Next Fest Speed-Dating for Gamers

Oh shit, it’s (yet another) Next Fest!
My plate is a mile high, so let’s sketch out some parameters for this article.

I don’t have the time to do some long, impassioned IGN-style hit list. I hate doing slides or “10 BESTEST OF THE BEST NEXT FEST DEMOS YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO CHECK OUT OR YOU’LL DIE AND I AM TOTALLY NOT TRYING TO HIT A CHARACTER LIMIT FOR MY ARTICLE”…a la GameRant, so what’s left?

Let’s be honest, there are way more demos (and other random shit to do) than there is actual free time these days. So let’s just break this down into three buckets:

• Shit I want to check out / you should check out.
• Shit I’m pointing at in a “hey look at that” way, not an endorsement.
• And everyone’s favorite: the shitty drama bucket.

We’ll label them… ‘On My Radar’, ‘Might Be Something‘, and ‘Red Flag Parade‘

On My Radar

Oceaneers
FFS, this playtest has been on my backlog; I should get to it. So bright and cheerful, though!

The Legend of Khiimori
I am 10000% here for the horses.

Road to Vostok
The OG demo for the game has undergone a slew of updates, but the dev has debuted the ‘Final Demo’ during Next Fest.

Cairn
Not really part of Next Fest, but the demo has been updated, and I really love it.

Breakfall: Nuclear Winter
Heavily reminiscent of This War of Mine, Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days – and many others- but I love shit like this! Also, quit taking my game ideas.

ANGST: A TALE OF SURVIVAL
I came across this store page a while back and remember being interested because it’s heavily reminiscent of The Long Dark. Excited to finally try it out!

BLADESONG
Just looks fucking cool. ‘Nuff said.

Restore Your Island
I’ve actually been waiting for this demo FOREVER, and it’s the FIRST TIME I have been excited about a simulator game.

Dream Garden
The only reason I won’t play this is because my gardens will suck ass. But the rest of you creative folk should try it.

Might Be Something

Blind Descent
“Immerse yourself in a new Martian underground adventure with Blind Descent, an open-world survival craft game that unveils the mysteries of the Martian depths. Play solo or with friends as you search for the missing team. Adapt and mutate to survive in this bizarre alien world.”

When I first tried an early playtest build – back in…2023? can’t recall- I was initially kinda interested. I tend to avoid sci-fi/tech-heavy ‘survival’ titles because they all end up with some magic science gun you pull from your ass that simplifies everything. Then the development progress reports went dark, reappeared a year or so later, and suddenly the game seemed more skewed towards Serum gameplay, and I’m just kinda eh.

Bigfoot Life
“A simulator game where you live life as Bigfoot. Catch fish, forage for mushrooms and berries, build shelters, and more. Be the legend and live your best Bigfoot Life.“

GO LIVE YOUR BEST HARRY AND THE HENDERSONS LIFE

Everwind
“Everwind is a novel take on RPG and Sandbox Survival genre in First-Person-Perspective. Embark on the adventure with your friends – Build a base on a flying island-ship, gather resources, craft, loot, and fight while you rise above the clouds to uncover the mysteries of this world!”

This game has been in the works for a bit, and most publications are already falling all over each other to fap to it being SO UNIQUE AND AMAZING FOR THE GENRE, so.
If you ever wanted to throw, I dunno, Skyrim, Valheim, and Minecraft in a blender – it’s your time.

THE SIGNAL: Stranded on Sirenis
“The Signal: Stranded on Sirenis is a single-player survival craft game set on a captivating alien planet that has ensnared you. Scavenge, build, extract, and survive your way through a complex world as you reveal the true intentions of this sentient planet – and why it has brought you here.“

I’ve touched grass with this playtest a few times, and it hasn’t grabbed me, kinda reminds me of NMS but without the charm. I dunno.

Winter Burrow
“Winter Burrow is a cozy woodland survival game about a mouse returning home to restore their childhood burrow. Explore, gather resources, craft, knit warm sweaters, bake pies, and meet the locals.”

Looks like a cozy little mousie life sim?

The Last Caretaker
“Save humanity. Sail across a vast ocean world in this first-person survival-crafting adventure. Craft, explore, and battle rogue machines. An atmospheric, open-world adventure where every discovery and upgrade brings you closer to humanity’s rebirth.”

What I’m getting from the store page and images is…the application of a survival tag because it includes crafting. I dunno. Just seems like an exploration and narrative game to me. If I created it via chucking shit into the blender, I’d say Planet Crafter, (aspects of) Subnautica, and The Solus Project? Also, the robot has a gun.

