Stream Next Fest has once again been unleashed, offering gamers a ton of awesome demo’s to check out and see what the future might bring. Today, we are highlighting a few such games that currently have demos available on Steam to check out and enjoy.
Pass the Fear
Indie game publishing studio ParasGames and developer PlayMud Studio have announced that the demo for their upcoming roguelite bullet-hell game Pass the Fear is out now for the February Steam Next Fest.
PASS THE FEAR is the roguelite bullet-hell shooter where you must find a way to escape before dawn breaks. Unleash the wildest projectile patterns and screen-shattering damage to crush every enemy standing in your way!
When a catastrophic Witch's Disaster strikes without warning, chaotic magic sends vast, towering waves and raging tempests to encircle your island.
Nothing gets in. Nothing gets out.
The Pass the Fear demo is out now on Steam, with the full launch slated for 2026. For more information, consider following the game on X @PassTheFear.
Download the Demo here.
Shift at Midnight
UK publisher Kwalee and independent developer, Bun Muen, have launched a new co-op demo for upcoming game, Shift at Midnight. For Steam Next Fest, the new demo comes with a host of new content and gameplay features.
Players will encounter a new pool of randomised customers, with the first shift remaining the same to ease them in. New tasks include filling car fuel tanks and searching vehicles to identify potential doppelgangers. The update also adds hats and store decorations, alongside expanded systems such as an inventory, personalised store reviews, a health system and save file support. From night three, rats roam the store, and players can access a randomised in-game shop via the computer for upgrades and items.
Download the Demo here
ATMOSFAR
Soar the skies of a vast alien world and take off for an all-new survival adventure with the first playable demo of ATMOSFAR, a sky-high, sci-fi survival odyssey, available to download today as part of Steam Next Fest.
Discover an exclusive first look at the opening hours of the game as you take off to explore Caligo Cays, an epic archipelago of gravity-defying islands. Traverse tricky terrain, cruise above the clouds, and take the first steps to building your outpost on an uncharted alien planet.
Navigate extreme weather conditions, including the deadly Firesky phenomenon, and discover the flora, fauna, and occupational hazards of an astronomical pioneer. Pilot your trusty Utility Wasp and take off for an aerial adventure, scavenging scrap, deploying camp, and discovering tools to aid in your long-term survival.
Launching on Steam Early Access later this year, ATMOSFAR is a story-driven survival sandbox adventure that combines aerial exploration with mobile base-building, resource management, gear upgrades, and ground-based expeditions. Cruise the skies as a solo pilot or form a squadron with friends in 2-4-player co-op*, setting out on an astronomical adventure to lay the foundations for humanity’s furthest outpost and uncover the fate of your collapsed colony.
Download the Demo here.
Shutter Story
A demo for upcoming investigative, indie horror Shutter Story is now available to download as part of Steam Next Fest.
Developed by Frostwood Interactive, a small indie studio from Goa, India - Shutter Story sees players dig through a family's photo album; analysing, manipulating and editing images in search for the paranormal.
Your best friend Eli is convinced his family is being haunted. At first you don't believe him. But then he shows you the photos. Eli's parents dismiss it as an overactive imagination. He needs clearer evidence. As a budding photo editor, that's where you come in.
The Next Fest demo features approximately 30-40 minutes of chilling ghost-hunting, giving players a taste of the immersive-interface gameplay and a glimpse of the game's haunting multi-generational narrative.
The demo has already been sending spine-chilling shockwaves across the horror content creator space, being played by the likes of Markiplier, Kubz Scouts, ManlyBadassHero, 8-BitRyan and Gab Smolders.
Alongside Steam Next Next, Frostwood Interactive is currently seeking funding for the final stretch of the game's development via a Kickstarter campaign - which concludes on March 21.
Download the Demo here.
Everrail
Aesir Interactive and Icebird Studios announced that EverRail, the upcoming open-world action survival crafting game set in a frozen procedural wasteland, will be playable for the first time during Steam Next Fest: February 2026 Edition. The free demo will be available on PC via Steam from February 23rd to March 2nd, giving players an early chance to test their survival skills before the game’s Early Access launch later this Spring.
