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.

  • CrystalRainwater@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    10
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    2 months ago

    For my it’s Bone’s Café.

    Imagine overcooked but where you kill and use your customers as ingredients and can raise skeletons from the dead to automate as your chefs and servers. It’s overall a very well put together game, especially for one with 240 reviews (total)

    https://store.steampowered.com/app/1739070/Bones_Cafe/

    I haven’t played it couch co-op but the solo play has been really enjoyable

    • CrystalRainwater@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      arrow-down
      8
      ·
      edit-2
      2 months ago

      Oh wait I forgot my favorite of all. Although idk how popular it is because its not on a standard platform

      Starsector: https://fractalsoftworks.com/

      This game is incredible. Genuinely like probably the best game I’ve ever played. It simulates an economy fairly accurately (using the different colonies outputs and inputs to determine prices dynamically). In addition to this colonies can be hurt by you or other parties, affecting the prices of items on the market significantly so you can try to make your money on this margin.

      There’s space fleet battles with a complex ship modification system. There’s colony management, it has an interesting early game and it keeps your interest as you get further in the game with new challenges.

      It is $15 dollars and is technically in early access (which tbh is a steal). Though in practice my experience with it is not remotely reflective of it being early access. It’s a little like how dwarf fortress was in early access (although unlike df before the steam launch there is a frontend that’s really solid).

    • CrystalRainwater@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      arrow-down
      23
      ·
      edit-2
      2 months ago

      I also really enjoyed cult of the lamb: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1313140/Cult_of_the_Lamb/

      It’s a game where you are a little sheep creature that runs a cult. It’s a mix of a management game and a roguelike since you go on runs to fight the games main bosses and get items to bring back to improve your cult.

      Art style kinda reminds me of Klei’s Don’t Starve and is probably one of the most impressive parts of the game

      Though this one is more well known. Still, I hadn’t heard of it before so I think sometimes games with even a big following like this one can stay off the radar a bit unless they are truly massive.