93 votes

Steam Summer Sale 2023: Hidden gems

For every big Steam sale r/gamedealsmeta does a Hidden Gems topic which is always one of my favorites to browse through. Given that the July 1 reddit fallout is upcoming though, I figure it's worth trying to roll our own version here too.

The purpose of this thread is for game discovery: surfacing games that are hard to find about elsewhere. As such, try to recommend things that are less well-known.

For general game recommendations of all popularities, use this thread. For general Steam Sale discussion, use this thread.

40 comments

  1. [11]
    kfwyre
    (edited )
    Link
    For the games below, I'm using the game's number of Steam reviews as a proxy for popularity. I've chosen all games that have less than 1000 reviews and that I thoroughly enjoyed. Action Henk - 92%...
    • Exemplary

    For the games below, I'm using the game's number of Steam reviews as a proxy for popularity. I've chosen all games that have less than 1000 reviews and that I thoroughly enjoyed.

    Action Henk - 92% positive; 277 ratings; 75% discount

    • This is a surprisingly well-made 2D time-trial game where you run an action figure along Hot Wheels-esque tracks. The skill ceiling is surprisingly high, and it feels like a Sonic game (well, actually, BETTER than a Sonic game).

    Black Ice - 95% positive, 438 reviews; 25% discount

    • FPS looter shooter with a cyber hacker theme. Has been in regular development for a long while now (I think it's developed by only one person?), but doesn't feel unfinished.

    Breakpoint - 98% positive; 159 reviews; 76% discount

    • A Geometry Wars-inspired arcade score attack game. It's polished, juicy, and plays great on the Deck. Took me a bit of time to get used to the game's scoring system, but I had a lot of fun with it once I figured it out.

    Cally's Caves 3 - 82% positive; 320 reviews; 80% discount

    • An old-school 2D platformer/run 'n gun with upgradeable weapons. Nothing revolutionary but I enjoyed my time with it.

    Crash Drive 3 - 91% positive; 136 reviews; 75% discount

    • A multiplayer car racing/driving playground. You load into a lobby, and every few minutes a new game starts up and players compete to win. Has crossplay with other consoles and mobile. Plays great on Deck.

    Drag Star! - 95% positive; 22 reviews; 40% discount

    • A choose-your-own adventure RuPaul's Drag Race fanfic. In the extremely unlikely chance that sounds appealing to you, then you'll love this.

    Escape Goat - 95% positive; 404 reviews; 75% discount

    • A very solid 2D puzzle platformer. Simple design, but with great puzzle ideas and lots of charm. Also has a sequel that's good too.

    Fallback - 86% positive; 276 reviews; 90% discount

    • A 2.5D metroidvania roguelike with a futuristic military theme. Rough around the edges, and pretty grindy, but I enjoyed my time with it. Like a roguelike version of Shadow Complex.

    Fragments of Him - 85% positive; 96 reviews; 75% discount

    • A slow-paced story-driven walking simulator about a gay relationship (which I personally appreciated). If you like the genre, this is good. If you don't, this won't change your mind.

    Fumiko! - 83% positive; 74 reviews; 75% discount

    • A cyber-punky exploration platformer that is very odd and quite unlike anything else I've played. Experimental and rough around the edges, but also uniquely compelling.

    Geo - 87% positive; 96 reviews; 75% discount

    • Very mindless grindy game where you mine for resources to get more resources to mine for better resources. Perfect for audiobooks, podcasts, or second screen watching. Has a sequel that is slightly more polished but mostly more of the same (which is a good thing, IMO).

    Grand Mountain Adventure: Wonderlands - 94% positive; 128 reviews, 60% discount

    • Calm, chill isometric skiing/snowboarding game with great movement and a relatively high skill ceiling. I talk more about it here.

    Gunlocked - 91% positive; 316 reviews; 35% discount

    • This is a scrolling shooter game in the same field as Vampire Survivors or other bullet heaven games, but with a lot more dodging and strategic building of your character. You slowly build up abilities that have the potential to cascade into making you overpowered, but that's a harder hill to climb than in other games of the genre.

