Another Steam Next Fest is upon us, and with it, 4000+ demos have flooded the biggest PC games store. It’s honestly kind of overwhelming if you’re just looking for some nice demos to play and don’t know where to start. That’s where we come in: our crew scoured the lists and searched for some of the best short game experiences you can have, and all for free. In no particular order, here are some demos we recommend for you to check out:
The Devil’s Due
PC Only – Q3 2026
The Devil’s Due is a poker roguelike where you have to cheat to escape hell. It’s got an almost Monty Python level of presentation and a succesful attempts at comedy by referencing pop culture icons. Just from the two screenshots above, you can recognise The Dude and what looks like Bob Ross’ hair that has come to life.
The concept is simple: a particular type of hand, eg 2 pairs, does a fixed amount of damage. The cards in your hand have values, and these count for your defense. The same applies to your opponent, but luckily you move first. Now, each enemy has particular skills that give them the edge, so you’ll still have to cheat. You can upgrade your cards to the next rank, rotate them, or apply all kinds of various boosts via other cheats and relics. It’s surprisingly challenging too and has a ton of replay value, even for a demo!
Here is The Devil’s Due demo in action:
Cat Mail Co.
PC Only – 6 July 2026
Cat Mail Co. is a post office simulator where everyone is a cat, you, the clients and the furry pal ferrying in packages with his boat. The post office is in complete disarray when you first set foot, err, paw inside, and there are packages and letters everywhere.
Clients will arrive one by one to pick up parcels, with sometimes vague descriptions or only part of the recipient’s name, and then you can go dig into your stockpile to look for which one is theirs. Or they’ll bring new packages that you have to stamp with the correct destination, weight and whether it’s fragile. It’s a nice and cozy experience, as there is no time pressure, and if you choose, you can even invite some friends to do it together, as it allows for up to 4-player co-op.
Neuron Activation
PC Only – Q4 2026
Neuron Activation is the digital equivalent of a fidget spinner. You click, slide and spin things to make them go brrrr, and your brain goes brrrr right alongside it. There is almost no time pressure, other than a potentially higher score (or I just got lucky and always achieved a high enough score) and each level introduces new buttons and other panels to interact with.
That alone would have been sufficient to keep me interested, but it also tells a story along the way, culminating in a very nice ending to the demo that really has me excited for this game’s full release! Amazing demo.
Here is Neuron Activation in action:
Time To Wake Up
PC Only – Q3 2026
Time To Wake Up is a flashback dream (or nightmare) to the days we spent at school, stressing about our exams and homework in an environment where everyone was judging you as you were still developing yourself. Shape that all into a first-person narrative puzzle adventure, where blinking changes between sceneries and you’ll have a pretty good grasp at what to expect here.
Now add a narrator into the mix that you have to trust at first, to even make any progress in this world, but that will gradually raise doubts within you whether or not he has your best interest in mind.
Here is Time To Wake Up in action (editor’s note: this is recorded from an older version of the demo)
Just Chessing Around
PC Only – 2026
Just Chessing Around is a roguelike game of chess, and that becomes every bit as chaotic as you would expect it to. You’re the only one with a King that gets a game over when it gets taken, but you have to clear the board of all opposing pieces. To make it interesting, there are upgrades, chests to open, pieces to free from a cage and various other modifiers.
I’ve had a few runs, and there is a surprising amount of content already present in the demo. It’s shocking how it doesn’t have more Steam reviews yet. It’s such a good showcase already of what the full game could deliver. Stop messing around and start Just Chessing Around!
ReStory: Chill Electronics Repair
PC Only – 2026
ReStory is a game about managing a small electronics repair shop. From consoles to phones, to flashlists and other small items, characters will bring you their devices to clean and fix. You can order new parts and buy licenses for certain brands, or save up for tools that will make your work more efficient.
All of this is wrapped up in a game that still has a story to tell across the various clients that show up at your window. It’s got a lot of potential to be a cozy hit, but I’m slightly worried about having to repair the same item multiple times, something that was already present in the demo. I’d really like for each repair to be a unique one (though I totally love the dismantling of 2 items to make one fixed version)
Nothing to Declare
PC Only – 28th July 2026
Nothing to Declare puts you on the front line of Airport security, checking whether people should be approved or denied boarding. You’re required to check their passport matches their appearance, that their boarding pass is valid, and that they are not carrying any restricted or illegal items on their person or in their luggage. At the end of each day, you are given a summary of how accurate your inspections were, and are required to keep up with daily bills with the money you earn. If you accumulate 3+ bills, then it’s game over.
