The final day of the Steam Summer Sale is now upon us, and if you haven't grabbed the games you were ogling for the past week, now would be prime the time to do so. Since the sale isn't over just yet, allow me to give you a few more recommendations to hopefully guide you towards some interesting games to pass the summer heat with.
As before, all of the games on this list have been chosen based on two simple criteria, their quality and the depth of their discount, while the order in which they appear is completely and utterly random:
BattleBlock Theater belongs in a very small group of games that have managed to successfully pull off the "lol so random" type of humor. The cinematics are extremely charming and often hilarious, the voice acting is spot on for what the developers were trying to convey, and the action itself is well worthy of praise. If you're interested in an action-platformer with a "story" to tell, then you should definitely give BattleBlock Theater a try. Better yet, play it in co-op because nothing is funnier than throwing your friends down into a pit of acid... as long as you aren't the one that's constantly being thrown down there anyway...
Wolfenstein: The New Order (-50%)
Wolfenstein: The New Order appeared during an era where most other shooters were trying to be completely serious while painting themselves gunmetal gray, dirt brown, and puke green. Wolfenstein, true to its tradition, ignore all of that and instead focused on one thing and one thing only, the gunplay! There's a wide variety of weapons, every single one of them satisfying to use, and a whole bunch of Nazis standing in your way, the rest I do believe you can guess. If you're interested in an FPS that's completely shameless about its thirst for violence, then give The New Order a try. Its some of the most fun run & gun gameplay I've experienced in a very long time.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (-50%)
At no point in my life could I consider myself good at any version of Counter-Strike, yet I own and have played every single one of them. The combination of complex shooting mechanics, even more complex squad based tactics, and the fact that both friends and foes drop in a single bullet or two have proven to be simply irresistible, both to me and the by now massive CSGO community. If you're interested in playing a tactics orientated shooter that will punish you for your mistakes, reward you for clever play, and teach you how much you truly suck in the grand scheme of things, then I fully stand behind CS:GO. It really is a one of a kind game.
Do you remember how back in the day Fable was advertised as an RPG where every single thing you did would matter in the end, where every enemy you killed or spared would change the course of the game forever? If you do, feel free to forget all about that because its all a blatant lie. Fable is instead a charming action RPG with plenty of enemies to smack around, a good variety of overpowered weapons and spells to employ against anyone that dares stands against you, and a world that is just too silly to ever take seriously. If you're looking for a relaxing experience where you can just turn off your brain and beat up some werewolves, Fable Anniversary is your game, but if you're looking for a story and deep RPG mechanics, then run far, far away.
Pillars of Eternity started out as a spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale and Neverwinter Nights, and by Grognak's Hammer it manages to do just that. The combat is essentially a modern take on classic D&D combat, the supporting characters are all fully fleshed out and interesting enough to fill out a game of their own, and the main story will keep you chained to your bedroom for many, many days. If you're looking for an oldschool RPG, but without any of the oldschool flaws and clunky mechanics, then you will find what you seek in Pillars of Eternity. And if you end up enjoying it, make sure to consider the DLC as well, its pretty damn good!
And there you have it, the final batch of recommendations for this year's Steam Summer Sale. I thank you for listening to my inane ramblings for well over a week now, and I hope you've managed to find at least one game that brings you joy.
If you're interested in more recommendations, may I suggest you check out my "You Should Try" series. Its a series of articles (and videos) where I'll showcase you a game I really enjoy while explaining what exactly makes it fun. This can be any game, new or old, indie or AAA, the only requirement is that it has to be something I've found myself greatly enjoying and in need of sharing with the world. I've recently done an article on Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, quite possibly the best kart racer ever made, so give it a look, it might be just up your alley.