Steam Next Fest is a recurring event that brings together developers and gamers. It is the perfect celebration for developers to showcase what they’ve been working on through demos and streams, and for players to try these projects themselves. This season has brought one of the most packed Fests yet, with hundreds of new game demos to explore across many different genres; from shooters to platformers, fantasy to sci-fi, and featuring both indie titles and AAA productions.
With so many games available, it can feel a bit overwhelming, so here we’ll highlight the best game some of those genres have to offer.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Empire City
For VR enthusiasts and TMNT fans alike, a new virtual adventure awaits with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Empire City. This marks the first time a TMNT game has been released from a first-person VR perspective, allowing you to step directly into the role of your favorite Turtle. You can play solo or team up with friends, and each character wields their own iconic weapon to master. Beyond combat, players can climb walls and perform parkour movements across the buildings of New York City. The Turtles won’t be alone, either, since fan-favorite characters such as Splinter and April O’Neil, along with other familiar faces, are set to appear.
You can find this VR game here.
Last Flag
For players looking for a new competitive multiplayer experience, it doesn’t get much better than Last Flag. Developed by Night Street Games, a studio founded by brothers Dan and Mac Reynolds (yes, the guys from Imagine Dragons!), Last Flag revives the popular Capture the Flag game mode with some fresh twists. Instead of having a static flag placement, each team must hide its flag before the start of the match. Both teams then battle for control of radars, which help reveal the location of the enemy team’s flag. If you’re tired of battle royales or extraction shooters, Last Flag might offer exactly what you’re looking for.
Last Flag is set to release on April 14. You can try the demo here.
Windrose
If Skull and Bones didn’t fulfill your pirate adventure fantasies, then Windrose might. Developed by Windrose Crew, the game features an open world where you can not only sail the seas but also explore and build on land. This naval adventure blends elements from other genres, including survival crafting and RPG mechanics, with abilities to unlock, treasures to discover, and bosses to defeat. While its sailing may resemble a realistic simulation, Windrose also incorporates fantasy elements and creatures. For now, it offers a PvE experience, playable solo or with friends.
You can download the Windrose demo here.
Fate Trigger
For fans of the 3D anime style that has taken over the gaming scene, or players looking for a new battle royale experience, Fate Trigger is worth checking out. This battle royale features similar third-person gameplay elements to Fortnite; however, it introduces more tactical movement, first-person aiming, and a hero-shooter system. Each hero belongs to a specific role and brings unique abilities that build different playstyles. Roles include Assault, Defender, Recon, and Support. The abilities also significantly enhance the gameplay dynamic, allowing players to summon a digital tower as a shield, call down a firestorm, or create an energy field that launches everyone within its range into the air.
You can try the Fate Trigger demo here.
Pragmata
While the Pragmata demo has been available on Steam for a while, it is featured in the Fest page, and if you haven’t tried it yet then now is the perfect time. For players looking for a new AAA-caliber action game, Pragmata offers a fresh take on the genre. Capcom once again finds innovative ways to keep action gameplay feeling dynamic, especially with the addition of hacking mechanics. As you shoot and fight as the protagonist Hugh, alongside the android companion Diana, you can hack both enemies and elements within the environment. This blend of action combat and hacking creates a unique experience that every action enthusiast should try.
Pragmata is set to launch on April 24. You can try the demo here.
Guardians of the Wild Sky
For players searching for their next crafting and base-building obsession, Guardians of the Wild Sky offers that, and much more. You can not only build bases, but also construct naval-style ships… that sail through the clouds. The world of Guardians of the Wild Sky is filled with magic, allowing you to ride creatures, enchanted weapons, and engage in ship-to-ship aerial combat. The game also features quests to keep players engaged, and the current demo includes open servers, or you can create your own private world.
You can check out the Guardians of the Wild Sky demo here.
1348 Ex Voto
For those looking for a new narrative-driven, cinematic adventure, 1348 Ex Voto delivers that and more. Developed by Sedleo, the game aims to offer an emotional journey inspired by chivalric tales. Set in medieval Italy, players explore the world from a third-person perspective and engage in swordfights designed with realistic combat mechanics. The game strives for historically accurate swordplay, similar to the combat system found in the Kingdom Come: Deliverance series. Complementing these features are strong performances from a talented cast, including Alby Baldwin as Aeta and Jennifer English as Bianca.
1348 Ex Voto is set to release on March 12. You can find the demo here.
Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors
If you’re in need of that indie roguelike adrenaline, Poncle, the developer of Vampire Survivors, brings a new adventure set in this vampires’ world. This time, however, they’re adding new twists to the roguelike experience, incorporating deckbuilding and turn-based combat with Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors. You’ll use cards not only for attacks, but also for upgrades and other interactions with the environment. What makes Vampire Crawlers stand out from most card battlers is that you can freely walk and explore the world around you, bringing the unique pixel art style of the previous game into a new perspective.
You can try the next Vampire Survivors adventure here.
These are just a few highlights from the hundreds of games across various genres and sub-genres. On the Steam Next Fest page, you can use filters to search for something more specific. This year, however, the Fest has been somewhat affected by many “AI slop” games. Users and other sites have reported similar concerns, and hopefully Steam will introduce ways to filter out titles with Generative AI. Which demo are you most excited to try and add to this list? Let us know in the comments below, and keep an eye on GameObserver for more coverage on future Steam events.
