Steam Next Festival: Bästa demospel att prova

A whole stack of new, unexplored, and most importantly, free games at Steam Next Fest 2025. During this event, you can try out demo versions of upcoming video games. For your convenience, here’s an overview of nine titles worth your attention, according to EGW – enjoy!

The Steam Next Fest started on February 24th and will run until March 3rd. During this time, you'll have the chance to try any game for free in the form of its demo version.

Here are games I'm interested in following, and I'll install some of them to test. The list follows the “Description-Requirements-Reviews” format.

Gothik 1 Remake

This demo gives us a sneak peek into the world of the Gothic 1 Remake, featuring Nyras' journey. The graphics, while promising, don't fully showcase the potential of the game yet, feeling a bit rushed. The combat system feels clunky, especially with archery and enemy AI, and the quest design needs improvement – like better side activities. There's also a bit of a balance issue with the environment, as too much foliage can make it hard to navigate. On the plus side, the music is immersive, and there’s potential for some strong world-building and lore around Nyras' adventure. The game definitely has potential, but it’s clear that it's still a work in progress.

System Requirements

Pros and Cons

➕The music is excellent and sets the tone for the adventure, while the potential for great lore and immersion is definitely there.

➖The combat feels too simplistic, with the bow and AI mechanics disappointing, and the movement system is clunky and slow.

After playing the demo, it’s clear that while the remake has potential with its atmospheric music and world-building, the gameplay feels rough. The combat and movement systems need polishing, and the lack of depth in side quests and character interactions holds it back. I'm curious to see how it evolves before the full release, but right now, it needs more work.

Radiolight

In this atmospheric '80s thriller, you play as a local policeman investigating the mysterious disappearance of a child in a national park. The investigation leads you deeper into the park, where strange radio signals and supernatural occurrences heighten the tension. The game emphasizes exploration, puzzle-solving, and building an eerie atmosphere, much like Firewatch, but with a focus on mystery and the supernatural.

System Requirements

Pros and Cons

➕The game delivers a gripping atmosphere with stunning visuals and a mysterious plot. It has great potential, and players are excited for the full release.

➖Some users found the gameplay a bit too slow and repetitive, especially when navigating the large, dark environments, which could harm the overall experience.

Radiolight impresses with its eerie atmosphere and mysterious story, but the slow-paced, repetitive gameplay could detract from the overall experience, making it a title to watch for future improvements.

Game of Thrones: Kingsroad

Immerse yourself in the expansive world of Westeros with Game of Thrones: Kingsroad, a story-driven action-adventure RPG that brings the Seven Kingdoms to life. Explore iconic locations such as King's Landing and Castle Black, each meticulously crafted to capture the essence of the series. Embark on an original journey as a member of House Tyre, navigating political intrigue, forging alliances, and confronting the looming threat of the White Walkers. Choose from three distinct classes – Knight, Sellsword, and Assassin – each offering unique combat styles and abilities. Engage in dynamic, visceral combat that emphasizes strategy and skill, with manual controls, dodging, and parrying. Additionally, team up with other players in real-time co-op content to face formidable beasts and mythical creatures from the Game of Thrones universe.

System Requirements

Pros and Cons

➕From the nostalgic music to the immersive storyline, Game of Thrones: Kingsroad has completely nailed it.

➖The environments feel super empty and having to sprint for minutes through a large, confusing & dark environment just to get to the next story beat destroys the experience for me.

Game of Thrones: Kingsroad offers an immersive experience for fans of the series, with its detailed world-building and engaging combat mechanics. While it has received praise for its nostalgic elements and storyline, some players have expressed concerns about the game's pacing and environment design. Overall, it presents a promising addition to the Game of Thrones universe, though it may require further refinement to fully meet player expectations.

Among Us 3D

Among Us 3D is the next evolution of the popular party game Among Us, now in a fully immersive 3D environment. Players work together as Crewmates to complete tasks while trying to root out the Impostors among them. With the addition of proximity voice chat, new minigames, and crossplay, it’s a fresh take on a familiar concept. However, the STEAM NEXT FEST DEMO is only a preview, with more features set to be added at launch.

System Requirements

Pros and Cons

➕This 3D version of Among Us really makes the game feel fresh. The proximity voice chat and new minigames add a lot of fun.

➖It’s still just a demo, and some features like crossplay aren’t available yet. Plus, it’s a little buggy.

The demo provides a good look at what’s to come, with promising new features like 3D environments and proximity voice chat, but there are some bugs and missing features that need work before the full release.

RoadCraft

RoadCraft is a disaster recovery simulation where you take on the role of a company leader tasked with restoring areas devastated by natural disasters. Use heavy construction machinery to clear debris, rebuild infrastructure, and manage logistics. The demo offers three unique missions to give you a taste of the full game, and it also features co-op gameplay for up to four players.

System Requirements

Pros and Cons

➕The co-op gameplay is fantastic, and the variety of vehicles makes each mission enjoyable. It’s a great preview of what's to come!

