Steam Next Fest: 8 Survival Game Demos Worth Playing

The year has started with a bang with two major releases – Palworld and Enshrouded. The best part is that the fun has just begun, and here are some upcoming survival games worth looking into during the Steam Next Fest.

Pacific Drive

Pacific Drive is one of the most anticipated survival games coming in February. The game promises a unique supernatural survival experience in the Olympic Exclusion Zone, where your only travel companion is your car.

With only 2 weeks left before the release of Pacific Drive, don’t miss this opportunity to play the demo.

Welcome to ParadiZe

Welcome to ParadiZe may seem like another zombie survival game, but here’s the twist: Zombies are not only your enemies; they can also be your friends. You can use a special device known as the Zombot that can turn flesh-eating monsters into obedient companions who will fight for you and even help with your base maintenance. You can also equip your zombie followers with a variety of weapons to enhance their fighting abilities, or you can just put a saddle on a zombie and use it as a mount while traveling.

Welcome to ParadiZe is launching later this month, so give it a spin.

Winter Survival

Winter Survival is one of the rare hardcore survival games with in-depth survival mechanics set to be released this year. The game takes place in Mount Washington State Park, where a winter hike with friends ends in a tragic accident, leaving you stuck alone in the wilderness, fighting for your survival.

Winter Survival will release on February 28th. If you’re up for a challenging survival experience, try the game on Steam.

Abiotic Factor

Did you enjoy Half-Life back in the day and wish someone had created a similar survival game? Abiotic Factor offers a worthwhile experience if you want to get lost in the depths of an underground research facility while scavenging, crafting, and building. You can even invite your friends to survive together.

The game is set to release on May 2nd, but you can join the playtest now.

Serum

If you’re up for a story-driven survival adventure, then Serum is the game you have to try. Your survival relies on a mysterious substance, which can be a curse but also a blessing, as it grants you special abilities. The world of Serum is a toxic wasteland filled with mutated wildlife and humans, so making the next dose won’t be your only concern.

Serum is expected to be released in Q2 2024, and now you can try its first demo.

Vorax

If you’re into horror and looking for a new game like The Forest, Vorax may be the scariest survival craft experience this year. You crash-land onto a Mediterranean island where a dangerous V virus has infected the local population, and it’s up to you to explore the island and uncover its horrifying secrets. From the smallest Arachnorats to human-dog hybrids, the game offers a wide range of mutants to deal with. Luckily, you will be able to tame some of the mutated creatures to aid you in your mission.

Check out the latest Vorax demo.

Heat Death: Survival Train

I’ve noticed that many survival gamers who enjoyed the Snowpiercer movie are excited about Heat Death. The game takes you on a journey through the frozen world on a train, which serves as both your transport and a base that you can build and customize by finding materials on your way. Make sure you are prepared well enough because harsh weather and a lack of resources are not the only threats you need to be aware of.

You can download the demo by visiting the Heat Death page on Steam.

TerraTech Worlds

TerraTech Worlds is the game I would consider the most ‘carish’ survival experience. Unlike Pacific Drive, where you get to drive a vehicle, in this game, you are the vehicle—an actual car that can harvest resources and build bases. Just be careful of other hostile vehicles as you explore alien planets.

The TerraTech Worlds demo is now available.

These are some of the survival games I’m looking forward to, and they are expected to release in 2024. The Steam Next Fest runs until February 12th, so don’t forget to check them out while they are still available.

Which of these demos are you going to play? Let me know in the comments.