The concept behind Nothing to Declare is an airport security simulator, which I found relaxing and rewarding to play. There are also additional areas of content which were not available in the demo, which I’m excited to try when the game releases. You can choose from three difficulty levels if you want a more challenging experience. The visuals were pretty basic but acceptable; however, I wasn’t a huge fan of the background music. I will admit that time flew by while I was playing, so I have wishlisted the game for when it’s available.
Mini Murder Mysteries
PC Only – 23rd June 2026
Mini Murder Mysteries is exactly what it says on the tin – You are provided with numerous pieces of evidence, which you have to analyse by picking out crucial information and important keywords, to make a deduction as to exactly what happened. From witness statements to physical evidence, everything must be examined if you want to bring the culprit to justice. It may sound easy, but you’ll definitely need your detective’s hat on and your wits about you if you are to come to the correct conclusion.
The demo of Mini Murder Mysteries only gives you access to one case, but even that had my brain working overtime. After looking through the evidence once, I had a much better understanding of what had occurred, but I still needed to revisit everything to pick out the important and relevant details pertaining to the case. I even had myself jotting down bits I thought were important in case I forgot. The controls were straightforward, simplistic gameplay was easy to grasp, and the visuals/sound were pleasant to the eyes. It gave my mind great stimulation and allowed me to embrace my inner detective.
Milki Delivery
PC Only – 2026
Milki Delivery sets you on a beautiful delivery adventure where you rebuild a community by delivering milk from your pet cow, Milki, while also helping out existing and new customers with their requests. You also have the chance to gather resources to upgrade your barn and bike to make your travels easier, allowing you to travel longer distances. With plenty of beautiful hand-drawn landscapes to discover and deliveries to be made, it’s time to make a difference.
The demo for Milki Delivery was short and sweet, providing a great preview of what the full game will consist of. Controls worked as intended, the visual experience was a breath of fresh air, and the atmosphere was soothing. I was also happy to meet some of the NPCs, who seem friendly and welcoming. I’m interested to see what is to come with the unexplored areas and the rest of the game. Overall, I had a wonderful time and look forward to making more deliveries in the future.
Alpha Nomos
PC Only – Q3 2026
In Alpha Nomos you step into the shoes of Cello, a heroine armed with a sword, a saxophone, and a serious sense of rhythm. It throws you into a vibrant, music-infused, post-apocalyptic world where you’re hacking and slashing through an army of rogue puppets and possessed toys. The entire world moves to the beat, from the pulsing trees in the environment to the enemy attack patterns. I found myself physically nodding along, timing our dodges and strikes to the music to unleash show-stopping combos.
Alpha Nomos takes a massive creative swing by layering the precision of a rhythm game over the unpredictability of a 3D action roguelike, and it genuinely pays off. The genius of the game lies in its power-up system. When you collect upgrades (cleverly named after musical terms like “Flanger”), they don’t just boost your stats; they literally change the sound of your attacks.
Ascend to ZERO
PC Only – 13 July 2026
Imagine staring down an impossible horde of enemies, knowing you only have 30 seconds to save the world. In most games, that’s a death sentence. In Ascend to ZERO, it’s a playground. This fast paced “Time Action” RPG drops you into chaotic arenas, but hands you the ability to freeze time. During runs, those frozen seconds became moments of sheer tactical brilliance, allowing us to reposition, set up combos, and snatch victory from the jaws of a guaranteed game over.
What makes Ascend to ZERO stand out in a crowded genre is how it bridges the gap between action and strategy. It solves the classic roguelike problem of feeling like you’re purely at the mercy of RNG.
We’ll be adding a lot more demos to this article, so check back every now and then for new titles!
Robby lives and breathes video games. When he’s not playing them, he’s talking about them on social media or convincing other people to pick up a controller themselves. He’s online so often, he could practically list the internet as his legal domicile. Belgian games-industry know-it-all.
