It's nearly time for the Steam summer sale, which is one of the biggest retail events for patient PC gamers.
It's also the perfect time to find new and innovative indie games to add to your wishlist: Before each big Steam sale, Valve runs a Next Fest event to let developers show off their projects, get feedback and build hype before their big release.
Summer 2025's Next Fest has been chock full of Hades-likes, co-op hack-and-slash adventures and other reliably entertaining games but some of the best stuff in this event is what the algorithm doesn't show you.
I've played dozens of demos, ranging from games that are featured on the front page of the store to hidden gems that take some digging to find. Here are the best PC games from this Next Fest showcase that you absolutely need to have wishlisted.
Dead as Disco
A groovy beat 'em up to the beat
Brain Jar Games' Dead as Disco combines Hi-Fi Rush's rhythmic combat with Sifu's brutal beatdowns. It's up to you to pilot Charlie Disco as he braves neon-soaked city streets to take out his ex-bandmates in an '80s-themed revenge quest.
As you punch, kick, parry and dodge through throngs of thugs, fights transform into carefully choreographed dances, with every blow landing to the beat of the music. Did I mention that the demo's featured song is a cover of Michael Sembello's Maniac? Dead as Disco embraces the cheesiness of the movies it's obviously inspired by but the game is built on the solid foundations of a kinetic and satisfying combat system.
Dead as Disco doesn't have a release date yet but this is one Next Fest demo that has converted me into a day-one customer.
Platforms: PC
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