Steam’s June 2025 version of its Subsequent Fest is occurring now via June sixteenth, and the occasion is filled with great-looking demos for video games coming to PC. Significantly, it looks as if there are a lot of demos; a search filter on my Subsequent Fest homepage reveals greater than 2,500 English demos to choose from.
In the event you open up the Subsequent Fest web page and are overwhelmed, I get it – admittedly, I’m, too. However I’ve performed a couple of and have 4 to advocate.
Picture: Yacht Membership Video games
Mina the Hollower, the subsequent sport from Shovel Knight creators Yacht Membership Video games, seems like a Recreation Boy Coloration title made within the fashionable period. You play as Mina the mouse in a top-down action-adventure sport that jogs my memory numerous Hyperlink’s Awakening. Mina’s signature transfer is a slick burrowing means that permits you to zip round underground for a couple of seconds, and even within the quick demo, I discovered it immensely helpful to get below obstacles or create house throughout furry fights.
The demo ends with an thrilling boss battle, and I used to be unhappy when it was over after about half-hour. I’m actually trying ahead to the sport’s full launch on October thirty first.
Picture: Dotemu
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a retro-style side-scrolling action-platformer with attractive pixel artwork and an electrical guitar-filled soundtrack. Like different Ninja Gaiden video games, it’s crammed with flashy fight and numerous blood, however I additionally fairly appreciated the old-school platforming – there’s numerous double-jumping off enemies, which by no means will get previous. Like different Dotemu video games, Ragebound appears to completely seize an old-school vibe however with a sport made in 2025. And after ending the three ranges within the demo, I’m desirous to play the remainder of the sport when it’s out on July thirty first.
Picture: Devolver Digital
Inside moments of beginning the Ball X Pit demo, I overtly stated to myself, “oh no.” Not as a result of it’s unhealthy. However as a result of it instantly grabbed me as an engrossing mix of roguelikes, Puzzle Bobble, Breakout, and Vampire Survivors.
As enemies slowly advance towards you, you progress your character round and hearth balls at them, which you’ll be able to bounce off partitions and even between enemies. (Naturally, you’ll need to dodge bullets from the unhealthy guys, too.) Useless enemies drop expertise gems, and if you degree up, you may choose from varied upgrades, like balls that shock close by foes. You’ll be able to even fuse balls collectively, and between runs there’s a land administration sport. And for the folks that this can matter to, your well being meter seems prefer it was taken proper from Diablo.
I can see shedding numerous time to Ball X Pit when it’s out later this yr.
Picture: Recreation Maker’s Toolkit
Phrase Play, from Mark Brown of Recreation Maker’s Toolkit, mixes concepts from Balatro and phrase video games.
Every spherical, you’re tasked with getting a particular rating by spelling phrases that may be as much as ten characters lengthy earlier than you run out of turns. As with video games like Scrabble, totally different letter tiles have totally different level values, and phrases with 5 letters or extra will get added bonus factors that may assist you to attain the aim rating extra shortly.
While you attain the aim rating, you progress on to the subsequent spherical, which may have the next aim. However you’ll additionally be capable to choose from an improve of some type, like a modifier that routinely applies a 3x multiplier to the second tile of any phrase you spell.
In contrast to the remainder of the demos I’ve really helpful right here, Phrase Play is a chill puzzle sport, however like with Balatro, I discovered myself making an attempt to sneak in yet another run as an alternative of going to mattress. The sport is about to launch on July 14th.
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