Steam Next Fest adventure game demo round-up – February 2026

• Features by Adventure Game Hotspot staff
• Published:

With the groundhogs snugly back in their lairs, and the chocolates and roses and Valentine’s cards generously lavished for another year, there’s still one February event to celebrate: the Steam Next Fest! Yes, it’s time once again for the latest smorgasbord of demos from promising new games, and there’s a LOT to be excited about.

Perhaps first and foremost is the long-awaited, highly anticipated hands-on look at Amanita Design’s Phonopolis. But the fun doesn’t stop there by any means, with a playable slice of the new game from the creators of There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension, another FMV murder investigation of Doctor Dekker's psychiatric patients, several eerie explorations of Lovecraftian horrors both on land and beneath the sea, deductions galore in the next game from the designer of Anna's Quest and the follow-up to Tangle Tower, a wintry but heartwarming new entry in the Moomin universe, a harrowing sail through stormy Nordic waters, and an updated demo for the beautiful time-traveling point-and-click Whirlight.

Even THAT is still just scratching the surface, as no matter the taste, there’s an abundance here for everyone. And there will be more still to come as the list fills up with new additions, so be sure to revisit for another look later! But as always, be quick, as some of these demos will only remain active until the festival ends on March 2nd. 

The Adventures of R. Sole: Nothing, Nowhere and Not at the Same Time

Developer: Boxblue Studios

R. Sole is just an ordinary IT guy who gets thrown into an extraordinary situation. The multiverse is at stake, and there's this mysterious villain called Masterstroke who's out to wipe out all the R. Soles across different realities. Our hero must embark on a thrilling quest to save the multiverse, stop Masterstroke, and uncover the reasons behind this villain's destructive objective. Armed with only sarcasm and impatience, he's on a mission to save reality itself. No pressure, right?

Download link for Windows PC

The Alighieri Circle: Dante's Bloodline

Developer: ONE-O-ONE Games

Every 33 years the barrier between our reality and Hell fades. To protect his family and the world he knows, Gabriele Alighieri must perform "The Ritual," returning to his ancestral home and accept a destiny he has spent his life running from. Explore the unknown in this dark, modern interpretation of the Divine Comedy, where the Inferno is a shadow waiting to consume you.

Download link for Windows PC

Apopia: A Sugear Coated Tale

Developer: Quillo Entertainment 

Help a young girl named Mai find her way home in a seemingly playful, sugar‑coated world that slowly reveals the deeper, darker truths underneath. Make friends and foes with talking animals, and unravel the mystery of Mai’s identity from her dark and blurry memories.

Download link for Windows and Mac

ARIE: Moonprayer

Developer: PhantomWorks

The Moon is falling, and the world is ending. Now the Moonbard Diallo must travel across the last island in the world, and play the Moonsongs that resonate with the departed, uncovering the beauty of the apocalyptic world.

Download link for Windows and Mac

Ashes

Developer: Plot Twist Australia

Azar Warren is a 16-year-old skater who witnesses a gruesome murder. Azar takes refuge from those determined to silence her at her estranged grandfather Stanley's rural compound. However, his disturbing behaviour soon leads her to suspect Stan is harbouring terrible secrets of his own.

Download link for Windows and Mac

Bangkok Story: A Stray Dog

Developer: Shameful Guys Development

In a game inspired by real-life events in Bangkok, Thailand, 2017, experience the life of a formerly homeless man through an interview of how he regained his sense of self by telling his past to a stray dog.

Download link for Windows and Mac

Before Closure

Developer: Twentysix Interactive

Before Closure is an immersive emotional narrative experience that follows Murph as she prepares to move and discovers a box of belongings left behind by her ex, Georgie. Players sort through the items with Murph and decide how to face a relationship that never fully reached closure.

Download link for Windows and Mac

The Big Hollow: 1982

Developer: Krams Design

It's 1982, and in a small truck stop community where everybody knows everybody, Ida and Bonnie's disappearances left questions that no one dared to ask out loud. For the FBI, where the term 'serial killer' is as new as their Behavioral Science Unit, this case isn’t just about murder – it's a test of whether these monsters can really be mapped. You are Desmond, methodical and intuitive, learning the art of criminal profiling under Lenore Davidson, the cold, exacting representative of the BSU. Your insights could prove the unit’s worth — or expose its limitations.