MISERY
“MISERY is a 1–5 player co-op survival game set in a nuclear disaster zone. Here, every day is a struggle: search radioactive ruins for resources, build your bunker, craft weapons, and explore a weird, procedurally-generated world with your friends. Beware of anomalies, monsters, and armed bandits.”

Not my cup of tea – or even on my tea table- but perhaps worth checking out?
I’d call it a blender of Minecraft-Stalker-dash of DayZ-esque??

687 Days on Mars
“687 Days on Mars is a survival game where you are stranded alone on Mars – your task is to manage resources, build a base from scratch, grow food, and explore the red planet in search of supplies and other hidden challenges. Every breath and decision counts – can you survive on the Red Planet?“

Another life simulation on Mars. The trailer is flashy.

Snow Ash
“Snow Ash is a post-apocalyptic, wasteland-themed card-based trading and survival game. In this snow-covered world, you’ll take on the role of a messenger, braving blizzards to deliver goods between scattered shelters. In the biting cold and swirling snow, where will your journey lead?”

Okay, honestly, this doesn’t look bad at all, but I feel like I’d have to overcome my distaste for story AND my loathing of card games. Hmm.

Sheltered from the Storm
“A calm, atmospheric experience where you rest in shelters—cars, camps, houses, and an underground banker—while rain falls and danger lingers outside. No combat, no survival meters—just immersive weather, ambient soundscapes, and quiet reflection.”

Is…this a fucking weird game about sitting?

ASTROBOTANICA
“Discover Earth 300 thousand years ago as an alien biologist. Utilize your expertise in botany to survive, grow plants, harvest crops, compose and brew tonics. Reveal hidden powers of unknown plants. Engage with primal humans, leaving your mark on the future of civilization.”

I actually know folks involved in this project, and I briefly entertained working with them on community shit! ( I passed, though.) I think it’s quirky and has charm, but it isn’t my cup of tea.

Nova Antarctica
“Survive Earth’s harshest conditions on a devastatingly beautiful journey shaped by the choices you make, the paths you take, and the stories you weave with the mysterious animals of Antarctica.”

Honestly, this is an adorable art style and looks like a neat little wander/explore title. Also, it seems like you can ride a wolf?!

Red Flag Parade

Long Drive North: Co-Op RV Simulator
“Explore and survive the harsh American wilderness in the Long Drive North. Drive and repair your trusty old RV, scavenge for parts, hunt and cook to survive; all alone or with up to 4 players in co-op. No zombies or monsters await – just an immersive driving-exploration-survival experience.”

Well, shit. I was kinda excited to try this out – The Long Dark cleaaaarly HEAVILY influences it, and I thought adding in the RV element was neat. Demo is getting some shit feedback, though, with claims that it basically plays like shit and is empty as fuck. Damnit.

Mr. Nomad
“Mr. Nomad is a survival base-building, tower defense game set in a post-apocalyptic world. Set a fortified base around your camper, craft, endure brutal zombie raids, hide what is precious to you in underground bunker and embark on dangerous missions in search of resources.“

Same developer as Mr.Prepper ( in my backlog for 100 years) – reviews so far are painting a grim picture of a ‘boring zombie game’, so IDK.

Cool Cool Water
“A desert survival game, set in southern New Mexico.”

This seems SUS as hell.

BONUS QUICKDRAW ROUND

*big inhale*

Kind Heart Survivors is a top-down, brightly colored little exploration thing that’s light on details and doesn’t seem long for this world. (Seems like a small dev with a handful of random tiny titles.) DON’T CLICK ON HUNTSMAN IF YOU ARE SCARED OF SPIDERS. Honestly, Breathbound seems like something that’s going to promise a shit ton of stuff on paper, execute it poorly, and disappear – but you can ride a winged unicorn (or, I suppose, a horned pegasus), so there’s that. Mystic may be interesting for fans of Conan Exiles; it’s got some interesting ideas, though the execution – so far!- looks shaky. Interested in an RTS x Colony Sim on Mars? Check out MARS: The Last Exodus. I’m not much into medieval fantasy sandbox RPG’s, but Valorborn looks good. Last Mile kinda looks like a budget version of Pacific Drive, and the gameplay footage is pretty rough.

And finally, Island Beekeeper may be a good pickup for folks like my wife: if you love the art style and cozy/casual feel of things like ALOFT or Among Trees, AND you love bees, check it out.

So, what did you try during Next Fest?