uncut gems for 1/16/24
uncut gems is a article series produced to highlight games the author hasn't played yet or are notable in some other way - i.e. was submitted via e-mail or reddit or discord. got a recommendation? email us!
what a week
a major thank you to everyone whose checked in to the site during this first week and helped it hit the ground running. this is made better by wonderful readers who already emailed in suggestions or commented in the massive reddit thread. anyways on to the show!
stay in the loop
astute readers can cheat the system stay in the loop on upcoming possible games via my massive 1000+ game wishlist that i think will never decrease in number now.
user spotlight
a selection of hidden gems verified by the community to be good and cool. lets get on with the show!
Crash Dive 2: The Silent Service
from fan of the site k.h.: a submarine simulator of the Pacific theatre. Command a US submarine against the Japanese Navy in the waters of the south Pacific. This game boils the complexity of simulations down to their essential elements, making it accessible but still (pun intended) deep.
Easy Red 2
from fan of the site k.h.: a World War II sandbox battle game, that includes infantry, armour, vehicles, and aircraft battling on all fronts. It includes massive single player battles, co-op missions, and PvP. The game can be played without an internet connection in single player. It's $12 and with all the DLC included, it's about $23.
Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death
from mr_apeezy on reddit: think an overhead view / camera panned back “Double AA” God of War. I let the time get away from me on this one. Played it for several hours. I’m still surprised how good the game is. It clearly takes a lot of inspiration from the first three God of War games.
Outland
from mr_apeezy on reddit: an old Housemarque joint that combines 2D Metroidvania, platforning, and a light / dark powers similar to Ikaruga. Gorgeous painterly backgrounds and a soundtrack that just makes it feel like an epic tale being retold. On SteamDeck, no matter the proton pack you use, you will be missing HUD elements. It can make the game more difficult not being able to see your life bar / mana, but not TOO overly difficult to beat. Save points a plenty.
author note: i personally love this game and highly recommend it. to think it came out originally on ps3!
new releases
i cant atone to the quality of these games but they at least look interesting.
Sovereign Syndicate
disco elysium in a steampunk setting
A Victorian steampunk RPG with tarot cards instead of dice. Investigate the disappearance of society’s most vulnerable to uncover a mysterious cult. Play as three characters, each with their own skills and motivations. Customize your characters with narrative choices to unlock new tarot cards.
down the road
upcoming article pieces
Sunday Rivals
nfl blitz but customizable
Easy to pickup, hard hitting, fully customizable arcade football is back with Sunday Rivals! Battle high-octane offenses and bone crushing tacklers in the harshest weather conditions to bring home championship glory!
SANABI
is this bionic commando?!
SANABI is an exhilarating stylish dystopian action-platformer. Play as a legendary retired veteran and use your signature prosthetic arm to jump over cliffs and skyscrapers, zip through bullets and traps and defeat powerful enemies.
and thats it for right now loyal readers. there are literally hundreds of games in the reddit post and a bunch in my email that will show up soon. thanks for visiting and see ya next time