Back in the early days of gaming, it almost seemed like it would be possible to play every game, provided you had the money. 

Not only that, but games were gatekept by console makers and publishers. These days, though, there are too many games to play, and not nearly enough time to play them.

That means that there are hidden gems all over the place—games you don't even know about that could easily land among your all-time favorites.

These games can be tiny little games that simply didn't have the marketing muscle, or even bigger games that got lost in the deluge of more prominent or more buzzworthy releases throughout the year. 

Most of the games on this list have Overwhelmingly Positive ratings on Steam—every one of them is worth a look.

Here are some of our favorites that you may have forgotten, missed, or just never heard of.

Editor's note: All of the games on this list are traditional "Web2" games without crypto or blockchain integrations. But you might enjoy 'em anyway!

Promise Mascot Agency

(PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch)

Promise Mascot Agency is a mascot management simulator, ostensibly, but it has so much more going on than that. 

The mascots aren't people in suits; they're living things, and it's your job to deploy them where they're needed most. 

As you progress, you'll upgrade your Kei truck and learn more about why you were exiled to this job. 

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector

(PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch)

While this is the second Citizen Sleeper game, don't think of it as a sequel. 

Citizen Sleeper 2 has you taking on the role of a Sleeper—a digitized human consciousness in a synthetic body—and using the dice allocation mechanic to decide which actions you take.

It offers a much more expensive setting in which you'll travel between multiple locations aboard your ship, called The Rig. And instead of being solo like the original, you'll pick up party members that will give you new options and a new story. 

There's a new "push" mechanic that allows you to make more daring moves at a higher risk to yourself, and a less linear story to explore.

Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist

(PC, PS5/PS4, Xbox Series X/S + One, Switch)

There are a million Metroidvania (or Search-Action if you prefer) games out there, and most of them are forgettable. Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist is one you'll remember. 

This game is dripping with atmosphere. It doles out story beats in FromSoft style through item descriptions and the like, but also features cutscenes and interactions with other characters to help flesh out relationships.