We’re spoiled for choice these days when it comes to video games, with hundreds of new titles released each month. What should you play? What’s worth a roll of the dice that hopefully won’t end with buyer’s remorse? Those are questions that Steam Next Fest answers several times a year, and the June Edition of this festival of demos has kicked off. Admittedly, it’s impossible to cover every game demo taking part this week, as the June edition of Next Fest has over 4,000 to sample. We’re also not listing any demos that we previously covered in the February 2026 edition of Next Fest, but if you’re curious, you can read up on what you missed through this link.
But if you’re worried about choice paralysis, fret not, because we’ve gathered some of our top picks below. Next Fest caters to every taste, from wholesome games to survival-horror, and once it wraps up on June 22, you can look forward to a few more Steam events throughout 2026. If you’re also saving your cash for some new games, the Steam Summer Sale will kick off on June 25 and run through July 9.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Capcom’s next big game of 2026, Onimusha: Way of the Sword got a demo during Summer Games Week. It’s still worth checking out for its hack-and-slash action, plus it’s not limited to PC.
Valor Mortis
While you’re going to have to wait a little longer to play the full version of this first-person souls-like from the studio behind the Ghostrunner games, you can get an idea of what Valor Mortis is about with this demo. As a former soldier of Napoleon’s army, you’re flung into a European battlefield full of monsters, creatures that’ll test your reflexes, weapon skills, and newly acquired magical powers.
Toem 2
The original Toem is one of our favorite games thanks to its combination of spotting hidden objects, clever use of photography mechanics, and a beautifully designed monochrome world. The sequel looks like it’ll be expanding on those ideas ahead of its release in Q3 2026, and this demo will give you a taste of documenting the world’s little wonders.
Lost in Art
Now that we think about it, an art gallery is the perfect venue for a horror game. While Lost in Art doesn’t go full survival-horror, the game does use its location to craft puzzles that require creative thinking, hide sinister threats in the shadows, and wrap the entire experience in an eye-catching art direction.
Outrange Strike
While the next Ace Combat is a few months away, you can still take to the skies–and for free–in this demo for Outrange Strike. An ambitious blend of arcade action and flight-simulator elements, it’s all about building specialized aircraft and then using them to keep the skies safe.
Penguin Colony
I absolutely abhor penguins for the vile, disgusting creatures that they are, which is probably why I’m hoping things end terribly for the malevolent mammal you play as in this faithful re-imagining of H.P. Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness. Developed by Umurangi Generation studio Origame Digital, the game follows the events of the cosmic-horror story, but through the eyes of a penguin.
The Sinking City 2
Speaking of Lovecraftian vibes, don’t forget to check out The Sinking City 2 demo either! Frogwares is dialing up the survival-horror aspects of the sequel, and this demo will show you how the studio is focusing on deliberate dread, devious puzzles, and resource-lean gameplay.
Hack 95
We all know how modern operating systems kind of suck nowadays, which is why a game like Hack 95 might catch your eye. Inspired by a golden era of operating systems, Hack 95 is a card-based computer-hacking experience where you’re tasked with taking down evil organizations. Also, an incontinent virtual pug is there to help you.
The Old Flesh of Nuraga
Dipping back into the pool of thrills and chills, The Old Flesh of Nuraga is a first-person psychological-horror game with an eye-catching art direction. Set in the sands of a creepy desert, players will search the area for strange treasures and keep an eye on their digital grandfather as he descends into madness–which sadly, isn’t the ’80s British ska band.
Pulsebreaker
We really are living in a golden age for horror games, aren’t we? Pulsebreaker describes itself as a classic PS1-inspired survival-horror–and it certainly looks the part–but with a few modern ideas thrown into the mix. It’s a blend of old-school exploration, puzzle-solving, and resource management, while the Focus Meter gameplay mechanic is designed to reward precision and composure when you’re pressured by hordes of monsters.
Maximum Thunderness
For something more wholesome, you can grab a demo for Maximum Thunderness next. A roguelike sidescrolling co-op action game, you’ll get to respond with extreme force to the minor crimes of the sinister SKULL organization in this retro-inspired romp.
