This might be a slightly unusual attempt at a prompt, but might draw some appealing unusual options.

The way it goes: Suggest games, ideally the kind that you believe would have relatively broad appeal. Don’t feel bad about downvotes, but do downvote any game that’s suggested if you have heard of it before (Perhaps, give some special treatment if it was literally your game of the year). This rule is meant to encourage people to post the indie darlings that took some unusual attention and discovery to be aware of and appreciate.

If possible, link to the Steam pages for the games in question, so that anyone interested can quickly take a look at screenshots and reviews. And, as a general tip, anything with over 1000 steam reviews probably doesn’t belong here. While I’d recommend that you only suggest one game per post, at the very most limit it to three.

If I am incorrect about downvotes being inconsequential account-wide, say so and it might be possible to work out a different system.

  • Teddy@programming.devEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    Copy Editor: A RegEx Puzzle Game

    It’s a word-puzzle game that incrementally teaches you how to use Regular Expressions (RegEx) to find & replace text. Some of the puzzles add silly restraints for you to work around, and the game has charming NPC coworkers that introduce each challenge.

  • dense_crane44@lemmynsfw.comEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    Eternum (warning: NSFW) is an adult visual novel that keeps touching me with every new update. It’s completely free, and I can’t help but think of the creator as a master of the genre.

    The characters are all well written and (those who are meant to be) lovable. The story is interesting, compelling even, and the humor is often hilarious. When you go to the website, you might think “Porn game!!!”, and not be entirely wrong, but Eternum is so much more. It’s a story about love, friendship, and a mystery.

    Setting: Orion moves back to the USA after a long time. In recent years, a video game called eternum has been gaining traction, that allows going into virtual worlds, think full dive VR like in Sword Art Online. I’d say about 60% of the story happens IRL.

    I can only recommend this masterpiece of a visual novel.

  • Gestrid@lemmy.caEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

    Sadly, it’s not available on PC, but it is available on Nintendo Switch (US eShop page linked above) and PlayStation 4 (and PlayStation 5 through backwards compatibility).

    It’s a sci-fi game made by the creators of some games you might’ve heard of in passing (namely Dragon’s Crown, Odin Sphere, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, etc.), Vanillaware. I can’t go into any details about the game itself because of spoilers, but I will say it is quite simply the best and most uniquely told story I have ever seen in a game. It’s a game you have to experience for yourself. You should go into it as blind as possible, too.

    I will say the English dub of the game is also surprisingly good, considering it was recorded almost entirely in COVID lockdown. The Atlus West sound engineers (Atlus published the game in the west) must’ve worked some incredible magic to get it to sound as good as it does.

    • shrodes@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      If you liked this I really hope you’ve dug into 1000xRESIST. They’re not super similar but enough so that I think if you liked 13 Sentinels you’d probably like it also

      • Gestrid@lemmy.caEnglish
        0·
        2 months ago

        I’ve started playing through it, but I’ve got other games currently that I’m focusing on (currently Trails in the Sky FC, then Persona 3 Reload: The Answer, and then Metaphor ReFantazio).

        • shrodes@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          2 months ago

          Ah, a fellow Into the Aether listener perhaps? Or maybe just a big JRPG fan 😁

          I gotta check out Trails at some point. The whole tetralogy thing kinda puts me off in the same way Yakuza does but you gotta start somewhere I guess!

  • Zubgub@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    01·
    2 months ago

    Vintage Story

    I’ve always heard it described as Minecraft meets Primitive Technology. I would say that is quite accurate. Maybe some (optional) Don’t Starve like elements where you have to worry about the temporal rift (sort of like insanity) and drifters (largely at night).

    Technology progression is much slower than Minecraft. Also much more involved. Want a stone axe? You have to place a stone on the ground and use another stone to knap it into shape first. Make an iron shovel? You have to heat up the ingot first and then beat it into shape on an anvil. If you are too slow and it cools down you have to heat it up again.

    Farming has 3 nutrient groups, so fertilizers and crop rotation is important.

    Leather making is a multi step process of soaking hides in various liquids.

    It has a built in and very extensive guide/wiki. It also has a native Linux build.

    • Ark-5@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      I was just recommended a video about this game earlier today. I had already opened this thread, but had not read everything yet. I’m taking it as a sign. Terrafirmacraft is one of my fav Minecraft modpacks, and Vintage Story looked to lean into what TFC was trying to do to Minecraft. Cheers for the recommendation!!

  • Krauerking@lemy.lolEnglish
    01·
    2 months ago

    Tinykin
    I know you said less than 1,000 reviews but this is at 1,500 so I think it just squeaks by.

    This game for lack of a better description, adorable and over too soon.

    Like a mashup of pikmim, Spyro 2, and Tony Hawk Pro Skater. It’s got lots of fun platforming and new puzzle mechanics in an ever adding open world that is a true joy to traverse and cute silly little side plots that make for rather grand set pieces when it all comes together. I got 100% in 12 hours but also collect-a-thons are my jam and I was plowing through the game with grin on my face for everything but the platinum time trials.

  • e8d79@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
    01·
    2 months ago

    Enderal: Forgotten Stories

    It is actually a Skyrim mod but basically a complete game that just happens to be built upon Skyrim. It features full professional quality voice acting in German and English, new game systems inspired by the Gothic series, a setting separate from Elder Scrolls, and a story that gets close to the quality of Planescape Torment or Disco Elysium. I can’t recommend it enough.

  • x00z@lemmy.worldEnglish
    01·
    2 months ago

    Dungeon Keeper

    It’s a dungeon management game from '97. You are an evil Keeper and control a dungeon where you need to build rooms and train your creatures to attack (or defend from) the good guys.

    Nowadays people play KeeperFX which is the opensource remake.

  • AdNecrias@lemmy.ptEnglish
    01·
    2 months ago

    From the depths for me is a vehicle building game that’s targeted to whoever likes tuning little systems. Haven’t seen anyone know of it besides in the community itself. It’s a bit like toying around with Lego technic. There’s also quite a few more obscure versions of it, but I put this one out because I like it best.

  • androogee (they/she)@midwest.socialEnglish
    01·
    2 months ago

    Original game page

    Archive.org mirror of the game download

    I genuinely have NO clue if this game is known, but i suspect it mostly isn’t.

    It’s Keyboard Drumset Fucking Werewolf! It’s kinda like a music video, but it’s a music video game 👉😏

    It’s a collaboration between 2000s indie weirdo darling gamedev cactus and Swedish synthpunk band Fucking Werewolf ASSO.

    it’s aggressively strange and moderately challenging, but I think it’s just a goddamn delight and maybe you will too.

  • GaMEChld@lemmy.worldEnglish
    01·
    2 months ago

    Uplink

    A classic from Introversion. It’s a bit older so it’s gotten over the review threshold by now, but I’d wager it’s relatively unknown.