Despite the emergence of competing online digital marketplaces like Humble Bundle, the Epic Games Store, and Green Man Gaming, the Steam Store still trumps them all when it comes to user activity. It's one of the few online game stores to feature third-party sellers, game sharing, and, perhaps most importantly; a close-knit community.
RELATED: The Best Games To Remote Play With Friends On Steam
These hidden gems are some of the best that the Steam Store has to offer. Many were made by indie developers, which is why they are often so inaccessible to the average gamer. Though their creators seldom have the kind of marketing budgets needed to make their work stand out, however, the fantastic content on offer in these hidden gems is able to do that just fine on its own.
Updated August 2, 2021 by Tom Bowen: When it comes to the huge variety of titles available on Steam, gamers really are spoiled for choice. The sheer volume of games can sometimes create problems, however, with many wonderful titles slipping through the cracks or being buried beneath mountains of other titles with larger marketing budgets behind them. With just a little bit of digging though, it's possible to unearth some real hidden gems on Steam, many of which can be picked up for bargain prices if purchased during one of the platform's regular sales.
12 Hypercharge: Unboxed
Developer: Digital Cybercherries
Publisher: Digital Cybercherries
Initial Release Date: April 27, 2020
Steam Reviews: Very Positive (1,419)
Steam Page: Click Here
Hypercharge: Unboxed is what the vast majority of the Toy Story video games failed to be: fun. Granted, some may prefer an adventure with recognizable characters like Buzz and Woody, but those looking for a toy-based title with fantastic combat could definitely do a lot worse. When the game is at its very best, in fact, they'll struggle to find much better.
The amount of love and care that Digital Cybercherries has put into the game is clear for all to see and this extends not only to the game's fantastic visuals, but also its perfectly executed gameplay mechanics. As a result, when it comes to hidden gems on Steam, Hypercharge: Unboxed is one of the most unique and enjoyable on offer.
11 Spiritfarer
Developer: Thunder Lotus Games
Publisher: Thunder Lotus Games
Initial Release Date: August 17, 2020
Steam Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive (10,069)
Steam Page: Click Here
With its beautiful art style and thought-provoking narrative, Spiritfarer really sets itself apart from its peers. Players are tasked with ferrying the souls of the dead to their eternal resting places and must build their own boat to not only transport all of the wayward spirits, but also to find them throughout the game's wonderfully whimsical world.
Though the exploration itself is certainly enjoyable, it's perhaps the player's interactions with the spirits that make the experience so enjoyable. The presentation is top-notch as well, with the hand-drawn art and animation making for one of the most visually appealing games of the past few years. There are even crafting and farming mechanics too, for those who enjoy that kind of thing.
10 Deceit
Developer: Baseline
Publisher: Baseline
Initial Release Date: March 4, 2017
Steam Reviews: Mostly Positive (74,787)
Steam Page: Click Here
Deceit is a multiplayer game with a large focus on communication. Rather than teamwork, however, the game is designed to test a player's abilities to deceive their fellow players, just as its title suggests. It's more of a mind game than a horror game, but it does contain plenty of horror elements.
RELATED: The Best Horror Games You Can Play On Steam For Free
Deceit is unlike most of the other games on Steam, but it can be compared to games like Among Us, although Deceit came out first. The game can be purchased for a bargain on the Steam Store, so there's very little reason for fans of social deception and imposter games not to at least give it a try.
9 Hidden Folks
Developers: Adriaan de Jongh & Sylvian Tegroeg
Publisher: Adriaan de Jongh
Initial Release Date: February 15, 2017
Steam Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive (5,955)
Steam Page: Click Here
This hidden object game presents players with some folks to find across a wide range of beautifully hand-drawn areas. The game takes after the book series Where's Waldo, with all of the locations found in Hidden Folks first sketched on paper before being scanned and put into the game. The results are often quite stunning.
Interestingly enough, most of the objects in the game can be interacted with, even if they're not what players are supposed to be looking for. For those looking for a relaxing game that doesn't require a lot of effort, Hidden Folks might just be the perfect title for them.
8 My Time At Portia
Developer: Pathea Games
Publisher: Team17
Initial Release Date: January 15, 2019
Steam Reviews: Very Positive (25,219)
Steam Page: Click Here
It's easy to compare My Time At Portia to games like Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon. Where it sets itself apart though is its post-apocalyptic setting, which somehow manages to come across as being incredibly pleasant despite the end of the world connotations that come along with it.
Players must rebuild a workshop by growing crops and raising livestock, among other things. There's enough content to keep people engaged for well over 60 hours, making it a great game for fans of simulation games who are looking for a new title to sink some serious time into.
7 Game Dev Tycoon
Developer: Greenheart Games
Publisher: Greenheart Games
Initial Release Date: August 29, 2013
Steam Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive (32,479)
Steam Page: Click Here
Developer Greenheart Games ingeniously decided to make a game that's primary gameplay loop is built around designing video games. Players control their own development studio, hiring game developers and coming up with new projects that they think might appeal to the average gamer.
