So many games that come out on Valve’s Steam service each week, it’s almost impossible for PC gamers to get a good sense of what might be worthwhile. Some games make a huge splash all over the internet, but might not necessarily be worth all the attention. Genuinely amazing games can completely slip under your radar amongst all the noise, and you might be missing out on a hidden gem that’s 100% up your alley. But don’t worry--we’re doing the dirty work of going all of the new release of the past week, and showing you what’s worth paying attention to.
First up, Lobotomy Corporation is a monster management simulator based on the lore of the SCP Foundation. You’ll manage a lab whose goal is to harness monsters as an energy source, and maintain your base in a Fallout Shelter-style management interface as you build new facilities, capture more monsters, conduct research, and assign your subordinates to take care of things. Of course, this isn’t a safe business, and monster outbreaks, deaths, and employee insanity are definitely on the cards.
You’ll also have to deal with emergencies like surprise attacks and base meltdowns, and the fact that your employees tending to the monsters increases the occurrence rate for these disasters. There are way more elements to think about—-this is a dense game with a lot of intricacies, but though there are some noticeable problems with its translations, it’s worth a look if strategic management is your jam.
We implore you to play SpyParty, an incredibly unique competitive multiplayer game ten years in the making. One player takes the role of a spy at a crowded cocktail party, as you hide in plain sight and attempt to complete a series of discreet missions without raising suspicion with your subtle, but distinct, physical actions.
The other player takes the role of a sniper, looking at the party from the outside. The sniper needs to work out which one of the many characters is actually another human, and has one chance to take them out within the time limit. It’s an amazingly deep game that challenges your perception, your capacity for mimicry and performance, and your ability to keep your cool.
It seems like Radical Heights certainly made quite a splash in the past week, for better or worse. The new battle royale game from Lawbreakers studios Boss Key Games is looking to make its mark in the incredibly popular genre dominated by PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and Fortnite. 1980s nostalgia is their big pull with this one, with bright neon colours, BMX bike riding, and interesting TV game show mechanics to give matches a distinct flavour.
Launching on Steam in ‘X-Treme Early Access’ has certainly earned it some mixed reactions. Unfinished levels geometry and missing animations are putting some people off, but the incredibly lighthearted nature and Joe Esposito songs are getting others on board. It’s free-to-play, so if you’re mildly interested it might be worth trying first-hand.
Finally, from the creators of the wonderful Rogue Legacy comes Full Metal Furies, a ‘true-cooperative’ action RPG. This four-player beat-em-up puts a huge emphasis on working together with your teammates to experiment and perform combo attacks for more efficient damage dealing. Each character class sports unique skills, but no individual is tough enough to go it alone.
The game allows you to play solo by picking two characters and switching between them, but this method is a little more demanding of you. Full Metal Furies boasts a wonderful visual presentation with an incredibly charming cast of characters with chuckle-worth writing to match. The campaign also has more variety than what you might expect from a beat-em-up game, and its RPG elements provide a good amount of skill diversity for your characters as you spend more time with them. If you and a few pals are looking for a hefty new co-op experience: this is it.
What new PC games have you been playing this week? Let us know on Twitter: @EdmondTran + @JessMcDonell