Download link for Windows PC

Burden Street Station

Developer: IODINE

In a universe where life’s moments are extracted from mortals and transformed into sentient books for consumption by higher beings, a lowly librarian and a book without a moment of its own are coerced into solving the mystery of a missing God.

Download link for Windows PC

Call of the Elder Gods

Developer: Out of the Blue Games

Thirty years after the events of Call of the Sea, all is not well at Miskatonic University. Professor Harry Everhart tries to ignore the shadows flitting at the corners of his vision, while student Evangeline Drayton is haunted with impossible dreams of an artifact uncovered a decade ago. In their search for answers, the pair will uncover revelations more ancient than anyone could have imagined. Follow Harry and Evangeline as they search for the truth about their missing loved ones and come face-to-face with beings beyond their understanding.

Download link for Windows PC

Code: 9

Developer: Riding Turtles

In a dystopian retro-futuristic world, Johann's life shatters when the new regime murders his beloved. Desperate for answers, he joins a resistance group of detectives determined to expose the atrocities committed by this brutal new world order – Aeterna. At his side stands K.L.A.R.A., a mysterious intelligent entity with her own deadly agenda: destroying those who once tried to enslave her.

Download link for Windows PC

Crushed in Time

Developer: Draw Me A Pixel

Just as the new Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson video game hit the market, one of its characters mysteriously went missing. After their memorable appearance in the non-game There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension, our extravagant investigators are back in their own adventure. Armed with their iconic ineptitude, they must solve a mystery that transcends the space-time boundaries of their world… But they won’t succeed without your help! Travel to the very heart of the game's creation and explore the various stages of its development to unravel the threads of this strange case.

Download link for Windows PC

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss 

Developer: Big Bad Wolf

2053. As the Earth's surface resources dwindle, powerful corporations turn to the uncharted depths of the oceans, unaware of the ancient horror they are about to awaken. You play Noah, and with the help of Key, your AI companion, you’re tasked with investigating the mysterious disappearance of miners in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. But beware: the deeper you descend, the more your mind succumbs to Cthulhu's relentless influence. Will you resist it?

Download link for Windows PC

Distant Shore: BRETAGNE

Developer: DISTANT SHORE

Explore the ruins of a former research site, devastated by climate collapse. Wield magnetic gauntlets to move, bend, or break metal as you recover lost BIO2 data and uncover your brother’s trail — all while evading the Cloud, a sentient weather entity that watches your every move.

Download link for Windows PC

Donutal

Developer: Arc System Works

At an International Space Port built upon the remains of the former ISS in the year 2206, take on the role of a "Chief Xeno Inspector" who has awakened from a 150-year cryosleep. To repay a massive debt you have no memory of incurring, you must screen aliens arriving on Earth. Are their intentions truly innocent? Deduce the truth and decide whether to grant entry based on information pulled from their conversations – what they say, who they suspect, and who they protect.

Download link for Windows PC

The Dungeon Experience

Developers: Jacob Janerka, Simon Boxer, Bone Assembly

A crab started life as a humble crustacean scraping by at the bottom of the food chain, a low-level RPG monster, but now – thanks to determination, optimism and a modest investment in crab-scented essential oil candles – he’s the proud owner of a fully featured, highly desirable dungeon, now confirmed to have asbestos all removed. And he wants to share this life-changing opportunity with YOU. Step inside the dungeon, explore its wonders and take part in an exclusive training program that will guide you to success.

Download link for Windows PC

Duppy Detective Tashia

Developer: Spritewrench

Chasing after her assailant, Tashia discovers a bustling market, hidden under a sprawling cotton tree, the Halfway Market. Quickly realizing that she has lost much more than a cell phone, Tashia is distraught to discover that somehow she's become enmeshed in a murder mystery. She must now find the culprit among the ghostly denizens of the market, learning about their lives before the market, as well as their untimely deaths.

