Rolling Line
Steam Page
Released: April 28
Developer: Gaugepunk Games
Publisher: Gaugepunk Games
Price: $13.99
Hold onto something stable, because there’s now a virtual reality model train simulator on Steam, and it looks gorgeous. Rolling Line lets you build both freight trains and tracks, though there are a “range of real-world inspired locations” based on south New Zealand. But the most appealing part of Rolling Line is it lets you actually inhabit these train routes. In other words, it can be viewed both at human scale (you’re hovering over the models as you would a real model train set) or you can explore the world on foot. It’s also neat that if you’re using the former perspective, you’ve got workbenches in your workroom. If you have even a passing interest in model trains, this looks utterly essential. Oh, and it’s not VR exclusive either, so it’s probably worth a look if you’re without a Vive or Rift.
Monster Prom
Steam Page
Released: April 27
Developer: Beautiful Glitch
Publisher: Those Awesome Guys
Price: $11.99
Surely in some corner of the internet there’s been a niche of folk agitating for a monster prom dating sim. So finally, here it is: Monster Prom is about recruiting a prom date, and you’ll do so in what appears to be typical dating sim fashion. There are over a thousand “funny and absurd” situations and the focus is very much on comedy because, you know, the demand for funny monster dating sims outweighs demand for serious ones. Crucially, this game can be played with up to four-players locally. Monster Prom is currently sitting on a “very positive” rating on Steam, with nearly 200 reviews. Probably worth a look, then.
Solo
Steam Page
Released: April 27
Developer: Team Gotham
Publisher: Team Gotham
Price: $14.99
Here’s a third-person puzzle game with a vibrant art style kinda reminiscent of a marriage between Fez and Minecraft. Described by its creators as “a game about love”, it’s designed to be a meditative affair, with the player-character travelling between a series of archipelagos, solving puzzles which can apparently be tackled in various different ways. You can take photos within the game world, too. “[Love] is a universal feeling, but each of us experiences it in a different way,” reads the description. “Individually, it holds different meanings depending on a variety of factors such as culture, gender, sexuality or traumas. That's why Solo will explore this theme in an introspective way, to have the players identify and reflect on their own experiences.”
Basingstoke
Steam Page
Released: April 27
Developer: Puppygames
Publisher:Puppygames
Price: $29.99
Here’s an action roguelike ostensibly set in a post-apocalyptic Basingstoke, which is a town in Hampshire, UK. Don’t expect a realistic depiction of that town, though, because Basingstoke (the game, I mean) boasts a chunky isometric art style more reminiscent of something like Overcooked than Fallout. It looks great in action and if you’re keen for an arcade-centric roguelike that adopts elements of stealth, it’s probably worth a look. There’s the usual varied assortment of weapons, items and characters, and you’ll explore the procedurally generated town both subterraneously and above ground. There are hundreds (nay, thousands) of roguelikes on Steam but this one gets the presentation right, and as a bonus: it’s not in Early Access.
Cliff Empire
Steam Page
Released: April 26
Developer: Lion’s Shade
Publisher: Lion’s Shade
Price: $8.99
Launched into Early Access last week, Cliff Empire might pique the interest of anyone who’s been loving Frostpunk. A nuclear catastrophe has rendered the surface of the Earth uninhabitable, but thankfully scientists predicted this (it’s inevitable, right?) and initiated the construction of giant cliffs capable of elevating the remainders of humanity above a 300m thick shroud of radioactive fog. It’s on top of these cliffs that you’ll be building your empire (it’s in the name!), and in addition to the regular city-building activities you’ll be forced to make decisions such as: should your source of energy be environmentally friendly or harmful? You’ll build three cities in parallel, endeavouring to have them trading and communicating in peace. It’s set to stay in Early Access for “about half a year”.
These games were released between 04/23-04/30. 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.
