This weekend’s Steam Next Fest 2025 lineup is bursting with creativity — from monster-catching tower defense hybrids to psychological death games and cozy dungeon shop sims. Some of these demos, like Beyond R: Rule Ripper, already have passionate followings thanks to successful Kickstarter campaigns, while others are brand-new discoveries ready to find their audience.
➡️ Explore these Steam Next Fest demos before the event ends — and don’t forget to wishlist your favorites!
☠️ Beyond R: Rule Ripper – Trapped in an Evolving Death Game, He Chooses to Rebel
Developer: Tohriv, GJ Staff
🎮 Play the Demo on Steam
📘 View the Kickstarter Page (campaign completed)
You awaken in a luxurious bar called The Golden Jack, surrounded by nine strangers — each bound by a secret rule in a game of life and death orchestrated by The Owner. The twist? Each person is one of the game’s rules, and if they die, that rule disappears. Only three can survive… unless you find a way to rebel against the system itself.
Beyond R: Rule Ripper is a psychological visual novel inspired by Zero Escape, Danganronpa, and Ace Attorney, blending mystery, dark humor, and sharp dialogue. You’ll need to earn trust, uncover hidden truths, and face others in tense Councils, where debate becomes a weapon and every vote could kill.
Defy the death game by managing conversations like a twisted game of pool — decide when to strike, who to confront, and when to hold your tongue. Beneath its jazzy glow lies a story of rebellion, manipulation, and the human need to survive.
🎬 Trailer for Beyond R: Rule Ripper
Features
- Around 30 hours of story with 25 possible endings, culminating in a True End
- A diverse cast of 10 characters, each hiding secrets and personal rules
- An interactive BARMAN tablet to track rules, notes, and relationships
- A smooth jazz soundtrack with 40+ tracks, setting the tone for every Council
💡 Why You Should Play This Demo
If you love twisty, dialogue-driven dramas that toy with your morality and your logic, Beyond R: Rule Ripper is a must-play Next Fest demo. Its blend of visual novel storytelling, social deduction, and stylish presentation creates a world you won’t want to leave — even when you know only three can survive.
🧿 Catch & Defense – Capture Monsters, Build Towers, and Adapt Your Strategy
Developer: Betaking Studios
🎮 Play the Demo on Steam
Step into a world where every monster can become your weapon. Catch & Defense blends tower defense, deck-building, and monster collecting into one vibrant strategy experience. Capture over 80 unique monsters across 7 distinct biomes, then deploy them as powerful towers with unique traits and abilities.
Between waves, you can expand the map, forcing enemies through longer, riskier paths while adapting to a procedurally changing layout. Every run feels fresh — with randomized terrain, evolving biomes, and deep upgrade systems.
Your captured creatures fill out a detailed Monster Book, tracking stats, lore, and captures. With 7 unlockable heroes, a talent tree, and endless combinations, Catch & Defense offers a surprising amount of tactical depth beneath its cute pixel art.
🎬 Trailer – Catch & Release
💡 Why You Should Play This Demo
If you love games that reward clever planning and creature synergy, Catch & Defense is one of the most promising hidden gems of this Next Fest. It’s deceptively strategic, highly replayable, and pure fun for fans of Pokémon meets Bloons TD.
⚡ Towerbolt – Race the Laser, Conquer the Tower
Developer: bordenary
🎮 Play the Demo on Steam
🏆 Featured at the Seattle Indies Expo (SiX) 2023 & 2025
Towerbolt is a precision platformer that thrives on speed and flow. Set in a far-future world where robots have turned against humanity, you play as a Bolter — a half-human, half-robot super soldier — trying to break free from a sprawling Megatower prison.
Each floor is a micro-challenge filled with hazards, lasers, and momentum-driven gameplay. A massive red laser rises from below, forcing you to stay in motion. The twist? Speed matters more than precision — mistakes won’t kill you, but slowing down will.
Using a simple one-button control scheme and the unique Bolter Charge mechanic, you can chain jumps, build momentum, and ascend with lightning speed. With over 150 handcrafted floors, vibrant neon pixel art, and a hidden sci-fi story unfolding as you climb, Towerbolt rewards both quick reflexes and persistence. Players can connect with the developer and other speedrunners through the game’s official Discord community, linked on the Steam page.
🎬 Trailer – Towerbolt
Features
- 150+ micro-platforming floors with rising difficulty
- Momentum-based Bolter Charge system for advanced movement
- Optional collectibles and rankings for speedrunners
- A mysterious far-future escape narrative
- Vibrant neon pixel art aesthetic
- Awarded at Seattle Indies Expo (SiX) 2023 & 2025
💡 Why You Should Play This Demo
Towerbolt nails that perfect blend of frustration and flow. It’s fast, addictive, and built for anyone who loves the rush of a great run. Easy to pick up, hard to master — and impossible to stop playing once you hit your rhythm.
🧪 Dungeon Bodega Simulator – Stock Shelves, Brew Potions, Raise Slimes
Developer: Alien Fruit
🎮 Play the Demo on Steam
Dungeon Bodega Simulator is a cozy, heartwarming simulation game nestled in a fantasy dungeon. You step into the shoes of Elm Myrkwater, a laid-off adventurer who inherits a struggling bodega deep underground. Now, with crops, potions, and personable slimes, it’s your job to transform this cold outpost into a thriving hub for adventurers and locals alike.
Grow crops, brew potions, and raise pet slimes who can turn your leftover goods into valuable elixirs. Every day brings new demands and customers — from tired warriors to strange dungeon creatures — and it’s up to you to manage stock, meet their needs, and earn gold to upgrade your shop.
The demo introduces players to the core gameplay loop of farming, crafting, and customer interaction, along with a day-night cycle that changes who walks through your door. You can enjoy 12+ unique crop types, a cozy retro pixel art style, and even pet the bodega cat. Alien Fruit, a small indie studio, emphasizes diversity, accessibility, and human-first development — creating games with warmth, humor, and zero generative AI.
🎬 Trailer – Dungeon Bodega Simulator
Features
- Run and expand your own fantasy dungeon shop
- Grow crops, brew potions, and process ingredients into items
- Sell to adventurers and dungeon dwellers with unique needs
- Manage a day/night cycle and adapt to changing demand
- Raise adorable pet slimes that recycle your leftovers
- Uncover the start of Elm’s story in the full game
- Retro-inspired pixel art and cozy, upbeat tone
💡 Why You Should Play This Demo
Dungeon Bodega Simulator perfectly blends the charm of Moonlighter with the cozy rhythm of Stardew Valley. Its mix of farming, potion brewing, and slime caretaking makes for a surprisingly relaxing experience in a not-so-relaxing setting — and yes, you can pet the cat.
👻 Also Coming Soon
Our own demo for No One Leaves the Field will soon be playable on Steam. Step into the cursed wheatfield — if you dare.
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