Home Features Critical Hit List: 15 great games to get from the Steam Summer Sale

Critical Hit List: 15 great games to get from the Steam Summer Sale

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Steam’s sales have undoubtedly lost a bit of their sheen since moving to a more traditional format, but that doesn’t mean that you can;t pick up a worthwhile bargain – even if there’s probably too much to to wade through. Here’s a list of fifteen of our staff picks.

Shadow of Mordor – R59.80

mordor

Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor is a pretty good game, even if it did devolve in to a cycle of repetition. What made it stand out though was its unique Nemesis system, which upped the stakes in the war against Sauron and his legion or orcs. Some love it, some don’t – but for less than R60, it’s worth playing in anticipation for its seemingly much-improved sequel.

Torment: Tides of Numenera – R299

EndFathom-FCO-1

Many RPGs claim that choices matter, but few really feel like they do more than Torment: Tides of Numenera. The incredibly text-heavy RPG deals with failure in interesting ways, making them part of your narrative journey. It’s not for everyone, but those looking for a great RPG to sink their time in to will be rewarded.

Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition – R110.25

OriTough platforming attached to the MetroidVania format, plus an emotional narrative journey? That’s exactly what you’ll get in Ori and the Blind Forest, now bettered through its definitive edition that adds new content, new abilities and an easier way to traverse the world.

South Park: The Stick of Truth – R99.75

South-Park-The-Stick-of-Truth-Screenshot

The sequel to the most outrageous, faithful South Park game is coming in October – but if you haven’t played it, you may want to get up to speed by playing the first one. The Stick of Truth is a fantastic RPG in its own right, but its treatment of South Park and its characters are a highlight. It’s available for just R99.75.

Wolfenstein – R294/R109

Wolfenstein-The-Old-Blood

Both Wolfenstein: The New Order and its standalone expansion, The Old Blood, are on sale – R294 and R109 respectively. While the expansion is better value in the sale, they’re both worth your hard-earned cash, delivering some of the best single player FPS action in modern history, and the best Nazi violence since Richard Spencer got clocked in the face.

Batman Telltale Series – R94.15

batmantelltale

According to our resident Batfan, Telltale’s take on the Dark Knight is “The best Batman story ever committed to a video game format. Tense, surprising and bold with the direction that it takes the dark knight in.”

Portal 2 – R21.90

Portal_2_coop_jan_22_2

If for some reason you haven’t played Portal 2 (or you’ve forgotten that Valve actually made games, once upon a time) then you have no excuses left. The co-operative, mind-bending physics-based puzzle game is available for less than a fancy up of coffee, but infinitely more enjoyable.

Shadowrun Complete Collection – R112.48

shadowrun

Shadowrun is one of the most memorable tactical RPG series of the modern era. It’s the perfect blend of magic and machinery, with a great story-driven narrative, branching paths and gripping combat. And now, you can pick up every single game, along with every bit of DLC for close to nothing.

Hitman: The Complete First Season – R197.54

hitman

2016’s best game, in one complete package. Want dozens of hours of action and clever stealth gameplay in a murderous sandbox spread across several gorgeous and scenic locations? Then this is the game that you’ve been looking for, you twisted indiviual you

Bayonetta – R164.25

Bayo

Platinum Games’ wonderfully slick action game about a naked hair witch who kicks as much ass with her legs as she does with her guns is a masterclass in brawler action, and it’s finally on PC. In the first Steam sale since its release, you can now get it with a decent discount.

Skullgirls – R32.70

skullgirls_screen1

Most fighting games are tricky to get in to unless they’re based around existing properties. They dump players in 1v1 situations and expect them to just know what the hell is going on. Skullgirls is different, with a robust tutorial that tries to teach fighting game basics. It’s worth getting just for that, but it’s also an incredibly fast-paced, tight and balanced fighting game on its own.

Oxenfree – R54.75

Oxenfree

Oxenfree is at its core a 2D Telltale-like adventure game about a group of school friends reuniting to spend a weekend together on a small island, when one of the friends suddenly disappears. A very complex and emotional story with excellent voice acting, and multiple endings to boot.

Steamworld Heist – R54.06

Steamworld

Steamworld Heist is a 2D turn-based strategy game with RPG-lite elements. You and your team of trusty steambots raid enemy ships for loot and supplies. Missions are short so it’s an easy game to jump into for some quick gaming, but also has that “one more turn” addictive game play.

