Continuing our coverage of the best games from Steam NextFest October 2025 edition.

00:00 Intro
00:16 Wall World 2
1:51 Lyara
3:32 Neverawake: Flashback
5:08 Umigari
7:51 Sisyphus is a Bug
9:32 Skate Story
11:44 Odd Town
12:51 Relic Abyss
14:02 One Rotten Oath

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

This is more coverage from Steam Next Fest 2025 October edition. (Previous posts are here: Part 1 and Part 2.)

00:00 Intro
00:16 Aerial Knight’s Dropshot
01:49 Super Pinball Adventure
2:55 This isn’t Just Tower Defense
4:33 FlippUp
6:02 Fatal Claw
7:14 Re-activated
8:25 Tower Lords
9:39 Legends of Dragaea
11:20 Fantasy Idle Dungeon
12:48 Slimeward

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

Part 2 of my (Josh Bycer’s) favorite demos from Steam Next Fest October 2025 edition. EDITOR’S NOTE: is that a certain bobcat we all know in the preview image?

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

This is the first part of my (Josh Bycer’s) collection of videos of my favorite demos from Steam Next Fest, October 2025.

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

The weekly indie game showcases highlight the many games we check out on the channel. Please reach out if you would like to submit a game for a future one. All games shown are either press keys, demos, or games from my own collection.

00:00 Intro
00:14 Voin
01:50 Dimensionals
3:28 Cairn
5:09 Claire A La Mode
6:33 Epiphany City
8:33 Shady Knight

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

Please reach out if you would like to submit a game for a future Showcase. All games shown are either press keys, demos, or games from Josh Bycer’s own collection.

00:00 Intro
00:14 Windswept
1:32 Sacre Bleu
2:45 Stand Alone EP.O
4:09 Nairi Rising Tide
5:29 Boyce the Voice
6:25 Poradora vs. Monsters of the World

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

The indie game showcases highlight the many games we check out on game-wisdom. Please reach out (to Josh Bycer) if you would like to submit a game for a future one. All games shown are either press keys, demos, or games from my own collection.

00:00 Intro
00:14 Nimrods
1:47 Trash Goblin
3:09 Thunder Age
4:25 BRAZILIAN DRUG DEALER 3: I OPENED A PORTAL TO HELL IN THE FAVELA TRYING TO REVIVE MIT AIA I NEED TO CLOSE IT
6:22 Beastieball

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

The weekly indie game showcases highlight the many games we check out on the channel. (JH: That would be Game Wisdom, please consider dropping by there!) Please reach out if you would like to submit a game for a future one. All games shown are either press keys, demos, or games from my own collection.

00:00 Intro
00:14 Mech Shuffle
2:06 Karate Survivor
3:51 Neva
5:36 Anomaly Collapse
7:48 Feed the Deep
9:56 Phantom Spark

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

The weekly indie game showcases highlight the many games we check out on the (Game Wisdom) channel. Please reach out if you would like to submit a game for a future one. All games shown are either press keys, demos, or games from my own collection.

00:00 Intro
00:14 Dobbel Dungeon
1:58 Entanglement
3:43 Parry Nightmare
5:07 Extreme Evolution Drive to Divinity
6:46 Ultros
9:09 Sniper Killer

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

The weekly indie game showcases highlight the many games we check out on the channel (Game Wisdom). Please reach out if you would like to submit a game for a future one. All games shown are either press keys, demos, or games from my own collection.

00:00 Intro
00:14 Death Tower
1:46 Up to Par
2:51 Ale Abbey
4:19 Tartaros
5:49 Awaken Astral Blade
7:19 Nightmare The Lunatic

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

The weekly indie game showcases highlight the many games we check out on the channel. Please reach out if you would like to submit a game for a future one. All games shown are either press keys, demos, or games from my own collection.

00:00 Intro
00:14 What the Car
1:31 Mandragoria
3:23 Kelp Keeper
4:49 SomnaBuster
6:09 Mini Mini Golf Golf
7:30 Bloomtown

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

Wrapping up my (Josh Bycer’s) coverage of Debut Festival 2025 with more indie game demos.

