Five new Steam games you probably missed (April 8, 2019)

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.

Islanders

Steam page
Release: April 4
Developer: GrizzlyGames
Price: $4.99 | £4.79 | AU$8.50

Islanders is a gorgeous and stripped back city-builder, with a focus on short-burst play, and virtually no resource management or number crunching. Each level of the game is a bare procedurally generated island, upon which the player can place available buildings. Placing these buildings in optimal locations provides more points, which can go towards buying more and better types of buildings. So don't go in expecting a take on SimCity or Cities Skylines: the concept feels more like a puzzle game than a sim. If you're attracted to the very familiar pleasure of watching digital civilisations blossom, this looks like it'll scratch that itch and then some.

Death Mark

Steam page
Release: April 4
Developer: Exoeruebce
Price: $49.99 | £32.99 | AU$69.95

Death Mark is a horror-fuelled visual novel from Japanese studio Experience. Melding detective work, light combat and the usual visual novel format, Death Mark takes place in a large mansion that plays refuge for people who have, seemingly at random, acquired a mark on their bodies: a "mysterious disfigurement, like a grotesque birthmark". To say more feels like spoiling what is obviously a very narrative-focused game. But this definitely looks special for fans of horror.

Lovers of Aether

Steam page
Release: April 2
Developer: Dan Fornace
Price: Free

Conceived as an April Fool's joke, Lovers of Aether is a dating sim spin-off of the popular Smash Bros-esque Rivals of Aether. As you'd expect, it features the cast of Dan Fornace's platform fighter, all of whom have decided that it's time to make love instead of war. Oh, and for some reason everyone is now in high school, and it's up to you to woo someone so that they'll attend a homecoming dance with you. The game's free, and people seem to be loving it.

Feather

Steam page
Release: April 6
Developer: Samurai Punk
Price: $9.99 | £17.19 | AU$14.50

Feather is a pastel-hued relaxation game starring a bird peacefully gliding through a small open world. Nothing will antagonise you, and as far as I can tell there's nothing urgent to achieve. There's online multiplayer, which can team you up with a random for a spell of camaraderie, though the focus of Feather is very much on enjoying the sensations of flight.

Owyn's Adventure

Steam page
Release: April 4
Developer: Gazoid
Price: $1.99 | £1.69 | AU$2.95

I'm a sucker for the ye olde several-shades-of-green Game Boy aesthetic, and Owyn's Adventure is the latest to plumb that territory. It's not a huge game: developer Gazoid reckons you'll get around half-hour play across five worlds, but it looks like a nice space to spend some time in. "What sounds like a straightforward task from Mum becomes an adventure when Owyn leaves the safety of his house and enters a garden world where threats abound, and not even the slowest of creatures can be trusted..." Sounds dangerous.

These games were released between April 1 and April 8 2019. Some online stores give us a small cut if you buy something through one of our links. Read our affiliate policy for more info.

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.