PC gamers know that there are dozens of new games that come out on Steam each week, and aside from the big, obvious releases, it’s hard to tell if something that looks promising really delivers the goods. We're here to help you find those hidden gems that might’ve flown under the radar, and boy, this week is a good one!
First, we dive into the Banner Saga-inspired tactical RPG Ash of Gods: Redemption, a game that prides itself on player choice and the fact that the story continues even when your characters die. Despite its similarities to Banner Saga and Ed's skepticism, Jess finds the game's combat engaging and its decisions tough.
We then settle into the unsettling NSA-style spying adventure Orwell: Ignorance is Strength. The followup to the original series of Orwell, Ignorance is Strength maintains the unique gameplay mechanics of browsing a fictional internet for clues as you try and track down and build a profile around threatening persons of interest for The Nation. Unsurprisingly, there are a ton of parallels to what's happening in our world today, and a lot of moral quandaries to be navigated while profiling suspects.
Next, we dive into the nitty-gritty of building and maintaining complicated things, first with awful cars in Jalopy, a game set in Eastern Europe, complete with endearingly drab aesthetic, and help our uncle go on a road trip by putting together a terrible car from scratch, and maintaining as we go the journey. You'll maintain engine parts, filters, oil levels, and more while also managing your funds and driving ability. There's also some light mystery here, and decisions to be made about whether or not you resort to nefarious means to keep the car running...
Finally, Ed gets excited about building virtual gaming PCs from the comfort of his own gaming PC in PC Building Simulator. It's a game where you'll unscrew case panels, install CPUs, apply thermal paste, and blow the dust off your old parts. Stocked with seemingly hundreds of real-world manufacturer parts, if you love building computers, or even if you've never done it here, you'll find something novel or informative here. There's also a campaign involved where, like Jalopy, you help your uncle out by maintaining his failing PC repair shop, helping customers with their computer problems while managing your own finances. There's a lot to love!
Have you been playing any fantastic new PC games that we missed? Let us know on Twitter: @EdmondTran + @JessMcDonell
Steam store links: Ash of Gods: Redemption | Orwell: Ignorance is Strength | Jalopy | PC Building Simulator