    Inertial Drift - 90% positive; 600 reviews; 65% discount

    • An Initial D-inspired drifting game that's surprisingly well-made and deep. The control for drifting uses both sticks, and different cars have completely different feels for their drifting, so it takes some getting used to, but when it finally clicks it's very satisfying.

    JYDGE - 88% positive; 385 reviews; 70% discount

    • Robocop does Hotline Miami. It's made by the same people that did Neon Chrome and has almost the same aesthetic, but where that game's procedural generation and roguelike grind left me cold, JYDGE's handmade levels and missions won me over.

    Lifeslide - 94% positive; 277 reviews; 50% discount

    • Calm, relaxing game in which you glide a paper airplane through very pretty environments

    Paint It Back! - 97% positive; 442 reviews; 50% discount

    • A picross game, and a very well-made one at that.

    Pawnbarian - 92% positive; 340 reviews; 50% discount

    • A chess-inspired turn-based roguelike. Thoughtful mechanics and polished execution.

    Poi - 93% positive; 382 reviews; 50% discount

    • Solid 3D platformers are hard to come by on PC. This is a good one.

    Quarantine Circular - 88% positive; 390 reviews; 20% discount

    • A successor to Subsurface Circular (which is also great but has >1000 reviews). It fully stands alone, so you can play it separately without missing anything. A story-driven adventure game with difficult choices regarding a pandemic (sound familiar?). I played it long before COVID and really appreciated it. I wonder, if I were to return to it, if I would make different decisions now.

    Quell - 96% positive; 266 reviews; 90% discount

    • A 2D puzzle game that's reminiscent of Sokobon and Chip's Challenge. Looks simple, but has some genuine headscratchers. If you're interested in it, the entire series of Quell games is only slightly more expensive.

    Salamander County Public Television - 94% positive; 56 reviews; 60% discount

    • This is basically a high-effort shitpost in game form. Lots of QWOP-style minigames, most of which are more fun than frustrating. Mitosis Bowling is my favorite. I found out about it from a GDQ speedrun that's thoroughly entertaining.

    Spirits of Xanadu - 77% positive; 318 reviews; 80% discount

    • I think this is one of the most underrated games on Steam. I don't understand why its review score is so low. It's an indie love-letter to System Shock 2. I've played through it twice, and will probably do so again sometime soon.

    Splasher - 95% positive; 442 reviews; 80% discount

    • This is an excellent 2D platformer with an unusual and refreshing mechanic: you have a gun that can shoot gels that make you bounce off of or stick to different surfaces. Takes a bit of time to learn, but it's very satisfying when you do.

    Time Rifters - 88% positive; 361 reviews; 50% discount

    • A single-player co-op FPS (yes, you read that right!). Each level is a shooting gallery of targets, some with little health and some full bullet sponges. You choose a weapon and build and then record a run-through with that character, then do it again with other characters in hopes of having them all concurrently take down all the targets and beat the level.

    Verlet Swing - 91% positive; 270 reviews; 77% discount

    • A trippy 3D grappling hook game. Takes some time to get used to, but fun once you do.

    Volume - 79% positive; 356 reviews; 20% discount

    • If you ever played Metal Gear Solid and liked the standalone VR missions in the game, then this is the game for you. It's an indie version of those.
    48 votes
    1. EsteeBestee
      Link Parent
      Thanks for the list! I ended up wishlisting more than half of these and I'm sure I'll pick up at least 4 or 5 (Salamander County has been on my list ever since that GDQ Speedrun, it's definitely...

      Thanks for the list! I ended up wishlisting more than half of these and I'm sure I'll pick up at least 4 or 5 (Salamander County has been on my list ever since that GDQ Speedrun, it's definitely time).

      2 votes
    2. CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      I second Quarantine Circular. It's a short but gripping game with an interesting dialogue system and much better moral choices than your average game. Highly recommended.

      I second Quarantine Circular. It's a short but gripping game with an interesting dialogue system and much better moral choices than your average game. Highly recommended.

      1 vote
    3. Father_Redbeard
      Link Parent
      Uh, yes please. I loved Shadow Complex on x360!

      Like a roguelike version of Shadow Complex.

      Uh, yes please. I loved Shadow Complex on x360!

      1 vote
    4. qyuns
      Link Parent
      Threw Quarantine Circular, Fragments of Him, Crash Drive 3, and Paint It Back onto my wish list. Thanks!

