Next up from NEXT FEST 2025!

You wouldn’t buy a car without test-driving it first, so why shouldn’t the sentiment be the same when purchasing games? Steam’s Next Fest offers gamers the chance to try before they buy by hosting 1000s of game demos for upcoming games. This February, I played over 50 indie game demos across multiple different genres, and here are a few standouts that deserve some time in the spotlight.

• Aethermancer is a stunning pixel graphic, roguelike, creature collector. Think if Hades and Cassette Beasts decided to combine their best qualities. Aethermancer is one of the most well fleshed-out demos I’ve had the pleasure of playing, with strong variation in teams, strategies, and synergies. This game has a lot of replayability, each attempt to escape builds on the knowledge you gained before while introducing you to new monsters, areas, and challenges. Between runs, there is a charming hub of characters who are ready to upgrade you on your journey through a strange world. Created by the team who made Monster Sanctuary, I can’t wait to see what the full version of this game has in store for us.

• Despelote is a slice-of-life adventure game that follows the story of a young boy in the town of Quinto, Ecuador when they were qualifying for their first World Cup in the country's history. A game of exploration where the story unveils itself only if you search for it. More than a visual novel, this is truly an inventive interactive fiction. Gamers are treated to an incredible mix of 2D characters within a 3D environment—an art style trend I predict we will see more of in future indie games.

• Mudborne is a game from solo indie dev Ellraiser, who also brought the bee keeping sim APICO to our bee-autiful screens. Similarly to their first game, Mudborne is a management sim about raising, breeding, and making a delightful home for a plethora of frogs. Exploring your pond, eating bugs, and collecting Froggie friends has never been more endearing. Mudborne has been one of the few demos out there I have found that has given me the most in-depth tutorials ever, yet allowed me to play this game completely in my own way. With a button to ribbit, and the option to have a froggy friend follow you around, this game is certified cutie-patootie. 

• Kill The Music delivers rhythm-based, bullet-heaven action in a hand-drawn environment like no other. The game’s mechanics have you hit the beat to keep auto-attacking, and hitting your combos allows you to become more powerful against waves of enemies. This game is the cousin to Crypt of the Necrodancer, offering a new, engaging way to play rhythm games set to an incredible soundtrack.

Next Fest hosts two festivals every year, one in February and the second in October. Try some upcoming indie games and support the developers by wishlisting their works, you’ll be surprised what indie gems are waiting to be discovered.

Article written by Emma Clarke

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