Next Fest October 2025 Demos Worth Playing Before It’s Over

The Next Fest October 2025 is closing its doors today, but there’s still time to catch a few more demos before it disappears from the front page. The October 2025 lineup turned out to be one of the most varied in a while, mixing small, clever projects with ambitious builds already showing strong potential. We’ve been spending the week trying different ones and found a few that deserve a little more attention before the clock runs out.

Just Climb

Just Climb feels familiar in the best way, echoing the quiet persistence of games like Getting Over It while keeping its own steady rhythm. Every reach and pull depends on timing, and the sense of progress grows naturally as you learn the wall’s rhythm. The physics feel clean and responsive, rewarding focus without punishing mistakes too harshly. The more you play, the more it draws you in, until the climb feels calm and meditative.

Hillshade Farm: First Harvest

Hillshade Farm moves with an easy rhythm that makes its world feel alive. Mornings begin with a few simple tasks, and the quiet pace gives time to notice the warmth in its watercolor landscape. Each action, from planting to feeding animals, adds to a calm sense of progress. It recalls the atmosphere of early Harvest Moon games, where small routines build comfort over time. The demo feels steady and sincere, creating a space that feels restful to return to.

Néro & Sci ∫ Integral Edition

You don’t need to be a math genius to enjoy Néro & Sci ∫ Integral Edition, though anyone who likes a bit of logic will probably feel at home. It’s a cooperative puzzle game where two characters rely on timing and awareness to move forward. Each level builds on the last in ways that feel both clever and fair, rewarding clear thinking more than quick reflexes. The clean design and soft music give it a calm, precise atmosphere, like solving equations through movement.

Death’s Web

Death’s Web feels like it was built by someone who studied the patience of classic roguelites and decided to make movement the main reward. Each run unfolds in small, deliberate motions that grow faster as you find your rhythm. The combat mixes precision and momentum, closer to Dead Cells than to anything random. What stands out most is how satisfying the swings feel — every attack has weight, and clearing a room feels like solving a moving puzzle.

Origament: A Paper Adventure

There’s a gentle creativity to Origament: A Paper Adventure that feels instantly familiar. The entire world is built from folded paper and string, and movement comes from bending, flattening, and shaping the environment around you. It recalls the tactile imagination of Tearaway, though its quieter tone gives it its own charm. The preview footage already shows clever level transitions that make each fold feel like a small act of discovery.

Formido

Formido sits comfortably in the lineage of quiet, atmospheric exploration games that let silence do most of the work. Its empty halls and long corridors build tension without a single jump scare. The visuals lean on dim light and slow pacing, creating a mood closer to The Vanishing of Ethan Carter than traditional horror. It looks introspective and still, the kind of experience that wants to unsettle through what it doesn’t show.

Hidezone

Hidezone is built for chaos. It turns the familiar hide-and-seek formula into a digital party where anything in the room could be another player. You can transform into props, hide in plain sight, and blend into your surroundings while everyone else tries to find you. It carries the playful unpredictability of Propnight or Midnight Ghost Hunt, but with a brighter, cartoonish twist. The kind of game where laughter usually arrives a few seconds after the jump scare.

Polterparty

If Overcooked and a haunted house collided, Polterparty would probably be the result. Teams of players solve simple puzzles while furniture moves on its own and the house tries to get in the way. It looks messy in the best sense, encouraging quick decisions and teamwork through laughter. Each level brings new tricks and traps, and the design feels made for short sessions that end with everyone shouting over each other.

Waste Sorting

Waste Sorting takes the simple idea of managing trash and turns it into a puzzle about precision. You rotate tubes, align paths, and match materials to the right bins, all within a clean, minimal layout. It’s closer to Mini Metro than an environmental lecture, using smooth motion and steady pacing to make each connection satisfying. What starts as a small logic game ends up feeling meditative.

Angst: A Tale of Survival

Angst: A Tale of Survival opens in the middle of a frozen wasteland where warmth is your only real resource. Gathering wood, cooking food, and finding shelter become small victories that carry weight. Every part of the world looks worn and brittle, echoing the isolation of The Long Dark without copying it. It feels harsh but honest, showing survival as a slow fight against exhaustion rather than monsters.

Next Fest always feels too short once it’s over. Even after the event ends, a few demos usually stay live for anyone who missed them, and many of these games will be back soon with full releases or updates. If you’re browsing tonight, take a moment to explore what’s still up. You might find something worth keeping on your wishlist.

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