pixel (im)perfect gaming

Spiritstead 🏘️

Spiritstead was one of those demos that completely stole my sense of time.

Unlike some of the shorter demos I played during Next Fest, I spent several hours building up my settlement and experimenting with the game's systems. Before I knew it, I was checking the clock and wondering where my evening had gone.

The game offers both Adventure and Creative modes, allowing players to choose between a more structured experience and a relaxed sandbox approach. As you build your village, you'll manage resources, care for your residents, and discover helpful spirits hidden throughout the world.

I loved the gameplay loop, the art style, and the soundtrack. It's exactly the kind of game that encourages you to say, "I'll stop after one more task," until suddenly several hours have passed.

There are also 24 Steam achievements available within the demo. I only managed to unlock 8 of them, but I can absolutely see myself returning before Next Fest ends to see how many more I can collect.

Play the demo here.

Little Herbal Baker 🍞

Out of all the games I discovered through Steam's personalized recommendations, Little Herbal Baker might have been the biggest success story.

You play as Lilia, a novice baker living in the town of Milkywood. Instead of farming ingredients yourself, you'll venture out into the world to gather them, interact with spirits, improve your baking skills, and open your bakery each day.

One of my favorite parts of the game was exploring the forest maze while searching for ingredients. It made gathering resources feel more adventurous and helped distinguish the game from other cozy sims I've played.

The baking mini-game and I had a bit of a complicated relationship. At first I thought I had it completely figured out. Then, for reasons I still don't fully understand, my bread started coming out consistently undercooked.

I'm choosing to blame the bread.

The art style is charming, the gameplay loop is relaxing, and I found myself immediately evaluating the romance options. I was torn between Dylan and a mysterious character who reminded me of Itachi from Naruto whose name I somehow failed to write down.

I also know some players may be disappointed by the lack of character customization, but personally that didn't bother me. I found myself far more invested in the world and its characters than I was in customizing my avatar.

You can check out the demo yourself here.

Deer & Boy 🦌

Deer & Boy was probably the most challenging demo I played this week. I had been interested in this game after seeing the trailer in the Wholesome Direct, but I needed to see more. Or in this case play a little more.

This cinematic puzzle platformer follows a runaway boy and the deer companion he befriends as they attempt to navigate a dangerous world without being captured.

What immediately grabbed me was the art style. The environments are beautiful and do a fantastic job creating a sense of atmosphere and adventure.

Unfortunately, some of the puzzles proved to be a little too clever for me.

There were several moments where it wasn't immediately clear what I needed to do, and I found myself repeating sections while trying to figure out the intended solution. Eventually I reached a point where I decided to step away rather than continue frustrating myself.

That said, I still came away with a positive impression. I enjoyed the world enough that I'd happily revisit the game after watching a few guides and learning how to approach some of the trickier puzzles.

Sometimes a game can frustrate you and still leave you wanting more.

Check out the demo here.

Welcome to Elderfield 👁️

And finally, we arrive at my favorite demo from this Steam Next Fest.

I've been keeping an eye on Welcome to Elderfield for quite some time now and have played multiple versions of the demo as the developer continued to update it. At this point, it almost feels more like an Early Access title than a traditional demo.

Welcome to Elderfield combines two of my favorite genres: farming sims and horror.

The art style immediately reminds me of Junji Ito's work, which is one of the highest compliments I can give a horror game. The world feels unsettling in all the right ways while still managing to remain strangely inviting.

The soundtrack is fantastic, the atmosphere is memorable, and every update has made me more excited for the game's future.

What has impressed me most is seeing how much progress has been made since I first discovered the project. Comparing older versions of the demo to the current build makes it clear how much care and attention the developer has poured into the game.

I've even considered creating an entire Let's Play series centered around the demo alone, which should tell you exactly how much I've enjoyed my time with it. Would you watch it?

Out of every game I played during this year's Next Fest, Welcome to Elderfield remains the one I'm most excited to revisit.

Play the demo here.

Final Thoughts

And that's going to wrap up my Next Fest diary.

