The best Steam Next Fest demos: try these 10 games for free today

digitaltrends.com:

Table of Contents Demon Tides Despelote Fellowship Gothic 1 Remake Is This Seat Taken? Moves of the Diamond Hand Skulker Static Dread: 15 Nights at the Old Lighthouse To a T Wheel World

The first of many Steam Next Fests to be held in 2025 is here, which means there are more game demos to try out than anybody has time for. The latest iteration of the PC storefront’s event spotlighting upcoming titles with playable demos runs from February 24 through March 3, but where to start? Early standouts include the absurd Skin Deep and turn-based strategy game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown. These barely scrape the surface of what Next Fest offers. To make things a little easier, here are ten incredible demos to start with if you are feeling lost.

Demon Tides

If you are itching for more 3D platforming goodness after last year’s Astro Bot, try out Demon Tides. The cartoonish adventure set in a world of islands and open oceans is a responsive and frenetic platformer with a lot of promise. While the demo doesn’t give us the deepest look into how Demon Tides will expand its story and players only get a taste of the platforming, what is there is solid enough to put this game immediately on my wishlist after playing.

Despelote

I first played Despelote at the 2023 Tribeca Festival and was immediately taken with the semi-autobiographical slice-of-life game. Set during Ecuador’s first qualifying run for the World Cup in 2001, Despelote is an exciting piece of video game documentary that puts players in the midst of a community going through a culture shift. Roaming around the small town in Despelote and uncovering the small tasks you can get up to as an 8-year old is a mundane but deeply experience.

• 6 free indie game demos you should play during the Steam Next Fest
• You have to try these two climbing game demos during Steam Next Fest

Fellowship

As much as I love MMOs like Final Fantasy XIV and World of Warcraft for their high end raids, I