Download link for Windows PC

Echoes from Ciudadela

Developer: Kronos Interactive

You are Katari, an ambitious adventurer following the trail of your deceased father to a sealed mountain known as Ciudadela. Along the way, your journey is obstructed by intricate puzzles inspired by historic inventions. Use your observation, experimentation, and ingenuity to connect these ancient machines and solve the mystery of your father’s dying wish, aided by a Balearic sling, a tool tied to both the environment and the forgotten technologies hidden within the mountain.  

Download link for Windows PC

Escape from Crimson Manor: Trapped Together

Developer: MediaCity Games

In a sprawling, interconnected Victorian mansion filled with secrets, hidden passages, and dark machinery, fates hang in the balance. Choose your nightmare from two different experiences designed to test your nerves and your deductive skills. In The Alliance, communicate with your partner after waking up in opposite wings of the mansion in a story-driven 2-player co-op puzzle campaign. In The Blood Harvest, hunt and extract blood as The Alchemist in a dynamic 3v1 asymmetric mode.

Download link for Windows PC (co-op mode only)

Echoes of Mora

Developer: Selkies Interactive

Following her brother's disappearance near a cursed violet lake, Mora takes it upon herself to rescue him. Soon after, the sudden rise of the lake's water level begins to threaten the village community. Solve puzzles and activate so-called “echoes” – time portals that reveal moments from the village’s past. Through time travel, experience the settlement before it was submerged and maybe even get a chance to stop the flood.

Download link for Windows PC and PC VR

Escape from 8-Bit High

Developer: Duck Made Of Wood

At Cloudydale High School, an ordinary Pomodore 64 becomes the stuff of 8-bit nightmares after being corrupted by a mysterious cassette — one that unlocks malevolent intelligence and a thirst for domination. Now supercharged and sentient, the Evil Commodore seizes control of an army of classic villains — aliens, mole men, dinosaurs, and zombies — bent on conquering Cloudydale... and then the world. Only one group stands in its way: Blueberry Finn, the alternative rock trio of Hank, Duck, and Alex. Armed with their wits, instruments, and a serious grudge against evil hardware, the band is back to save the world — again.

Download link for Windows, Mac and Linux

Fishbowl

Developer: imissmyfriends.studio

Drowning in feelings of grief, isolation, and the responsibilities of adulthood, Alo receives an unlikely lifeline in the form of a magical talking fish from her childhood. With Paplet as her companion, Alo unravels the threads of her past, giving way to a new future.

Download link for Windows and Mac

Helix: Descent N Ascent

Developer: Badass Mongoose

As the last of your kind, you must delve into the forgotten depths of an ancient world. Explore at your own pace to uncover a world responsive to your unique abilities, allowing you to interact meaningfully with your surroundings. Meticulously observe and experiment to decode the numerous puzzles that stand before you, each one a step closer to revealing the truth of this place and realizing your destiny.

Download link for Windows PC

The House of Hikmah

Developer: Lunacy Studios

In the wake of her father’s death, 14-year-old Maya enters the House of Wisdom, a dreamlike sanctuary filled with centuries of knowledge. By transforming elements with a mysterious device, Maya must solve puzzles to traverse the realms of larger-than-life historical scholars. Each door she opens uncovers the secrets of her father’s legacy, but behind them lie the shadows Maya may not be ready to face. The road to healing will not be easy, and Maya must confront her deepest emotions or risk succumbing to grief like many others before her.

Download link for Windows PC

In Their Shoes

Developer: We Are Muesli

From the first day of spring to the last day of winter, wear seven shoes of seven characters and live their most intimate moments. Explore their thoughts, choose their steps and shape their paths in a mumblecore narrative game where the most extraordinary setting is ordinary life itself.

Download link for Windows and Mac

The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker 2

Developer: D’Avekki Studios

A missing body. A murdered professor. Five mysterious patients and a former femme fatale. Play therapist and detective in a twisted Lovecraftian journey through the minds of six questionable suspects. Will you save your patients or catch the killer? Or can you do both? Whatever you decide, your assistant Marianna will always be there for you - unless she’s the killer of course…

Download link for Windows and Mac

Inner Voice

Developer: X INTERACTIVE

You are Booker, a hunted man who lost his wife, Diana, and is searching for answers in a place abandoned by time and sanity, buried in silence and pain. As the voice of Magnus White echoes through the darkness, the mysteries of this haunting world begin to unravel before you. Get ready to explore the twisted remnants of a once-living world... but be careful! With no way to fight, no allies and only your instincts to rely on, every step could be your last.

