Steam Next Fest is always one of my biggest highlights in the year. It’s the perfect event to discover games you might have missed otherwise. A game sounds interesting, but you are not sure if it’s for you? No problem, just play the demo.
I played 21 demos at the point of this post and here are my favourites so far.
Burden Street Station || To be announced
Everyone has their type of game that fires up all the happiness receptors. For someone it’s Rogue-likes, for another it’s fighting games and for me? I would die for surreal games you can’t comprehend when looking at it. Games for weirdos and freaks like me.
Burden Street Station hits the spot just right.
You are a librarian in a world where god disappeared. Well, at least that’s what the description says. Starting the game, I talk to books in order to store their moment? And somehow I fuck that up so bad, I get send off to handle some busy work. The moment I arrived I forgot what my task even is, because the citizens are so damn interesting. Each animated in a unique and fun way. Each with different story to tell. I was captivated and intrigued by how the conversations unlock a powerful personality trait, I can use to progress further into the game. It’s odd, it’s weird, and I can’t wait till the game drops.
Sucker for Love: Crush Landing || Coming soon
It’s the third part of the Sucker for Love series (no, you do not have to play the others before this one… but you should!). It’s a combination of visual novel with point and click adventure vibes mixed with 80s anime aesthetic. It’s gorgeous to look at and from the first second you are caught in its magic.
This time we encounter a lovecraftian being, but unlike most media, the devs focus on the „love“ part in Lovecraft. A beautiful being crashed into your apartment, and now it’s your job to manage this horrific yet funny and sweet situation.
Parasite Mutant || Coming soon
This game is hugely inspired by Parasite Eve, which is something we rarely see. You play as an agent investigating an abandoned city. In a mix of Real Time and Turn Based Combat, you fight the dangerous creatures inhabiting the place.
The game mainly plays in third person, but you get your occasional fixed camera perspectives, which always wins some brownie points from me.
It’s an intriguing horror survival game, with a semi-anime art style and a grimmy look.
Replaced ||14/04/26
When I started Replaced I first thought I would not like the game. I am nor very fond of cinematic platformers like Limbo, Inside or Little Nightmares. They are cool to look at, but ultimately fall flat for me.
Replaced luckily does not fall into the same trap. It combines the well known platforming and puzzle mechanics with combat, that has you manage enemy masses and counter-attacks whenever possible. It’s a seemingly small addition but every element is so well paced in Replaced, that I never grew bored. I hope it can keep it up for the whole length, because I am actually excited about this type of platformer.
Darwin’s Paradox || 02/04/26
Last year I finally got into the Metal Gear Solid franchise, so this game was a welcoming surprise. I know it’s published by Konami, so you can speculate whether it’s actually indie or not, but I want to appreciate and highlight a big publisher investing into a smaller game.
Darwin’s Paradox is, like MGS, a tactical espionage game. This time though, it’s in a side scrolling platformer. We are an octopus on the run and thus have to sneak as well as puzzle our way to freedom. I honestly wasn’t sure if the game could keep my attention for long, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well-balanced and paced it was.
Phonopolis || 2026
Amanita Design is a well established, yet highly underappreciated indie game studio. Some might know them for Machniarium or Samorost.
They make whimsical point and click adventure games, that feel magical from start to finish. Phonopolis is no exception. You play in a world where everything is dictated by a voice coming from the speaker. Everything is made out of cardboard, which turns every screen into an art piece. You interact with the world to solve puzzles and continue your heavily narrated story. A beautiful art style, a story focused setup and totalitarian setting, what’s not to love?
ARIE: Moonprayer || April 2026
At first glance Arie looked like another one of those asian gatcha games. To my surprise though, you are not bombarded by 50 currencies and multiple shallow game mechanics.
Arie is actually focused on atmosphere and exploration. You can easily get me with these two elements. We are playing as the titular moonplayer who guides souls to a place called Luna. The world is seemingly ending and people like you are necessary for survival.
There is actually no combat in the game. You embark on a journey and breathe in the calm sound, the serene world. It’s pretty, it’s peaceful, and I love having a game that gives me the look and lore of something like Genshin Impact, but with a much more involved and experimenting formula.
Nophenia || Q1 2026
You have to like games like Yume Nikki or LSD: Dream Simulator, to get the appeal of Nophenia. Your character simply exists in a world and stumbles from place to place without any narrative element. You are here, take in what is around you and listen to the sound that surrounds you. The game can feel a bit unsettling at parts, but it’s not a horror game. It’s a simple exploration of dreams and I adore games like that.
Quick Shoutout for games that participate in this Steam Next Fest, but I already played and loved the demos prior to the event!
Panthalassa || 18/05/26
I don’t even know how to describe this, which is a huge compliment coming from me. You are playing as an AI that turns into a new highly advanced body. Everything is new to us and thus we point and click through the strange world.
It is all wrapped in the amazing vibe of frutiger aero. For us millennials this is what we envisioned the future internet would look like. Everywhere you look is just dreamy and surreal. Your surroundings and actions are puzzling, which only creates even more intrigue.
It’s weird, it’s odd, and I can’t wait for it to come out soon. I will be there day one.
Hark the Ghoul || 2026
It’s a sort of Souls-like dungeon crawler game, that makes you navigate a strange city with dangerous monsters. The coolest part is the colourful move set. You can kick a creature in the face or kick an explosive barrel into it, you can fuck them up with magic, use a gun or a whip, or any of the other weapons with their unique skill, and I am sure the full release will have even more possibilities.
It’s all wrapped up in a gorgeous low poly look and a dark vibe. Take one look, and you will know if it’s a game for you or not.
Also, check out the Steam Page and scroll to the bottom, as the dev added a self-made Playstation 1 case of the game; excuse me, I mean Broystation 1
The Mermaid Mask || 2026
It’s another exciting point & click adventure game by the same dev as Tangle Tower or Crow Country (one of my faves!). Your task in The Mermaid Mask, is to solve a locked room murder case, which always invites a huge mystery. You examine the area, solve little puzzles and interrogate the suspects. The art style and colour pallet are particularly beautiful.
