Now that Steam’s servers have recovered from the devastating horde of bargain hunters who arrived when the Steam Winter Sale started last night, we can look at what’s worth buying. Normally at RPS we make a large number of recommendations from the whole gang, but everyone else has already resigned for the year so it’s just me and my actual opinions. Probably the best RPS recommendations ever, I would imagine.
For your convenience in the budget, I have ordered recommendations by price.
Post Void – £ 1.56 / € 1.67 / $ 2.00 (33% off)
While sin was well into Post Void, I never got to try FPS which she called “a masterpiece of compulsive movement and hypnotic, irresistible sounds.” It was not expensive in the first place but now it is less. So I just bought it.
Night Depanneur – £ 1.59 / € 1.59 / $ 1.99 (60% off)
On a rainy night, go into a Quebecois corner store to find the perfect gift for someone waiting at home. Great play first-person exploration game with a lot to point out and talk about with the store owner. Lots of secrets to reveal too. I meant to write about this but never did and I’m sorry.
Devil Daggers – £ 1.99 / € 1.99 / $ 2.49 (50% off)
This murderous scorer FPS is still one of the coolest and best sounding games.
Wide Ocean Big Jacket – £ 2.31 / € 2.63 / $ 3.19 (60% off)
A niece, her aunt and uncle and her special friend go on a camping trip in their charming story from the creators of Little Party. It’s a piece of life, a weekend where maybe nothing huge happens but people grow. Mort is also a wonderfully funny force of evil.
Tales From Off-Peak City Vol. 1 – £ 3.59 / € 4.09 / $ 4.99 (50% off)
Oh what is this, another weird first-person exploration of Alice? Yes. But also! Our Nate, who is usually wary of anything that does not involve stamina or spears, was happy about Off-Peak City. It got a place in our Advent calendar this year.
American Truck Simulator – £ 3.74 / € 4.99 / $ 4.99 (75% off)
If you are unsure, continue with the truck. The older expansions with extra states are also on sale, with the oldest at a 70% discount.
Yakuza 0 – £ 3.74 / € 4.99 / $ 49.99 (75% off)
It’s hard to believe that £ 4 can contain so much joy. Sega’s troublemaker RPG prequel introduces two of the best boys in the game, two punchdads with hearts of gold who help sad children one minute and then obliterate quarrels by swinging one bike the next. Yakuza 0 goes hard on all aspects and takes silly side issues as seriously as it does crime drama. God, what a game.
Doom – £ 4.49 / € 5.99 / $ 5.99 (70% off)
Honestly, I had given up the remnants of Id Software that made a good FPS again. Whew!
Hollow Knight – £ 5.49 / € 7.49 / $ 7.49 (50% off)
Didn’t play it myself, but everyone I know who loves it so I might be fine. This is a recommendation on behalf of Imogen, I guess.
Infra – £ 5.94 / € 6.99 / $ 7.49 (75% off)
A first-person explorer located in a European city on the brink of disaster. So we’re probably some kind of supercop who saves the day with gun kill, right? No friend, we are an infrastructure analyst who is sent to inspect bridges and dams along a river, take pictures of code breaches and solve machine puzzles. Sometimes it feels like Deus Ex was a first-person puzzle game? And sometimes it feels like … I’m not even sure. Really surprised and happy about this, some rough and too long sections aside. I do not know any other game that opens with us giving a Powerpoint presentation. And for fans of Source Engine, oh boy, this is the Sourceiest-lookin ‘Source game that Source ever made.
Stardew Valley – £ 7.36 / € 9.37 / $ 9.99 (33% off)
Christmas in the distance? Do it in Stardew multiplayer. Just got a major update and added a beach yard as well.
In other waters – £ 7.63 / € 8.36 / $ 10.04 (33% discount)
Exploring an alien ocean is well up my street, and Alice Bee’s review encounters it in my basket.
Deus Ex Collection – £ 7.79 / € 10.60 / $ 10.60 (88% off)
It’s all Deus Ex, all games and all expansions, for £ 8. They are also discounted individually but damn, £ 8.
Slay The Spire – £ 9.74 / € 10.49 / $ 12.49 (50% off)
We have a lot of tire building roguelikelikes around these days, but this is my favorite. The world is fun and interesting for imagination (ohhh!) And the cards give a solid feeling of playing as a person. I think the decisions about run-building are a very appealing process. It is good.
Cloudpunk – £ 11.38 / € 13.39 / $ 13.39 (33% off)
The starting point for delivery packages to a cyber-future city in a flying car got this on my wish list, and the latest addition of a first-person mode has got it in my basket.
Paradise Killer – £ 11.61 / € 12.59 / $ 14.99 (25% off)
Embark on a failed paradise to solve a murder and learn more about the strange and terrible cruelty on which everything is based. Not a huge discount but damn, the game has not even been out four months. While I die a little every time we say “Nani damn?”, I’m a craving for a game that lets me waste my own blood on a shrine.
Outer Wilds – £ 11.69 / € 12.59 / $ 14.99 (40% off)
Another mystery to solve! Only this one is put over a very small solar system that runs on a 22-minute time loop. Picking up on his many sci-fi mysteries is wonderful, and I like that everything that runs on simulations of gravity and traction that can sometimes feel punishing. It’s like being in several episodes of Star Trek TNG, just everyone is nice.
Heaven’s Vault – £ 11.99 / € 13.19 / $ 14.99 (40% off)
Another mystery! This is solved by words and reveals the secrets of ancient civilizations by learning languages as you travel through the stars. Excellent.
Monster Train – £ 13.64 / € 14.69 / $ 17.49 (30% off)
This would be my second favorite lately roguelikelike. Imogen and James also liked Monster Train enough to give it a place in the RPS Advent calendar.
Hades – £ 15.59 / € 16.79 / $ 19.99 (20% off)
Not a huge discount, but how else will you understand all the horny memes that your friends publish? The roguellike hack ‘n’ slash game from Bastion and Pyre devs Supergiant is also pretty good.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection – £ 17.99 / € 23.99 / $ 23.99
Who is this master chef whose cooking has been so exciting for Xboxeers for so many years? You can find out in this great suite of PC reissues, minus Halo 5 because Microsoft is trying its best to pretend it never happened. I’ve only played Halo: Reach so I never learned the secrets of his buttery biscuit base and maybe catch up now. The games are on Game Pass, mind you, so you can only check them out over a month or two of it for cheaper.
Crusader Kings 3 – £ 33.59 / € 39.99 / $ 39.99 (20% off)
The discount is not huge but it’s Crusader Kings, honey! This one is also on Game Pass, but is a game you can play for several years. Given Paradox’s propensity to renovate and expand games in updates, it can be quite different (and better!) Across the aeons.
Half-life: Alyx – £ 34.86 / € 37.49 / $ 44.99 (25% off)
If you can afford a VR headset, do you really need discounts on VR games? Yes, because you are saving to buy Cybershoes.
I’m sure you also have recommendations, dear readers – what games and discounts do you want to highlight?