My gaming backlog is so massive it could be considered a threat to national security. It’s especially bad on Steam, where seasonal sales and Humble Bundles grow my library faster than I can install a single game.

These are the titles I absolutely want to play next. They’re all at zero minutes of play on Steam, and I haven’t touched them on other consoles either. Try not to judge me too hard when you see my list and decide to label me a fake gamer. 

1. Soulflow (2022)

I don’t even know what bundle this game came in. To be honest, I’m not even sure how long it sat in my library before I realized it existed. But the art style looks really unique, and that’s capturing my attention. Despite the “Positive” listing in its description, the reviews seem mixed because the game is short, or incomplete. Honestly—that’s fine for me. A quick playthrough just to appreciate the art sounds exactly like what I need.

2. Dead Space (2008)

I’m pretty sure I own this game on a few systems. And it’s in both my Steam and EA accounts. Somehow, despite being incredibly interested in it, I haven’t so much as installed it. It’s practically a must-play on the Darkstar Shady list of interests, so I really need to get my act together. A Resident Evil-inspired space game? Figure your time out and get to playing, Darkstar.

3. Portal 2 (2011)

I feel like this doesn’t fit my aesthetic, but sometimes I crave puzzles. I’ve played the first, but never opened the second. I know I bought this game on its own. No bundles or accidents. I sought out Portal 2 and added it to my library with every intention of playing it. And then I just ignored it. Oops. I really need to install this just to play a level or two in between other games. 

4. Firewatch (2016)

This game is another that I don’t remember being added to my library, but I’m so glad it is there. Over the past couple of years, I have discovered a love of full-cast audio dramas. One of them, Tower 4, is apparently heavily inspired by this game. Pair that with me trying to branch out and learn to enjoy different genres of games, and Firewatch is very high on the list of games I want to play.

5. Watch Dogs (2014)

There’s debate online about whether this is a game that fits into the cyberpunk genre. But it’s close enough that when I searched online for games like Cyberpunk 2077, Watch Dogs was on the list. I bought the whole series last year during a Steam sale and I am dying to play them. My biggest hangup? Whether to play on my PC or in bed on my Steam Deck.

6. Dystopika (2024)

This one is a more recent purchase. It’s Sim City meets Cyberpunk in the game of my dreams. I love Sim City, even though I am awful at it. The fact that it has no goals and just lets you build sounds perfect. I did recently install Dystopika, so it’s very close to getting out of my backlog.

These games are all queued up in my brain and I want to dive right in and finally start (and finish) them all. But they may end up there a bit longer since I recently started playing Spider-Man 2 on PS5.