Steam Next Fest is upon us again (June 9-16), and while scrolling through the hundreds of available demos can feel overwhelming, I’ve found five standouts that are definitely worth downloading. From tactical space marines to nostalgic dungeon crawling to cyberpunk deckbuilding, swashbuckling pirates, and dark fairy tales, here’s what caught my attention.
Xenopurge: Command from the Safety of Space
Remember the first time you watched Aliens and thought “I’d love to command that squad of colonial marines”? Xenopurge from Traptics and Firesquid delivers exactly that experience. You play as an operations officer safely aboard a command ship, watching sensor readouts and issuing orders to your autonomous squad who are very much not safe down on the ground.
What sets this apart from other tactical games is the operations officer perspective. Instead of micromanaging every move like in XCOM 2, your soldiers operate independently unless you specifically order them otherwise. The demo offers seven missions plus a boss battle, featuring VIP rescue, Search & Destroy, Intel Hunt, and Asset Recovery operations. The developer even recommends using a mechanical keyboard for that “authentic retro-futurist feel” – the louder the better.
Having spent way too many hours getting squads wiped out in various tactical games, the idea of intelligent, autonomous troops that can adapt on their own is genuinely appealing. Plus, the fully voice-acted experience should make those “man down” moments hit even harder.
Steam Page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2983410/Xenopurge
Dark Quest 4: Digital Board Game Magic
Dark Quest 4 from Brain Seal perfectly captures that feeling of gathering around a table with friends, dice in hand, ready for adventure. Inspired by Hero Quest and Dungeon Saga, this turn-based RPG features animated figurines and tabletop aesthetics that genuinely look like your favorite board game springing to life.
The 30-minute demo gives you a solid taste of the core loop: manage your party at the hero camp, gear up at two different shops, then tackle three unique missions. The fully voiced dungeon master (playing an evil sorcerer) adds personality that elevates this beyond just another grid-based tactical game.
What really excites me is the level editor and Steam Workshop integration. We’ve seen how transformative user-generated content can be with games like Civilization VI – the prospect of endless community-created quests could give Dark Quest 4 serious longevity. Plus, multiplayer support for up to 3 players has me thinking about game nights with friends.
Steam Page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2453840/Dark_Quest_4/
Into The Grid: Cyberpunk Deckbuilding
Into The Grid from Flatline Studios just received a massive demo update with new enemy models, scenarios, and a 3D isometric map. This cyberpunk roguelike deckbuilder blends card battling with dungeon crawling in what feels like a proper hacking simulation.
What caught my attention is the dual resource system that introduces “Commands” – skills you can activate using resources that almost every card generates. Having spent countless hours getting frustrated with bad draws in other deckbuilders, this feels like a genuine innovation. Instead of hoping for the right cards, you always have backup options.
The game takes place in 2112, with five planned characters belonging to different hacker factions. The focus on personal stories and deep lore sets this apart from other deckbuilders where progression often feels purely mechanical. The Early Access version launches in August with a second playable character.
Steam Page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2576200/Into_The_Grid
Pirates Outlaws 2: Heritage: Swashbuckling Deckbuilding
Pirates Outlaws 2: Heritage from Fabled Game is a swashbuckling roguelike deckbuilder and sequel to Pirate Outlaws. The upcoming demo offers a solid taste of what’s new. You’ll sail the Pirates Bay region playing as Hero Gabi across her 3 classes, with access to 150+ cards, 50+ relics, and 3 animal companions to recruit.
The standout feature is the new card evolution tree – collect three identical cards to level them up and choose how they evolve, adding strategic depth to deck building. The enhanced turn-based combat introduces a “countdown” system where each card affects timing toward enemy actions, which should add tactical consideration beyond just card selection.
What sets this apart from other deckbuilders is the companion system. You can recruit animal companions who add their unique cards to your starter deck, creating new strategic combinations with different heroes and classes. The demo includes 24 unlockable cosmetics and the promise of freely exploring the map between battles, with taverns and markets to visit.
Coming to Steam, iOS, and Android in 2025, this looks like it could scratch that same itch as games like Slay the Spire while offering its own pirate-themed twist on the formula.
Steam Page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3025160/Pirates_Outlaws_2_Heritage
Dark Fairy Tale: Dreamland Survivors: One-Handed Roguelike Chaos
Dark Fairy Tale: Dreamland Survivors is getting a major update for Steam Next Fest, featuring level rebalancing, talent reworks, new playable characters, and UI improvements. This top-down, auto-shooting roguelike can be played entirely one-handed, casting you as Pinocchio fallen into a twisted dreamworld.
The core progression revolves around Dream Eggs – you can store them in your backpack to activate special abilities or devour them for permanent stat upgrades. This flexibility sets it apart from traditional roguelikes with limited upgrade paths. With three core weapon types that can be freely arranged and combined, plus 18 distinct talent effects, the build variety looks impressive.
The game features 25 layers of Shallow Dreams, standalone boss battles in The Deep Dream, and an Endless Mode for ultimate challenges. The innovative Tarot Trial system introduces 22 unique challenge modes, each with exclusive enemies and mechanics. Successfully completing these unlocks new playable characters, with 22 total characters planned.
The full game launches June 20th with a 10% discount, making this demo a solid preview of what’s coming.
Steam Page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3288300/Dark_Fairy_Tale_Dreamland_Survivors/
My plan? Download all five this weekend and see which one keeps me up past midnight. That’s usually the best indicator of a demo worth following to full release.