➖The game is still under development, and the optimization could use some work. A bit of tweaking is needed for smooth performance.

The demo offers a solid start, with promising gameplay and mechanics, but there are still some optimizations and performance tweaks needed before the full release. It’s definitely worth trying, especially with friends.

Solarpunk

Solarpunk is a survival game set in a world of floating islands, where you can build, craft, farm, and explore alongside friends. Use renewable energy sources like sunlight, wind, and water to power your gadgets, grow food, and automate processes. Create your own airship and venture out to distant islands, all while securing your survival in this peaceful, yet challenging world.

System Requirements

Pros and Cons

➕The peaceful vibe and the ability to explore floating islands with friends are fantastic! The game feels refreshing and unique.

➖The system requirements and graphics are not fully detailed yet, so it's hard to gauge the final performance.

Solarpunk offers a calming yet engaging survival experience with great potential for co-op play. While some details are still unknown, it looks promising for fans of survival and exploration games.

PUBG: Blindspot

PUBG: Blindspot is a top-down 5v5 tactical shooter that combines fast-paced military gunplay with team-based strategy. Featuring 10 unique characters, each with their own signature weapons and gadgets, players engage in intense team deathmatch and demolition mission maps. The game emphasizes tactical CQB teamwork, where every choice matters. With an early demo available for Steam Next Fest, players get a sneak peek at the future of this exciting PvP experience.

System Requirement

Reviews

🛑"PUBG: Blindspot is a thrilling top-down shooter with great potential for both casual and competitive play." - PC Gamer

🟡"Even with the limited demo, some features are still unclear, and it will be interesting to see how the full release refines its gameplay." - Game Rant

PUBG: Blindspot brings tactical depth and fun to the top-down shooter genre, showing a lot of promise for future esports presence and exciting gameplay. The demo offers a glimpse of the action-packed world that awaits players.

Schedule I - Build Your Drug Empire

Schedule I offers a gritty and immersive experience as you build a drug empire from the ground up in the city of Hyland Point. Starting as a small-time drug dealer, you’ll need to contend with increasing law enforcement pressure, deadly competitors, and the complexities of drug production and distribution. In this demo, players can get a taste of the game’s mechanics, from producing a variety of drugs to expanding your operations with hired help, automated production chains, and street distribution. The game also includes co-op multiplayer for expanding your empire with friends.

System Requirement

Reviews

🙃This demo is far better than its predecessors, with only minor bugs and a fun, immersive experience. Looking forward to the full release.

😒The demo feels extremely bare-bones, offering little more than growing and selling weed. There's not much else to do.

Schedule I offers a promising start with engaging mechanics, despite its limited content in the demo. It shows potential for a compelling drug empire-building game, but there’s still much more to reveal in the full version.

Dune: Awakening

Dune: Awakening is an open-world multiplayer survival game set on the harsh desert planet of Arrakis. It blends survival mechanics with RPG elements in a persistent, highly immersive world where players can join factions, engage in politics, and uncover mysteries. The game lets players experience the vast open world of Arrakis, where they must learn the ways of the Fremen, craft survival gear, and navigate deadly sandstorms. As a player, you'll need to survive against extreme environments, deadly sandworms, and the brutal conflict between the Atreides and Harkonnen families.

Players can choose to align with different factions, like the Atreides or the Harkonnen, while developing their character’s skills and abilities. The game offers the use of iconic Dune technologies like ornithopters and suspensor belts to explore the world. Social hubs like Arrakeen and Harko Village serve as bustling areas for trading and socializing. PvP is optional but can be intense, especially when battling for control over the valuable spice resource that drives power in the universe.

System Requirements

Reviews

🖥️According to PC Gamer, after playing for 7 hours, Dune: Awakening could be the perfect mix of survival and RPG for those looking for an exciting new experience.

🚫Some Steam users reported technical issues, such as crashes during the character setup process and graphical glitches. (Steam Community)

Dune: Awakening offers players an exciting and immersive experience in the Dune universe, combining survival, RPG, and multiplayer elements. However, while the demo is promising, it still has some technical issues that could affect the overall experience. It's recommended to keep an eye out for updates and fixes to get the best gameplay experience.

In short, at this festival, everyone will find something for themselves. Just before the thaw outside, the thaw has already started in the Steam store, and we have a chance to play hundreds of free games.

Personally, after the amusing trailer for the festival with the mustachioed woman standing by the ball lever, I casually glanced at the list of games, but I got hooked on casual chill games like Solarpunk and Schedule I. However, the real challenge was thrown at me by PUBG: Blindspot, as this type of 5v5 shooter, is something completely new for me, and I want to test my cognitive skills and embrace that discomfort – wow. Also, it’s worth noting that Game of Thrones and Dune are potentially the next hype games you'll regularly see news about in your feed.

I’m off to water the plants and sell the harvest, ciao.