Top 10 Games in my Steam Backlog (DONE)

My Steam backlog is super long, as of this writing there are 762 games under PC in my Backlog on HowLongToBeat.com! Granted, some of those may be multiplayer games, which I wouldn’t really count, so it could do with some cleaning up. Still, after cleaning it I no doubt would have hundreds of games from Steam to play through. The following list of games are those in my Backlog I intend to play before the other 752, but you never know - by the time I get to playing some of the them, my Steam library will probably have grown, and maybe something else will have pushed its way to the top!

Edit: I’ve since played through all the games on this list, and they all brought different great things to the table!

You’ll see a number of PC ports in this list. One of my favorite things about Steam are the steep sales games often see on the platform, so that leads me to pick up a game for PC over most any other platform if it has a PC port since I know I probably won’t get a better deal on a game’s console release.

Also, note that the release dates listed are for the Steam versions of these games. Whatever the Steam store page lists for release date and developer, that’s what I’ve put here!

10. Dishonored: Death of the Outsider

Edit: Finished! You can read my thoughts in this post. It’s spoiler-free, save for some screenshots revealing mission objectives but these are only spoilers if you want to go in without knowing what the missions are like.

Dishonored and its sequel blew me away with their steampunk, black magic-infused world and their play-your-way but remember the consequences approach to gameplay. Allowing you to be stealthy if you want to be, or loud and murderous if you prefer. Dishonored has never let me down in the past.

I’m hoping that statement remains true with Dishonored: Death of the Outsider. It contains new supernatural powers, as each new Dishonored title has, which should be fun to play around with!

9. Final Fantasy IX

Edit: Finished! What a great adventure, I can’t believe it took me so long to play it. It definitely lived up to the hype for me. I did a very brief mini-review of it in What I’m Playing No. 72, check it out if you want to hear more!

Originally released on the PlayStation in 2000, Final Fantasy IX has received rave reviews from both critics and fans alike. It’s now available on many platforms, including Xbox One, PS4, Switch, and, of course, PC.

Final Fantasy is a legendary series, but I’ve played basically none of the main numbered games. After hearing this entry hyped up a lot by one of my co-workers, I picked up Final Fantasy IX on a sale to try it for myself.

8. Undertale

Edit: I have since played and enjoyed Undertale! It was a unique experience, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a novel RPG. You can read more of my thoughts on it in What I’m Playing No. 71.

Undertale is an RPG with a unique combat system that’s turn-based with what’s described as a mini-bullet hell system. You can choose to spare the lives of the enemies you face, which has an affect on many aspects of the game.

People on the Internet are wildly in support of Undertale, and often write about what an incredible experience it is. I’m trying not to let that cloud but my judgment, but seeing so many people write good things about it, my hopes are pretty high for Undertale!

7. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II

Edit: Finished! I didn’t review this one since it feels odd to review the second game without also reviewing the first, and it’s been so long now since I played it that I don’t feel I’d be able to review the first game at all anymore. It was fun though, I’m definitely glad I got into this series!

Originally a PS Vita and PS3 title, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II got a very well received PC port in February of 2018, and as of this writing is scheduled to get a PS4 release quite soon, in June 2019. Trails of Cold Steel II is a JRPG with a fun turn-based battle system, charming characters, and a lot of lore.

Playing the first Trails of Cold Steel game on Steam was a lot of fun. It was excellent in its own right. But, from everything I’ve heard about this series, it only gets better the more into the lore you get, as the world building Nihon Falcom has done over several video game arcs is sometimes said to be second to none. The next step in getting deeper into this series for me will be Trails of Cold Steel II, and I am excited to join main character Rean Schwarzer again! There’s also Trails of Cold Steel III and IV, both of which have yet to see English releases, but III is scheduled to receive one in late 2019!

6. Tokyo Dark

Edit: Finished! Tokyo Dark wasn’t perfect, and seems like it didn’t quite reach its full potential, but it was still a good experience. Read more about my thoughts on it here.

Part Point and Click, part Visual Novel, Tokyo Dark combines the two to present a story about a detective in Tokyo investigating the disappearance of her partner. Exploration and puzzle solving await, if you can keep main character Detective Ito’s sanity intact long enough.

