Steam Next Fest is an exciting time for PC gaming. There are many incredible games with free demos available for anyone to try out during the Next Fest period. Before this October 2023 Next Fest ends, why don’t you try out some of these amazing cozy games? Here’s a list of 10 of the best cozy game demos to try out during Steam Next Fest 2023!
Steam Next Fest 2023: Best cozy game demos
Nom Nom: Cozy Forest Café
If you’re like me, and enjoy games that allow you to run a small business, try out Nom Nom: Cozy Forest Café. This is a casual cooking game with adorable minigames that test your rhythm skills. You’ll serve plenty of cute animal customers, choose your menu, and decorate your café.
The best part about this game are the various exciting minigames. They aren’t stressful either, so you can sit back and relax while still stimulating your brain. Get creative and build your very own café while befriending animal customers. Currently, there’s no release date, but it’s coming soon.
Jusant
Here’s another relaxing game, but with a mix of action-adventure puzzle gameplay. Jusant has you climb an enormous tower, just you and your watery companion. You’ll discover diverse biomes, master your climbing skills, and figure out the tower’s past.
Jusant is a beautiful game that gives you multiple ways to climb this tower. Figure out the best way to use your tools as you find clues along the way. The visuals are breathtaking as you listen to an atmospheric soundtrack. Jusant plans to release on October 31.
Pioneers of Pagonia
In this multiplayer co-op base building simulator, Pioneers of Pagonia lets you explore vast islands and build various buildings and settlements. There are dozens of building types and even more types of goods as you must manage multiple production chains.
This is essentially a growing economy that you and your friends can run together. Create flourishing civilizations, protect your population from hazards, and settle in new lands. It’s like Sim City, but in a more medieval-fantasy setting. Upon release on December 13, Pioneers of Pagonia will be in Early Access.
The Inspector
This game reminds me of Firewatch with its atmospheric adventure exploration. The Inspector is a story-rich mystery game in first-person, where you’re in this dreamlike world. You’re exploring the human mind as an Inspector, navigating through the subconscious of comatose patients.
Inspectors must search for memories to wake these patients up, which is an incredibly intriguing narrative. The visuals are beautiful and picturesque as you explore an unreal world in this non-linear story. The Inspector plans to release Q1 2024.
Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator
Nothing is cozier than taking care of a gorgeous and flourishing garden. Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator is a relaxing single-player garden simulator where, you guessed it, you tend to a garden. The environments you’re in are very storybook-like, and cluttered with stunning colors.
You must use the appropriate gardening techniques, alongside your creativity, to bring this garden to life. Design the garden of your dreams, nurture it, meet friendly faces, and discover a variety of plants. This game plans to release in Q1 2024.
A New Leaf: Memories
Anyone who’s a fan of Stardew Valley and Story of Season should check this one out. A New Leaf: Memories has you wake up on a beach of a foreign island. With no memory of your past life, you must build a new one.
Not only can you go farming, fishing, and crafting by yourself, but with friends online! Meet town residents and complete quests to try and recover your memories. This game has the closest release date of Q4 2023.
Related: Best Next Fest 2023 Demos on Steam
Europa
Europa is a 3D action-adventure exploration game with a stunning Studio Ghibli-esque art style. You’re on the moon Europa, but it’s a lush paradise. The android Zee is looking for answers, and you must help them.
Travel this open world, explore mountains, lakes, and meadows, while discovering the remains of a fallen civilization. Use your fancy jetpack to boost through the air and soar in the sky. Puzzles and secrets are scattered across Europa, and you can take your time to solve them. For now, the release date is sometime in 2024.
Paper Trail
This indie game is entirely unique in its puzzle techniques. Paper Trail is a top-down puzzle adventure, and you live in a foldable paper world. You’ve left home, and are exploring this incredibly beautiful world by bending paper.
I can’t say I’ve heard of anything like this. To solve puzzles, you must decide how you’re going to bend the paper of the world to guide your journey. The handcrafted environments and art style is super charming. Paper Trail also plans to release sometime in 2024.
Chill Town
As you’d expect from the title, Chill Town is a life and farming simulator that reminds me of the Animal Crossing series. Move to a new town, decorate your home, do some cooking, and even go fishing. This is a very chill game made for anyone yearning for a new life sim.
Enjoy life in this town with dynamic weather and a day-night cycle. You’ll also listen to lo-fi, acoustic, and many relaxing genres of music as you play. With all the activities in store, this looks like an extremely cozy experience. The release date for Chill Town is TBA.
Simpler Times
Simpler Times is a first-person exploration sandbox game. You can explore your beautiful home and interact with the objects around you for a meditative experience. This seems to be the most relaxing and laid-back game of all the cozy games in this list.
This game takes place in Taina’s childhood bedroom. Paint, take photos, read books, or watch nature thrive outside your window. Unwind with Simpler Times, as there’s no combat, failing, or score to be worried about. For now, the release date just says it’s coming soon.
