‘I am a big roguelike guy, but also a fan of minimalism and elegance’: Sam Barlow, creator of Her Story, guides us through the games in his Steam Library
PC Gamer’s Disk Cleanup feature explores the Steam library of Sam Barlow, a pioneering figure in interactive fiction and game design. Barlow rose to prominence in game development with his early work on choose-your-own-adventure game Arrival, followed by contributions to titles including Ghost Rider and Silent Hill: Shattered Memories.
Barlow is best known for creating Her Story (2015), a landmark detective game that blended full-motion video with investigative branching narrative gameplay. The title helped establish and pioneer the detective game genre, showcasing Barlow’s innovative approach to combining live-action video with interactive storytelling mechanics.
More recently, Barlow has taken on the role of director for Half Mermaid, continuing his experimentation with narrative-driven game design and the integration of live-action video elements. The article profiles Barlow through the lens of his personal Steam library, with the creator discussing his gaming preferences, which range from roguelike games to minimalist and elegant design philosophies.
The Disk Cleanup feature is a recurring PC Gamer series that provides insight into the gaming habits of notable figures in the industry, exploring questions about their desktop organization, most-played titles, and games they consider essential enough to never uninstall. Through this feature, Barlow offers a window into the games that have influenced his own design philosophy and creative direction across his career.