now.

My Arms Are Longer Now has been firmly on my radar ever since I demoed it earlier this year. It’s a slapstick comedy game where you control a mischievous arm that is impossibly long. Its demo will give you a sense for its wacky humor, as you absolutely ruin people’s days by using your snake-like arm to cause chaos. It’s a bit of a puzzle game, but it’s more so a comedy sandbox in the vein of the very funny Thank Goodness You’re Here.

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5 Curse of Resthaven

A villager lays down in the street in Curse of Resthaven.

After making waves in 2024 with the delightful Lil’ Guardsman, developer Hilltop Studios is back with something darker. Curse of Resthaven is a narrative roguelike where you need to find your lost niece on a cursed island. That task is made harder by the fact that you’re stuck in a time loop. Its free demo takes you through a full six-day loop and gives you plenty of suspects to question across the island. Demo progress will also carry over to the full game when it releases on Oct. 29.

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6 Guns of Eschaton

An enormous worm snaking around a mountain in Guns of Eschaton.

Guns of Eschaton impressed us when we tried it back at Gamescom, and you’ll understand why once you try its newly updated Next Fest demo, neatly timed ahead of its early-December release. The strange first-person shooter from the late Viktor Antonov, an art director who famously worked on Half-Life 2, is a visually arresting Soulslike that blends grim fantasy and old west gunslinging. The new demo includes a new character archetype to try, The Deadeye, so there’s a reason to dive in again if you’ve tried the game previously.

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7 Splatchinko

A Pachinko board appears in Splatchinko.

Cosmic horror Pachinko roguelike? Sure, why not. Splatchinko has the kind of grab bag elevator pitch that fuels a lot of indies these days, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t catch my eye. The demo will let you try out a particularly chaotic Pachinko game that takes place in outer space, among the aliens and Lovecraftian entities. If you love games like Balatro and Raccoin, I’m sure you’ll be just as thrilled by all the out-of-pocket builds you can seemingly craft here.

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8 Dumpster Gang

A trio of raccoons hang around a dumpster in Dumpster Gang.

For those on the hunt for their next multiplayer obsession, may I turn your attention to Dumpster Gang? The co-op game offers the ultimate video game power fantasy by turning you and your friends into raccoons. Your job is, of course, to steal things and cause a mess, which kind of makes Dumpster Gang feel like a close cousin to Untitled Goose Game. Get some friends together if you’re curious about committing some furry crimes during Next Fest.

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9 Talaka

A character fights a boss who throws bones in Talaka.

While there is undoubtedly no shortage of roguelikes to try during Next Fest, I recommend taking some time to try out Talaka. Why? Because developer Potato Kid’s debut game features a hand-painted visual style that you just have to see for yourself. With a story steeped in Afro-Brazilian mythology, Talaka is shaping up to be a unique project among the freshly rebooted Acclaim’s indie publishing efforts.

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10 Kunckle Paradise

A character punches the ground in Knuckle Paradise.

Who doesn't love a good beat-'em-up? The developers behind ScourgeBringer are going old school for its next game, Knuckle Paradise, which deals out some old-fashioned brawling with a nostalgic pixel art style. You play as a retired boxer with a chicken sidekick who must punch your way out of an underground boxing tournament that you've been forced into. It's funny, colorful, and full of crunchy pixels that you'll just wish you could chew on.

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