Steam Subsequent Fest is again with numerous demos of fascinating video games. We’ve already picked our favorites.
The selection just isn’t simple. That’s why we’ve got some private suggestions from the editorial group for you, so you will get began immediately when the demo occasion opens its doorways.
By the best way, you will discover the Steam Subsequent Fest promotion web page right here:
(Steam Subsequent Fest (February 2026 )
1348 Ex Voto
Style: Motion-adventure / MedievalDeveloper: SedleoRelease: March 12, 2026
Traditionally correct late Center Ages, this sport is looking my identify. 1348 Ex Voto is about in, consider it or not, 1348 in Italy. The primary character is Aeta, a younger girl who’s looking for her kidnapped good friend (or lover?). Bianca.
Aeta is a noblewoman and is known as a knight within the sport description, however I think that she is pretending to be a person with a view to bear this title. That is constant along with her brief haircut and androgynous look. Fantastic! What a cool character idea.
I’m particularly curious to see if there’s a enjoyable sport idea behind it, as a result of thus far the trailer has solely given me just a few clues in regards to the story and the beautiful, but in addition unrealistic graphics. Time to placed on the cuirass and seize the longsword. I’ll let you know about my impressions subsequent week!
Changed
Style: Motion platformerDeveloper: Unhappy Cat StudiosRelease: April 14, 2026
Two years in the past, I attended the Summer time Recreation Fest in Los Angeles. Between all my appointments, I discovered a little bit time to lastly stroll across the precise competition space. I poked my head right into a tent the place dozens of gaming stations have been arrange, together with blockbusters of the time equivalent to Stalker 2. However amid all these screens and blockbusters, my gaze was drawn to at least one sport particularly: Changed.And if you happen to take a look at any screenshot of this motion platformer, I assure you’ll really feel the identical approach. Changed instantly burns itself into your retina: this 2.5D sport has a method that no different sport has introduced on this kind earlier than. And what’s extra, it looks as if an absolute dream come true for cyberpunk followers like me. It has grungy metropolis streets, brilliant neon indicators, and an anachronistic 80s look combined with sci-fi and chrome.
And my colleague Natalie confirmed it simply two weeks in the past in a preview: Changed delivers what it guarantees. You get a darkish cyberpunk thriller set in another, nuclear-ravaged America, the place you play as a humanized AI who uncovers a company conspiracy.It has fashion, cool acrobatics, and thrilling fights.In case you like cyberpunk and need to play one of many style’s most promising titles of 2026, now you possibly can.
Arkheron
Style: Battle Royale Motion RPGDeveloper: Bonfire StudioRelease: 2026
Don’t get me fallacious, I’m truly the final one who would say we completely want one other new battle royale sport! However Arkheron shakes up the BR precept so basically with its Diablo perspective, cool fantasy setting, and dynamic character improvement that it creates one thing nearly utterly new (and actually thrilling).
As I struggle my approach up flooring by flooring with my group via the magical tower, the loot always determines my play fashion. If I discover a crossbow after 5 minutes, I’m the ranger. This awakens my previous spirit of discovery and replaces the drained hero stereotypes of comparable video games.
After which there’s the fight system. Isometric, however with direct focusing on? For me, that’s an absolute sport changer. I like Diablo and Titan Quest, however let’s be sincere: typically it’s only a numbers sport. Arkheron, then again, performs straight, the fights unfold with pressure, and hits are an expression of ability fairly than a matter in fact.
Arkheron takes the drama of a battle royale and packs it right into a vertical dungeon crawling state of affairs that’s extra tactically difficult than nearly something I’ve seen recently. I’m wanting ahead to hitting the playtest servers once more at Steam Subsequent Fest!
Armatus
Style: Third-person shooter / ActionDeveloper: Counterplay GamesRelease: 2026
The builders at Armatus proved simply over 5 years in the past that they will provide you with actually cool video games. Their PS5 launch title Godfall could have lacked the ending touches in some areas when the console was launched, however the idea of lightning-fast melee fight, heavy armor, and motivating loot grinding already gained me over again then.
This time round, Armatus just isn’t a pure motion role-playing sport, however a third-person shooter with very related character design. As an alternative of a colourful high-fantasy setting, nevertheless, this time we discover ourselves in another, darkish model of Paris. Because the final warrior of a fallen order, you blast your approach via the streets of the demon-infested French capital in your heavy, gold-plated armor to search out the misplaced gate to heaven.
By way of gameplay and pompous look, Armatus appears to have taken noticeable cues from Godfall. In case you preferred its idea and aesthetics, it is best to undoubtedly give the present demo a strive. Particularly cool: within the fast-paced firefights, you don’t simply should depend on your firearms, you can too fillet demons in shut fight with an enormous vitality sword.
Pirates: Rogue’s Fortune
Style: RogueliteDeveloper: NINPO Recreation StudioRelease: 1st quarter of 2026
In terms of video video games, I’m a easy man. I like pirates and I like roguelites – so Pirates: Rogue’s Fortune had me hooked immediately. I management a cute little pirate ship that’s always attacked by enemy pirates whereas attempting to find priceless treasures.
