Steam Sale Writer’s Picks – August 31st

100 selling games

My goodness, it’s Wednesday already. Everything aches, but that’s a story for tomorrow, when I give you all a first hand account of the UK’s biggest gaming festival – Insomnia 58. Short of it is; I’m going to Insomnia 59.

This week’s deals are seriously good, so let’s see what I have picked out for you, if you care or whatever.

Prison Architect is a quarter of its usual price. If you’ve seen any gameplay, you’ll know what to expect. However, if you don’t know, you might feel a little curious about the title. It’s not a simulator game like the usual, as there is less of the shiny, square art design of Cities: Skylines or similar, and not so much concentration on infrastructure as you might expect. In its place is humour, and an endearing bunch of characters, which would usually be lacking in strategy/simulation/building games.

It’s an indie game, and as such means heart and soul has gone into making this what it is. It’s fun, witty and addictive. Different gameplay modes and creative space make replayability forever possible, any time you feel the pull.

You can also save 75% off Dragon Age: Origins if RPG fantasy is your bag. Dragon Age is paced slower than the Elder Scrolls titles or Final Fantasy, sure; but it far more intelligent and better written than Fable. I suppose you could compare it more to the Witcher games, as it features mature and modern concepts in the story and characters, but set in a centuries-old aesthetic.

Of course, these themes are evident in BioWare’s other franchises. KOTOR gave us an expansive Star Wars universe, aimed far more at the grown-ups than the kids. And Mass Effect was the sci-fi game we all wanted, complete with a host of characters we still hold close to our hearts today.

Dragon Age is a beautifully written RPG, with multiple paths and outcomes for you to take. It’s one to get lost in for hours, and to really put your own personality into.

Old school horror Obscure is half price this week. Yeah, so the first time you see it, it’s obvious. It’s a teen horror, be prepared for terrible jokes about sex, and annoying personalities. However, this series of supernatural horror events doesn’t take place during their summer break in a cabin, it takes place in the one building a teen would never expect. At school. I know what you’re going to say next; Silent Hill and Resident Evil. And yes, it totally takes influence from the horror genre giants, but the originality here is in the characters and gameplay. The action is fast-paced, and it’s co-operative. Dust off your buddy’s controller and invite them round for this one.

You have a choice of five characters to play, as you uncover the truth of mysterious disappearances and defeat terrifying monsters. There is some great reference to culture in the game too, from Buffy, to Britney Spears’ video for Hit Me Baby (One More Time).

If you want something special for your VR gaming experience, try Apollo 11 VR for 10% off. This is something of a unique experience rather than a beginning to end game, but I think it’s worth mentioning. It uses original archive audio and video, as well as accurate recreations of the landscape of the moon during the real Apollo 11 mission. It looks stunning, and is a great opportunity for a new way of learning and understanding the story. To me, it feels like a wonderful use of VR technology, and makes sense for the future of education and experience. I’m sure this is going to end up in the science museum, if it isn’t already.

Finally, I think it’s worth mentioning that the new Attack on Titan game has 17% off. Apart from the usual software and online teething issues, it seems as though it’s full of action and awesome gameplay. I can’t say much more on it, but I’m going to give it a go.

Another new release – Hue – has 20% off. This game has a special place in my heart already, as it was made by a friend of mine, and I know he has dedicated the best part of half a decade to it. The reviews are great, I’ve played it at various conventions, and it’s something pretty special.

The mechanic is what makes it, and it’s unique whilst being wonderfully simple. It’s a 2D platformer with depth, thanks to this mechanic. The foreground is covered in shadow, and the background is one bright colour. You take control of the character, and of the colour wheel, which determines the colour of the background. Depending on the colour, your path is uncovered, and you are able to solve puzzles. I don’t want to say much more, because I’m not doing it justice, so I will put the gameplay trailer here for you.

 

So, until next week, enjoy your gaming, and I will see you on the flipside. Whatever that means.