Ten indie game demos you can play right now from today's Six One Indie game showcase

This morning, dinosaurs getting into epic sword fights. You can watch the full video or check out the Six One Indie page on Steam to check out and wishlist anything from the showcase. Many of the games featured don’t have a release date yet, but a handful have free demos available now.

Ten demos you can play right now from the Six One Indie video game showcase

Steam Next Fest is in June, but why wait for that? There are ten promising indie titles from today’s showcase that you can play right now for free on Steam. Everything from what it’s like to be an asocial giraffe, photographing fish in the sky, and learning to convince yourself to stop being depressed and open your suitcase. Indie games are always doing something different and unexpected, especially these days, as more and more developers decide to break out of the traditional publishing cycles. If you’re looking for a quick glimpse at something fun to look forward to, you’ve come to the right place.

You can watch the whole hour-long showcase to see everything featured. And to check out these games on Steam and add them to your wishlist, it’s a free and easy way to independent developers!

• Ten demos you can play right now from the Six One Indie video game showcase
• A Week in the Life of Asocial Giraffe
• Benny Bash
• Kejora
• Inkshade
• The Wide Open Sky is Running Out of Catfish
• One Way Home
• Rue Valley
• Guilty as Sock
• Cast n Chill
• Oscuro Blossom’s Glow

A Week in the Life of Asocial Giraffe

How do you get through life as an asocial giraffe? It’s already hard to blend in when you’re tall and the only non-human person walking around. A Week in the Life of Asocial Giraffe comes from developer Quail Button, and trust me, it’s not a typo; it’s just clever wordplay. In this point-and-click adventure game, you are a giraffe trying to get through a typical day without speaking to anyone. Hide behind vending machines, clothing racks, and climb out windows to avoid confrontation. Somehow, I think many people will find it relatable.

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At first, you might think, “No problem, I can avoid people.” But if you watch the trailer, you may have noticed the name of the city our asocial protagonist lives in. A sign in the back of the elevator reads: “Welcome to Friendly City.” According to the Steam page, this city was “voted the friendliest city in the world.” Which means you’ll have a lot of people going out of their way to be as “friendly” as possible. A Week in the Life of Asocial Giraffe doesn’t have a release date yet, but it is planned to launch later this year, and of course, there’s a free demo available to now.

Benny Bash

Kejora caught my eye during the showcase with its gorgeous art style. So, it was especially exciting that I could a demo today, even if I have to be patient for the whole game. The game follows Kejora, the protagonist, as she and her friends search for a way to break the curse that has her village stuck in a time loop.

Unfortunately for Kejora and her friends, there’s more to worry about than just the time loop. Several scenes from the trailer show the characters hiding from a giant, shadowy figure with clawed hands. Kejora doesn’t look like it has the same level of outright horror as some of the other games on this list, but there is something sinister happening behind the scenes of this classic time loop curse. Kejora is planned to launch on September 4th, but if you are impatient like me, you can the free demo on Steam.

Inkshade

From developer Studio Vezelle comes Inkshade, a turn-based strategy tactics game with a wood-carved aesthetic and an eerie atmosphere. This is a game within a game. As you explore these shadowy rooms, you must take on tactical challenges from a mysterious, otherworldly game curator. Make choices about which path to take, unlock rewards, choose upgrades, and try to reach the end.

In this board game, you explore a continent, gather a crew, and pilot an airship to reach the abyss. Something about that sounds like it will connect to the strange game master running the show. Inkshade doesn’t have a release date yet, but just like every other game on this list, you can try it now with a free demo on Steam.

The Wide Open Sky is Running Out of Catfish

Fly through the sky on the back of a giant catfish in this quirky photography game from developer ZIPIT! Games. The Wide Open Sky is Running Out of Catfish is a game about bringing flying sea creatures back to the sky. Although the graphics are simplistic, the game makes up for them with its unique setting, colorful creatures, and fascinating fantasy world. I’m not sure how or why, but it does look like you’ll be able to fly around the sky as a long, flowy creature. Overall, this sounds like a joyful experience.

