Steam Next Fest has returned with a mountain of demos for upcoming games to try, so my GPU has been getting a workout. Last year, I discovered some of my favorite titles of all of 2025 thanks to Steam Next Fest, including Ball x Pit and Absolum. It’s worth perusing through the full list of countless demos to try things out to see what your next top indie game might be. I’ve been playing some demos over the past few days, and here are my picks for a handful you should try out immediately before scrolling through Steam’s lists trying to find your latest obsession when June 2026’s Steam Next Fest begins on June 15 at 12pm CT. Table of contentsJune 2026 Steam Next Fest – Best demosMexican NinjaMistfall HunterPixel WasherEMPULSEover the hillWashington PrimeDearbnb June 2026 Steam Next Fest – Best demos Mexican Ninja Image via Amber Studio This is a 2.5D roguelite hack n’ slash where you play as, you guessed it, a Mexican ninja, picking up power-ups and abilities as you slice your way through enemies. My favorite ability I found was an AoE fart attack that burns enemies and causes damage over time. Mexican Ninja already launched back in October, but it’s a game I hadn’t heard of until recently. Steam Next Fest isn’t just for upcoming games, because it can also sometimes help you discover some fun ones you may have missed. Mistfall Hunter Image via Skystone Games Dark Souls meets Escape From Tarkov. That’s the elevator pitch for this game launching next month on July 29, and the demo is worth your time if you’re a fan of third-person action games, the extraction genre, or both. Mistfall Hunter features multiple classes, looting, and gear fear all wrapped up in a dark fantasy setting. I feel like this one has a chance to be a big summer title while many of the biggest publishers wait for the fall to release their games. Deploy to a map, fight both AI and player enemies, loot their corpses, and get out. Pixel Washer Image via Acclaim This game’s premise is that it’s literally just a 2D version of Power Wash Simulator where you play as a pig and wash pixels. It scratches that same sort of itch, but with a cutesy and retro art style that’s undeniably charming. Plus, look at that cute piggy EMPULSE Image via 1047 Games The new movement shooter from the makers of Splitgate is actually pretty awesome. It’s inspired by Titanfall, and that can be seen in both of the mechs that spawn in during matches and the wall-running and “cracked” movement that is sure to attract FPS sweats. The skill gap is likely going to be wide, but I can’t deny how good the gameplay feel is. over the hill Image via Funselektor Labs Some days, as a gamer, I really do feel over the hill. But with over the hill, it’s definitely more my speed: part racer and part cozy explorer, this game’s all about driving through a pretty area called Emerald Lake and enjoying the sights. Washington Prime Image via Perfect Random I’m a sucker for a good boomer shooter, and this one’s visual style is one of my favorites I’ve seen in some time. The 90s aesthetic glows in this demo, and the synopsis has me wanting more: “Step into the shoes of former special agent turned real estate agent Blake Kincaid, dragged back into the game to save a friend,” it says. “Fight your way through office buildings in downtown Washington D.C., October 1998, and uncover what happened over the course of one long night.” Dearbnb Image via Gameshaft Studio To break up the intensity of shooters, something like Dearbnb might grab you. In it, you’re tasked with buying and renting out apartments like an Airbnb, but the fun comes with the cozy and relaxing decoration part. It seems like a pretty deep management sim, too. Let us know your favorite Steam Next Fest demos below, and I’ll try them out whenever I get time.0The post Steam Next Fest is back. Here are 7 demos you should download immediately appeared first on Destructoid.