In EverRail, the world has frozen over, and humanity’s last hope is a massive battery-powered train roaring across an endless icebound frontier. Players must build, scavenge and survive across a vast, procedurally generated wasteland where mobility is everything, and momentum means life. If the train stops for too long, the cold closes in and the line ends for everyone the moment the train’s battery and the manifest hit zero.
Breaking the Loop: Tricore Gameplay
EverRail refuses to keep players locked inside their mobile base. Players will experience the game’s Tricore Gameplay, a threefold system requiring mastery of distinct modes of traversal, either as a single-player or up to four player co-op:
On Rails (The Train): Players must steer, upgrade, and maintain a massive, high-speed train. It serves as a fortress and lifeline in motion. The engine generates power only while in motion, creating constant pressure to push forward while managing resources, repairs, and passenger needs.
In Air (The Glider): Unlike survival games that keep players grounded, EverRail utilizes verticality. Players can take to the skies by deploying a glider for third-person scouting, harvesting energy resources and uncovering secrets hidden in the frostbitten landscape. Aerial reconnaissance is essential to planning safe routes and keeping the train's battery charged.
On Foot (Expeditions): To gather resources and rescue survivors, players must stop the engine and brave the cold before it overtakes them. Third-person roguelike expeditions send players into abandoned settlements, frozen forests and lost ruins filled with enemies, environmental hazards and high-risk rewards.
At the heart of EverRail is a simple rule: move or freeze. The train runs on a battery that recharges only while driving, and drains whenever it stops, turning every expedition into a race against time. Players must weigh risk vs. reward as they decide when to halt for supplies, push forward into the unknown and how to allocate energy across the train’s expanding systems.
The EverRail Steam Next Fest demo introduces players to the game’s take on a permadeath successor system, a high-stakes twist on traditional survival gameplay mechanics. In the game’s frozen world, the passenger manifest represents the player's life counter. If a player falls to the elements or combat during an expedition, they are not revived as the same character and immediately assume the role of another passenger on the manifest. As long as there are survivors onboard, the journey continues; if the last soul on board perishes, the line ends permanently.
Grind Survivors
Developer Pushka Studios and publisher Assemble Entertainment are excited to announce that high-octane action roguelite Grind Survivors will be tearing its way mercilessly into Steam Next Fest from 23 February to 2 March 2026. After an overwhelmingly positive response from the latest playtest and invaluable feedback from the growing fanbase, the team has been hard at work fixing bugs and upgrading the grind in an all-new, polished bloodbath of a demo for Steam Next Fest.
Strap yourselves in for Grind Survivors, a fast-paced roguelite survivor shooter serving up bullet-heaven chaos with a twist. Players must battle unrelenting waves of enemies to collect obscene hoards of loot. While catching your breath before the onslaught of the next horde, venture to The Forge to upgrade your weaponry and uniquely shape every run through. Weapons can be upgraded, rerolled, fused, or completely destroyed in pursuit of the perfect build - will you harness glorious power or spectacular failure?
“Grind Survivors takes the survivors genre and makes it more extreme in every way - more action, more chaos, more everything,” said Kirill Mukhin of Pushka Studios. “After years of working on various games and porting projects, we’re thrilled to finally present our first original title, a game that channels our creativity and passion for unforgettable gameplay.”
Jump into the Grind Survivors demo and unleash chaos as Cascade, the fan-favourite bounce-based projectile specialist. Test three weapon archetypes, including SMGs, shotguns, and revolvers, tackle the first biome on two difficulty levels, and push your limits in Infinity Mode with its own leaderboard. Shape your run through the Skill Tree, Runes, and powerful Synergies.
Download the Demo now.
Beastro
Beastro is back on the menu, as Timberline Studio confirms the cozy culinary adventure will feature an updated playable demo during Steam Next Fest, which is available right now. For returning players, or those stepping into the kitchens of Palo Pori for the first time, its unique blend of cooking, farming and deckbuilding combat is a feast for the senses.
