I usually use Steam’s wishlisting feature to make sure I don’t forget about interesting projects that have open-ended development times, games like Anvil Empires that have been in development for years but still don’t have a confirmed date.
I’m looking forward to stuff like Dawn of War 4 and Divinity, but I don’t tend to wishlist big, obvious games like this. My genres are first-person shooter, deckbuilders, and tactics, which you’ll see favored here more than a little.
Kriegsfront Tactics
A spiritual successor to one of my favorite PlayStation series, Front Mission. I will forever believe that mechs make the best enemies, and the ’70s Southeast Asia setting is fresh.
Space Station 14
Endearingly old-school multiplayer story generator astro-sandbox. SS13 is one of DayZ creator Dean Hall’s favorites, if that tells you something.
Hull Rupture
Spaceship tower defense with wonderfully intricate, cross-section pixel art. The third game in the quietly-growing Despot’s game cinematic universe.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Tactics
Hot out of Gamescom. This will be the second Siege spinoff, if you remember Extraction.
Anvil Empires
Hold up, the Foxhole people are making a persistent medieval strategy MMO? I volunteer to spend most of 2027 operating a scythe in northern Flanders (for the cause).
Let's Build a Dungeon
Chris on our team turned me onto this one: a management sim where you’re running an MMO studio. Apparently your game can be leaked? Love the notion of weird little details like that.
Enter the Gungeon 2
Can’t believe it’s been 10 years since this fabulous, unapologetically punny bullet-hell roguelike. Reload already!
Lancer Tactics
RPG Maker but for a beloved mecha TTRPG? OK, yes. Hopefully not too shoestring of a project, but I’m intrigued by the sandboxness.
Hunger
I get genuinely worried when I see an overly ambitious series of genres welded together on a Steam page (“multiplayer zombie extraction RPG”). But Hunt: Showdown is my most-played game on Steam ever, so the notion of another ~18th century FPS with occult elements has me keeping an eye on this.
Mars Tactics
The Japanese sensibility to the art that is extremely welcome in this more recently western style of game. Hooded Horse is one of my favorite publishers of the last few years and I trust them to see this one through.
Wane
Last turn-based game, promise. Fabulous art direction. The horror/Dishonored/vaguely Disco Elysium facets look great on this genre.
D.O.R.F. Real-Time Strategic Conflict
Grimy-gorgeous Command & Conquer successor. Love the size contrast between XXL tank units and infantry. Encouraging how patient the dev is being with this, it was shown in our PC Gaming Show in 2023.
Away Team
Multiplayer Oxygen Not Included, roughly. Simulated gas, liquid, temperature, and other science makes everything systemic.
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