Story Rich Hidden Gems on Steam
Unlike generic lists, our game recommendations use a rigorous analysis of Steam user reviews to identify and feature only the best, community-validated story rich games.
Filters & Lists
The Great Perhaps
The Great Perhaps is a time travel puzzle game about an astronaut returning to Earth destroyed by natural cataclysms. There, among the ruins he finds an unusual artifact — an old lantern, in the light of which you can see glimpses of another time and travel to the past.
Anodyne 2: Return to Dust
A 3D-2D adventure where you travel a 3D world and explore 2D dungeons inside of its characters' bodies and minds! In an unforgettable, surreal story, travel the world, meet whimsical denizens, and save the world from the dangerous Nano Dust.
Don't Escape Trilogy
In this classic point-and-click adventure anthology by award-winning indie developer Scriptwelder, you'll protect an unsuspecting hamlet from yourself, try to prepare for an incoming undead horde, and search a seemingly empty spaceship for answers to a gruesome mystery.
Songbird Symphony
Musical Metroidvania, with pixel art to die for. Guide orphaned chick 'Birb', on a platform adventure, as he faces off against the denizens of the forest in rhythm-action boss battles. Acclaimed for its gorgeous animation, and heart-warming storytelling, as Birb strives to discover his true origins.
Elsinore
Elsinore is a time-looping adventure game set in the world of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Elsinore combines strong social simulation elements, a dynamic story that reacts immediately to player decisions, and a world full of diverse characters with secrets to uncover.
Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.7 Minagoroshi
Higurashi When They Cry is a sound novel. The music, backgrounds and characters work together to create a world that is the stage of a novel for the user to read. They laugh and cry and get angry. The user takes the point of view of the protagonist to experience the story.
Horace
"The best platformer of 2019."Horace is a huge platforming adventure which pushes the boundaries of the genre with a profound story of a small robot learning of life, the universe and Douglas Adams. Made by videogame lovers for videogame lovers!
局外人 L'Etranger
A unique visual novel about the high school experiences in alternate-history East Asia.
Night Call
Friend. Confidant. Therapist. Voyeur. As a cab driver working the Paris night shift, you are many things to different people. Your gift is getting people to talk; and in order to catch the serial killer who left you for dead, that’s exactly what you’ll need to do.
Summer Catchers
Summer Catchers is an epic story that combines an endless runner with inventory management. Set your goals, complete tasks and stock up on gear to get as far as you can and advance this charming story full of strange and wonderful characters.
Monsters of Little Haven
At the heart of the action are a twelve-year-old Kenneth and his younger sister Esme, children of the Murphy family, who hit the trail of a mysterious monster following series of entangled events.
The Expression Amrilato
This is the story, pure and sometimes frustrating, of two girls intertwined through their fumbling efforts to communicate. Learn a new language by playing the game!
Golden Treasure: The Great Green
Golden Treasure is a game for those who carry dragons in their hearts. Hunt, explore, survive, and become Great among the True Children of Sun and Earth.
Yumeutsutsu Re:Master
Yumeutsutsu Re:Master is a girls-love adventure game set in a small game studio.
Sanator: Scarlet Scarf
Scarlet Scarf is a visual novel inspired by the legend of Plague Maiden. Dive into the dark mysteries of a dying city with the fate of Sanator Richard Murdock in your hands. Perhaps it's not too late to stop the on-going calamity...
FREEDIVER: Triton Down
Plunge into VR on a capsizing research ship, the Triton, where survival means outmaneuvering the water's lethal surge. Freedive through a sinking ship, overcome underwater chaos, and unlock your path to the surface, all while protecting your most precious resource: the breath in your lungs.
Rescue HQ - The Tycoon
Build up your headquarters from scratch and design your own masterpiece. In Rescue HQ you build, organize and manage a joint station for firefighters, police and ambulance. Manage your resources wisely and master challenging emergencies to keep your city safe! Are you up to the challenge?