      Threw Quarantine Circular, Fragments of Him, Crash Drive 3, and Paint It Back onto my wish list. Thanks!

      1 vote
    5. [3]
      OceanBreezy
      Link Parent
      Great list! I appreciate the time you took to compile it! I just got 6 of these (plus two from my wishlist).

      Great list! I appreciate the time you took to compile it! I just got 6 of these (plus two from my wishlist).

      1 vote
      1. [2]
        kfwyre
        Link Parent
        Thanks! Which ones did you pick up (if you’re willing to share)?
        • Exemplary

        Thanks! Which ones did you pick up (if you’re willing to share)?

        1. OceanBreezy
          Link Parent
          I got GEO, Paint It Back, Quarantine Circular, Quell (Collection), Salamander County Television, and Spirits of Xanadu. Of these, I've only played Paint It Back so far (love this type of puzzle),...

          I got GEO, Paint It Back, Quarantine Circular, Quell (Collection), Salamander County Television, and Spirits of Xanadu. Of these, I've only played Paint It Back so far (love this type of puzzle), but got a couple others too that I've been playing (Dorfromantic and Kind Words). I'm looking forward to playing the others soon.

          1 vote
    6. DMBuce
      Link Parent
      Thanks for posting these threads! I picked up Paint it Back and Pawnbarian last time and thoroughly enjoyed both.

      Thanks for posting these threads! I picked up Paint it Back and Pawnbarian last time and thoroughly enjoyed both.

      1 vote
    7. caninehere
      Link Parent
      +1 for Splasher. To sum it up in an elevator pitch I'd describe it as Rayman Origins/Legends if they added Portal 2's gel mechanics.

      +1 for Splasher. To sum it up in an elevator pitch I'd describe it as Rayman Origins/Legends if they added Portal 2's gel mechanics.

      1 vote
    8. phexe
      Link Parent
      thank you for this list! lots of things got my attention that I never knew about! time to expand that wishlist

      thank you for this list! lots of things got my attention that I never knew about! time to expand that wishlist

      1 vote
  2. [7]
    Biscuit
    Link
    Crosscode is such a good game that I've been recommending people for the last year. It's only $5.99 and that's a steal. Basically, it's a puzzle/action RPG with SNES graphics and a very meta story...

    Crosscode is such a good game that I've been recommending people for the last year. It's only $5.99 and that's a steal.

    Basically, it's a puzzle/action RPG with SNES graphics and a very meta story (being stuck in an MMO). The puzzles remind me of Zelda games, but more difficult as you progress. There's even a party feature where you can invite your (npc) friends to join you on your adventures. I highly recommend!

    15 votes
    1. MimicSquid
      Link Parent
      Oh man, it's worth way more than $6. Anyone who pines for 2d Zelda, pick this up.

      Oh man, it's worth way more than $6. Anyone who pines for 2d Zelda, pick this up.

      4 votes
    2. [3]
      clem
      Link Parent
      Agh, my policy is to only buy games when I know I'll have a specific time to play them (the first few years of Steam sales taught me this lesson!). But you have me tempted to throw $6 at a game...

      Agh, my policy is to only buy games when I know I'll have a specific time to play them (the first few years of Steam sales taught me this lesson!). But you have me tempted to throw $6 at a game I'll forget about the next time I have nothing specific to play. It looks great.

      3 votes
      1. Biscuit
        Link Parent
        You won't regret it! I'm just trying to shill it out enough so I can get a sequel made. Definitely my hidden gem of last year.

        You won't regret it! I'm just trying to shill it out enough so I can get a sequel made. Definitely my hidden gem of last year.

        3 votes
      2. TrostAft
        Link Parent
        Perhaps I ought to follow this lesson, my backlog is tremendous. But... I'll start next time. PS: Crosscode was fantastic! I'm looking forward to project terra, their next game.

        Perhaps I ought to follow this lesson, my backlog is tremendous. But... I'll start next time.

        PS: Crosscode was fantastic! I'm looking forward to project terra, their next game.

        2 votes
    3. [2]
      interrobang
      Link Parent
      Is the DLC worth it for another $3? I assume yes if the base game gets such high praise from you.

