Quick – lock up your wallets! The Steam Summer Sale has come to an end, but not before the best of the deals return for one last swansong. If you were waiting to the last minute to make any purchases, or missed out on any deals, today is the day you should check out the Steam store and extend that game library of yours.
Here’s a reminder of our best picks of this year’s Steam Summer Sale.
Fraser’s Picks:
Where Grey Goo lets you command armies in a fancy sci-fi war,This War of Minegives you control over the victims of an all too human war. It’s part survival game, part management game, as you direct small groups of survivors in their rundown shelter and outside, where they can scavenge for supplies. It’s an overwhelmingly miserable game, full of bleak moral quandaries and even suicide attempts, but it’s also peppered with little glimmers of hope. It’s 60 percent off (£5.99/$7.99).
What a game. It’s been a great 12 months for RPGs, with the latest being the phenomenal Witcher 3, but even when surrounded by such good company, Obsidian’s Pillars of Eternity stands out. It’s got Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale and Planescape Torment DNA all over it, but it charts its own path, not relying on nostalgia.
An expansion was announced at E3, so you might want to pick up the core game. It’s not a particularly big discount, but I’d still recommend it even if it was smaller. It’s 33 percent off (£23.44/$30.14)
South Park: The Stick of Truth
With the sequel announced at E3, now would be a good time to take The Stick of Truth for a spin. The writing and gags tend to receive the most praise, but I think that the underlying RPG and exploration mechanics are equally worthy of note.
As an RPG, The Stick of Truth is simple, but it’s fat with gear and stats that work perfectly with the sometimes satirical, always puerile tone of the game and TV show, and it’s blessed with an expansive upgrade system and some light but rewarding Metroidvania style exploration. It’s 66 percent off (£8.15/$13.59)
Nick’s Picks:
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
It’s been a long time since we’ve had a proper good Lord of the Rings game, and Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor was a great interruption. You’re Talion, a ranger who was brutally murdered, only to be resurrected part wraith. Naturally, revenge is on your mind – but to get it, you’ll need to use wraith powers to control Uruks. There’s a fantasticNemesis systemtoo, which allows the baddest of the baddies to grow and gain power, while remembering all your previous encounters. It was ourFraser’s best game of last year. You should pick it up with its 50 percent discount for £14.99/$24.99.
I love horror games – yes, I’m quite into torturing my mind with terror and fear. Alien: Isolation is just as scary as the rest, while also demonstrating an insane level of commitment to recreating the Aliens world, just as it was back in the original movies. Creative Assembly really deserve a pat on the back for that. Make no mistake though – this is a proper survival horror game. If you’re looking to go shoot up some Alien butt, you’ll be poorly disappointed, and probably missing some limbs too. Again, it’s 75 percent off, reducing it from £31.99/$49.99 down to a stupidly good £7.99/$12.49.
What if I told you, that you can grab Bioshock, Bioshock 2, and Bioshock Infinite for the low, low price of £5.99/$10.48. That’s right – three fantastic games, for the same price of a cheap movie ticket. Add to Cart please.
Matt’s Picks:
Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition
Regardless of what edition this is, Sleeping Dogs is marvellous. A GTA-like crime sandbox, it transports the carjacking action from familiar USA locations to Hong Kong. Not only does this add a very different flavour to the look of the game, but Sleeping Dogs embraces eastern crime cinema with a massive bear hug. Martial arts close combat is how most encounters with gangs go down, and a great variety of contextual moves and fun combos make Sleeping Dogs a vicious, bone-crunching romp through the city’s criminal underworld.
At £4.99/$7.49, this is absolutely one of the best deals of the day. The Definitive Edition has fancier graphics and a bit of extra content, which is just an added bonus.
Of the last decade of Total War, Shogun 2 has been up there with the best of Creative Assembly’s long history with epic war games. Delicately balancing war, trade, expansion, and diplomacy, Shogun 2 feels as well crafted as a samurai blade. Of all the Total War games on offer today, Shogun 2 is the best buy at £12.49/$14.99. It’s the best balance of game quality to money value of the entire franchise.