The Steam summer sale is underway, and with it comes a rather unique event that sends users scouring through the pages of Valve’s store in search of “the ten best games from the far future,” which have all been stolen by time-travelling trickster Clorthax. The names and locations of the game are a mystery, but one clever user has found a sneaky shortcut to tracking them down.
The only clues provided by Clorthax to the game’s identities are vague, rhyming sentences – and, even if you were to cheat and look up the game names for yourself, you aren’t allowed to just stick them into the search box. The only way to ‘solve’ the puzzles is to browse through the store until you spot them.
It’s all a clever, if fairly transparent, ruse to get you to scroll and click through as many different upcoming games on the store as possible, of course – with the hope that your eye will be caught be a selection of deliciously tempting deals along the way that you find too good to pass up. Thankfully, there is a cunning workaround.
Reddit user SirPrize posted their quick trick to the Steam subreddit, and we can confirm that it works like a treat. Here’s the step-by-step guide:
- From the event page, click the “go find it” button next to your clue to head to the appropriate store page.
- Next, click one of the subcategories at the top (you can safely ignore the ‘featured’ tab).
- Scroll right down to the very bottom of the page, where you should see a horizontally scrolling list of upcoming games.
- Tab through this upcoming list, looking for a game with a price tag in a strange format – most likely priced at ‘TH.4X’ – and you’ve got your answer.
- Just click on it and you’re done! If you don’t see the game, move to the next subcategory and try again.
This trick is much quicker than trying to fruitlessly scan through every game on offer – and might save you falling to as much temptation at the hands of the sales. There’s even a handy video example in the Reddit post linked above if you’re still confused. Completing the event will net you a Clorthax’s Paradox Party badge and a new look for your profile.
In other Steam news, Final Fantasy VII Remake is now on the storefront, and it’s verified for Steam Deck. Speaking of which, people trying to get their hands on Valve’s handheld gaming PC are now being given a second chance to purchase one if they miss their initial email window.