The Next Fest demo introduces players to several of the game’s Caretakers, each representing a different taste that shapes combat and character dynamics:
Oyshi, the Umami Caretaker, is a gentle, comforting soul with a natural affinity for animals and people alike. His name references the classic umami ingredients of mushrooms (“oyster,” “shiitake,”) and oishii, the Japanese word for delicious.
Kalan, the Bitter Caretaker, is a more...acquired taste. First encountered alone in the wilds, resistant to help and proud of his independence. Winning him over requires patience, but discovering his favorite dish becomes a real turning point, proving that even those most guarded can be won over by the right meal.
The updated demo also includes a variety of new content, including brand-new NPCs breathing new life into Palo Pori, increased language support for both in-game content and external feedback with improved access to the town map alongside a heap more of quality-of-life features. The full list of upgrades can found here.
In Beastro, every meal players prepare becomes their cards in a flavorful deckbuilding system, powering theatrical puppet-style combat encounters, where strategy and seasoning matter just as much as timing. As Panko, the talented Caracal chef, players must keep the villagers and adventurers well fed, as ravenous monsters begin to destroy the spirits outside of your home.The only way to defeat them is by keeping bellies full.
Download the Demo here.
SoulQuest
SoulQuest, the Kickstarter-successful 2D action hack-and-slash from SoulBlade Studio LLC, has released a newly updated demo now live during Steam Next Fest following its feature in Indie Fan Fest.
The game puts players in control of Alys as she battles mythic enemies, navigates precision platforming challenges, and rises to confront the gods themselves. Blending fast, expressive combat with a character-driven narrative, SoulQuest continues to build momentum as players dive into its evolving combat and progression systems. Published by indie.io, the title arrives at Steam Next Fest with its most refined demo yet.
Built around skill-driven encounters and deliberate traversal, SoulQuest draws inspiration from character action staples like Devil May Cry, bringing style-based combat and performance grading into a 2D action platformer. Players chain attacks, launch aerial combos, unlock new abilities, and push for higher combat rankings as difficulty increases, with encounters designed to reward mastery and precision.
Set against lore-rich, beautifully crafted pixel art environments, the game follows Alys on her emotional quest through a world shaped by gods and mythic forces.
This updated demo offers a sharper look at the game’s story pacing and level flow while expanding combat and platforming difficulty. Taking place shortly after the opening mission of the full game, it introduces a brand-new zone filled with new enemy types and increased challenge designed to showcase the depth of the combat system.
Expanding meaningfully on earlier builds, this demo also introduces the first-ever playable God Boss fight along with additional enemy encounters and new content for players to uncover. It provides both returning players and newcomers with a substantial hands-on experience during Steam Next Fest.
With Steam Next Fest underway, players can download the SoulQuest demo now on Steam and wishlist the game to follow Alys’s journey toward confronting the gods themselves.
Download the Demo here.
Midnight 90: Rapid City
Today, Rising Tide Publishing and developer Hidden Chest Studios announced that Midwest 90: Rapid City, a story-rich restaurant management survival game, will debut a new demo as part of Steam Next Fest. Combining diner simulation, tactical base defense, and branching narrative decisions, Midwest 90: Rapid City challenges players to keep their doors open, their town alive, and their souls intact during a full-scale monster apocalypse.
In Midwest 90: Rapid City, players operate a small-town diner in Rapid City, where desperate times call for desperate measures. Monsters are both a threat and a resource, and by setting carefully crafted traps, diner owners can defeat eerie beasts, harvest their remains, and turn them into unique dishes to fuel their business while preparing for the next attack. Nothing is wasted in Midwest 90.
Each day brings tough decisions. Invest in research to unlock new monster recipes, upgrade kitchen equipment to handle demanding customers, or reinforce defenses to survive monster assaults. Dialogue and characters are rich, peculiar, and consequence-driven, with strategic planning and moral choices directly influencing the story’s direction and the fate of Rapid City.
Download the Demo here.
Steam Next Fest has a ton of other great demos. What caught your eye? Leave a comment below!