      Is the DLC worth it for another $3? I assume yes if the base game gets such high praise from you.

      1 vote
      1. Biscuit
        Link Parent
        Personally, I think so. It's something you don't need for a complete story, but I was happy to have more to play.

        Personally, I think so. It's something you don't need for a complete story, but I was happy to have more to play.

        1 vote
  3. zoroa
    Link
    Ex-Zodiac - 97% Positive; 398 reviews; 25% Discount (=$7.49) It's a love letter to the old Starfox games, and plays really well

    Ex-Zodiac - 97% Positive; 398 reviews; 25% Discount (=$7.49)

    • It's a love letter to the old Starfox games, and plays really well
    13 votes
  4. [3]
    McFin
    (edited )
    Link
    Horizon's Gate A mix of Uncharted Waters and Ultima. Large, totally open world with ship-to-ship/ship-to-monster combat, RPG mechanics, classes and sub-classes, multi-classing, boarding mechanics,...

    Horizon's Gate

    A mix of Uncharted Waters and Ultima. Large, totally open world with ship-to-ship/ship-to-monster combat, RPG mechanics, classes and sub-classes, multi-classing, boarding mechanics, water and land exploration, dungeons, trading, etc.

    Many of the mechanics are somewhat simple but still fun. For example, ships have cannon slots instead of cannon batteries. But you can put different kinds of cannon types: swivel gun, broadsides, front facing, rear facing, etc., and use different shot: grape, chain, etc.

    You can sail around and sell your discoveries to libraries, map parts of the world and sell to cartographers, trade between ports, poach monsters and sell their oil, or engage in good ol' fashion pirating.

    Dungeons are a mixed bag. Some are essentially just two room: an encounter room and a loot room. These seem to be randomly generated. Others are more in-depth and hand crafted, requiring the use of tools (such as pitons and rope) in order to navigate.

    Combat is Ultima/Tactics. Some interesting classes and skills, from traditional knight/mage/ranger to punchmasters/kick-punchers and minstrels. All kinds. Different weapons types will also transform your tactics. Some weapons can't attack diagonally, bows are unusable on adjacent enemies, some weapons strike through multiple opponents. Lots of weapon choices that will alter how you approach combat. So far, every class seems able to wield any weapon.

    Fun game though. If you're nostalgic for Uncharted Waters, it will scratch the itch.

    Edit: you can get really granular with the difficulty settings as well. For instance, you can turn the enemy health way down but turn their tactics way up so they'll be very clever, but also die quickly. This makes for dangerous but decisive combat. They'll be very deadly, but combat won't drag on for ages. Either them or you will be dead in a few turns. Or you can turn everything way down and just have a chill session.

    9 votes
    1. [2]
      nbschock
      Link Parent
      I also recommend getting the Prominence Mod Pack on the Steam workshop. It adds more classes, ports, NPCs, and quests. It really adds a lot and fits in well with the existing game.

      I also recommend getting the Prominence Mod Pack on the Steam workshop. It adds more classes, ports, NPCs, and quests. It really adds a lot and fits in well with the existing game.

      1 vote
      1. McFin
        Link Parent
        I got so wrapped up in the game I totally forgot that it had workshop support. Thanks for the reminder - game just got even better.

        I got so wrapped up in the game I totally forgot that it had workshop support. Thanks for the reminder - game just got even better.

  5. CompChris
    Link
    Not exactly a "hidden" gem, but certainly a less visible excellent deal for some fantastic games. If you're new to Valve, and their games (Half Life series, Half Life 2, Portal, Left 4 Dead,...

    Not exactly a "hidden" gem, but certainly a less visible excellent deal for some fantastic games.

    If you're new to Valve, and their games (Half Life series, Half Life 2, Portal, Left 4 Dead, etc...) the Valve Complete Pack is a steal at $6.54 (or your regional equivalent), scaling based on which games you already own in the package. (Note: The Complete Pack does not include Half Life: Alyx).

    If you're not the shooty shooty type... I still recommend Portal and Portal 2 for $1.48. The tongue-in-cheek humor is top-notch, and the puzzles make you think. Portal 2 also has a campaign you can play with a friend, and it's equally terrific. Watch the trailers. They'll give you an idea of the kind of games they are.

    7 votes
  6. TrostAft
    Link
    If you think you'll enjoy visual novel style games, I really recommend both VA-11 Hall-A and Coffee Talk (both episodes). Both absolutely nail both characters and immersion into the vibe. Not...

    If you think you'll enjoy visual novel style games, I really recommend both VA-11 Hall-A and Coffee Talk (both episodes). Both absolutely nail both characters and immersion into the vibe. Not exactly unknown games, but in a niche (to the west) genre, so perhaps it still fits in the thread.

    5 votes
  7. [2]
    Snowblood
    Link
    Intergalactic Fishing A relaxing procedurally generated space fishing simulator, steam deck verified, and great for podcasts. Cantata An early access game that isn't on too huge a sale but I love...

    Intergalactic Fishing

    A relaxing procedurally generated space fishing simulator, steam deck verified, and great for podcasts.

    Cantata

    An early access game that isn't on too huge a sale but I love it and think it's worth a shout-out. The game is basically Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri mixed with XCOM all wrapped in an absolutely gorgeous art style.

    Caves of Qud

    A old-school roguelike set in a world thats basically a mix of fallout and dune. Tons to do, a huge variety of character builds and unapologetically hard. A game that can keep you entertained for a long time and is constantly updated. If you're new to roguelike I recommend downloading the tutorial from the workshop.

    Forsaken Remastered

    A fun 6dof (Six degrees of freedom) game from the late 90's wonderfully remastered by Nightdive Studios. A pumping DnB soundtrack, nostalgic graphics, and hectic multiplayer if you can get some friends together.

    Cats and Other Lives

    For fans of point-and-click adventure games and cats, this game is a surprising touching story about a cat observing the family of it's owner after his passing. If you didn't get enough of being a cat in Stray definitely check this one out.

    G String

    A hl2 mod turned full game with an upcoming "Ultimate" edition with new content, changes, and fixes on the way. This game has the grimiest cyberpunk world I've seen, I felt like showering after playing. If you enjoy half life gameplay and dark cyberpunk worlds it might be worth checking out.

    Dread Delusion

    Morrowind on acid. Early access but plenty of content available right now.

    Gararge: Bad Dream Adventure

    For fans of weird Japanese games, part fishing sim, part point-and-click adventure. A game thats very hard to describe but should be obvious if it's for you or not based on the screenshots.

    Hands of Necromancy

    GZDoom game for fans of Heretic/Hexen not much to say other than that it's a well made retro shooter.

    5 votes
    1. Eji1700
      Link Parent
      I'll gladly second Caves of Qud, especially if you've ever gotten into the crawl style rogulikes (dungeon crawl stone soup was a big one for me). It does so many things worlds better than others...

      I'll gladly second Caves of Qud, especially if you've ever gotten into the crawl style rogulikes (dungeon crawl stone soup was a big one for me).

      It does so many things worlds better than others in the genre that it's hard to even know where to start. The amount of crazy stuff that can happen, and having actually interesting combat, makes it one of a kind.

      4 votes
  8. [3]
    alden
    Link
    I have put like 100 hours into Yoku's Island Express with its randomizer mode. Certainly a steal at $4.

    I have put like 100 hours into Yoku's Island Express with its randomizer mode. Certainly a steal at $4.

    4 votes
    1. [2]
      Eji1700
      Link Parent
      Ooh, did not know it had a randomizer mode. I might have to play again. It's a very chill game and scratches that pinball itch.

      Ooh, did not know it had a randomizer mode. I might have to play again. It's a very chill game and scratches that pinball itch.

      3 votes
      1. kfwyre
        Link Parent
        I didn't know this either! The game is one of my favorites. I recently went back and replayed it to 100% it, and a randomizer mode sounds like a lot of fun. Also I assumed it was a third-party...

        I didn't know this either! The game is one of my favorites. I recently went back and replayed it to 100% it, and a randomizer mode sounds like a lot of fun. Also I assumed it was a third-party randomizer mod, but the devs actually put it natively into the game. Nice work, devs!

        Thanks for the heads up on the randomizer, @alden. Also I'll co-sign on your recommendation. This game is excellent, charming, and genuinely novel.

        2 votes
  9. steve
    Link
    I don't know if it's considered to be hidden enough, but this Mortal Kombat 11 + Injustice 2 bundle is 90% off. https://store.steampowered.com/sub/557569/

    I don't know if it's considered to be hidden enough, but this Mortal Kombat 11 + Injustice 2 bundle is 90% off.
    https://store.steampowered.com/sub/557569/

    3 votes
  10. WhiskeyJack
    Link
    I'm going to post below some of my favourite games I've played in the past couple of years, Three Survival Horror, A Sim Tycoon and a Point & Click game with some quick reviews below below: Alisa...

    I'm going to post below some of my favourite games I've played in the past couple of years, Three Survival Horror, A Sim Tycoon and a Point & Click game with some quick reviews below below:

    Alisa 40% Off - £8.40 - 629 Reviews - Old School Survival Horror inspired by Resident evil & Silent Hill

    Alisa has you exploring a large doll house (see: mansion) full of monsters and puzzles where you have to find the right key or item to progress. Ammo is somewhat scarce, however enemies drop currency upon defeat which you can use to buy upgrades and ammo. The upgrades include various dresses which give you different stat boosts such as taking less damage, or faster movement. You have to decide how much ammo you want to use to clear a room and whether it's worth the exchange as enemies don't respawn. After you finish exploring an area you will fight a boss which upon defeat will give you access to the next area of the game. The combat can be quite difficult however the game has has some options to make the game easier with things like an auto-aim toggle, The level design is quite good and the different areas of the game all feel unique with different enemy types, visual styles and music, and as you progress you'll find shortcuts linking the areas together for faster travel. 7-10 Hours to beat but has plenty of replay value with 3 endings and NG+ modes.

    Tavern Master 50% Off - £5.99 - 5607 Reviews - Medieval Tavern Tycoon Game

    Tycoon game where you build your own Tavern, very fun but basic and not very difficult. You start with one floor to work with and as you progress the game you can decorate your tavern, unlock ore floors, and and unlock new wines/beers and upgrades for your tavern like being able to make rooms to rent out. There's not much to do in the endgame an once you've unlocked everything there's not much to do but I got a solid 20 hours out of it.

    Darkside Detective 70% Off - £3.83 - 2725 Reviews - Humorous Point & Click Adventure with EasyPuzzles

    The Darkside Detective is a love letter to classic point and click adventure games with a focus on the humour rather than obtuse and obscure puzzles. It follows the story of Detective McQueen and his sidekick, Officer Patrick Dooley as they investigate various hauntings taking place around the city as they try to uncover the truth and crack the case. The game is broken down into 9 cases, 6 main cases and three bonus cases which were added post launch. Each case takes around 30 - 45 minutes on average to beat so it's a great game to pick up and play in short sessions.

    The game has a larger focus on on the humour and exploration over obscure puzzles with moon logic which I felt was a great decision. Usually the puzzles will be standard adventure game fare such as combining items and using them on part of the map but I found for the most part these solutions were all very logical and made sense in context. There's also some puzzle segments which are mini games like connecting tubes together to make a tunnel which allowed for a nice change of pace and a brief break for exploring. 5-6 Hours to Beat

    Tormented Souls 45% Off - £9.34 - 3110 Reviews - Old School Survival Horror inspired by Resident evil & Silent Hill

    Tormented Souls is a love letter to old school survival horror. If you're a fan of old fashioned Resident Evil or Silent Hill this is the perfect game for you. Limited saves, fixed camera angles and scarce ammo, this game is exactly what survival horror is about. The basic core gameplay loop has you exploring an abandoned hospital searching for clues about the disappearance of two missing girls. It takes inspiration from RE1 in that as you explore you'll be unlocking shortcuts and be circling back round the way you came to the same areas. By the time you've finished the game you should be able to map the entire area without too much trouble. The puzzles are quite difficult in this game, and some of them are a bit too obtuse, I know this is a love letter to classic survival horror games but I feel the puzzles may have been too hard overall, however this didn't really dampen my experience as everything else about the game is fantastic. There's a few different enemy types and they're all fun to fight however visually a lot of them are quite similar. I'd love to have seen some more enemy variety but overall the enemies did their job and were fun to fight through the whole length of the game. 8 - 12 Hours To Beat