00:00 Intro
00:24 Felbound
2:07 My Card is Better Than Your Card
4:23 Phase Zero
5:53 Beat, Heart, Beat
6:56 Automatic Kingdom
9:15 Legends of Castile
10:49 Kriophobia

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

The indie showcases highlight the many games we check out each week on the channel. Games shown are either press keys, demos, or from my (Josh Bycer’s) own collection.

00:00 Intro
00:14 Runman Race Around the World
1:08 Eternalgorhythm
2:11 Fowl Damage
4:01 Super Roboy
5:16 Smells Like a Mushroom
6:48 Lucky Tower

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

Our weekly indie showcases highlight the many games we play here on the channel (Josh Bycer’s Game Wisdom). Games shown are either press keys, demos, or from my own collection.

00:00 Intro
00:14 Altered Alma
1:20 Arsonate
2:35 Demon’s Mirror
4:21 Mecha Simultactics
6:04 Bore Blasters
7:23 Eye of the Commando

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

The weekly indie game showcases cover the many games we (Josh Bycer and friends) play each week on the channel. Games shown are either press keys, demos, or from my own collection.

00:00 Intro
00:14 exophobia
1:33 The Paradogx incident
2:48 RKGK
4:22 Rabbit and Steel
5:57 Battle Train
7:46 Knights of the Road

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

And with this video, my (Josh Bycer’s) coverage of Steam Next Fest June 2025 edition comes to a close.

00:00 Intro
00:16 Operation Octo
01:27 Off
2:35 Tackle for Loss
4:02 Shattered Divinities
5:04 Net.Attack
6:31 Awrak
8:03 Flan’s BN
9:20 Singou Breaka
10:04 Mod Mage Mike
11:19 Danchi Days
13:17 Consume Me
14:57 Meow Tower Doomsguard
15:54 Lia Hacking Destiny
17:14 Starbirds
18:47 Abra-Cooking-Dabra
21:10 Cinderia

Typo, I said Space Birds instead of Starbirds

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

More of my (Josh Bycer’s) favorite demos from Steam Next Fest, June 2025 edition.

00:00 Intro
00:16 Trash Heart
01:16 Sojourn Past
2:13 Theropods
3:17 Little Rocket Lab
5:31 Ace Overheat
6:20 Chordioid
7:58 AeroMachina
9:27 Truxton Extreme

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

This is part 7 of my (Josh Bycer’s) favorite demos from Steam Next Fest, June 2025 edition.

00:00 Intro
00:19 Neon Inferno
1:44 Vampire’s Best Friend
4:05 Possessor(s)
6:10 Sping
7:25 Primland: The Magnus
9:15 Glaciered
11:13 Heroes Against Time
12:42 Rogue Eclipse
13:41 Jetrunner
14:50 Funi Raccoon Game
15:43 Hirogami
17:10 Gurei
18:51 Away From Home

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

This is part 6 of my (Josh Bycer’s) favorite demos from Steam Next Fest June 2025 edition.

00:00 Intro
00:25 Soulblaze
2:54 Randomice
5:48 Cleared Hot
7:12 Forgotten Fragments
8:44 Pigface
10:12 Dice Gambit
12:14 Astro Prospector

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

This is part 4 of my (Josh Bycer’s) favorite demos from Steam NextFest, June 2025 edition.

00:00 Intro
00:16 Hellclock
2:38 Everdeep Aurora
4:01 Thysiastery
5:49 Chrono Gear Warden of Time
7:18 Synthetic Hopes

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

This is part 3 of my (Josh Bycer’s) favorite demos from Steam Next Fest, June 2025 edition.

00:00 Intro
00:16 Ratatan
3:24 Tormented Souls 2
5:35 Morsels
7:43 Meganaut
9:01 Okko the Exiled
10:44 Samurai Blitz EX

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

This is part 2 of my (Josh Bycer’s) favorite demos from the June 2025 Steam Next Fest event.

