Best Steam Summer Sale Deals: Day 7
Imagine what you could do with a whole week of deals!
What are the best Steam Summer Sale deals? Each day for the duration of the sale, we'll be offering our picks - based on price, what we like, and what we think more people should play. Read on for the five best deals from day 7 of the sale.
As I sit here jamming out to the Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition soundtrack, I'm reminded of an old adage my grandfather passed on to me, from his grandfather before him. "When E3 and Steam Sales peak simultaneously" he mumbled through dry lips and cracked teeth, "and the deals come in, remember..." he coughed quietly, my young mind unable to comprehend his words of wisdom nor his situation, "remember... only buy the daily deals."
I feel it is my duty to pass this knowledge onto you, dear readers, to do with as you wish. Perhaps you can decipher its meaning where I could not. Meanwhile, take a quick glance round our E3 2015 tag, as diligent newsers have been working night and day (mostly night) to bring you all the most pertinent info from LA.
The Dealspire Strikes Back:
5. Never Alone
60% off: $5.99 / £4.79 / €5.99, Store page
Stunningly lovely indie puzzle platformer about a native Alaskan girl and her white fox friend trying to stay alive in the cold wilderness. Made as a cultural education tool as much as a game, it succeeds rather marvellously at both, with all the usual platforming tricks and a set of videos from real-world Alaskans about the topics the game raises. John took a look at it pre-release in October.
4. Euro Truck Simulator 2
80% off: $4.59 / £2.99 / €3.99, Store page
Say what you like about Euro Truck Simulator, it does do what it says on the tin. Drive trucks in Europe, delivering packages around the continent driving hundreds/thousands of miles between cities. There's also the rather large complete collections containing way more roads 'n' places at large discounts. Tim Stone calls it the 9th best sim ever and Graham gave it some time with the Oculus.
3. South Park: The Stick Of Truth
66% off: $13.59 / £8.15 / €10.19, Store page
The comedy (sometimes 'comedy') cartoon's best game adaptation to date, developed by Obsidian, and that manages to bridge the gap between South Park fans and RPG fans. The Stick Of Truth inserts you into the world as your own character and letting you interact with all the show's protagonists. John gave it reviewy thoughts when it came out a year ago and a sequel of sorts has just been announced.
2. Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes
75% off: $4.99 / £4.24 / €4.99, Store page
The prequel/demo for the upcoming fifth and possibly final Kojima Metal Gear game. It's a single mission in the style of that game playable in an almost infinite number of ways. Some shout that it can be finished in 20 minutes, while others have sunk in 20 hours. If you like experimentation, stealth or just plan on picking up your first Metal Gear game this September and want to know what the deal is first, probably worth a pop. Big Boss himself Rich Stanton reviewed it for us.
1. Pillars of Eternity
33% off: $30.14 / £23.44 / €28.13, Store page
The hotly anticipated Kickstarter darling, released in March to feverishly fanatical CRPG fans. In the style of Baldur's Gate it's a pure D&D-alike fantasy biff-the-gobliner with an immensely huge and detailed world. The first expansion has just been announced, with new everything. John reviewed it in March, then followed up with some more spoilery thoughts. Adam gave it the ol' wordgasm shortly afterwards, focusing on how the game approaches storytelling.
From the comments yesterday there's three pretty major recommendations. If you're into jetting about looking at nice fields and things, Flight Simulator X is under £4. You probably know if you're into this kind of thing, but do read Tim Stone's thoughts on why it's the best Sim game ever made.
The Talos Principle is also hanging out at 66% off. It's had a much broader and more positive reception for a puzzle game than I've seen in years. According to the splash image it's about robots holding kittens but according to descriptions Serious Sam's Croteam somehow made a philosophical first-person game about exploring ancient ruins. Here's Pip's original review and why John thinks it's the 8th best puzzle game of all time.
Finally there's Driver: San Francisco at around £2.50, one of the most wonderfully absurd games I've ever played. You play a cop that drops into a coma (or does he?) and finds he's able to transport himself into the body of any driver. In San Francisco. Yeah, you get it. It immediately and hilariously goes off the rails, but it's worth the price just for the unexpected laughs. Alec reviewed it in 2011.
I'm going to write the day 8 version half-way through moving house tomorrow, so expect me to preoccupied with talk of boxes.