What I love most about events like Next Fest is discovering games I might never have found otherwise. Some of these demos were already on my radar, while others—like Little Herbal Baker—appeared thanks to Steam's recommendation system and ended up becoming some of my favorite discoveries of the week.

From building magical villages in Spiritstead to baking bread in Milkywood, getting hopelessly stuck in Deer & Boy, and revisiting the wonderfully creepy world of Welcome to Elderfield, this second batch of demos reminded me why I enjoy Steam Next Fest so much in the first place. It's a chance to step outside of my comfort zone, discover hidden gems, and fill my wishlist with games I can't wait to revisit.

If any of the games I've talked about in these diary entries caught your attention, there's still time to try them for yourself. Next Fest runs until Monday, June 22nd at 10 AM Pacific (1 PM Eastern), which means there are only a few days left to download and play these demos before they potentially disappear.

So tell me: which demo was your favorite? Did I miss any hidden gems that deserve a spot on my wishlist?

As for me, I'll probably spend the rest of the weekend telling myself I don't need to download any more demos while quietly downloading just one more.

Moonlight Peaks 🦇

Of all the demos I played this week, Moonlight Peaks was one of the easiest additions to my wishlist.

Moonlight Peaks is a cozy farming sim with a gothic twist where you play as a vampire settling into a supernatural town. The demo took me a little over two hours to complete and did a fantastic job introducing the game's core mechanics through a quest that had me farming, crafting, gathering resources, and even fishing.

As someone who doesn't always get along with fishing mini-games, I was surprised that I actually didn't mind it here.

One of my favorite features was the ability to transform into a cat and run around town. Was it necessary? Probably not. Did it immediately win me over? Absolutely.

Then there's Death. Yes, Death.

He's one of the town residents and I am once again asking cozy game developers to let me romance the questionable goth-coded characters.

My only real complaint was that the controls felt much better on a controller than on mouse and keyboard, which is my preferred way to play on PC. Even so, Moonlight Peaks remains firmly planted near the top of my wishlist. You can download the demo to play for yourself here.

Moonfrost 🌙

If Moonlight Peaks won me over with vampires, Moonfrost won me over with mystery.

The game takes place in a world still recovering from a devastating meteor storm. From the giant meteor shard in the center of town to the second moon hanging in the sky--Why is it there? What happened? What does it mean? I need answers.

Moonfrost mixes farming, exploration, gathering, and home building, but one feature that really stood out to me was the ability to build your dream home by collecting blueprints and materials rather than simply purchasing upgrades.

The world feels surprisingly large, the art style is beautiful, and the soundtrack quickly became one of my favorites from all the demos I played this week.

The demo did crash on me after about an hour, but honestly? I enjoyed everything leading up to that crash enough that it didn't diminish my excitement for the game.

Play the demo for yourself here.

My Adorable Ghost Story 👻

I started this demo because the art style was cute.

I finished it because I need to know how Edward died.

My Adorable Ghost Story's demo is a short experience that only took me about thirty minutes to complete, but it managed to leave a lasting impression.

The gameplay itself is fairly simple, but the real draw is Edward, the ghost companion at the center of the story. As the demo progressed, I found myself becoming increasingly invested in learning more about him and uncovering what happened in his past.

I even earned a Steam achievement while playing, which always makes me irrationally happy.

Sometimes a game doesn't need dozens of mechanics or a giant open world to keep me engaged. Sometimes all it needs is a compelling mystery and a character I want to learn more about. I mean look how cute he is!

Play the demo here.

Potter About 🪴

Steam Next Fest introduced me to a lot of unusual games this year.

Potter About might be the most unusual.

This cozy 2D platformer has you playing as a broken flower pot navigating oversized rooms using plant-inspired powers.

Platformers are not usually my strongest genre, but I appreciated how approachable this one felt. The stakes never felt particularly high, which allowed me to relax and enjoy the experience rather than stress over every jump.

The demo only took about ten minutes to complete, but it was long enough to leave an impression.

The premise is charming, the perspective is unique, and there's something oddly satisfying about guiding a tiny flower pot through a giant world.

