With the Steam sale running, this seems like a good time to try this thread again. We don’t often use the downvote button much in Lemmy, but the idea is this: Do your best to present game suggestions that no one has heard of before. If, in reading other people’s suggestions, you spot one that you’re familiar with, then put a downvote on it. Ideally, if the game is past a year old, it may have a discounted price during the Steam sale, and others will be able to check it out.
I’ve made this thread once before and it generated some good suggestions, but the rate of indie publishing on Steam has only accelerated with time, so it seems to be worth trying again.
Probably a bit late to the party, Reus 2: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1875060/Reus_2/
Lovely puzzle/god game with eco/environmental themes. Really fun to chase all the achievements as they encourage you to try different things.
Great on the steam deck too!
Project Gorgon or, as I like to call it, Project Gorgonzola. Its an indie MMO, but its possibly my favorite MMO and I play a lot of them. Its very unique feeling. Has a lot of jank, but also a lot of charm. Come play with me :3
Little Rocket Lab - fun factory builder with Stardew valley vibes
I found the game through a review recommending it to “Paper Mario” fans, but that video was so obscure I failed to ever find it again. The platforming is jank, the story compares unfavorably to another game with the same first 2 syllables, and the switch port is terrible with its load times. But I like the combat system, and while it starts fairly generic, each area becomes more and more visually intersting. Also we play as a silent protagonist, but they still gave them so much personality in the form of a hint system notebook, most devs would do that as generic as possible to not confuse anyone but I love them for not doing that.
A true 7/10 game.
Hellkind short artsy horror themed top down walking sim
I learned a shitload about geography and culture from an old board game called “Globetrotters”.
Street Uni X is a really good action sports game of the Tony Hawk variety, but this time on a unicycle.
I’ve recommended this before, so it’s possible people will have heard of this from me, but Gateways by Smudged Cat Games is pretty great. It’s a puzzle platformer but it gets very, very complicated as you go on, especially once you unlock the ability to use all the different mechanics at once. It’s a pretty smooth learning curve up to that point, though.
Maybe Ten Bells
Solo dev who was pretty sad that it had slow traction on release because he put so much work into the game. I can see it now has over 500 reviews, so perhaps he got the reaction he wanted!
After reading a good review I tested it with my horror-loving gf, but we found it kind of mid.
I’m not familiar with anomaly horror as a genre, but it sounds like a very well-made game. I’m scared that I’d be too scared though
While looking for the link, I found out it’s a sequel… but it’s game where you play as a gator going through short-ish 3D levels in order to get your stolen swamp deed back.
Rad Venture ( just a demo ):
For a demo, it requires a LOT of storage ( ~13GB ). It’s a demo with a ton of exoloration to be had in an open environment. But basically you play as a green Rayman like lizardy dude named Rad and go around finding collectable mcguffins. The start to the demo was a little constricting because it puts you in a tutorial-esque situation with a lot of invisible walls, but after that section, there’s quite a bit to explore. Good idea to turn settings down on a normal LCD Steam Deck. Figured that ine out real quick.
It’s a fast paced 3D platformer. You play as some sort of antivirus program cresture and you can jump on enemies to disinfect or do something like a standard spin attack. There’s rewards for beating a level quick, not taking damage, and for defecting and leaving all enemies alone. Pretty fun platforner, IMO.
Cyber Hook. 1st person grappling hook 3D platforming speed runner with an 80s retro futurism aesthetic.
The Sea Will Claim Everything / The Lands of Dream - a very crusty “window” into another world, made by one of the writers for The Talos Principle. Quite personal, too, as you’ll find out if you stick with it.
Thanks! The vibe of the graphics and UI reminds me of an early 2000s Hungarian browser MMORPG, Larkinor.
screenshots
Ring Runner: Flight of the Sages - I remember enjoying the writing in this one, as well as quite detailed ship customization. A weird lil shmup RPG, not even sure what to compare it with. A slow burner for sure though, give it some time to open up. Also on Steam, but seems like it’s restricted in some regions there.
Wow in this thread I don’t know a single game
Let me try with this game that I bought a decade ago for 1€: Pizza Express - very nice chiptune music that matches the gameplay that is a mix between a visual novel and a simulation
What a great post idea, thanks OP!
My contribution is NeonXSZ, a 6DOF open-world ARPG by a solo dev. It’s been a decade since it released, but IIRC, the dev cited Quake and Diablo as primary inspirations and the game has a native Linux version.
I have that, I should probably play it sometime
