Right now, there are close to 4,000 games available on Steam. Do you have the time to sort through all of them to find the few that you'll enjoy? I know I don't. Even with the search feature, it can be hard to determine which games are worth playing. That's where Steam Curators come into play.
Recently, Steam users gained the ability to make public game recommendation lists, effectively turning them into content curators. As a user, you can follow individual curators and their recommendations will pop up on your Steam home page and community feed.
The top curators are prominently displayed on the Steam Curators page, but we're not interested in them. There are a handful of other lesser-known curators (who have fewer than 1,000 followers) who also provide quality lists that are worth checking out.
GameMaker: Studio
GameMaker long held a reputation as a game development tool for hobbyists only. That is, until Hotline Miami exploded onto the scene in 2012 and legitimized GameMaker as a tool capable of creating high-quality games that people would pay money to play.
Since then, we've seen plenty of follow-up "GameMaker success stories" in the form of Nidhogg, Gunpoint, Risk of Rain, and others.
If you're a GameMaker enthusiast, whether as a developer or a player, then this list will be of interest to you. It's a collection of Steam games that were created using GameMaker, which should give you a better idea of what it's actually capable of making.
Oculus Compatible
There's no doubt that the Oculus Rift is going to change the gaming landscape. Virtual reality is the next frontier and we've only seen the surface of what will be available to us a few years down the road.
If you're hyped for the Rift, then you'll want to follow this list for sure. It's a collection of games that currently support the device or plan to support it at a later time. Play them now and experience the wow-factor for yourself.
Overlooked Indie Games
The indie gaming scene saw a massive renaissance starting in 2010, which can likely be attributed to the timely release of fast-paced development environments like XNA, UDK, and Unity. Nowadays, with prevalent use of cross-platform libraries like HaxeFlixel and LibGDX, anyone can make a dazzling indie game in no time at all.
Which introduces a problem: too many indie gems fall through the cracks, never receiving the attention they might've deserved. Everyone knows about Spelunky and The Binding of Isaac. What other indie games are worth playing? That's why this list exists.
Scott Manley
You may know him as the YouTube personality who loves all manner of space games, including EVE Online, Xenonauts, and Kerbal Space Program. What you may not know is that Scott Manley also curates his own list of Steam games worth playing.
He's an avid gamer with good taste, though most of his recommendations are biased towards space games, indie games, or otherwise quirky games. Still, you should check them out, and while you're at it, you should also check out his YouTube channel.
Space Game Junkie
For those who would rather live in space than on Earth, this list of recommendations will keep you busy with thousands of hours of space game content. What's great about space games is that no two are ever really alike despite the similar atmosphere.
There are a few obvious picks here (such as FTL: Faster Than Light) but there are some unfamiliar gems mixed into the bunch, and they're surprisingly fun.
Turn-Based Strategy
We love turn-based strategy games. We've recommended free turn-based strategy games in the past, even ones that can be played from your browser, but for the most part, the popularity of turn-based strategy tends to be outnumbered by the real-time genre.
And that's why this list proves useful. It includes some of the best turn-based titles currently available on Steam, ranging from "the fan favorites to the easily overlooked". If you have a turn-based itch that needs scratching, check this one.
Gaming On Linux
One of the big myths of Linux is that it's terrible for gaming. We've shown before how Linux can play AAA titles and prospects continue to look up. With Valve investing itself in the operating system with SteamOS and Steam Machines, gaming on Linux has never been better.
This is a great list of games with strong Linux support, meaning that there's a good chance you'll be able to play without any hassle whatsoever even when you aren't on Windows.
Choice and Consequence
Back in 2012, Mass Effect 3 was slammed for deception. Players were led to believe that their in-game actions would have a real impact on the overall narrative but the ending threw all of that out the window.
Are there any games where player decisions actually matter?
This list seeks to answer that question by focusing on "story-driven games with an element of choice and consequence," which includes branching narratives, multiple endings, and meaningful decisions. If that's the kind of gameplay you want, you owe it to yourself to check this out.
The Steam Curators program is barely one month old and it's a long way from perfection, but it's a fantastic concept that will only get better with time as long as Valve gives it the care and attention that it deserves. These lists are proof that the concept has value.
Do you think the curator program is good or bad? Which curators do you follow if any? Share with us in the comments below!