The full game releases in just a few days on the 23rd, but until then you can play the demo for yourself here.

Final Thoughts

These four demos could not be more different from one another, which is exactly what I love about Steam Next Fest.

One minute I'm trying to romance Death in a vampire farming sim.

The next I'm investigating a mysterious second moon, helping a friendly ghost uncover his past, or rolling a flower pot across a living room floor.

And honestly? That's the magic of Next Fest.

Have you played any of these demos? Which one would you add to your wishlist?

What I Loved

Character Customization Feels Refreshing

The Paramaker gives players an impressive amount of control over character creation. The color wheel alone opens up possibilities that many life simulation games simply don't offer. I enjoyed creating characters and seeing just how much flexibility the system provides.

The Art Style Has So Much Personality

Paralives has a cozy charm that immediately stands out. The visuals feel warm, colorful, and inviting while still maintaining their own identity. Rather than trying to imitate other life simulation games, Paralives feels comfortable carving out its own space in the genre. It has even put its foot down on somethings the community has suggested as it goes against the vision they have for their game. Which I think is great.

Things That Still Need Work

Content Is Limited

This is completely expected for an Early Access title, but it's worth mentioning. There are moments where you can clearly see the vision for the game, but not every system feels fully realized yet. Some players may want to wait for additional updates before jumping in.

Bugs and Rough Edges

I encountered a handful of bugs and quirks during my time with the game. Nothing unexpected for an Early Access release, but enough to remind me that development is still ongoing.

The Camera Made Me Motion Sick

This was my biggest personal issue with the game. Unfortunately, I experienced significant motion sickness while playing, which made longer sessions difficult.

This won't affect every player, but it's something worth mentioning for anyone who is sensitive to camera movement.

The Most Important Thing: The Developers Are Listening!

One of the most encouraging aspects of Paralives so far has been seeing the development team actively respond to community feedback. Since launch, the team has already released updates and addressed player concerns. That willingness to listen and iterate gives me confidence in the future of the project.

Is Paralives Worth Buying Right Now?

If you're excited to follow the game's development journey and don't mind dealing with Early Access growing pains, I think Paralives is worth considering. If you prefer more complete experiences, waiting for additional updates might be the better option. Personally, I think the game has enormous potential. While I'm stepping away for a bit due to the camera issues, I'm excited to check back in as development continues.

Paralives isn't finished yet, but what is already here makes me optimistic about where it's headed.

My Favorite Reveals Feilds of Mistria 1.0 Release

I have been anxiously awaiting the full release of this game. I currently have over 200 hours played on steam and keep starting new farms to experience what is available over and over again. I love the art style and color pallet. It's a love letter to 90's anime and farming sims. August 5th can't come fast enough.

Would I play it? Already play it. Anxiously waiting to be able to marry my dragon boyfriend. Do you think our babies will have horns? Just asking...

Moonlight Peaks

I love spooky things, and I love cute things. But when you put them together you get something magical. I have been waiting for a release date for this game for what seems like an eternity--so when I saw it in the direct today I was elated. There is a new demo out on their steam page to play to hopefully hold you over until July 7th.

Would I play it? Absolutely. This game has been on my wishlist for a long time.

Biggest Surprise of the Showcase (for me)

Why didn't I know about Petal Runner? Why didn't anyone tell me about this game? The pastel color pallet. The pixel graphics. It looks like something I would have played on my gameboy color as a kid and I am living for it. The release date is still to be announced but there is a demo live on Steam.

My Wishlist Additions Instantly Added

Croakwood

Spirit Crossing

Tinkernest

Four Leaf Fields

Watching Closely

Cappy Castaway

Usagi Shima

Deer & Boy

Need More Information

Dragon Shelter

Hela

Final Thoughts

Overall, I came away from this year's Wholesome Direct feeling optimistic about the future of cozy gaming. While not every game will be for me, the showcase highlighted just how diverse and creative the genre has become.

There are so many developers experimenting with new ideas while still delivering the comforting experiences that cozy gamers love.

Now I want to hear from you: