It’s not the start of the new year until the first Steam Next Fest is upon us again. This February’s demo bonanza seemed to feature an inordinate (but welcome) emphasis on narrative-heavy titles, from the highly anticipated spiritual successor to Disco Elysium, ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies, to the newest visual novel in Toge Productions’ Coffee Talk franchise, Coffee Talk Tokyo.
Here’s a quick recap of the ten demos we played during Steam Next Fest, and where you can wishlist and check them out for yourselves.
1. Esoteric Ebb
Created by solo developer Christoffer Bodegård, Esoteric Ebb is a CRPG that feels like the world’s wackiest Dungeons & Dragons campaign turned video game. Set in a bizarre post-Arcanepunk fantasy setting, you play as the world’s worst cleric who is sent to investigate when a tea shop explores in the heart of the city.
Esoteric Ebb was already on my wishlist for plenty of reasons, but the actual demo managed to exceed my expectations and then some. Just like a game of D&D, there is an unbridled sense of freedom to every choice and branching dialogue you choose to explore. Unlike a game of D&D, your Stats are constantly arguing in your head at every turn. Safe to say, this is a game you’ll want to be playing for hours and hours on end.
Wishlist the game on Steam.
2. ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies
ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies puts you in the shoes of Hershel Wilk, alias CASCADE. Five years ago you led your team into the abyss and have been haunted by your failures ever since. Now you’ve been recalled for a mysterious assignment that may give you a chance to prove yourself again.
The idea of an espionage CRPG feels like a no-brainer combination, especially when executed in the narrative-heavy, TTRPG inspired style that made Disco Elysium famous in the first place. The demo for ZERO PARADES proves this point with the practiced ease of a studio that has done this all before. Entrancing design, magnetic writing, and an anxiety meter that directly affects your skill tree? Sign me up for more.
Wishlist the game on Steam.
3. Celestial Return
Cyberpunk 2077 meets Disco Elysium in Celestial Return, a narrative-driven RPG where the dice will be your saviour or your downfall. Set in the cosmically cursed streets of Netherveil City, you step into the worn boots of Detective Howard. Armed with nothing but a rusted badge, a sentient rose that won’t shut up, and a pocketful of stolen dice, your goal is to find the truth behind a string of recent suicides.
A promising demo, anchored by solid writing and unforgiving dice mechanics, makes this one of my top picks for this Steam Next Fest. Despite its clear influences, Celestial Return manages to distinguish itself enough narratively and mechanically to make me return for more. The UI/UX design could use a little more polish though, but I’ll chalk that up to the demo build.
Wishlist the game on Steam.
4. Denshattack!
This fast paced, off the rails platformer lets you flip, grind, and multitrack-drift your customisable train through a comic book styled Japan, while competing to become the best Denshattacker in the world. Along the way, wreck a shady megacorp and meet an eclectic, fully-voiced cast of characters who will help you along the way.
If you’re a fan of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, or the louder than life stylings of Hi-Fi RUSH, this game is a no-brainer addition to your wishlist. But even if you’re not used to shredding on the rails, the game teaches you basic to expert-level combos as you progress through Japan’s biggest cities. Definitely grab a controller, though.
Wishlist the game on Steam.
5. Coffee Talk Tokyo
It’s hard to believe it has been four years since the last Coffee Talk game, and we’re finally returning to this familiar universe with the release of Coffee Talk Tokyo. Set in a late-night café in Tokyo, you brew drinks for humans and yōkai alike, while listening to their heartfelt stories in a cozy, story-rich world.
After spending two games in rainy Seattle, the move to Tokyo is surprisingly refreshing. Not only does it feature a brand new cast of characters based on Japanese myths and spirits, the drinks menu also gets a minor upgrade with more varieties of teas in the mix. The game releases soon in May, and we can’t wait to dive right into this new location.
Wishlist the game on Steam.
6. Tavern Talk Stories: Dreamwalker
Two years after the release of the first Tavern Talk game in 2024, Gentle Troll Entertainment continues their Dungeons & Dragons inspired visual novel series with Tavern Talk Stories: Dreamwalker. In this standalone sequel, you run a cozy seaside tavern, meet adventurers, gather rumours and mix fate-altering drinks to stop dreams from twisting into nightmares.
While players from the first game will certainly notice a lot of similarities in the sequel, Tavern Talk Stories: Dreamwalker does seem to refine certain aspects of the formula, including a more complicated drink-mixing system and interlinking lore between both games. Either way, I’m excited for an excuse to go on another adventure in this universe.
Wishlist the game on Steam.
7. Wax Heads
There’s something about a game where you work in retail that’s just irresistible to me. Especially if you’re working in the heavily stylised, music-infused walls of Repeater Records. Wax Heads is a cozy-punk narrative sim about working in a struggling record store, where you get to know quirky customers, explore a handcrafted record collection, and fall in love with bands (and their drama!)
The demo so far reminds me a lot of Tiny Bookshop but for those who love music, the more obscure the better. It’s also interesting that the game has two modes right out the gate: no refunds for bad recommendations, or the option to keep trying until you find what the customer wants. We definitely like the sound of that!
Wishlist the game on Steam.
8. Hozy
If you’ve been looking for a game to scratch that Unpacking itch, this might actually be the one. Hozy is a relaxing sandbox game where you restore a forgotten neighbourhood, one cozy room at a time. Time slows down as you clean, paint, and decorate a variety of spaces, from an artist’s workshop to an old café full of memories.
Even minutes into its demo, Hozy immediately stands out for its satisfying mechanics and attention to detail, from the little animations as you interact with tools and furniture, to the notes from previous tenants that give you a tiny peek into their minds. While it doesn’t seem to have a strong overarching narrative, I don’t think it needs it. We will be cleaning on day one when this comes out next month.
Wishlist the game on Steam.
9. REPLACED
Set in an alternate 1980s America scarred by nuclear catastrophe, this narrative-driven 2.5D platformer brings you through a dark cyberpunk thriller as you expose the sinister secrets of Phoenix Corporation. To add insult to injury, you play as R.E.A.C.H., an AI trapped in a human body as it grapples with unfamiliar human instincts and the weight of emotion.
REPLACED may tell a story that we’ve heard a million times before, but its cinematic presentation makes it hard to resist. Its demo literally feels like you’re playing a part in an action movie, paired with fluid combat mechanics that are simple and satisfying to master. Still, it remains to be seen whether that’s going to be enough to carry the game all the way to the finish line.
Wishlist the game on Steam.
10. Lost Wiki: Kozlovka
As a massive fan of The Roottrees Are Dead and horror games, I have to end my Steam Next Fest recap with a game that checks all the same boxes. You play as a journalist in the 90s tasked with exploring a wikipedia-like database to solve a small town mystery in Eastern Europe. As you delve deeper into their secrets, it becomes clear that there is something wrong with the town you’re investigating.
The gameplay premise of Lost Wiki: Kozlovka is simple enough. You’re essentially playing a game of fill-in-the-blanks, where you unveil an interconnected web of articles to crack codes, access hidden pages, and find the truth. This is paired with impeccable audio visual design, creating a mounting sense of dread that made me regret starting my playthrough at 3 in the morning.
Wishlist the game on Steam.
