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 difficult to keep up with. Potentially exciting gems are sure to get lost in the flood of new things to play unless you pick up every single game that’s released on Steam. So that’s exactly what we did. If nothing catches your eye this week, we’ve rounded up the best PC games (opens in new tab) you can play now and a list of 2022 games (opens in new tab) starting this year.
Catizens
Steam page (opens in new tab),
Release: August 18
Developer: badopticsgames
Starting price: $16 | £12.59 | AU$23.35
Have you heard of cats? They’re the ultimate pet, and Catizens is basically a hybrid of RimWorld and The Sims, minus the cats. You’re probably already smashing the buy button – because of cats – but there are a few other things you should know: you should build a city for cats, but not according to your whims and fancies, because it’s the cat’s inclinations that really they matter. This is the hard part. The easy part, and probably the most fun, is creating “unique cats” and making sure their homes are as cat-friendly as possible. Along with detailed settlement and house management, you will also go hunting in the wilderness. Catizens is an Early Access issue and will launch in 1.0 for roughly six months while gaining new content and dropping some rough edges.
Cursed in Golf
Steam page (opens in new tab),
Release: August 19
Developer: Chuhai Labs
Starting price: $18 | £15.29 | AU$26.05
Basically, it’s a golf swing platform. You are the “Cursed Golfer” who is trapped in “Golf Purgatory” and to escape from this purgatory you have to be extremely good at playing golf in strange conditions. Divided into levels, you must get the ball into the golf hole before your PAR number runs out. But it won’t be easy because you are in purgatory, which is filled with supernatural obstacles, spikes and aggressive things that want to kill you. Oh, and it’s a cheater, so expect to be pissed-yet-entertained by this one for a while, especially with the promised “70+” holes in four biomes.
Slaycation Heaven
Steam page (opens in new tab),
Release: August 18
Developer: Affordable purchase
Starting price: $12 | £9.59 | AU$17.20
If you thought this week’s column was a little too family-friendly, here’s a game about an intergalactic resort themed around mindlessly killing things. That’s pretty bleak on paper, but this dual-stick defender and tower defense hybrid has a grim smile to it. Basically, every arena in Slaycation Paradise is based on a real-world setting – ruined cities, peaceful farms – except they’re all on fire due to being killing playgrounds. You’ll be able to roam these environments from an isometric view, shooting things with a large array of weapons, but you’ll also get to play around with turrets and barricades. It seems like a good, if unsettling, release of tension.
This rain will never end
Steam page (opens in new tab),
Release: August 18
Developer: Marginal Act
Starting Price: $10.39 | £8.23 | AU$14.80
Subtitled a “detective (game) adventure noir,” This Rain Will Never End also stars a cat, which is good. It’s a point-and-click adventure set in Sunny City, which is suddenly always dark and drenched in rain. The protagonist cat detective is investigating the suicide of the town’s mayor, which caused this torrential downpour, and to solve the mystery you’ll need to explore the town, talk to its various residents and combine evidence to arrive at a true. for the strange circumstances. Then it’s a dark affair, offset somewhat by the fact that you are, indeed, attractive, a cat.
OneBit Adventure
Steam page (opens in new tab),
Release: August 19
Developer: Galactic Slice
Launch Price: Free
OneBit Adventure has been around as a browser and phone game for a while, but now it’s on Steam. It’s a casual turn-based roguelike that’s best played in short bursts, and the objective is to climb as high as possible through its monster-filled environment, picking up loot along the way. There are seven classes, all unique and customizable, and if you like, you can enjoy cross-save with the Google Play or App Store versions, so you never have to stop playing.