nextfest – Set Side B

Best of Next Fest (Finale)

Josh Bycer — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 14:00:00 +0000

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/

Best Demos of Next Fest Part 7

Josh Bycer — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 14:00:00 +0000

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

game-wisdom.com/

Best Games From Next Fest Part 6

Josh Bycer — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 14:00:00 +0000

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

game-wisdom.com/

Best Games of Steam NextFest Part 4

Josh Bycer — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 14:00:00 +0000

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

game-wisdom.com/

Best of Steam Next Fest Part 3

Josh Bycer — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 14:00:00 +0000

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

game-wisdom.com/

Best Games of Steam Next Fest Part 2

Josh Bycer — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 14:00:00 +0000

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

game-wisdom.com/

Steam Next Fest Coverage Part 1

Josh Bycer — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 14:00:00 +0000

This is the first part of my (Josh Bycer’s) coverage of Steam Next Fest June 2025 edition.

00:00 Intro
00:21 Mina the Hollower
2:48 Moonlighter 2 The Endless Vault
6:11 Multiplanetary
7:12 Ninja Gaiden Ragebound
9:34 Undermine 2
11:04 Trainatic
12:41 Idle Boss Rush

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

One More Best Demos of Next Fest Showcase

Josh Bycer — Tue, 20 May 2025 14:00:00 +0000

The final, and bonus episode, of my (Josh Bycer) favorite demos from Steam Next Fest February 2025 edition.

00:00 Intro
00:26 Cantaloupe Chronicle
01:54 Kaya’s Prophecy
4:25 Opus Cortex
5:28 Touhou: the Unreachable Oneiroborder
6:50 Blasted Dice
8:45 Katanaut
10:44 Artis Impact
11:52 Fumehead
14:21 Starless Abyss

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Best Next Fest Demos Part 8

Josh Bycer — Fri, 16 May 2025 02:00:00 +0000

The latest part of my (Josh Bycer’s) coverage of Next Fest 2025 February edition. (Editor’s note: I’ve been working through a backlog of these review posts; this one was made three months ago!)

00:00 Intro
00:15 Vilde
1:08 Mountain Boy
1:55 Grand Shooter
3:14 Ghost Hand
4:18 Mecha Knights Legends
5:35 Kejora
7:03 Tilemancer Dungeon

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Best of February Next Fest Part 7

Josh Bycer — Tue, 13 May 2025 14:00:00 +0000

This is part 7 of my (Josh Bycer‘s) look at Steam Next Fest February 2025 edition.

00:00 Intro
00:18 Leftovers KO
1:28 Once Upon a Puppet
3:19 Demon Dust
5:02 Nice Day for Fishing
6:23 Skin Deep
7:54 Electro Bop Boxing League
9:30 Is this Seat Taken?
10:50 Water Maid
12:03 Upstream
13:16 The Alpinist
14:51 Spellbrew Express
16:10 Red Rocket Defencism
17:15 Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3
18:48 Hypogea

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Best Next Fest Demos Part 6

Josh Bycer — Fri, 09 May 2025 14:00:00 +0000

This is part 6 of my (Josh Bycer‘s) favorite demos from Steam Next Fest February 2025.

00:00 Intro
00:13 Liliac 0
01:07 Aethermancer
3:02 Doloc Town
4:35 Dungeon Warfare 3
5:47 Knightica
7:13 Star Fire
8:41 The Electrifying Incident
10:08 Faun Town
12:17 Tower Wizard

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Best Next Fest Demos Part 5

Josh Bycer — Tue, 06 May 2025 14:00:00 +0000

This is part 5 of my (Josh Bycer’s) indie showcase of the best Next Fest demos from February 2025.

00:00 Intro
00:16 DeadWire
2:00 Gnomes
3:33 Nitro Gen Omega
4:57 Beyond the Ice Palace 2
6:35 Blightstone
8:02 Geargrit
9:50 Scarlet: City of Devils

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

The Best #steamnextfest Indie Game Demos (Part 4)

Josh Bycer — Fri, 02 May 2025 14:00:00 +0000

This is part 4 of our demo coverage of February 2025 Steam next fest.

0:00 Intro
00:14 Mashina
1:06 Roots Devour
2:57 Rift Riff
4:22 Kill the Music
5:29 Wild Growth
6:33 Conquest Dark
7:55 Machine Mind
9:01 Bad Cheese
9:52 Centum
11:03 Nordhold
12:17 Cauldron

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Best Next Fest Demos Part 3

Josh Bycer — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 14:00:00 +0000

This is the third part of our February 2025 coverage of Steam Next Fest.

