Steam Next Fest has kicked again, offering the chance to discover a host of brand new video games and bulk out your PC game wishlist for the coming months.
This go around, there is a caveat to discovering all the wonders of the online celebration. The rapid proliferation of AI technology has led to a sharp rise in the number of games available during Steam Next Fest – and specifically, the rise of games that fit into the ‘AI slop’ bucket. Those that are of low quality, that copy ideas from game developers with actual talent, and otherwise attempt to part you from your money with tricks, instead of ingenuity or cleverness.
The good news is these games are relatively easy to spot on the Steam storefront. You only have to browse the Steam front page to see the obvious slop. The bad news is low effort curation has made the actually good game demos more difficult to find, even with some layers of personal curation on the Next Fest homepage.
To find the best stuff during Steam Next Fest, you’ll need to rely on personal recommendations, as well as browsing your wishlist to spot available demos (a very handy, relatively new feature for Steam wishlists). To that end, read on.
Here’s all of ScreenHub‘s personal recommendations for games to check out during Steam Next Fest.
Steam Next Fest October 2026 demo highlights – quick links
Hillthorn
- Check out the Hillthorn demo on Steam.
Hillthorn is a compelling gothic mystery game where you’ll place cards on an investigation board to discover the strange truths behind the disappearance of a local child. With shades of Alan Wake in its depiction of odd cults and an odder town, Hillthorn looks to be a layered and interesting puzzler, with plenty of lush flavour in its art, story and mystery-solving mechanics.
Littlelands
- Check out the Littlelands demo on Steam.
Littlelands is an upcoming cosy adventure and life simulator game that lets you explore a toy-like town that appears inspired by the modern Legend of Zelda games – specifically, Link’s Awakening. As a round little human, you’ll wander Littlelands in search of adventure, discovering all sorts of secrets hiding in nearby caves and dungeons. You’ll also be able to spend time making friends, farming berries, fishing, catching insects and taking part in slower-paced activities. The choice of lifestyle is yours.
Pelican Post
- Check out Pelican Post on Steam.
Pelican Post is a narrative adventure game where you play a Pelican delivering mail in the idyllic town of Port Pleasant. Beyond a lovely pixel art style which gives the entire experience a nostalgic feel, what’s most appealing about Pelican Post is its cast of characters. As you roam town you’ll get to meet an array of critters, all with their own funny slices of dialogue. There’s a cute, simple formula at work here, and one that will tickle anyone who loves a cute romp.
Night Shift: 1999
- Check out Night Shift: 1999 on Steam.
Night Shift: 1999 is an upcoming Australian-made visual novel that explores the beauty and challenges of immigration through the lens of vampires moving through the world. You play a vampire who moves to Sydney and must learn to live and thrive within Kings Cross, balancing work and socialising, as well as your dark desires, to be ‘rewarded with a deeper understanding of what it means to live again.’
ScreenHub: Night Shift: 1999 explores migration through a world of Australian vampires
Sloppy Forgeries
- Check out Sloppy Forgeries on Steam.
Sloppy Forgeries is a novel art game where you must ‘forge’ artworks within a limited time frame, competing with your friends to create the most accurate forgery. With elements of games like Meccha Chameleon, this title has major potential as a new party or multiplayer game to enjoy with friends. It’s a clever little concept, and one that’s very satisfying to watch play out, particularly if you’re quite bad at drawing.
Mingle
- Check out Mingle on Steam.
Mingle, from New Zealand-based studio Cookiecrayon, is a delightful-looking hidden object game where you look through crowds of tiny, joyous beings to discover your identical twin. Across an array of moving puzzles, you’ll search high and low to find a match, but you’ll often get distracted (a very good thing) by your bouncy and fun surrounds. The game’s demo gives an artful taste of this experience, introducing you to a menagerie of fun creatures.
Apple Crumble
- Check out Apple Crumble on Steam.
Apple Crumble is the next game from Duck Detective developers Happy Broccoli Games, and so far it seems just as ridiculous and funny as its direct predecessors. In the game, you’re solving a murder mystery as you arrive to your grandma’s 84th birthday party only to discover an emerging conspiracy amongst your family members. As with the Duck Detective games, you’ll need to spend time considering clues to solve an ever-growing mystery.
Tearoom of Terror
- Check out Tearoom of Terror on Steam.
Tearoom of Terror is a beautiful, illustrative adventure game that feels perfect for those who love light-hearted gothic horror in the vein of card game, Gloom. This game actually shares a lot in common with Apple Crumble, as you’ll also be solving a murder in point-and-click style here – the murder of your aunt. Within a humble tearoom, you’ll need to brew tea and bake cakes as you try to solve the mystery of who murdered your aunt, and what that means for your family inheritance.
