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0 In a flurry of pixels and polygons, another winter Next Fest has come to an end. Nearly 4000 demos made up Steam Next Fest February 2026, and of course, I was keen to don my comfies and take on as many as I could. From heartwarming adventures to survival horrors, fantasy RPGs to complex crafters, the selection on show was determined to make choosing a top five a quest of epic proportions. But here goes. Here are the five demos that now live rent-free in my noggin, and make my wishlist—and hopefully yours too—that little bit longer:
Alabaster Dawn
Developer: Radical Fish Games
Publisher: Radical Fish Games
Genre: Action-RPG
Planned Release Date: TBA
Platforms: PC, Linux
It’s one thing to have to save the world, but having to do it when you’re secretly an outcast and completely cut off from the gods that blessed you, that just takes the chosen-one biscuit! From the creators of Cross Code comes Alabaster Dawn, a 2.5D top-down RPG with flash, style, and genre-blending magic. The world is now a ravaged wasteland thanks to the evil Nyx, and Juno is the only one to have been awakened, making her the world’s only hope. But she is an Outcast Chosen, and the gods have gone silent.
With the help of her spirit animal companion Cabbage, Juno can take on various fiendish foes using a plethora of weapons, switching it up on the fly with fast-paced twin stick action. These can also be useful in solving environmental puzzles to acquire treasures or resources, such as materials and recipes. Wanna mix and match with different buffs and powers? The gem system lets you equip enchantments onto your weapons and core to give you an edge, and Artificers will craft and upgrade gems for you. And, being an action-RPG, there’s of course a big ol’ skill tree to play with!
Coming from Cross Code’s creators, of course, the pixel art and animation are some of the best there is, even in the heat of combat. The bright and colourful world of Tiran Sol is a joy to explore, and the story is ever-present and engrossing.
Hopes are certainly high for this underdog against impossible odds tale!
Wishlist/follow it here: STEAM
Membrane
Developer: Noe Abc
Publisher: Noe Abc
Genre: Horror
Planned Release Date: TBA
Platforms: PC
I’m a firm believer that with horror, less is more and simpler is more effective. Membrane is one such gem that nails these aspects and cranks up the 8-bit eerieness to 11! On receiving a desperate message from her estranged sister, Cam travels to an obscure and enigmatic Tokyo suburb to find her. But here, nightmares and the real world are becoming blurred. The Membrane is at the heart of it all, and it will not give up its secrets willingly.
Mixing survival horror and adventure, you must guide Cam through the Nakaji streets, searching for clues to her sister’s whereabouts. Twisted spectres provide ample scares as they haunt your steps to hunt you down, and you’d better be quick on your feet as fighting is not an option! But even being overcome is not the end. Another run brings new people to talk to and rumours to investigate, sometimes gaining a much-coveted “Cell”. But what does it do? Why are these spectres appearing? And why is your sister’s friend acting very strangely??
With exquisitely atmospheric GameBoy-style visuals, a simple 3-button control scheme, and an unnerving chiptune soundtrack, Membrane looks set to be a must-play for 2D horror fans. Just bring a blanket to hide under, and you’ll be all set.
Wishlist it HERE.
Moomintroll: Winter’s Warmth
Developer: Hyper Games
Publisher: Hyper Games, Kakehashi Games
Genre: Adventure
Planned Release Date: 27th April 2026
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch
It’s time to return to Tove Jansson’s Moominvalley for a winter spell! After Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley, a new Moomin adventure looks set to warm the cockles and bring the feels this April. Moomintroll: Winter’s Warmth sees Moomintroll unexpectedly waking from hibernation and finding the world he knows quite different and daunting. What follows is a snow-covered adventure of courage, kindness, and community.
As the titular Moomintroll himself, you’ll traverse a snow-covered Moominvalley, held in the grip of the Lady of the Cold. Meeting various inhabitants along the way, you’ll help them with various tasks to keep out the cold and lift their spirits, learning a little about yourself along the way. Procuring mittens, clearing paths, saving critters from the cold, every little helps. But there’s fun to be had, too, with snowball fights and building impressive snowmen. Winter is fun as well as harsh! Despite its wholesome nature, though, you’d better have a tissue handy. Poignant and thought-provoking moments abound, digging into emotional depths you didn’t know existed.
The gorgeous hand-drawn animation and delicate yet powerful soundtrack return; wintry Moominvalley is beautifully brought to life with shimmering icicles, fluffy snow drifts, and punctuating piano. Jansson would definitely have approved!
It might be releasing in spring, but I fancy a winter getaway to Moominvalley, don’t you?
Wishlist/follow it here: STEAM
Underkeep
Developer: Rake in Grass
Publisher: Rake in Grass
Genre: Dungeon Crawler
Planned Release Date: TBA
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch
Got an itch for an Eye of the Beholder-style grid-based dungeon crawler with wonderfully crisp pixel art to match? Underkeep is the quest for you, brave adventurer! Assemble your carefully chosen party of four, equip them well, and venture forth into the Underkeep to discover what mystery lies beneath.
Like the grid-based RPGs of old, you create a party of 4 characters with a variety of classes to choose from. Your first important choice, as a mismatched party can spell your doom! Using an interface of character portraits, maps, and inventories, you’ll traverse a mystical world with quests to undertake and monsters to slay. Will you move around the enemy to make a sneaky swipe or literally bring the thunder with powerful magic at the risk of a dagger in the back? Fortune also rewards the explorer with secret doors and hidden alcoves aplenty waiting to be found.
A delightful blend of old and new, the visuals are a pixelly treat (gritty yet not afraid of colour) and the controls are slick and responsive—perfect for those tense encounters! The sound design is also a dream with a sweeping soundtrack and ASMR-worthy crunchy sound effects.
Ready to answer the Underkeep’s summons, adventurer?
Wishlist/follow it here: STEAM
Windrose
Developer: Windrose Crew
Publisher: Windrose Crew
Genre: Survival RPG
Planned Release Date: TBA
Platforms: PC
Yarr! It be rare to find a pirate-themed RPG that not only feels enjoyable to play, but also doesn’t restrict or sacrifice quality of play when plunderin’ alone or with a crew o’ hearties. I be edgin’ heavily towards the former, meself. Windrose lets you live out your sea-faring fantasies and carve out a name for yourself in the Age of Piracy. After having your ship destroyed and washing up on a deserted island, you must scavenge and forage to survive before venturing out into the Caribbean for booty and glory.
As a custom-created pirate, exploring will uncover different materials to gather and craft into a wide variety of items, such as tools, weapons, and clothing. Ruins and caves peppered throughout the island provide valuable treasures and journal pages from poor souls that came before, or precious metals to strengthen your arsenal and craft a worthy vessel. The fauna and the undead also walk abroad, so mastering the challenging combat of sword and shot is necessary to keep them at bay.
This was one of the most-played demos of the Fest, and it’s easy to see why. The pirate atmosphere is rich rather than kitsch, crafting/survival is intuitive and balanced, and both land and naval combat are snappy and satisfying. X marks the wishlist spot!
Wishlist/follow it here: STEAM
Honourable Mentions
- Sandloop – Yoku Games – Q2 2026
- A Study in Blue – Relate Games – TBA
- Whiskers’ Wish – Patada! Studio – TBA
With at least one of these coming out this year, indie gamers are gonna be eating well in the near future!
If you missed out on the Fest this year and wanna catch up on the most-played demos, click HERE to check out 50 games that really brought in the numbers. Most of them are still available to play!
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