On an average day, about a dozen new games are released on Steam. And while we think that's a good thing, it can be understandably hard to keep up with. Potentially exciting gems are sure to be lost in the deluge of new things to play unless you sort through every single game that is released on Steam. So that’s exactly what we’ve done.
Thanks in part to the website WhatsOnSteam.com, we’ve gone through every game that’s launched on Steam in the last week to find the diamonds in the rough. This list, updated every Sunday, won’t include the Grand Theft Autos or the Fallout 4s of Steam, focusing instead on the games that may have been easy to miss.
These games seem the most promising, already have positive user reviews, and may be worth a closer look.
Element
Steam Page
Released: July 27
Developer: Flightless
Publisher: Flightless
Price: $11.99
Element is pitched as an RTS for busy people, which means its space wars wrap up a lot quicker than is usual for the genre. An escapee from a dying solar system, you’ll need to gather resources and minerals while evading and / or destroying opponents with the same thing in mind. “Generate energy, mine elements, build attack and defence units, and destroy the enemy while maintaining a balance between earth, air and water,” so reads the description. The prospect of bite-sized RTS runs is definitely appealing, and it helps that Element looks gorgeous in action. I enjoyed the bit of this I played at PAX a year-or-so ago, so I’ll be checking it out.
The Swordsmen X
Steam Page
Released: July 27
Developer: 上海杜昂网络科技有限公司
Publisher: 方块游戏(CubeGame)
Price: $24.99
Here’s yet another Early Access battle royale game, but wait! It does quite a bit to stand out. For one, it’s got a heavy focus on martial arts, and it looks like a stealthy approach might actually be fun. The current Early Access version boasts “complete combat and matchmaking systems” according to the Steam page, and the usual promise of new weapons and modes is accompanied by new martial arts styles. The studio predicts the game will leave Early Access in less than a year, and while the Steam reviews are currently “mixed”, that’s usually the case when a popular new games launches under the initiative. Still, maybe watch some gameplay vids to see if you’re comfortable with where it’s at.
Liminal
Steam Page
Released: July 24
Developer: Suspicious Box
Publisher: Suspicious Box
Price: Free
Liminal is a free first-person puzzle game set in a dizzying city where your orientation with the sky or the ground can shift in the blink of an eye. The city is sparsely populated with endearing little critters which you’ll use to both solve puzzles and figure out where to go next. “Walk up skyscrapers, fall along alleyways, and puzzle your way through eerie interior and exterior spaces, in order to reach, enter, and bring down the Cathedral Colossus, a walking building which searches the foggy distance,” so reads the Steam description. The game is in Early Access and will stay there until December, and it’ll remain free even when it’s finished.
Semblance
Steam Page
Released: July 25
Developer: Nyamakop
Publisher: Good Shepherd Entertainment
Price: $9.99
Semblance is a 2D puzzle platformer that lets you smash the world into shape. In other words, much of its appeal is in the way it lets you manipulate the putty-like environment in order to complete challenges. Wreak your revenge on platforms, in other words. “Each of the game's three worlds explore a new consequence of a planet that can shift, change and deform. Beat back the strange, crystalline infection of hard material by freeing the world's life essences and uncover the dark cause for its appearance,” so reads Steam.
Helping Hand
Steam Page
Released: July 26
Developer: Hubblegum
Publisher: Hubblegum
Price: $8.99
If you’ve ever wondered if it’s possible to rule the world with only a left hand at your disposal, then Helping Hand was probably made especially for you. Helping Hand was probably made especially for you, because it’s definitely not made with a lot of people in mind. This game about doing everything with just a left hand is probably as niche as they come, but it’s also reportedly very funny. Austin played and wrote about the game last week, and I think there’s quite a bit of rude gesturing with the left hand, so if you’re into, I dunno, being rude in computer games, then you may like this game also.
These games were released between 07/24-07/30. The first page of this list is updated every Sunday and previous weeks are archived on the following pages. Some online stores give us a small cut if you buy something through one of our links. Read our affiliate policy for more info.