RELATED: The Best Simulation Games Ever Made, According To Metacritic
The objectives are to become a worldwide leader in the industry and generate a massive following, and doing so can be incredibly satisfying. Like many big tech start-ups, players start out in their garage, before working their way up to the top. For those with an interest in the industry, Game Dev Tycoon is one of the most enjoyable lesser-known games on Steam.
6 The Room
Developer: Fireproof Games
Publisher: Fireproof Games
Initial Release Date: July 28, 2014
Steam Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive (17,197)
Steam Page: Click Here
The puzzles found throughout The Room are an inspiring part of the genre. It's a point-and-click game filled with mystery and a dark atmosphere that keeps players on the edge of their seats. It has plenty of scary moments, but will also have players marveling at the ingenious nature of its overall design.
The Room has been remastered since its original release, and the PC version is now truly masterful. It's a short game to play, but it's well worth the time spent, particularly as the game is incredibly cheap. For those who like it, there are also three direct sequels, each of which builds upon the excellent foundations laid by the series' fantastic first entry.
5 Paper Sorcerer
Developer: Ultra Runaway Games
Publisher: Ultra Runaway Games
Initial Release Date: November 21, 2013
Steam Reviews: Very Positive (373)
Steam Page: Click Here
Although it is a modern game, Paper Sorcerer takes a retro approach to the dungeon-crawling RPG genre. It's an old-school-themed game with a turn-based combat system, exciting dialogue, and some fantastic puzzle-solving moments that will have players scratching their heads as they struggle to come up with the correct solutions.
As well as puzzle-solving, the game also incorporates creature-collecting mechanics, with players able to defeat monsters and get them to fight alongside them in battle. Subtle details like hand-drawn sprites in high resolution are just one of many things that make Paper Sorcerer an absolute knockout of a game.
4 Wuppo: Definitive Edition
Developers: Knuist & Perzik
Publisher: SOEDESCO
Initial Release Date: September 29, 2016
Steam Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive (3,384)
Steam Page: Click Here
In Wuppo, control a fictional creature known as a Wum as it searches for a new place to live. After being exiled from his home, he embarks upon an adventure filled with puzzles and monsters. Despite what its art style might suggest, this isn't just a game for kids, with players of all ages able to enjoy this epic adventure.
RELATED: The Most Expensive Games On Steam (& How Much They Cost)
The game is continually changing environments, which is part of the reason why Wuppo: Definitive Edition is so much fun. Many will go into the experience with low expectations, but they'll soon change their outlook after enjoying every bit of Wuppo: Definitive Edition. It's a hidden gem that too few people have played.
3 House Flipper
Developer: Empyrean
Publishers: Frozen District & PlayWay S.A.
Initial Release Date: May 17, 2018
Steam Reviews: Very Positive (41,389)
Steam Page: Click Here
For those who like to smash things and want to combine that with their interest in renovating houses, House Flipper is a phenomenal hidden gem. Everything, from the engineering to the clean-up, is involved when playing House Flipper, making the game a lot more nuanced than just point, click and destroy.
Players who do their job correctly will be able to turn houses around and sell them for a profit. Those who just want to destroy things can still have a lot of fun too though, even if the end result is a little less rewarding. The game can also be played in VR for those with the hardware to do so, allowing players to really feel like they're a part of the action.
2 The House In Fata Morgana
Developer: Novectacle
Publisher: MangaGamer
Initial Release Date: May 14, 2016
Steam Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive (1,748)
Steam Page: Click Here
The House in Fata Morgana is a visual novel that will take players on a time travel adventure. They'll awaken in a creepy mansion with no recollection of their life or their maid as she stands before them. As they begin to explore the game's world though, they'll soon discover that the mansion is filled with mysterious doors that can transport them to the distant past.
With no sense of time, living, or death, the story is gripping right up until the very end. It's a fairly lengthy game, particularly for a visual novel, that will take players approximately 27.5 hours to complete. It's definitely worth it though, as this hidden gem is an absolute must-play.
1 TY the Tasmanian Tiger
Developer: Krome Studios
Publisher: Krome Studios
Initial Release Date: December 13, 2016
Steam Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive (2,003)
Steam Page: Click Here
TY is a Tasmanian tiger from the Australian Outback that wields a boomerang. TY the Tasmanian Tiger originally debuted in the early 2000s and feels like a video game time capsule of that era. This hidden gem has an old-school vibe to tie in with exploration and plenty of nods to some of the great mascot-based platformers of yesteryear.
The version on the Steam Store is the remastered version, which plays in high-definition and at 60 frames per second. For anyone who enjoyed Yooka-Laylee, Banjo-Kazooie, or Super Mario Odyssey, TY is definitely worth a look. It's more like an indie game when compared directly to those titles, but there's arguably just as much fun to be had with it.
NEXT: PC Games That Are Perfect For Steam Deck
