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 new games of 2020.
Dread X Collection 2
Steam page
Release: August 22
Developer: Various
Price: $9.99 | £7.19 | AU$14.50
Here's the second collection of morsel-sized horror games from Dread X, this time packaging 12 games all developed in ten days with the general theme of 'Lovecrafting'. Obviously one is put in mind of the cosmic horror writer, but the games are typically varied: there's a creepypasta-inspired game called Secret Cow Level (brilliant name), a game about a mysterious hole in an arcade, and an anime-inspired visual novel featuring some kind of squidlike monster. The first Dread X Collection was well worth a look - this one seems just as fascinating.
Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time
Steam page
Release: August 21
Developer: Soleil Ltd
Price: $39.99 | £30.99 | AU$56.95
Here's a 3D action platformer adaptation of the beloved Samurai Jack cartoon series. I haven't seen the show so can't vouch for its authenticity, but Battle Through Time looks like a serviceable hack 'n slasher, and it features the cartoon's voice actors so it's no cheap knock-off. It's a single-player affair with a few light RPG elements (there are more than a dozen weapons and unlockable skills) but it's the fluid combat that'll keep you interested, even if you don't know who Samurai Jack is (and whether that's his real name).
Grand Tactician: The Civil War (1861 - 1865)
Steam page
Release: August 22
Developer: Oliver Keppelmüller
Price: $39.99 | £34.99 | AU$56.95
Here's an immaculately detailed real-time strategy game set during the American Civil War. There's no lack of similarly themed games, but this one looks like it belongs in 2020, and it looks like developer Oliver Keppelmüller hasn't made any compromises where complexity is concerned. It's currently in Early Access, though there's quite a bit to play already, with most of the remaining development period being focused on bug fixing and balancing. The full 1.0 version is expected to release by end of year.
Rainy Season
Steam page
Release: August 20
Developer: Inasa Fujio
Price: $3.99 | £2.89 | AU$5.95
Here's a first-person narrative game about "an ordinary family spending time at home during the rain." It's a short affair with an estimated one hour play time, but it's rich in atmosphere and interactivity, and if you're a fan of games that let you potter around listlessly (think Shenmue, Gone Home) it's definitely worth a look.
Griefhelm
Steam page
Release: August 21
Developer: Johnny Dale Lonack
Price: $19.99 | £15.49 | AU$28.95
Griefhelm kinda looks like what For Honor would be if it was a 2D sidescroller. It's a 'tactical dueling game' with a medieval theme, and the animations are much more lifelike and detailed than what you'd normally expect from a sidescroller. There's a single-player campaign, but Griefhelm's staying power resides in its multiplayer, which supports local and online play. If you loved Nidhogg but found it a bit too cute, this looks like a very meaty affair.
These games were released between August 17 and 24 2020. Some online stores give us a small cut if you buy something through one of our links. Read our affiliate policy for more info.