0:00 Intro
00:16 Flocking Hell
1:58 Total Chaos
4:00 Isle of Reveries
5:08 Reignbreaker
6:46 ZPF
7:34 City of Rampage
9:08 Paperklay
10:52 Haste: Broken Worlds
12:02 Coin Push RPG
13:23 Rogue Light Deck Builder

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Next Fest Feb 2025 Showcase Part 2

Josh Bycer — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Part 2 of my (Josh Bycer’s) favorite demos from the Steam Next Fest event.

0:00 Intro
00:18 Gentoo Rescue
1:37 Nitro Express
2:43 Mother Machine
4:01 The King is Watching
5:53 Repose
7:53 Demon Tides
10:02 Chromagun 2: Dye Hard
11:27 Sliding Hero
12:39 9 Kings
14:06 Twilight Monk
15:24 Squeakross: Home Squeak Home
16:22 Last Report
17:25 Deck of Haunts

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Amazing Next Fest Demos

Josh Bycer — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 15:00:00 +0000

This is part 6 of my favorite demos from next fest 2024.

0:00 Intro
00:20 Stonemachia
2:41 Letalis
4:34 Wild Woods
5:57 Strategem Lost
7:52 Everwarder
10:16 Bioweaver
12:16 Mother’s Sword
13:55 Unless
15:20 Break the Line
17:17 Heritage: A Dragon’s Tale
18:47 VinDefiant

original streams parts 1 and 2 .

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Next Fest Showcase Part 5

Josh Bycer — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 15:00:00 +0000

This is part 5 of my favorite demos from next fest 2024 October edition.

0:00 Intro
00:17 Spirit X Strike
4:22 Juice
5:21 Wings of Endless
6:49 Rivals of Aether II
8:23 Popucom
10:32 Hordes of Hunger
12:40 Silly Polly Beast
14:06 Glitch Dungeon Crystal
15:30 Pest Apocalypse

Original streams: Part 1, Part 2.

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Best Demos of Next Fest Part 3

Josh Bycer — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 15:00:00 +0000

Part 3 of my coverage of Steam Next Fest 2024 October edition of indie game demos.

0:00 Intro
00:20 Somber Echoes
2:36 Diesel Dome Oil & Blood
4:31 Rift of the Necrodancer
5:34 System Purge: Hollow Point
6:59 Symphonia
8:34 To Kill a God
10:15 Carnival Massacre
12:08 Super Dash

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Best Demos of Steam Next Fest (Oct 2024)

Josh Bycer — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 15:00:00 +0000

This is the first part of our mega showcase from Next Fest October 2024 edition.

0:00 Intro
00:28 Mohrta
2:51 Aokaki
4:31 Second Essence
6:28 Tearscape
8:20 Cyclopean
9:29 Splintered
11:43 Kilaflow
13:47 Tenebris Somnia
15:54 The Book of Buja
17:07 Widget Inc
18:42 Journey to Incrementalia

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Next Fest 2024 Best Demos From the Event

Josh Bycer — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 14:00:00 +0000

The final part of my favorite next fest demos from June 2024. All games shown are demos played from the event.

0:00 Intro
00:25 Kemono Heroes
2:07 OverRider
3:59 Sealed Bite Extended
5:52 Vampire Therapist
7:39 Selfloss
9:13 Grapple Dog: Cosmic Canines
10:45 Before I Go
12:32 Cat Quest 3
14:09 Sworn
15:47 Red Entropy
17:14 Abya: Paintball
19:21 The Rise
20:38 Monowave
22:16 Rubato
23:59 What the Car
25:40 Feed the Deep
27:29 Witchroid Vania
29:04 Scarmonde
31:02 The Alters
33:22 NeonGarten
35:17 Freeride
36:54 Creatures of Ava
39:11 Legends of Astravia
40:49 Ark of Charon
43:32 Republic of Pirates

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

More Best of Steam NextFest Demos

Josh Bycer — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 14:00:00 +0000

This is part 3 of my favorite demos of upcoming games from Steam Next Fest June 2024 edition, all games shown are demos played from the event.

0:00 Intro
00:25 Node Farmer
2:59 Stardust Demon
4:51 Faye Falling
6:40 Patti Hattu: Cosmic Revolt
8:03 Guncho
10:00 TDS – Tower Defense Strategy
11:34 Chimera Custom XG
13:01 Tormenture
15:24 Green Again
18:35 Forgotlings
20:24 Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers
21:55 Rune Coliseum
24:12 Slash Quest
25:53 Seafrog
28:04 Time Circuit
29:44 Lost Castle 2
31:33 Lethal Honor: Order of the Apocalypse
32:56 Iron Diamond
34:37 Soul Drifter
36:40 Exographer

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Best of Next Fest 2023 1/20/24

Josh Bycer — Sat, 20 Jan 2024 15:00:00 +0000

And at long last, the end of this particular Next Fest, but there are more to come.