00:00 Intro
00:18 Baby Steps
1:58 Ball X Pit
4:12 Sands of Hope
5:28 Blaze of Storm
6:24 Chico’s Rebound

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

This is part 1 of my (Josh Bycer’s) coverage of Turn-Based Thursday Fest from June 2025. This part features the games I received press keys to cover, the following parts will be demos.

00:00 Intro
00:21 None Shall Intrude
2:43 Lost for Swords
4:58 Pyrene
7:30 Arc Seed
9:25 Zet Zillions
11:50 Rogue Voltage

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

This is a showcase looking at my (Josh Bycer’s) favorite demos from Cerebral Puzzle Showcase June 2025 Edition.

00:00 Intro
00:20 Öoo
1:50 Node: The Last Favor of the Antarii
3:56 Puzzle Depot
5:37 The Button Effect
07:17 Trackastrophe
8:40 Glowkeeper
10:15 Looking for Fael
12:05 Miss Paint
13:37 Chipwits

I’d like to point out that Chipwits is a game we’ve covered here before!

In other news… itch.io has come under a firestorm over the past couple of days over their delisting a whole bunch of games that covered adult subjects because of pressure from their payment processors. As it turns out, those processors themselves have been targeted by a campaign from right-wing “Christian” organization Collective Shout. I have tried to prioritize links to itch.io, and even distribute software and books through that site, but now I’m going to have to think hard about alternatives. PCGamer has a good overview of the situation.

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

The indie showcases highlight the many games we check out on the channel. Games shown are either demos, press keys, or from my own collection.

00:00 Intro
00:14 Withering Rooms
2:08 Encounters: Music Stories
2:57 Deck of Souls
4:15 Kingsgrave
6:46 Dungeons of Hinterberg
9:19 Into the Restless Ruins

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

Each indie showcase looks at the variety of games we cover on the channel. Games shown are either press keys, demos, or from my (Josh Bycer’s) collection.

00:00 Intro
00:14 Duck Detective: The Secret Salami
1:34 Void Carrier
2:56 Mech Engineer
4:35 Freakhunter
6:15 Hard West 2
8:48 Cavalry Girls

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

Each week, the indie showcases highlight the many games we play on the stream here (at Game Wisdom). All games shown are either demos, press keys, or from my (Josh Bycer’s) own collection.

00:00 Intro
00:14 Tunnet
02:07 Schim
03:19 Astor Blade of the Monolith
05:03 Flathead
6:25 Tower of Mask
8:01 Devilated

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

The weekly indie showcases highlight the many games we play here on the channel (Game Wisdom). Games shown are either press keys, demo builds, or from my (Josh Bycer’s) collection.

00:00 Intro
00:14 Path of Achra
01:32 When the Light Dies
3:34 Moonglow Bay
4:49 Hemlock
6:04 Baladins
7:54 The Tower on the Borderland

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

Each indie showcase highlights the many indie games we play on the channel (Game Wisdom), all games shown are either demos, press keys or from my (Josh Bycer’s) collection.

00:00 Intro
00:14: Silence of the Siren
01:25 Dr. Robotnik’s Ring Racers
2:46 Darwake: Awakening From the Nightmare
3:59 Surmount
5:26 Tiny Rogues
7:38 Dread Delusion

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/

The indie showcases highlight the many indie games we play on the channel (Game Wisdom) and feature a mix of demos, games bought, and press key submissions.

0:00 Intro
00:14 Crown of Pain
2:46 Sulfur
6:01 Our Adventurer Guild
7:45 Alien Boom Boom
8:46 Galaia
10:13 Oddsparks: An Automation Adventure

Josh Bycer

Owner of Game Wisdom with more than a decade of experience writing and talking about game design and the industry. I’m also the author of the “Game Design Deep Dive” series and “20 Essential Games to Study”

game-wisdom.com/