Hidden Gems on Steam: 5 New Releases You Missed (June 2025)
▼ Summary
– Around a dozen new games are released daily on Steam, making it challenging to keep up with potential hidden gems.
– Korter 1996 is a point-and-click game with a mix of charm and slight creepiness, involving puzzle-solving and neighbor exploration in a pre-internet setting.
– Them is a game blending modern 3D exploration with retro 2D platforming, where a kid explores a grim ’90s arcade and solves puzzles.
– Tower Wizard is an idle game focused on building a wizard tower, featuring incremental upgrades and an ending, with overwhelmingly positive reviews.
– Chronicles of the Wolf is a Castlevania-inspired exploration platformer with gothic pixel art and RPG elements, featuring a character from the Bloodstained series.
– Blessed Burden is a first-person parkour game with a surreal art style, where a priest descends into hell to destroy evil, offering tense gameplay and upgrade trees.
With hundreds of games launching on Steam each month, it’s easy for standout titles to slip through the cracks. This June brought several hidden gems that deserve attention, blending unique mechanics with captivating storytelling. Here are five recent releases you might have missed, each offering something special for different types of players.
Korter 1996 A quirky point-and-click adventure with a nostalgic yet unsettling vibe, Korter 1996 drops you into a Soviet-era apartment complex filled with secrets. The twist? Hidden passages let you sneak into your neighbors’ homes, turning mundane decor upgrades into a surreal puzzle-solving spree. The game masterfully balances dark humor with loneliness, wrapped in a visually striking pre-internet aesthetic.
Them Imagine stumbling upon a long-abandoned ’90s arcade, dark, eerie, and packed with forgotten games. Them blends first-person exploration with retro 2D platforming, pulling players into a cabinet that blurs reality and pixels. The short runtime (around two hours) makes it perfect for a single-session dive into its unsettling atmosphere.
Tower Wizard For fans of idle clickers, Tower Wizard stands out by adding a tangible goal to the genre. Instead of mindlessly watching numbers climb, you construct an ever-growing wizard tower, with each upgrade making the ascent more visually spectacular. Its “overwhelmingly positive” Steam reviews in just days prove its addictive charm.
Chronicles of the Wolf If classic Castlevania holds a special place in your heart, this gothic metroidvania delivers nostalgia in spades. Packed with pixel-perfect action and RPG elements, it even features a cameo from Bloodstained’s Bloodless. The sprawling levels and intricate combat make it a must-play for fans of the genre.
Blessed Burden This first-person parkour nightmare throws you into hell as a priest on a divine mission. The fast-paced movement and surreal, early-3D visuals evoke Quake and Unreal Tournament, while upgrade trees add depth to the frantic descent. At its budget-friendly price, it’s a thrilling ride worth taking.
Whether you crave atmospheric puzzles, retro throwbacks, or adrenaline-fueled action, these under-the-radar picks prove Steam’s library still holds surprises for those willing to dig deeper.
(Source: PCGAMER)
