Best Steam Demos You Don’t Want to Miss During Next Fest

Steam Next Fest is a time for indie game developers from around the world to showcase their latest projects and games. For many developers, this means introducing a demo of their game for the very first time to the masses. Because there is an abundance of games being featured in February’s edition of Steam Next Fest, there will likely be a few that might fall through the cracks.

To prevent that from happening, this is a short list of the best Steam Next Fest demos you don’t want to miss. While it’s wise to keep demos up until the release of the full game, some publishers and developers remove them once Next Fest ends. So, check out these indie demos you won’t want to miss.

Apopia: Sugar Coated Tale

• Release Date: March 3, 2026
• Publisher: Happinet
• Developer: Quillo Entertainment Limited

“Apopia: Sugar Coated Tale” gives me immense point-and-click adventure vibes with hand-drawn animations that look a lot like what you can expect from a Saturday morning cartoon. The Steam page doesn’t unveil a whole lot of information besides the fact that, as you descend into a sugar-coated fairy tale world, you’ll begin to peel back the darkness below. The demo puts you in the shoes of Mai as she tries to find her way home, while also letting you experience the various types of gameplay, including rhythm, puzzle-solving, and even a short burst of action.

Dadum The Dice

• Release Date: 2026
• Publisher: Pablo Picazo
• Developer: Pablo Picazo

“Dadum the Dice” is an interesting, strategy-based puzzle game that uses regular ol’ dice to battle against one another in a run of numbers. You’ll need to roll the die around the play area and land next to enemy dice with a higher number on top to defeat them. Of course, things aren’t always that simple, with some bosses and enemies changing the rules up as well as adding some of their own. The demo puts you right in the middle of this addictive dice gameplay, so that you’ll be sure to have what it takes to fight against the Great Die.

LUCID

• Release Date: To be announced
• Publisher: Apogee Entertainment
• Developer: The Matte Black Studio

I’ve always been a big fan of platformers, and “LUCID” has been in my mind since the Kickstarter for it concluded last year, earning more than 200% of its goal. Set in a crystal-punk world, you’ll play as Oenn and absorb powers and take on acrobatic obstacles within well-designed dungeons using tight controls similar to games like “Celeste.” Its growth since its inception has been unimaginable, and now players can even expect original music by David Wise of “Donkey Kong Country” and “Star Fox Adventures” fame. There is a demo available on Steam that immerses you in the above, as well as its gorgeous pixel-art atmosphere.

Tombwater

• Release Date: March 31, 2026
• Publisher: Midwest Games
• Developer: Moth Atlas

Do you like westerns and eldritch horrors? Then “Tombwater” might be for you. You’ll play as a gunslinger, using soulslike gameplay and your guns to fight against horrors unknown to any living soul. It’s also a Metroidvania that expects you to revisit places and travel the entirety of Tombwater to discover its secrets and insane inhabitants. The demo is absolutely beautiful and exhibits the incredible pixel art and even more stellar storytelling that can be expected from the game when it officially launches.

Midwest 90: Rapid City

• Release Date: To be announced
• Publisher: Rising Tide
• Developer: Hidden Chest Studios

There are very few games out there that mesh horror, tower defense mechanics, and management gameplay, but “Midwest 90: Rapid City” does and does it well. You’ll be managing a restaurant that happens to be open during a Monster Apocalypse and focusing on serving weird monster meat dishes to customers. It gives off really 90’s horror vibes as you’re tasked with serving up customers, as well as keeping them safe from monster attacks. The demo is incredible, and puts you in a gameplay loop that really allows you to experience just about everything you can do, from cooking, managing, decision-making, and getting rid of the baddies.