Confetti’s Cozy Corner: Best of Steam Next Fest

Steam Next Fest is here, running through to March 3rd, and there are hundreds of developers who have free demos to play for their upcoming releases, as well as hosting developer live streams and chats! It’s one of the best times to expand your ever growing wishlist!

There are hundreds of indie titles being showcased, but I wanted to pick out a few titles that stuck out to me and that I’ll be adding to my wishlist for sure!

A cute and unique puzzle game where you aim to satisfy an interesting group of characters by getting them seated based on their requests. Each character has their own pet peeves and needs, so finding the balance between those demands to get everyone settled is a fun challenge. Each scenario, whether it’s a bus, movie theatre or wedding reception, introduces new characters with an entirely different set of preferences.

The puzzles in the demo were adorable and provided a good challenge. If you are into puzzle games, I’d recommend trying out Is This Seat Taken?

A cozy life sim adventure where you work as a train conductor. When the previous conductor is injured, it is up to you to take over and help passengers get to their destination and provide them with great customer service. While the demo did contain bugs, like not being able to back out of certain actions when stacking items, it was overall very fun. The character creator has a lot of fun elements and colors to use to build your character. Getting to customize the train, from the color to the amenities offered to customers, is also very fun and refreshing for the cozy space.

Locomoto was announced during the Wholesome Snack Event and when I saw it, I knew it would be a game that I would enjoy! And I was right! If you like unique cozy life sims, I would recommend Locomoto.

Dive into a world of color in Spray Paint Simulator. Breathe new life into old, worn out surfaces with a fresh coat of paint. Prep the job site and mask surfaces to protect them from any excess paint getting on them. After prepping, you will get familiar with the different tools and precision tools that can be used to complete a job. After completing a job, you can go back and free paint, which means you have complete creative freedom to paint how and what you want in any color you wish! 

If you like relaxing sims that can put you in a zen like state then check out Spray Paint Simulator.

Sugardew Island is an adorable farming sim with very cute art design. You come upon a seemingly abandoned island on your adventure. After being marooned and coming to, you realize that the island is very much alive with magical creatures, and it is up to the protagonists to restore Sugardew Island’s magic and build trust between humans and magical creatures of the island. 

While Sugardew Island is very cute, it is rather sad to see in 2025 a game with a character creator only having 4 shades when it comes to skin tone options. I hope options are expanded closer to launch or in a later patch.

As a tea person, I am always happy to support a cozy game that centers on making tea! Wanderstop is a narrative adventure game where you play as a former fighter named Alta, who now begrudgingly runs a tea shop. Manage your tea shop and forage, grow and harvest ingredients that are needed to make tea for passing travelers. Listen to customers’ stories and find clues to how exactly they want their tea served. And the more you play, the more you learn about Alta’s history, and see how the teashop changes her perspective on where she is in life.

Wanderstop is visually unique, and I absolutely love that it centers on making tea! The full release is March 11th, but you can play the free demo today!

Radiolight is an atmospheric mystery adventure where you play as Ethan, a police officer for the town of Ashwood Creek. Ashwood Creek is a mysterious place where many tales have been whispered, darkness has loomed and secrets held. As Ethan explores the eerie environment looking into a disappearance, he quickly becomes aware that what he is investigating may not be normal. 

Ethan clings on to his radio as it is his lifeline and main key to surviving.

If you like haunting mysteries with great storytelling and 80s vibes that will leave you on the edge of your seat, check out Radiolight!

Build the home-on-wheels of your dreams in Camper Van: Make it Home. The interior design mechanic allows for your creativity to take the lead as you organize and decorate your van. There are no goals, time limits or pressure, which adds to the calming experience. If you are looking for a low pressure, creative organizational game, check out Camper Van: Make it Home! 

---

Steam Next Fest is one of many events that are taking place on Steam this year. More digital games festivals have been confirmed to be happening later this year such as the Steam Spring Sale, March 13th-20th, and Steam Next Fest June scheduled for June 9th-16th.

What are some of the games you have checked out during Next Fest? Let me know in the comments and I’ll check them out!

About The Author