Life is Strange – R54.75

LifeisStrange

Not an action game like most entries on this list, Life is Strange is rather a game _about_ actions and the consequences that they carry. With a new prequel on the way, now’s the perfect chance to hop into the episodic tale of Max Caulfield as she finds that a picture is indeed worth a thousand words.

Crypt of the Necrodancer – R31.80

Crypt

A hardcore roguelike rhythm game? There are some things that, on paper, just don’t sound like they should work – but if you give Crypt of the Necrodancer a try, you’ll find that per is sometimes very wrong. Casting spells, moving and attacking to the rhythm of the beat is so, so right.

Last Updated: June 26, 2017

46 Comments

  1. Alien Emperor Trevor

    June 26, 2017 at 14:13

    I got stuck into Torment ToN properly yesterday, it’s damn good.

    Reply

    • Original Heretic

      June 26, 2017 at 14:44

      It’s freakin’ phenomenal. I was jamming it before my PS got stolen. I still have it, thankfully, but starting all over again is…daunting.

      Reply

  2. Ottokie

    June 26, 2017 at 14:22

    Crypt of the Necrodancer

    o/

    Reply

  3. Matthew Figueira

    June 26, 2017 at 14:32

    ORI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply

    • Captain JJ

      June 27, 2017 at 08:08

      Meh

      Reply

      • Matthew Figueira

        June 27, 2017 at 14:18

        O_O

        Reply

        • Captain JJ

          June 28, 2017 at 07:13

          I have the definitive edition, story and visuals are amazing but the gameplay is sub-par. Sawry

          Reply

          • Matthew Figueira

            June 29, 2017 at 08:26

            O_O!

  4. Matthew Figueira

    June 26, 2017 at 14:32

    Also, thanks for this. I asked Twitter this morning for some recommendations 😛

    Reply

    • Ottokie

      June 26, 2017 at 14:36

      Gonna main Breath of the Wild that I got recently right after my WoW time runs out, and have NieR as a backup. Then when I need to chill I am getting Subnautica.

      Should keep me busy for 2 months.

      Reply

      • Matthew Figueira

        June 26, 2017 at 14:42

        Finished two games this weekend, now maining Breath of the Wild too 🙂 I’m about 3 hours in.

        Feel like I need a secondary game though (you know, outside of Overwatch, CS, Dota 2, etc), so this list helps 😀 I can’t decide what to get from it though!

        Reply

        • Ottokie

          June 26, 2017 at 14:46

          And with SGDQ all of next week, I can sit on the couch with my blanky and watch the stream while playing BoW on the Switch.

          Reply

  5. Guild

    June 26, 2017 at 14:37

    There a couple of others I’m looking at:

    Enter the Gungeon – R79.50
    Unepic – R69.50
    Cities: Skylines – R99.12
    Lost Castle – R65.40
    Valdis Story: Abyssal City – R39.75
    Hyper Light Drifter – R109.50
    Banner Saga 2 – R109.50
    Ryse: Son of Rome – R54.75
    Downwell – R17.50
    Monkey Island: Special Edition Bundle – R39.75
    Inside – R131.40

    But my backlog says no more. I should finish what I have first

    Reply

    • Ottokie

      June 26, 2017 at 14:38

      My wallet says no~…but my body… MY BODY! says YES!

      Reply

      • Guild

        June 26, 2017 at 14:39

        I’m still thinking about it. Thing is I know I won’t get to any of these for another year or 2. So do I really need them now?

        Reply

        • Ottokie

          June 26, 2017 at 14:40

          I also only put a few things in my basket. They chop and change as I get more sense of what I actually need, and I will checkout way at the end of the sale xD

          Reply

          • Guild

            June 26, 2017 at 14:45

            Yip doing same thing. Adding and removing. Done it for 2 days now. I’ll decide by the weekend

    • miaau

      June 26, 2017 at 14:40

      Ryse: Son of Rome – R54.75

      so much fun, quick and amusing to play

      Monkey Island: Special Edition Bundle – R39.75

      i got tired very quickly, nostalgia only took me so far….

