Back in the early days of gaming, it almost seemed like it would be possible to play every game, provided you had the money.
Not only that, but games were gatekept by console makers and publishers. These days, though, there are too many games to play, and not nearly enough time to play them.
That means that there are hidden gems all over the place—games you don’t even know about that could easily land among your all-time favorites.
These games can be tiny little games that simply didn’t have the marketing muscle, or even bigger games that got lost in the deluge of more prominent or more buzzworthy releases throughout the year.
Most of the games on this list have Overwhelmingly Positive ratings on Steam—every one of them is worth a look.
Here are some of our favorites that you may have forgotten, missed, or just never heard of.
Editor’s note: All of the games on this list are traditional “Web2” games without crypto or blockchain integrations. But you might enjoy ’em anyway!
Promise Mascot Agency
(PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch)
Promise Mascot Agency is a mascot management simulator, ostensibly, but it has so much more going on than that.
The mascots aren’t people in suits; they’re living things, and it’s your job to deploy them where they’re needed most.
As you progress, you’ll upgrade your Kei truck and learn more about why you were exiled to this job.
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
(PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch)
While this is the second Citizen Sleeper game, don’t think of it as a sequel.
Citizen Sleeper 2 has you taking on the role of a Sleeper—a digitized human consciousness in a synthetic body—and using the dice allocation mechanic to decide which actions you take.
It offers a much more expensive setting in which you’ll travel between multiple locations aboard your ship, called The Rig. And instead of being solo like the original, you’ll pick up party members that will give you new options and a new story.
There’s a new “push” mechanic that allows you to make more daring moves at a higher risk to yourself, and a less linear story to explore.
Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist
(PC, PS5/PS4, Xbox Series X/S + One, Switch)
There are a million Metroidvania (or Search-Action if you prefer) games out there, and most of them are forgettable. Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist is one you’ll remember.
This game is dripping with atmosphere. It doles out story beats in FromSoft style through item descriptions and the like, but also features cutscenes and interactions with other characters to help flesh out relationships.
The combat leans a bit toward the easy side, but that’s why games like Silksong are out there.
Absolum
(PC, PS5/PS4, Switch)
Beat-’em-up games based on licenses like Marvel and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles tend to over-index, leaving original stories out.
From the teams behind games like Streets of Rage 4 and the new Marvel: Cosmic Invasion side-scroller, Absolum is a Fantasy-style story featuring an original setting and characters.
This game features a branching gameplay system that ensures no two runs are the same, across a variety of backdrops and bosses, along with a range of fighters and abilities.
Even if you don’t usually like beat-’em-up games, this is one to give a second look.
South of Midnight
(PC, Xbox)
As Hazel, you have to fight your way to find your family and home after disaster strikes.
This game is set in the American Deep South, and as a Weaver—a user of magical threads and mending—you’ll encounter and sometimes fight the many creatures that spring from the mythology and folklore of that region.
This game features a top-tier soundtrack and a unique stop-motion visual style, making it a standout.
Despite being published by Microsoft, this title flew under the radar for many and is absolutely worth a look.
RoadCraft
(PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S)
From the makers of Snowrunner comes Roadcraft. You are the owner of a disaster recovery company that clears debris and helps rebuild in the wake of a disaster, creating roads and bridges and more. There are dozens of realistic heavy-duty machines to pilot.
And like Snowrunner and Mudrunner, believable physics are a central aspect of gameplay—the objects you clear each have their own physics, and different surfaces like asphalt and mud interact with your vehicles in various ways.
Atomfall
(PC, PS5/PS4, Xbox Series X/S + One)
In the aftermath of a nuclear disaster in Northern England, you must craft and fight to survive.
Atomfall takes a page from STALKER, right down to you exploring a quarantine zone where things have gotten weird.
Part of the fun here is the distinct British flair, which gives it a slightly different feel from games like STALKER, as mentioned above, and Fallout.
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