    Bonus Suggestion, Not on sale but Cheap Lake Haven - Chrysalis - £2.49 - 278 Reviews - Fixed Camera Angle Horror Adventure inspired by Silent Hill
    A classic style PS1 style horror game that looks and plays like Silent Hill 1 or Resident Evil 1-3. You play as a detective and visit a mysterious house where you must solve the mystery of what has happened to the residents. Lots of puzzles, and a great atmosphere, There aren't any "survival horror" elements it's just atmospheric horror so if you're looking for things like limited saves or low ammo rationing this isn't the game for you..

    The game is relativity short and will take you about 60 to 90 minutes to beat, but for the price i would highly recommend to any fans of Silent Hill 1 or Classic Resident Evil, it's an experience worth playing for retro horror lovers.

    3 votes
  11. [7]
    GOTO10
    Link
    Any online co-op recommendations? Old favorites to give you some idea: Grim Dawn, GuildWars2, the dwarf-mining-game-I-forgot-the-name, bunch of escape games (The "First Class Escape" series are...

    Any online co-op recommendations?

    Old favorites to give you some idea: Grim Dawn, GuildWars2, the dwarf-mining-game-I-forgot-the-name, bunch of escape games (The "First Class Escape" series are amazing).

    2 votes
    1. [3]
      TheGrumpyWelshman
      Link Parent
      Valheim and 7DaysToDie I've been enjoying co-op. Destiny 2:Free-to-playish. You can do the intro story, explore the planets and (i think)do strikes, which are short co-op missions, without paying...

      Valheim and 7DaysToDie I've been enjoying co-op.

      Destiny 2:Free-to-playish. You can do the intro story, explore the planets and (i think)do strikes, which are short co-op missions, without paying anything. For me, the shooting and movement system feels like one of the best.

      If you want something more casual, Stardew Valley is chill and very enjoyable in co-op.

      5 votes
      1. TGGames
        Link Parent
        I got into Destiny recently after briefly playing 2 at luanch. I'd only recommend the F2P as a demo, do the introduction and if you like it pick up the Lecacy Collection when it's on sale. You...

        I got into Destiny recently after briefly playing 2 at luanch. I'd only recommend the F2P as a demo, do the introduction and if you like it pick up the Lecacy Collection when it's on sale. You absolutely need the structure the expansions provide if you want any hope of really getting into the game in my opinion.

        As is the collection is on sale now for £20 which is well worth it if you enjoy the combat/world. Gets a bit grindy once you're out of expansions, even if you pay for the seasonal content, but I've ended up having a great time overall.

        2 votes
      2. geckospots
        Link Parent
        My spouse and I have been playing SV with our kid and he’s having a blast! He’s 7 and a bit young for the actual storyline, but he’s absolutely nailed fishing and will gladly help harvest produce...

        My spouse and I have been playing SV with our kid and he’s having a blast! He’s 7 and a bit young for the actual storyline, but he’s absolutely nailed fishing and will gladly help harvest produce when it’s ready. :D

        1 vote
    2. ali
      Link Parent
      Deep Rock Galactic? Also, factorio is very fun as a co-op game

      the dwarf-mining-game-I-forgot-the-name,

      Deep Rock Galactic?

      Also, factorio is very fun as a co-op game

      4 votes
    3. [2]
      AevumMessor
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      My buddy and I have been working our way through many coop games together; our tastes might not match what you're looking for, but maybe there's something that will catch your eye. I'm focusing on...

      My buddy and I have been working our way through many coop games together; our tastes might not match what you're looking for, but maybe there's something that will catch your eye. I'm focusing on the more moment to moment action-y games we've played rather than narrative driven games since these sound bit closer to what you've enjoyed in the past!

      Helldivers (75% off, $4.99) is a top-down tongue-in-cheek scifi military shooter that plays like a cross between Starship Troopers and the studio's prior game, friendly fire filled coop-madness spell slinger Magicka (also on sale, 75% off $2.49 for the base game).