This detail didn’t quite come across in the trailer, but the Steam page says you will “Transform clouds into sea creatures and bring abundance back to an empty sky!” The sky used to be full, but the protagonist’s mother has been missing for some time, and without her taking care of things, it’s up to you to step up. The Wide Open Sky is Running Out of Catfish is planned to launch later this year, but you can now the free demo on Steam.

One Way Home

One Way Home, from Cyberhead, combines psychological horror with puzzle platforming. Find your way through a nightmarish cityscape as a twelve-year-old boy on his way home. The game’s Steam page promises that “each playthrough is unique: the choices you make affect the types of skills and locations, the story’s progression, and its ending.” Which is both exciting and terrifying. Based on the game’s title, I wonder if there is only one way to get a happy ending.

The game plays with perspective; some sections are played from a top-down perspective, while others become full 3D, and others have a side-scrolling feel. But then there’s the distorted visuals, freaky shadow beings, and lights that seem to dissolve any living thing that walks through them. One Way Home doesn’t have a planned release date yet, but I’ll be trying out the free demo available to on Steam.

Rue Valley

Combining a somewhat silly but dark concept, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, which gives me the sense that they see something special in this complex, mind-bending title.

Rue Valley is a game about making choices and learning about why we make choices. Why do we prolong opening a suitcase? Why do we talk to or avoid the woman at the bar? Oh, and there’s a time loop involved. Maybe figuring out your own problems will help solve that, too. Rue Valley has no release date yet, but a free demo is available now on Steam.

Guilty as Sock

Possibly the only multiplayer game on this list is Guilty as Sock, from developer Demon Max. Bring up to nine friends to court as you each take on the various roles from judge to prosecutor, but all as sock puppets. Finally, hold your friends able for their various crimes, like borrowing your Nintendo Switch and never bringing it back or stealing your French fries off your plate while you weren’t looking. Let chaos ensue in this free-form court battle.

Players can write their own accusations, play cards to use courtroom maneuvers like objections, and present further evidence. You can also throw crumpled paper at your opponent or fold it into a paper airplane while you wait for your turn to speak. Everyone plays a part, including one player who gets to draw new evidence and present it to the courtroom. Guilty as Sock looks like pure chaos, and I will do my best to convince a few friends to me in the demo, which is available to now.

Cast n Chill

Sit back and relax in Cast n Chill, the aptly named idle fishing game from developer Wombat Brawler. The first thing that caught my eye when this trailer premiered in the Six One Indie showcase was how incredibly detailed the pixel art landscapes are. I’m not typically one to spend time in idle games like this, but I think I could spend all day staring at these beautiful natural landscapes.

Venture to various waterways on your small boat with your trusty canine companion. Reel in rare fish and upgrade your gear at the shop to find even rarer fish. There’s a whole catalogue of fish to catch, rivers and lakes to explore, and, most importantly, you can pet the dog. Cast n Chill is planning a June 2025 release date, but the free demo should keep you occupied until then.

Oscuro Blossom’s Glow

Harness the power of light in Oscuro Blossom’s Glow, a charming puzzle platformer from developer Hongoneon. Selene can absorb various kinds of light from nearby flowers and then emit that light to manipulate the environment and mechanisms nearby. This can elevate platforms to reach new areas or cause certain flowers to bloom. There are both friendly and hostile creatures found in these underground caves, and according to the Steam page, encounters can “lead to crucial decisions that will shape the fate of the entire planetary ecosystem.”

The Oscuro Blossom’s Glow trailer showcases the balance between light and dark, flora and fauna. The light from a blooming flower might attract a pollinator or cause a room full of mushrooms to expand or contract. It’s easy to tell this mechanic will be fun to explore in all the various ways the development team came up with. Oscuro Blossom’s Glow is planned to launch later this year, but for now, you can try a free demo on Steam.

• indie games
• games showcase, conference
• demo / trial versions