TOP 5 Hidden Gems from Steam Next Fest

I spent the last week diving into all that the latest Steam Next Fest had to offer, and after playing through numerous demos, I’ve picked five upcoming games that you should definitely keep on your radar. Let’s get into it!

Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days

Do you love State of Decay but wish it had a 2D survival horror twist? Do you crave more 80s aesthetics in your games? If so, Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days by PikPok Studios is one to watch!

Set in 1980s Texas, you’ll control a group of survivors desperately foraging for food and resources while battling hunger, stress, and the constant threat of zombies outside. The game leans heavily on stealth mechanics and inventory management, forcing you to make tough choices about what to take and what to leave behind.

No respawns. No second chances. Permadeath is the only certainty here, so every move counts. Unlike many zombie survival games where you become a one-person army, this game keeps things realistic—even a few zombies can spell disaster if you’re not careful.

The demo showcased tense gameplay with an immersive, grounded aesthetic, making this a must-play for survival horror fans.

Deliver at All Costs

Ever wondered what GTA 1 would be like if it was set in the Prohibition-era South? Well, Deliver at All Costs from Far Out Games delivers just that.

You play as Winston Green, an inventor-turned-delivery-driver who takes on odd jobs to make ends meet. The game’s physics-based destruction lets you deliver everything from fireworks to watermelons in the most chaotic way possible. Roads? Who needs ‘em! If you’d rather drive through a building, go for it.

Fun story, ridiculous gameplay, and total chaos. I can see this becoming a sleeper hit when it launches.

Post Trauma

Are you a fan of classic survival horror games with fixed camera angles, eerie monsters, environmental puzzles, and plenty of gore? Then you NEED to check out Post Trauma by Red Soul Games.

It perfectly captures that old-school Capcom survival horror feel while leaning more into Silent Hill-style psychological horror. The demo had some serious HR Giger and John Carpenter’s The Thing vibes with its grotesque creature designs and unsettling environments.

Expect in-depth puzzles and plenty of scares when Post Trauma releases on March 31st. Horror fans, add this to your wishlist now!

Wanderstop

How about a game where you… make tea in a quaint forest? Wait, what?!

In Wanderstop, you play a disgruntled fighter searching for a master to train you. Instead, you end up in a peaceful grove learning how to make various teas alongside some quirky locals.

From the mind behind The Stanley Parable, don’t expect this to be your average cozy game. The protagonist is uncooperative, and the game has a unique pattern-based gardening mechanic. The demo didn’t showcase the full store-running mechanics, but with a March 11th release date, we won’t have to wait long to experience the full game.

Fretless

This one feels like it was made for me!

Imagine a game that’s part pixel-art adventure, part turn-based RPG, with card-battling and rhythm mechanics—all set to a Warped Tour-style soundtrack. That’s Fretless!

Your weapons are instruments, your upgrades are guitar parts, and your attacks involve playing notes—Final Fantasy VIII gunblade style—where timing your button presses to the rhythm boosts your damage.

Add in humor, great level design, and a banger soundtrack featuring heavy-metal band Northlane, and this game is looking like an instant hit. Fretless doesn’t have a set release date yet, but it’s expected sometime this year, and you can bet I’ll be front row when it drops.

That wraps up my top 5 picks from Steam Next Fest! There were tons of promising games on display, but these stood out the most.

Did I miss any demos you loved? Let me know in the comments below! And if you enjoyed this list, be sure to follow for more gaming news, reviews, and recommendations.