Game is showing as installed but it isn't

[döner kebab]

I was trying to mod a game and I messed it up, so I deleted the folder for the game from /Steam/steamapps/common/ and I either can't find the backup I made or I was an idiot and didn't make a backup in the first place. Now Steam says the game is installed but when I run it it just makes a new folder in the directory with 2 folders called Saves and Preferences, both of which just have Steam config files. I've tried uninstalling the game through Steam, but that doesn't seem to do anything either. Anyone else able to help?

[Iceira]

You need to reinstall after the wipe any game folder there get delete then game is gone as installed game content, most game user Document folder or old game us own library
even seen some use steam own place under userdata and some under windows profile even local hidden folder.

And you make a mistake not tell what game, many can help with where it is.

ps.
almost forgot MS-onedrive as save location, as you see its not that simple anymore.

Do note some games only work then mods is there ( aka syrim and load order can matter.
so that game you modder might need a game save from before you add a new mod.

Aka shogun2 total war , dont like add and remove mods doing a campaign, so it has consequence of change its dlc's and mods doing it. ( this is know by many , its actual same issue with skyrim, you cant expand a area with it or remove it again entries in the data is already added to that save game, you need a save gasme from before that. ( but skyrim is most more forgiven then other games, they also had title and experience with it now )

Now where you are in all of this and have the same game or not, and want to restore it from there
dont forget asdk own game hub, they know way more then you think.

you might want to find game config/save game and rename it to .old folder and same with steam install location, check for leftover files ( as i read it should not be there after wipe ) problem is now you try uninstalled so something is there now maybe.

i try explan it so its now should work as fresh install, this is what we did then testing mod issue way back then 2 or more mods might give issue with each other.

if you cant install it then security could have happend you need to whitelist steam.exe and reboot and try again.

[ReBoot]

Verify the local game content.