On an average day about a dozen new games are released on Steam. And while we think that’s a good thing, it can be understandably hard to keep up with. Potentially exciting gems are sure to be lost in the deluge of new things to play unless you sort through every single game that is released on Steam. So that’s exactly what we’ve done. If nothing catches your fancy this week, we’ve gathered the best PC games you can play right now and a running list of the 2024 games that are launching this year.
Steam page
Release: July 21
Developer: Code Mystics
While far from SNK’s best work, this re-release of a near-forgotten arcade fighter will be enthusiastically received by the studio’s faithful. Originally released in 2003 for arcades and Neo Geo, it’s heavily reminiscent of the King of Fighters titles from that era, but with a mixed ensemble of 36 playable characters drawing from SNK and Capcom history (from the point of view of 2003, of course). It’s not a cheap and nasty port either: this reissue adds online play with rollback netcode, with the ability to form tournaments in a handful of formats. This won’t be of interest to the casual fighting fan, but it’s nice to see games like this given a new lease on life.
Krypta FM
Steam page
Release: July 20
Developer: Under the Sink Studio
This first-person experience aims to capture the mood of a small Polish village in the early 2000s, but I’m more excited about its evocation of early 2000s internet. In Krypta FM, late night radio and ye olde forum discussions are important sources for information regarding an “alleged cryptid” stalking the town. Clues are gleaned from these sources, but you’ll need to leave the comfort of your screen-lit bedroom to explore the eerie quiet of the town by night. I love the look of this, and best of all, it’s free.
Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus
Steam page
Release: July 18
Developers: Squid Shock Studios, Christopher Stair, Trevor Youngquist
This gorgeous action-platformer with “metroidvania elements” has a gorgeous hand drawn art style informed by Japanese folklore. Like Ori, it’s all about mastering precise platforming gauntlets with an increasingly powerful—and visually striking—range of power-ups. Aside from presumably a double jump, Bō will also accrue a powerful dash and grappling gun as they navigate a surreal world full of shapeshifting yokai and screen-filling boss fights. Between this and Nine Sols, metroidvania enthusiasts are eating well of late.
Gym Simulator 24
Steam page
Release: July 20
Developer: Quatech
After a six month stint in Early Access, Gym Simulator 24 is ready to fulfil your ultra-specific mercantile fantasies. It’s about running a gym, of course, and the format here is pretty similar to many other simulator games: you’ll clean up a trashed vacant shopfront, slowly kit it out, deliberate over interior design choices, and then, of course, deal with customers. In the words of developer Quatech, “the power to deliver an unparalleled fitness journey lies within your hands!” I never thought I’d hear it.
Old School Rally
Steam page
Release: July 19
Developer: Frozen Lake Games
I’m far from a racing fanatic but I adore rally games, so this nostalgic take on the sub-genre has me very interested. Old School Rally channels the late ’90s greats, so think Colin McRae Rally, which eventually morphed into the Dirt series, and Sega Rally Championship. It’s all about slippin’ and sliding around mysteriously curvy unsealed roads, and if the trailer above is any indication, you can expect the soundtrack to channel the late ’90s as well. This is an Early Access affair: it’ll stay there for 6-10 months while new cars and tracks are added, along with the usual fixes.