Within the randomly generated battles, I can’t transfer from my spot and should ship my enemies to the underside of the ocean whereas they circle round me. If I emerge victorious, I seize my rewards, improve my ship, and face the subsequent battle. Typical roguelite. However the cherry on prime is but to return.
Outdoors of the ocean battles, I can disembark and search underwater among the many rocks and silt for priceless assets and uncover secrets and techniques. This jogs my memory in the very best sense of the entertaining action-adventure SteamWorld Dig, for which I nonetheless hearth up my Nintendo 3DS each few years.
Dinoblade
Style: SoulslikeDeveloper: Group Spino LLCRelease: 2026
Tim Schweizer: About two years in the past, as I used to be half-asleep and scrolling via my TikTok feed, I got here throughout a very absurd video: two dinosaurs preventing fiercely with large weapons of their mouths. Fascinated, I scrolled via the profile and found that behind these cool clips was a senior gameplay animator from Sucker Punch Productions. What began out as a enjoyable gimmick has now landed on my radar as a full-fledged sport with the grandiose identify Dinoblade.
And that’s good, as a result of on this Soulslike motion RPG, we management a younger Spinosaurus (objectively the very best dinosaur, in fact!) via a prehistoric world. However as a substitute of simply biting, our prehistoric large lizard wields a colossal greatsword. Our scaly rivals have additionally upgraded their weapons and stand in our approach with thick axes and hammers, whereas we should stop the approaching extinction of our species in fast-paced battles.
By way of gameplay, we will anticipate a cruel mixture of highly effective combos, dense jungle biomes, and harmful apex dinosaurs. The animations of the peerlessly timed counters and parries, accompanied by highly effective music, look notably spectacular. After sadly lacking the primary demo on the final Steam Subsequent Fest, I’ll undoubtedly be having a look at this absurd motion gem this time round.
Windrose
Style: Survival RPGDeveloper: Windrose CrewRelease: Unknown
I grew up with pirates as a baby. Fortuitously, not in actual life, however not less than within the leisure sector! In spite of everything, Monkey Island 3 was the primary PC sport I ever performed via. And I’m certain I don’t must let you know in regards to the formative affect of Pirates of the Caribbean – each on the massive display screen and as a Disneyland attraction – on a growing mind. The results of all this: I like enjoying pirates! I like this splendidly romanticized buccaneer fantasy, with epic ship battles, treasure hunters, cutthroats, and Caribbean trip aptitude.
On the earth of video video games, nevertheless, we hardly ever come collectively as a result of hardly any sport really combines all the pieces I need from a pirate sport. Murderer’s Creed: Black Flag comes closest to attaining this. However with Windrose, there’s a candidate that would exchange Ubisoft’s legendary motion sport!
I’m not even an enormous fan of survival video games, however Windrose makes too good an impression to disregard as a buccaneer fan. Identical to in a role-playing sport, I construct my very own pirate, set up my very own island empire, go on the hunt for booty, and may even hearth all weapons in genuine sea battles. That’s precisely what I’d have needed from Cranium & Bones!
The demo is already obtainable to play, and I’m on the point of play it proper now by digging my previous pirate hat out of the attic! Yoho, yoho!
Unhomely
Style: Puzzle horrorDeveloper: Studio 8-TrackRelease: TBA
There are video games on Steam that I can’t write about typically sufficient as a result of most individuals on the market aren’t concerned about them. So I simply sneak them into assortment articles like this one, hehe. In case you’re standing… simply keep standing, as a result of it’ll come as no shock to anybody that I like little indie horror video games – and much more so once they mix escape room-style puzzles with a psychological story. I play the younger journalist Blair Ward, who will get a novel alternative. She will get to interview the mysterious tech mogul Tom Ballinger, whose innovations are thought-about revolutionary. So I drive to his trip residence within the distant wilderness of New Zealand… and uncover that the high quality gentleman isn’t even there (purple flag #1). As an alternative, he asks me to attend for him for 3 days and keep in his home (purple flag no. 2). In fact, he displays me along with his safety cameras (purple flag no. 3).
However in fact, that doesn’t cease me from snooping round his home, rummaging via all of the drawers and looking for details about Tom and his newest invention. However one thing isn’t proper right here. Blair is affected by nightmares that painfully remind her of her personal issues and previous. After which there’s this mushroom progress… Wait, did it simply flip off the sunshine by itself?! (Pink Flag No. 4).
For me, Unhomely is the right sport for a calming night after I need to get a little bit spooked and remedy thrilling mysteries. It’s a disgrace that the demo was over after about half an hour – there’s no launch date but.
Which of our demo suggestions will you’re taking a more in-depth take a look at? And extra importantly, what video games are you able to suggest? Be at liberty to write down within the feedback which demos everybody ought to undoubtedly check out.