Download link for Windows PC

Killing Game of the Thirsty

Developer: CineGame Interactive

In 2018, Gu Panyu was imprisoned in an iron cage in the equipment room for three days by bullies, but on Monday, she "safely" walked out of the school gate under surveillance and vanished without a trace. Eight years later, when everyone had long forgotten the disappearance, Gu Panqing, her younger sister, identified the perpetrators through a notebook filled with the blood and tears of bullying. She initially wanted to find her sister, but little did she know that the truth she uncovered would be far more cruel than death itself.

Download link for Windows and Mac

A Little Less Desperation

Developers: Deaf Bird, Dead Blue Friends

The galaxy is threatened by powerful and evil forces, and only a ragtag band of alien rebels stand in their way. Lacking manpower, technology, knowledge and funding, this plucky band of misfits is in desperate need of a hero. Enter Harold, an alien whose spaceship has crashed on Earth. His only hope of salvation? Jacob, an organic vegetable farmer with zero technological know-how.

Download link for Windows, Mac and Linux

Looking for Fael

Developer: Swing Swing Submarine

Upon receiving a cryptic voicemail from your missing roommate, the ordinary confines of your apartment transform into a surreal labyrinth. Guided by his voice and a custom retro console in hand, embark on a journey to decipher the mysteries that have twisted your home into an enigmatic maze. But beware. The further you venture into other realities, the harder it will be to find your way back.

Download link for Window PC

The Mermaid Mask

Developer: SFB Games

In the pitch-black waters beyond a long-abandoned fishing town, the reclusive captain of the world's strangest submarine has been murdered. Some say the captain was an immortal time-traveller. Others say he was a vampire, cursed to stay hidden beneath the waves forever. Only one thing is certain: it's up to you to find the killer. Easy enough, right? After all, it can only be one of… *checks notes* eight suspects, each more eccentric and inscrutable than the last?! Gulp.

Download link for Windows PC

Mirealle

Developer: qovagames

The world has split into thousands of islands and it still whispers about the past to those who are willing to listen. On a small secluded island a young girl named Ayra lives in silence and harmony with her trusty friend. But one day, her world changes and she starts her journey through forgotten ruins left behind by those who once lived there.

Download link for Windows PC

MOLE

Developer: Off Black Creations

Pilot the MOLE, a monstrous post-war drilling machine built to descend deep below the Slavic soil. Fix failing systems, follow voices of the dead, and pray you can survive whatever is sharing your coffin. Will the vessel or your mind break first?

Download link for Windows PC

Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth 

Developer: Hyper Games

When Moomintroll unexpectedly wakes up early from his winter hibernation, he finds himself completely alone for the first time, in a world he barely recognizes. The familiar landscape of Moominvalley is now cloaked in the frosty veil of the Lady of the Cold. Initially seeking someone to care for him and longing to banish winter, young Moomintroll reluctantly embarks on a journey into the unknown, learning to forge new friendships and help those in greater need than himself.

Download link for Windows and Mac

Mysteries of Old Tokyo

Developer: Bolerosoft

You’re the new researcher and investigator for the Tokyo branch of the secretive Rare Items Acquisitions Ltd. You’ll walk the streets of the Imperial Capital and use your database of facts to interrogate a host of wandering spirits, find out their histories, lies, and truths, and unlock over 40 real-life locations. When you think you know what really happened, present your case to the spirit and boost your social link. Help them find their truth one chapter at a time, inspired by the real histories of the people of Tokyo.

Download link for Windows and Linux

Nightscape

Developer: Mezan Studios

Layla is a young stargazer with a passion for astronomy whose father went missing after the stars fell to earth. Before her now stands a chaotic world and an opportunity to restore it. It’s up to Layla and her goat friend companion to use her wits, courage and knowledge of constellation powers to put things right.