      Reply

      • Guild

        June 26, 2017 at 14:41

        I’ll probably get Ryse. The one I want to grab most and will get is Banner Saga 2. Really enjoyed the first one. Such a great game

        Reply

    • Skyblue

      June 26, 2017 at 15:12

      I thoroughly enjoyed Inside

      Reply

    • Captain JJ

      June 27, 2017 at 08:07

      Don’t hold your breath for Ryse. It looks better than it plays.

      Reply

      • Craig Lotter

        June 29, 2017 at 09:56

        What’s wrong with you? It’s fantastic – great story, great action. And on the short side meaning that it doesn’t overstay its welcome.

        Reply

  6. miaau

    June 26, 2017 at 14:39

    Well, “great” and “GREAT”.

    Baldurs Gate 1 & 2 Enhanced Edition

    Been wanting to replay them for a while now, might as well take that plunge at R74.10 each.

    So, out of this entire list, nothing. But I wan those two. GREAT

    Seriously though, some nice game choices out there for a steal.

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      June 26, 2017 at 14:42

      Torment is a spiritual successor to Planescape Torment, in case you didn’t know.

      Reply

      • miaau

        June 26, 2017 at 14:59

        Yeah, I know.

        Gameplay does get to me a little, based on what I saw.

        Started replaying Dragon Age Origins last night, on Xbox One now. Man, that game is one of the best story driven games I have played. Gets a bit fiddly at times, with a bit of grinding in the middle, but on the whole, especially narrative wise, I love it.

        Reply

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          June 26, 2017 at 15:04

          I sunk a good 5/6 hours into it yesterday.

          This made me giggle enough to take a screenshot:
          https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/33c5e78e006abe8fc4fd758ec52107e9999027c53d40b61912d064a5339f4c0a.jpg

          Reply

          • miaau

            June 26, 2017 at 15:44

            Can you rotate the camera from where you are now?

            CAUSE, Shadowrun, as above in list, is awesome, but you cannot really do that AND that is a huge deal breaker

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            June 27, 2017 at 06:50

            Actually not sure, haven’t tried.

        • Original Heretic

          June 26, 2017 at 15:05

          I can highly recommend the new Torment as well. Brilliant game.

          Reply

    • Original Heretic

      June 26, 2017 at 14:44

      Amazing games. Hell I loved those back in the day.
      And Icewind Dale 1 and 2.
      And Planescape: Torment.

      Reply

      • miaau

        June 26, 2017 at 15:01

        But Baldurs Gate always had the appeal for me.

        Reply

        • Original Heretic

          June 26, 2017 at 15:04

          Oh for sure, it was the cream of the lot with regards to gameplay.

          Story, I have to give to Torment, though, it was fantastic.

          Reply

  7. Original Heretic

    June 26, 2017 at 14:46

    Seeing these prices for these awesome games makes me want a gaming PC again, just so that I can buy Steam games.

    Reply

  8. Craig "CrAiGiSh" Dodd

    June 26, 2017 at 14:58

    Bought myself Shadow Warrior 2, Dead Cells and Domina so far.

    Might sell a few steam items to get 1 or 2 more games :3

    Gaben’s powers are too strong over me.

    Reply

  9. Skyblue

    June 26, 2017 at 15:11

    So I finally purchased Far Cry 4 only to discover Ubishit have enabled 2 step verification on my account. Guess who can’t play his game because these guys have useless customer service.

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      June 26, 2017 at 15:30

      I almost picked that up too. Might still before the sale ends, will see.

      Reply

      • Skyblue

        June 26, 2017 at 22:06

        Steam refunded me in less than 15 minutes after complaining about how Ubishit couldn’t assist me after a full 24hrs. I will now download this title and play it dishonestly as Ubisoft do not care about their customers at all. This after being patient for a while to play this title.

        Reply

  10. Kromas Ryder

    June 26, 2017 at 15:57

    State of Decay YOSE
    7 Days to Die
    DOOM
    The Long Dark

    Diablo 3 Necromancer pack*

    *Not a steam game,not on sale,hell not even in the store yet,tommorrow 11pm! (or 12 I am never sure these days)

    Reply

  11. Captain JJ

    June 27, 2017 at 08:08

    Though Oxenfree is a fun game, there are much better ones to get in that price range tbh.

    Reply

  12. ElNicko

    June 28, 2017 at 07:10

    Witcher 3 game of the year edition with all the bells and whistles for R250

    Reply

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