0:00 Intro
00:18 Return From Core (Steam)
3:38 Crossover: Roll for Initiative (Steam)
5:37 Great Ambition of the Slimes (Steam)

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Best of Next Fest 2023 1/19/24

Josh Bycer — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 15:00:00 +0000

0:00 Intro (Steam)
00:19 Empires Shall Fall (Steam)
2:15 Iron Marines Invasion (Steam)
4:18 Gaiatrek (Steam)
6:34 Acolyte of the Altar (Steam)
8:40 Distant Bloom (Steam)

Editor’s Note: Our presentation of Josh Bycer’s NextFest finds continues. Tomorrow will be the last in this sequence, I think.

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Best of Next Fest Showcase 1/18/24

Josh Bycer — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 15:00:00 +0000

More games from Next fest 2023 worth checking out.

0:00 Intro
00:20 Phoenix Springs (Steam)
2:24 Axon TD: Uprising (Steam)
5:14 Froggy’s Battle (Steam)
6:24 Spellrain (Steam)
7:57 Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles (Steam)
10:20 Lapsus (Steam)
11:25 Lords of Exile (Steam)

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Best of Next Fest 2023 1/17/24

Josh Bycer — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 15:00:00 +0000

0:00 Intro
00:17 Yomi 2 (Steam)
2:09 Jello (Steam)
4:47 Laika: Aged Through Blood (Steam)
7:40 Loddleanut (Steam)
9:32 Jumplight Odyssey (Steam)
12:49 Dreamed Away (Steam)

Editor’s note: There’s a backlog of Josh Bycer’s Next Fest posts that I need to clear out, so the next few days will be devoted to them. Please enjoy!

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Next Fest Showcase 12/30/23

Josh Bycer — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 15:00:00 +0000

I heard everyone here likes indie games.

The games in this video:

00:18 Choo Choo Survivor (Steam)
1:49 Reverie (Steam)
3:09 Spell Disk (Steam)
6:10 Cataclismo (Steam)
10:35 Lovux (Steam)
11:53 The Devil Within: Satgat (Steam)
14:47 Magin: The Rat Project Stories (Steam)
16:56 Cusineer (Steam)
20:09 Moonlight Pulse (Steam)
24:16 Cyber Knights: Flashpoint (Steam)
25:59 Final Knight (Steam)

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Next Fest Showcase 12/16/23

Josh Bycer — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:00:00 +0000

Some of my favorites from Next Fest 2023.

00:18 Cross Blitz (Steam)
3:56 Skator Gator 3D (Steam)
5:27 Memori (Steam)
7:03 Go Fight Fantastic (Steam)
10:09 Marko: Beyond Brave (Steam)
11:32 Viewfinder (Steam)
13:08 The Backworld (Steam)
14:33 Surmount (Steam)
15:48 Freenergy (Steam)
17:29 Probo Rush (Steam)
18:23 Crop Rotation (Steam)
20:32 Sword Hero (Steam)
22:29 Knights of the Road (Steam)

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Next Fest Showcase 12/11/23

Josh Bycer — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 15:00:00 +0000

So many more games to show off.

00:10: Vanhellswing (Steam)
2:01: Underground Blossom (Steam)
3:32: Echo Point Nova (Steam)
5:22: Islands of The Caliph (Steam)
6:44: Let’s Revolution! (Steam)
8:26: Chickenauts (Steam)
9:35: Gravity Castle (Steam)
11:04: Diebrary (Steam)
12:27: Stop Dead (Steam)

EDITOR’S NOTE: It’s that time of year again, when time is short and news is light. There are a lot of these Next Fest video showcases lined up, so there’ll probably be more than usual of these for the next couple of weeks.

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Next Fest Showcase 12/4/23

Josh Bycer — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 15:00:00 +0000

Josh Bycer presents more favorite games of nextfest.

0:00 Intro
00:19 A Void Hope (Steam)
1:51 En Garde! (Steam)
4:16 Tagline (Steam)
5:58 Born of Bread (Steam)
7:33 Thronefall (Steam)
9:50 Toziuha Night: Order of the Alchemists (Steam)
11:48 Luna Abyss (Steam)
13:32 Abathor (Steam)
15:12 Crime O’ Clock (Steam)
16:40 Mega City Police (Steam)

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/

Next Fest Indie Showcase 11/20/23

Josh Bycer — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 15:00:00 +0000

I tend to play a lot of games from each next fest, and there are going to be a lot of indie games to look at.

0:00 Intro
00:27 Lies of P
4:12 Wizard With A Gun
7:36 Sea of Stars
11:13 Vampire Hunters
13:12 Sniper Killer
14:54 Tiny Attack
16:16 Dimensional Animals
17:44 Go Nutz

Josh Bycer

game-wisdom.com/