Download link for Windows PC

The Occultist

Developer: DALOAR

Paranormal investigator Alan Rebels travels to the mysterious island of GodStone to investigate his father's sudden disappearance. Equipped with his mystical pendulum, Alan must navigate the foggy streets and eerie buildings of Godstone, a place once home to a notorious cult known for its disturbing experiments and rituals. Alan must use his paranormal talents to communicate with the ominous souls that linger here. As he delves deeper into the island's dark history, Alan's convictions about the occult are put to the ultimate test.

Download link for Windows PC

Orson, P.I.: Midnight at the Grand Hotel

Developer: Abscure

In a lavish hotel, take on the role of the titular character — a bear cub with a craving for freedom, justice, and chocolate chip cookies. Twelve guests, their true intentions unknown, are planning a caper on the hotel’s central vault. Your job is to uncover who’s part of the conspiracy and stop the heist before it begins.

Download link for Windows PC

Phonopolis

Developer: Amanita Design

Felix is a thoughtful young man who, along with his fellow citizens, faces the imminent threat of falling under the control of the dystopian city’s authoritarian Leader once and for all, effectively losing their humanity. Accidentally becoming the only person who consciously recognizes the threat, young Felix must try to stop the Leader from playing the Absolute tone.

Download link for Windows and Mac

Poreia

Developer: ARDORBIT

Soma, a small robot, wakes up in a garbage dump with all of his data lost. Clinging only to faint fragments of memories, Soma begins a journey to discover who he was in a desolate city where monsters called Skia lurk everywhere, threatening robots for no apparent reason. Solve puzzles by manipulating magnetism with your dependable companion, RS1, and follow the traces of lost humanity to uncover the secrets hidden in this world.

Download link for Windows PC

The Ratline

Developer: Owlskip Games

Set in 1971, the game begins with the murder of a Catholic priest in Budapest and the discovery of a secret list naming Nazi fugitives who escaped justice through a covert network known as The Ratline. Players step into the role of Saul Perlman, a struggling detective, tasked with uncovering the truth behind these disappearances before the trail goes cold.

Download link for Windows and Mac

RUNT

Developer: Grimtaste Studios

In a post-apocalyptic world cloaked in pervasive darkness, where horrific creatures have emerged and replaced humans as the dominant predators, step into the shoes of Runt Strayer, the 19-year-old youngest of five brothers, the last surviving sons of a dead cult leader who once called himself the Mouth of God. On the fifth anniversary of their father’s death, the brothers discover a horrific message written in blood across their boarded-up church pulpit: 5 Days. With the town of Skipclaw sealed behind protective walls and humanity no longer the apex predator, Runt must investigate the omen before the fifth day arrives, and choose who to accuse. Will you be able to guess right?

Download link for Windows PC

Schrödinger’s Call: Episode 1

Developer: Acrobatic Chirimenjako

Mary wakes in a dark room with no memories, just a phone, a notebook, and a voice on the line. As she answers calls from restless souls trapped between life and death, Mary becomes a bridge between the living and the lost. A mysterious cat offers a cryptic promise: “If you save them, you will be saved too.”

Download link for Window PC

Shadow City Mysteries: Case Files – Rise of the Rat King

Developer: Play On Words Studios

You weren’t always the most feared criminal in Shadow City. Experience the gritty tale of how you clawed your way to power. Assume the role of the Rat King, an underworld mastermind fighting for absolute power. Shape your legend by forging alliances, crushing rivals, and leaving a trail of consequences. The fate of the city ultimately hinges on your choices here, laying the groundwork for the events of Shadow City Mysteries: A Clockwork Noir.

Download link for Windows PC

Shutter Story

Developer: Frostwood Interactive

Your best friend Eli is convinced his family is being haunted. Eli’s parents dismiss it as an overactive imagination, and at first you don’t believe him. But then he shows you the photos. As a budding photo editor, you must analyze and manipulate his family photos and home videos to reveal evidence of the paranormal, as the horror unfolds in the house around you. Their fate is in your hands.