China: Mao's legacy
Year 1976, the stormy Cultural revolution has died down, hard times of hongweibing and public critics are coming to an end. Old and sick Mao Zedong will soon leave China to his comrades from CPC. The Cold War is coming into a new phase...
Atelier Lulua ~The Scion of Arland~
The long awaited 4th installment of the popular "Arland" series that had begun with the "Atelier Rorona"! In this new story, players will revisit the nostalgic world of Arland and embark on exciting journey of alchemy together with Rorona's daughter, Lulua.
Irony Curtain: From Matryoshka with Love
Irony Curtain: From Matryoshka with Love is a satirical point and click inspired by the classic adventure games. It smuggles you out of your comfort zone and throws you into the middle of a Cold War spy intrigue - where there’s an even bigger game being played …
Astrologaster
Astrologaster is a comedy game set in Shakespeare’s London. Play as 'Doctor' Simon Forman and treat his patients using astrology. A story-driven adventure based on a truly ridiculous story.
Never Again
Never Again - Horror/first-person Quest. The main essence of the game is research locations and puzzles, plunging in the dramatic story of a little girl suffering from asthma.
Talk to Strangers
Talk to Strangers is a game of everyday survival. Survive door to door conversations ranging from bizarre to mundane (in this order) while trying to sell products to strangers. But beware: nothing is what it seems in this neighborhood.
Zanki Zero: Last Beginning
Explore the ruins, dungeons, and islands in this post-apocalyptic world through the POV of eight protagonists as they fight for survival and search for meaning in their never-ending cycles of life and death.
Spirit Hunter: Death Mark
A strange rumor is spreading through the shadows of Tokyo's H City: a mysterious disfigurement has been appearing on the bodies of certain individuals. Anyone who receives the Mark will rapidly die of unknown, horrifying causes. The countdown to death has already begun...
Love Thyself - A Horatio Story
In a society where everyone is a clone of the Emperor, can you survive long enough to find out who you truly are? Try out the brand new visual novel set in the Endless Universe!
The World Next Door
An addictive mix of lightning-fast puzzle battles, powerful storytelling and immersive visual novel elements, The World Next Door follows Jun, a rebellious teen girl trapped in a parallel realm inhabited by magical creatures, who must find her way home before time runs out.
Newfound Courage
You're a young man named Alex who arrives in the cliffside town of Silverpine. Explore the town's many mysteries and meet its colourful townsfolk, while you grow closer to a kind-hearted local named Jake. Can the two of you save the town from the impending doom brewing inside the mysterious Vault?
TOKYO CHRONOS
TOKYO CHRONOS is the VR game that has multiple-choice decision points as well as more than one ending. The game takes place in Shibuya, Tokyo, which has only eight people, including you, the protagonist, Kyosuke Sakurai. Why are they there?
The Caligula Effect: Overdose
Mobius. An idyllic world that lets people forget about the pain and problems of reality. Created by a sentient vocaloid program, μ (Mu), reality and fantasy have become blurred, allowing people to relive their high school years in bliss -- but just how real is a virtual happiness?
If My Heart Had Wings -Flight Diary-
While If My Heart Had Wings -Flight Diary- is technically a fan disc for If My Heart Had Wings, it includes six stories - including the prologue and epilogue to the main story - and acts as a sort of sequel to the original.
Tech Support: Error Unknown
Things are not what they seem at your new tech support specialist job. While resolving customer issues, you soon find yourself in the middle of a conspiracy. Will you side with your employer, join a rogue hacktivist group bent on destroying them, assist the police or stand alone?
The Cursed Forest
Immerse yourself in the obscure and mysterious autumnal forest, where every wrong step could be your last. As you travel uncover the dark story behind this place, where beauty and danger have become as one.
Heart of the Woods
A fantasy yuri visual novel filled with magic, fairies, and a ghost girl. When Maddie and her best friend, Tara, journey to a remote forest village to investigate rumors of the supernatural, they find a whole lot more than they bargained for.