On average, about a dozen new games are released on Steam per day. And while we think that’s a good thing, it can be understandably difficult to deal with. Potentially exciting gems are sure to get lost in the deluge of new things to play unless you sort through every single game released on Steam. So that’s exactly what we did. If nothing took your fancy this week, we’ve rounded up the best PC games (opens in new tab) you can play now and current list of 2023 games (opens in new tab) which start this year.
Havendock
Steam page (opens in new tab)
Release: April 20
Developer: YYZ
Starting Price: $15.29 | £12.59 | AU$22.45
Havendock is a “cosy” colony simulator with survival elements, just launched in early access. As Chris noted (opens in new tab) earlier this year, its development style is interesting: it’s a one-man show, and throughout its beta phase, creator Yeo Ying Zhi conducted one-on-one interviews with players to get a better idea of its direction. It seems to be going in the right direction: Chris loved what he played, and feedback on Steam so far has been “very positive.” The gist of it is this: you are in charge of founding, growing and managing a settlement in the middle of the sea. There’s plenty of farming, lots of population micro-management, and you’ll often set sail to explore distant lands, all the better to acquire much-needed resources. It has the feel of Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing and even has “experimental” multiplayer support.
PLEASE
Steam page (opens in new tab)
Release: April 21
Developer: Lateralis Heavy Industries
Starting Price: $13.49 | £10.25 | AU$19.35
OTXO is a Hotline Miami-style shooter in a roguelite format. It’s set in an “unexplained, abstract mansion,” which not only explains its randomization as a roguelite, but also its creepy surreal atmosphere, which is complemented by a grainy black-and-white art style (the blood is red, don’t worry). While the influence of Hotline Miami is obvious, the combat also has a bullet system, which will probably eliminate some of the tension, but make no mistake: this looks like a rough ride. There are “over 100 abilities”, plenty of door-kicking and lots of on-the-fly customization.
Neon echo
Steam page (opens in new tab)
Release: April 21
Developer: Xinyuan Studio
Starting price: $15 | £12.79 | AU$21.95
Neon Echo is a side-scrolling roguelite, so it immediately faces some pretty stiff competition. Its main selling point is how it looks: while it’s a platformer at heart, the graphics are all 3D and extremely anime. The story follows a group of teenagers who set out to defeat a force responsible for a “noise” that has covered the world in a terrible scree. Three characters (or classes) are available in the current Early Access build, and with one of them you’ll be engaging in reflex-oriented combat and platforming with a heavy excess of shiny neon effects. Interestingly, combat has an optional rhythmic element: if your attacks hit the beat, “unexpected changes” to your abilities will occur. This early access period is expected to last “at least six months.”
Zangetsu’s Labyrinth
Steam page (opens in new tab)
Release: April 20
Developer: Acquire Corp, KaeruPanda Inc.
Starting price: $27 | £22.49 | AU$39.55
It’s an old-school grid-based first-person dungeon crawler with a striking ink brush art style. Heavily inspired by Japanese mythology and set during the Edo period, expect to encounter many familiar yokai as you make your way through the labyrinthine dungeons. You have a full team of recruits at your disposal, all of which will require demanding customization, all the better for conquering mythological monsters in turn-based combat. If you liked the old Wizardry games or, rather, Legend of Grimrock, this outing looks like those, but with a distinctly Japanese flavor.
Your average bear
Steam page (opens in new tab)
Release: April 19
Developer: Your average studio
Starting price: free
Here’s a free game that seems to be inspired by the Untitled Goose Game, but you’re not a goose: you’re a bear. And frankly, the amount of mischief a bear can cause seems equal to, if not greater than, the amount a goose can cause. Described as a “stealth comedy,” your job is to infiltrate camps and steal food for your new national park companions, to whom you must prove your thieving skills. Using a special bear food delivery app (yes: the bear has a phone), the black bear protagonist must complete requests using a set of tools. The important thing is that you must avoid being noticed by people. It’s a student project and it’s in early access, but it looks like a lot of frivolous fun.