Steam Next Fest’s free demos are available through Oct. 26, giving PC players a window to try upcoming Steam games. There’s more to sift through this time: Eurogamer reports more than twice as many demos as last fall, while Polygon argues that the rise of generative AI-filled games makes worthwhile finds harder to spot.
The festival also fills the gap before a busy November that Polygon frames around GTA 6 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
This partial selection includes nine recommended demos, with their original ranks preserved. Rank 7 is not included in the supplied selection.
Table of Contents
1. At Fate’s End
Two sisters working through their problems in a sword fight is a direct introduction to At Fate’s End. Its lengthy demo includes a battle that Polygon describes as stellar, with the confrontation unfolding like stage combat as the siblings confront their issues.
The latest game from Thunder Lotus, the developer behind Spiritfarer, combines 2D action with narrative-driven family drama. Polygon’s preview presents it as a potential 2027 Game of the Year contender, with the demo offering an early look at how its action and family story fit together.
Try the At Fate’s End demo on Steam.
2. Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered
Not every recommendation here is a brand-new game. Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered brings back a GameCube cult classic with updated visuals and online play.
Polygon’s assessment is that the game has aged remarkably well, calling the demo wildly fun and placing it among the festival’s more exciting picks. The original got less-than-glowing reviews in 2002, but Godzilla fans still love the brawler. The demo gives you a chance to see how that monster-on-monster fighting holds up alongside the remaster’s changes.
Try the Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered demo on Steam.
3. El Paso, Elsewhere 2
El Paso, Elsewhere was a hidden gem in 2023: a retro tribute to Max Payne that helped put developer Strange Scaffold on the map. Its anticipated sequel is scheduled for 2027, and the Next Fest demo gives an early look at where its slow-motion shooting is heading.
There’s a caveat. Polygon’s preview finds the demo a little rough around the edges, though it still gives a sense of how the stylish action is evolving. More open space gives you room to dive around, and there are plenty of new monsters to slay.
Try the El Paso, Elsewhere 2 demo on Steam.
4. My Arms Are Longer Now
Your instrument of chaos in My Arms Are Longer Now is an impossibly long, mischievous arm. You control that snake-like limb through slapstick situations, ruining people’s days as the demo introduces the game’s oddball humor.
Polygon’s writer has had the game on their radar since playing a demo earlier this year. Their recommendation makes a useful distinction: there are puzzle elements, but this is more a comedy sandbox than a conventional puzzle game. Polygon’s coverage compares it with Thank Goodness You’re Here, another game it praises for its comedy.
Try the My Arms Are Longer Now demo on Steam.
5. Curse of Resthaven
Curse of Resthaven’s free demo covers a full six-day time loop. You’ll question plenty of suspects across a cursed island while searching for your lost niece, with the repeating timeline complicating the investigation.
The narrative roguelike comes from Hilltop Studios, which drew attention with Lil’ Guardsman in 2024. Polygon praised that earlier game as delightful; this project takes the studio into darker territory.
Demo progress carries over to the full game when it releases on Oct. 29, so you can continue from the progress you make during the festival.
Try the Curse of Resthaven demo on Steam.
6. Guns of Eschaton
The updated Guns of Eschaton demo adds a new character archetype, The Deadeye. That gives returning players something different to test ahead of the game’s early-December release.
This unusual first-person shooter comes from the late Viktor Antonov, an art director known for his work on Half-Life 2. It’s a visually striking Soulslike that blends grim fantasy with Old West gunslinging. Polygon’s writers came away impressed at Gamescom, and the newly updated Next Fest build lets you try that mixture yourself, whether this is your first visit or a return trip.
Try the Guns of Eschaton demo on Steam.
8. Dumpster Gang
Dumpster Gang turns you and your friends into raccoons, then gives you an appropriate job: steal things and make a mess. Polygon recommends the co-op game to players hunting for their next multiplayer obsession, with shared mischief rather than a solo adventure at the center of the pitch.
Those tasks make it feel like a close cousin to Untitled Goose Game: the point is to cause trouble, only this time you have fellow raccoons along for the job. The Next Fest recommendation is to gather some friends and try the demo together for a round of stealing and chaos.
Try the Dumpster Gang demo on Steam.
9. Talaka
Talaka’s hand-painted visual style is why Polygon recommends making time for it amid Next Fest’s many roguelikes. It’s developer Potato Kid’s debut game, and the demo offers a look at that artwork in action.
Its story draws on Afro-Brazilian mythology. That combination of story and visual style leads Polygon to describe Talaka as a distinctive project within the freshly rebooted Acclaim’s indie publishing efforts, rather than just another roguelike in a crowded festival.
10. Tearoom of Terror
In Tearoom of Terror, inheriting a tearoom also means investigating your aunt’s murder. You’ll question suspects while brewing the perfect drinks and choosing the best snacks to accompany them, combining a murder mystery with shop management.
The result is dark comedy built around two genres Polygon’s writer particularly enjoys. The investigation runs alongside the work of serving drinks and snacks, rather than replacing it. Polygon recommends the demo as a fitting spooky-season choice, even though the full game isn’t scheduled to arrive until early next year.