Cozy Game Restoration
And now for something completely different in Cozy Game Restoration. If you’ve ever found an old game cartridge and cleaned it up, then this simulator will likely appeal to you. You’re given forgotten video game cartridges that have seen better days, all the tools you need to restore them to pristine condition, and a workbench where you can enjoy the process.
Washington Prime
Nothing I write about Washington Prime–a first-person shooter that looks like it came straight out of the ’90s bargain bin–will ever match the game’s official synopsis. So here it is:
“There will be shooting into highly realistic-looking people, there might be a cigarette around, and bottles of booze in some places. So much cussing.”
Sprawl Zero
If Washington Prime doesn’t have enough laser guns–and possibly too much cussing–then check out the Sprawl Zero demo next. It has a chunky early-2000s aesthetic set in a cyberpunk world, enemies that explode into giblets, and grounded combat that requires you to think fast.
Tanuki Pon’s Summer
Deliver packages, make friends, and get the town shrine ready for a party in the demo for Tanuki Pon’s Summer. An adorable open-world life-simulator, the demo shows off plenty of the game’s Studio Ghibli-inspired vibes.
Star Trek: Outposts Unknown
Set in the Strange New Worlds era of Star Trek, Outposts Unknown focuses on exploring the final frontier and setting up a base on distant worlds. There are plenty of unique environments to explore and signature Star Trek technologies to utilize in this colony-sim game.
Empulse
We weren’t expecting Splitgate developer 1047 Games to have a Titanfall spiritual successor in development, but we’re glad it does! Mixing the studio’s talent for Halo-influenced gunplay with giant mechs, Empulse is all about outthinking and out-maneuvering your opponents.
A Game About Breaking a Cube
You’re not going to believe this, but A Game About Breaking a Cube is a game about breaking a cube. Unlike the last game that tasked you with spending weeks to get to its crunchy center–thanks, Molyneux–this new take on the idea does expand on that concept with upgradeable tools, a sense of dread, and cans of drinkable meat for your in-game character.
SiN Reloaded
Nightdive Studios has become the developer for remasters of cult-classics, and it’s turning its attention to SiN next. While it doesn’t have a release date yet, this demo will give you a good idea of how Nightdive has remastered the original 1998 shooter and enhanced it with modern control schemes.
Over the Hill
Offroading is an underrated way to explore the great outdoors, and Over the Hill aims to recapture that long-lost era of 4×4 expeditions. It’s the next game from the creator of Art of Rally, and it features several diverse biomes to ramble through, several vehicles to master, and objectives to chase.
Virtue and a Sledgehammer
What if childhood memories met the destruction physics of old-school Red Faction? You’d get Virtue and a Sledgehammer, a game that’s all about exploring your past and then smashing it to pieces with a big ol’ hammer.
Feed the Giants
Did you ever read Roald Dahl’s Big Friendly Giant book? Feed the Giant is kind of like that–until it isn’t. As a local giant, you’re given the choice to either guide a group of lost children through a hostile world or sacrifice them to keep your fellow titans entertained. Just remember, every decision has a consequence in this dark demo.
Milki Delivery
We’re headed back to cozy nostalgia for the next demo, Milki Delivery. Described as a short but satisfying adventure by its developers, you’ll grow your startup dairy-delivery business, explore a gorgeous countryside, and help your community out in this charming adventure.
Link Cameras
Desktop-simulator games are on the rise, and Link Cameras is putting its own spin on this growing genre. As a moderator for a camera website, you’ll be given the job of watching live feeds from different users, reviewing camera broadcasts, and uncovering the sinister secret behind each connection, all through an old-school computer interface.
About Fishing
Fishing games are typically relaxing jaunts: meditative experiences where you cast your line and patiently wait to catch the fabled big one. About Fishing certainly meets that description, but it also mixes in existential dread and suspense as each line cast is also a chance to uncover something unexpected.