I enjoyed one of the last point and click games I played, Kathy Rain, quite a lot, so when I heard about Tokyo Dark it sounded interesting enough that I added it to my wishlist. Even though I don’t know a lot about this game, when I saw it was part of a Humble Bundle recently, I took a chance and picked it up. Let’s hope this gamble pays off!

5. Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Edit: Finished, and what a fantastic story it was! Read my spoiler-free thoughts on the main story here, and my thoughts on the post-game School Mode here.

Makoto Naegi and his classmates at Hope’s Peak Academy are exceptional Japanese high school students, living ordinary lives. All that changes when they suddenly find themselves imprisoned in the school by a strange bear creature named Monokuma. There’s only one way to escape: Monokuma has promised freedom to anyone who can murder one of their classmates and get away with it.

Originally released for the PSP in 2010, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc has since been ported to numerous systems, including PC. It’s a Visual Novel game where you investigate murders and play detective to try and solve them. I’ve not played a full-on Visual Novel game before, but from what I’ve heard, Danganronpa is probably a really interesting place to start. Of course, I’ve played games with some Visual Novel elements. The Persona series takes inspiration from them, especially the story mode in Persona 4: Dancing All Night, which is presented as a Visual Novel. I’ve heard so much praise directed at the Danganronpa series as a whole from YouTuber Austin Eruption that I’ve been convinced to try it myself!

4. Bayonetta

Edit: Finished! Bayonetta was a lot of fun, and very memorable! You can read my thoughts on it here!

Bayonetta is a hack ‘n’ slash game where you play as the character of the same name. Originally a PS3 and Xbox 360 game, the PC port is regarded very well, judging by reviews on the Steam page. The PC port promises smooth 60 FPS gameplay, HD graphics, which should allow the hack ‘n’ slash gameplay to truly shine in all its glory.

I only know Bayonetta from her appearances in Super Smash Bros., but she clearly has a lot of style. I’m assuming the same is true of her eponymous debut!

Edit: Finished! And with this, my Banner Saga trilogy experiences comes to an end. This was a great conclusion! I didn’t review it, but you can read about my playthrough of it in What I’m Playing No. 46 and What I’m Playing No. 47.

I loved the story Stoic presented through the first two Banner Saga games. The art and animation were also beautiful. Gameplay is fantastic as well, allowing plenty of room for strategy. Your choices impact what happens at certain junctions, and I love how this works in this world. It’s a bleak tale more often than not, but that’s a large part of its charm. In The Banner Saga 3, I’ll get to see the conclusion, and find out what everything has led up to. I’m excited!

2. Hollow Knight

Edit: Another one checked off the old backlog! I really enjoyed this one, you can check out my spoiler-free review of it here.

Hollow Knight is a Metroidvania, which means the gameplay involves some combination of common Metroid and Castlevania elements. For Hollow Knight, that means exploration, unlocking new powers that let you explore further, and combat that involves dodging, dashing, and slashing your way to victory. Hand-drawn 2D art completes the experience to bring the insect-riddled world of Hollow Knight to life.

Since its original PC release, it has been ported to all the major current generation consoles, and has received near universal acclaim. I’d love to see what it’s all about!

1. Valkyria Chronicles

Edit: Finished, and what a game it was! Read my full review here.

Valkyria Chronicles sounds it’ll be exactly my cup of tea. The way combat works seems vaguely reminiscent of one of my favorite overlooked games from the early 2000s, Future Tactics: The Uprising! I don’t know how closely the combat in each game actually compares though. It’s described as having real-time action elements and RPG elements, so that sounds fun enough in its own right. The graphics here seem really interesting too. They’re supposed to have a watercolor painting sort of look, which should be a unique and pleasing look.

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Top 10 Games in my Steam Backlog (DONE)

May 04, 2019

Top 10 Games in my Steam Backlog (DONE)

10. Dishonored: Death of the Outsider

9. Final Fantasy IX

8. Undertale

7. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II

6. Tokyo Dark

5. Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

4. Bayonetta

3. The Banner Saga 3

2. Hollow Knight

1. Valkyria Chronicles

Ben

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