      Children of Morta (75% off, $5.49) is a recent playthrough for us that we enjoyed, a top-down action RPG roguelite where you play as various members of a family trying to stop a corrupting evil from consuming their world. There are some networking issues but we were able to play through the whole thing and had a great time with it.

      Risk of Rain 2 (50% off, $12.49) is a third person area-ish shooter action roguelike where you and a friend are trying to survive and escape an alien planet by haphazardly stapling random ability granting doodads all over yourself. I'm not normally a fan of Rogue-esk games (despite this and prior recommendations being roguelike/lite) but the moment to moment gameplay of RoR was a blast and the "ramp up" phase at the start of a run where you feel underpowered is extremely short.

      Aliens: Fireteam Elite (60% off, $11.99) is a third person campaign mission-based shooter with classes and abilities. It's not the best game in this "genre", but we've been playing it recently thanks to it being featured in a recent Humble Monthly and if you take it for what it is, it's surprisingly enjoyable. The feedback from weapons is solid, the shooting and kill feedback is satisfying, and the game is mostly straightforward - do you want to make shooty noises and big booms with a friend as a background to just hanging out and chatting about life? Fireteam Elite does that and gets out of your way.

      Monster Hunter Rise (60% off, $15.99) is definitely not a hidden gem, but it IS on sale and is a gem, so I'm bringing it up! If you're unfamiliar with the series it focuses on you, a monster hunter, going out into various environments to take down large and imposing creatures that are threatening your village. You have an incredibly varied set of weapon styles to choose from each with very many variants that, along with your armor, are crafted from parts gained by slaying and carving (or capturing) monsters. It's a mission-based game (load into an environment, do the hunt, return to base to gear up for the next one) but it plays super well with a friend and Rise is the most accessible entry point for new players by far. We put easily a hundred hours in when it first released on the Switch and enjoyed every moment of it.

      Last but not least, and merely a month before the sequel arrives, Remnant: From the Ashes (65% off, $13.99) is a vaguely soulslike but with lots of guns mission-based campaign shooter where the specific encounter path you'll follow is generated on start based on a random seed (dictating the worlds you'll visit and the bosses you'll encounter). The moment to moment gameplay is quite satisfying, the worlds are fun to explore, the story is passable, and the builds are easy to understand but fun to execute. And there are enough modes that allow for random generation that if you enjoy the gameplay, plenty more can be found.

      4 votes
      1. GOTO10
        Link Parent
        Thanks for the list! We also played Remnant and Children of Morta. Esp the latter I really enjoyed: really varied classes and you switch them up often.

        Thanks for the list! We also played Remnant and Children of Morta. Esp the latter I really enjoyed: really varied classes and you switch them up often.

  12. Squishfelt
    Link
    Spark the Electric Jester 3 Full disclosure, I haven't played this yet, I just bought it and I haven't had time to sit down with it, but I found out about it from a YouTube video talking about...

    Spark the Electric Jester 3

    Full disclosure, I haven't played this yet, I just bought it and I haven't had time to sit down with it, but I found out about it from a YouTube video talking about where Sonic went wrong and how this game does it right. Had it wishlisted and my eye on it ever since. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive and basically say it's the Sonic Adventure 3 we never got and as someone who has played Sonic Adventure 2 about a zillion times, I'm more than ready to give this a chance.

    Monster Sanctuary

    This one I have played. To completion. (Before the DLC, anyway) And I was bummed out when it was over. This is a delightful monster taming Metroidvania with tons of exploration assisted by the array of monsters, very satisfying team building and combocraft, gorgeous graphics... this is just GOOD. If you like monster tamers this is a no-brainer to pick up and if you don't like them, try it anyway.

    2 votes
  13. Eji1700
    Link
    To contribute- SNKRX 40% off. Currently $1.79 Autochess + snake. You drive the snake around the level, which is made up of your auto chess battlers, who then attack the enemies as they get in...

    To contribute-

    SNKRX 40% off. Currently $1.79

    Autochess + snake. You drive the snake around the level, which is made up of your auto chess battlers, who then attack the enemies as they get in range. Touching them harms whoever got hit, and there's a bunch of classes/items/crazy combos and plenty of difficulty to keep it interesting.

    It's dirt cheap, runs on anything, and I love throwing it in window mode while i listen to/watch something low effort.

    1 vote