Summary
Steam Next Fest,an event where developers can showcase demos fortheir upcoming titles, is here once again, offering gamers an opportunity to try out their wishlisted games or discover overlooked talent they would have otherwise missed.
During its last outingback in February, Next Fest showed off intriguing titles likePost TraumaandLabryinth of The Demon King,whose subsequent full releases have gone on to be met with positive reception from fans.June is shaping up to be more of the same,featuring a plethora of fun and promising tastes of what’s to come. Pulling from a variety of genres, the list below compiles just some of the highlights from this month’s Next Fest that gamers won’t want to miss out on.
2025
Genre
Roguelike
Furcula’sMorselscombines twin-stick bullet hell gameplay with creature-collecting mechanics to create a roguelike that feelsfresh and inventiveamong the plethora of other titles in the ever-expanding genre. Not only that, the game’s grimy, sewer-drenched pixel art-style is an absolute delight to look at throughout, makingMorselsworth checking out based on its visuals alone.
With each collected creature (or in this instance, each collected morsel) coming with their own unique play styles that can then be combined with the game’s various buffs and abilities, runs inMorsels —even in the unfinished state of the demo — feel quite varied. If Furcula can deliver on the promise of this snack-sized preview in the game’s full release, players can expect a replayable experience worthy of the genre.
Thorium’sUndermine 2builds on the foundations of its predecessor in almost every way. Not only have the pixel graphics received a nice facelift, but so has the gameplay, offering larger levels with more branching pathways and a brand-new Arcana system that grants players magical abilities on top of the buffs they receive from the returning relics.
Undermine 2differs further from the first with its inclusion of co-op andalternative playable characters. Gamers will be able to invite their friends along on their forays into the mines and take control of NPCs from the first game, like Black Rabbit.
Driving, Relaxing
Easy Delivery Co., developed by Sam C, is a wonderful blending of genres that some players aren’t going to know they needed until they try the demo for themselves. Assuming the role of a snowy mountain town’s sole delivery driver, players ferry packages between the town’sAnimal Crossing-esque residents whose off-handed remarks hint at a mysterious past for the town and the player. Occasionally stalked by afog that feels reminiscent of another iconic video game town based in Maine,Easy Delivery Co.’s setting is shrouded in an atmosphere that feels equal parts cozy and eerie.
In the demo, players have a limited number of narrative goals and access to an endless mode that allows them to continuously deliver packages, both of which have been enough to pique interest inEasy Delivery Co.’s eventual full release.
Spellgarden Games’Ritual of Ravenis looking to shake up thefarming sim canonwith its inclusion of magic. Specifically, players have the ability to unlock and enchant Arcana Constructs, garden-themed automatons who do the heavy labor for the player. While the farming sim genre is no stranger to magic,Ritual of Raven’s fantastical spin on automation mechanics, alongside a particularly vibrant color palette, still makes it stand out among other games in the Next Fest.
Compared to games likeStardew Valley,Ritual of Ravenis also looking to have a stronger emphasis on story, featuring a cast of characters with backstories that players will likely be able to fully delve into with the game’s full release in August.
For those who enjoy the art of origami or the hand-crafted aesthetics of games likePaper Mario,Hirogamiis a must-play. Set in a world fashioned from paper constructions, the game places players in the role of Hiro, a ‘folding’ master pit against paper’s greatest enemy: the digital age.Hirogamiadapts the invasive blight narrative seen in other titles by having the corruption take the form of glitchy enemies and blocky formations.
Being a 3D platformer,Hirogamiequips players with a number of methods of traversal, from unfolding themselves and gliding across levels to adopting the forms of specific animals to access different abilities, promising a mechanically varied experience set to drop later this year in September.
Automation, Simulation
Andriy Bychkovskyi’sSuper Loco Worldisan automation delightbased around mapping islands with intricately designed train systems. Aiming to streamline the management mechanics of other tycoon games,Super Loco Worldmanages to be both complex and laid back, allowing players to design a web of railways without overwhelming them with menus upon menus.
Super Loco World’s emphasis on cozy vibes is of course present in its visuals and music, both of which feature elements that will be immediately familiar to fans of other relaxing city builders likeDorfromantik.
Absolummashes together the beat ‘em up and roguelike genres, creating a union of mechanics that gamers will be asking themselves why they don’t see more often. Set in Talamh, a dark fantasy world where magic is outlawed, players assume the role of one of four rebels as they punch and slash their way through beautifully rendered 2D stages. As is customary with the roguelike genre, players will collect a number of boons that alter and enhance their attacks, introducing a fresh, replayable spin on the traditional beat ‘em up formula.
The talent attached toAbsolum’s music is also staggering. Composed by Gareth Coker, who previously put together soundtracks for games likeOri and the Blind Forest, and featuring the work of Mick Gorden and Yuka Kitamura, who worked onDoom Eternaland theDark Soulsseries respectively,Absolum’s soundtrack is likely going to be one that players will want to get on vinyl.
Speaking of music, D-CELL GAMES’UNBEATABLEis an extremely stylish rhythm game where players take control of Beat, a member of a band on the run in a world where music is illegal. In the game, players can live out their punk fantasies, fighting cops and blasting music while navigating an emotionally charged story. I
f players aren’t convinced byUNBEATABLE’s premise or the fact it’s a playable, brilliantly composed album, they need only look at its anime-infused visuals for further confirmation of the games ‘need-to-play’ status. Vibrant, stylish, and just as chaotic as its characters,UNBEATABLE’s graphics are — pure and simple — a visual delight.
Trioskaz’sNo, I’m not a Humanis bound to wrap its creepy little claws around the hearts of those who have become obsessed with the explosion of horror media focused on the concept of the uncanny valley, such as Alex Kister’s widely popular web series,The Mandela Catalogue.With the sun coincidentally spewing out solar flares and mysterious entities called Visitors starting to emerge from the Earth, players are tasked with carefully deciding whether to let wandering denizens of the apocalypse into the home for shelter — lest they unknowingly invite one of these visitors in.
Making use of a handy uncanny checklist offered up by the morning news, players can check the hands, eyes, teeth and even armpits of their new roommates to check for telltale signs of a visitor. Whether they be human or a visitor, those wandering the streets inNo, I’m not a Humanare purposefully illustrated with unsettling designs and proportions, leaving the player guessing during every encounter.
Should the promise of the game’s demos be realized in its full release,Holstinis shaping up to be an indie survival horror gem. The game places players in the eastern Poland town of Jeziorne-Kolonia, a 90s-inspired location that has become overrun by strange growths and monsters. The demos feature the survival horror staples fans have come to expect: interesting puzzles, a focus on resource management, a healthy dose of scares, and an atmosphere players can soak themselves in.
Holstin, like other games on this list, sets itself apart from other titles in the genre through its visuals, featuring not only excellent hand-drawn pixel graphics, but also a twist on perspective. Though it may sound like a small change on paper, the players’ ability to rotate the game’s top-down camera modernizes the fixed camera angles of old in a way that feels fresh. Additionally, during combat, players can switch to an over-the-shoulder perspective, allowing them to enjoy the best of both survival horror worlds.