Download link for Windows PC

The Skin Stapler

Developer: Tainted Pact

In this grindhouse horror adventure, step into the shoes of multiple protagonists, including Detective Dick Slate, a cop with a bad temper, a worse past, and a city that’s rotting from the inside out. What begins as a grisly case spirals fast into something far more sinister: a trail of stitched flesh, whispered rumours, and a killer known only as The Skin Stapler.

Download link for Windows PC

A Storied Life: Tabitha

Developer: Lab42

You arrive at the house of someone close to you who recently died to find a ruined memoir and a letter of interest from a publisher. Picking through the items that made up this person’s life, you’ll choose what stories you want to tell from their past, using the belongings they’ve left behind. Each room of the house is filled with trinkets and treasures, but you can only keep so many items. Once you’ve packed everything up, it’s time to write a chapter. Each item comes with its own list of words to fill out the memoir, and each word takes the story in entirely new directions. Will you remember this person as a loving parent? A shy recluse? Or perhaps an erratic eccentric? The choice is yours – though the publisher might not appreciate it if your story makes no sense.

Download link for Windows PC

Subliminal

Developer: Accidental Studios

Guided by your conscience, venture deep into your mind and relive some of your most treasured and sacred core memories with the sinking feeling that something is not quite right... Solve perspective and light-based puzzles using your environment, surroundings, and nearby lights and shadows to progress through a winding, nonlinear series of story paths and endings, and prepare to come face to face with manifestations of your own fear and despair.

Download link for Windows PC

Subsequence

Developer: Zoemi Games

In an underground research facility with a burning elevator shaft and a flooded supply tunnel, Vicky gets stuck and will have to fight for her life. As she explores the mysterious laboratories she'll uncover, step by step, the secrets behind a recent incident connected to her brother Vincent’s enigmatic research.

Download link for Windows PC

They Are Here – Alien Abduction Horror

Developer: DEKLAZON

For five straight nights beginning August 7th, the Sherman family witnessed bright lights in the sky over Grayswood Farm that moved in random directions and at different speeds above the cornfield before vanishing. According to the owner of the farm, all the animals went crazy, while children complained that someone was walking under their windows. Even farmer Peter Sherman saw a strange figure in the field that did not look like a man. What is it? Deliberate deception? Someone seeking attention? Or a sensation about an alien invasion? Journalist Taylor Fox travels to Grayswood Farm to find out and produce a photo report for a local newspaper.

Download link for Windows PC

Unreturning

Developer: cursedcat

No one has ever been known to reach the very end of the Abyss, but one thing is certain: there is something down there, and it demands to be seen. Plunge into an unknown environment where a thick aura of dread meets the thrill of discovery. This time, the destination is not what matters — the journey is everything.

Download link for Windows PC

Wax Heads 

Developer:  Patattie Games

Welcome to Repeater Records, where we flip sleeves, spin clues and rek-rek-recommend the very best albums! As the new kid in charge of the store, your job is to turn this place around. That means learning your way around the library and playing matchmaker between the customers and albums.

Download link for Windows and Linux

Welcome to Mars 9: The Tale of River

Developer: Sonomio Games

As a space castaway named River, you'll be thrust into a world of comfort and pleasure when you're rescued by a luxurious space station orbiting Mars. You soon discover, however, that the station is hiding a dark secret, and you decide whether to turn a blind eye or take action.

Download link for Windows PC

Whirlight: No Time to Trip

Developer: imaginarylab

Whirlight begins in the sixties with an eccentric yet genius inventor named Hector. After a dream spurs him to assemble a device made from components scattered around his Venice-inspired hometown of Verice Bay, Hector is hurled forward in time to the nineties. There he meets a determined artist named Margaret. Together, the pair embark on a quest through space and time to avert the planet from global catastrophe.

Download link for Windows PC

WILL: Follow the Light

Developer: TomorrowHead Studio

Assume the role of Will, a fearless man who grew up on the sea, as he ventures north in search of his missing son. Journey across stormy seas and rugged Nordic shores at the helm of a sailing yacht – piloted with realistic controls and developed in collaboration with arctic voyagers – and navigate the cold and hostile environments of far-northern waters. On land you will solve puzzles rooted in real life, chart your path using an authentic weather station and lifelike navigation system, and traverse snowy trails by dog sled in search of answers.

Download link for Windows PC