It feels like it’s been more than a week since I was last here… what’s happened? I’m confused. My life has taken a dramatic turn in that I now have four days off a week in order to try and contribute to society in some way. The days go slow. However, this weekend means EGX fun times with Chris, so let’s get the next two days over with so I can play Final Fantasy XV before all you scrubs. In the meantime, enjoy my picks from the Steam sale this week.
A heap of huge franchises, especially from Eidos, are on offer in anticipation of Q4 of the year, before Christmas and after the lull of the summer. I’m going to focus on these, rather than some of the more indie titles, because I believe they are deserving of my love and praise. Some of them take me right back to a simpler time of life, where your favourite celebrities were still alive, and we weren’t living in an age where a new Metal Gear game was a bad thing.
Firstly, the Sleeping Dogs Definitive Edition is a quarter of its usual selling price. It’s been two years since the release of the updated game, and it looks absolutely beautiful. The game itself was a joy when it was first released in 2012, providing a sandbox set in Hong Kong, reminiscent of a movie. GTA V was still a year off, and while San Andreas is a gorgeous place, it lacks the closeness and hustle of a city like Hong Kong. Sleeping Dogs captures that so well, thanks to it being made by a company synonymous with stunning set pieces.
The voice acting and script are just as polished, as is the carefully put together soundtrack, offering something for everyone. Gameplay is robust and smooth as you transition between combat, freeroaming and driving. Somewhat of a ‘level-up’ system is implemented as your experience grows, which drew from innovations from GTA: San Andreas. It was a great thing to capitalise on, after criticisms popped up about Rockstar North doing away with some of these for GTA IV. It’s a great sandbox title, with a cliched movie-like storyline about the underground life of Hong Kong, set to an appropriate soundtrack and gorgeous updated graphics.
The Deus Ex titles, excluding the new one – Mankind Divided – are all down to a quarter of the price, and the bundle is available with an amazing 81% off. Maybe you are new to the franchise, maybe you’ve tried the epic new release, or even the previous title, but not had a go at the older ones. Why not see where it all began, and exactly how the story has expanded?
The Deus Ex titles are all action role-playing in first person. The story is advanced by linear missions, upgrades to items and weapons, and a cyber-punk dystopian future setting, reminiscent of the Terminator or Equilibrium movies. Your character is caught up, trying to fight the good fight, then it gets blurred. You know how these things are. It’s a great series to play through, and without a doubt it’s one to grab at such a great price.
Another classic Square Enix/Eidos franchise on offer is Just Cause. Again, they are all 75% off, with the bundle excluding the most recent game – Just Cause 3 – with 71% off, only a few coins more than buying one of the titles on its own.
Just Cause is another sandbox behemoth, this time set in an expansive environment, based on places in the Caribbean and Malaysia. It’s your job to bring down corruption and criminality in the government, on behalf of the US. You’re essentially a secret agent, but with the charm and style of a Tarantino character. Sounds like the best thing ever, right? It pretty much is. You get to collect heaps of fun weapons, drive around the map in a host of crazy vehicles, do what you want to the residents of the land, and make more explosions happen than you ever dreamed. Environments are nicely destructible to a certain point, in order to take down the evil powers, and you can get deliveries of weapons and vehicles at any time. Thanks go to the CIA for that. Finally, the mechanic which made this game stand out, and was improved on as time went on, was the grapple and parachute system. It meant that no area was unreachable, and fall damage could potentially be obsolete. Of course, that depends on the individual player’s reaction times, especially with a Michael Bay film taking place in your face.
If you fancy something a little less action, a little more refined and sexy, and a little too grown up for most, the Hitman titles are part of the Eidos bundle, 75% off and 60% off the franchise. As with the previously mentioned games, Hitman’s most recent titles – Hitman and Hitman: Absolution – are not included in the sale. I watched the trailer for Assassin’s Creed – The Ezio Collection, and fell in love with the whole thing over again, mostly thanks to Jesper Kyd’s untouchable soundtrack. That got me thinking, and I found him on Spotify. Cue me losing my mind to his soundtrack for Hitman: Contracts. It is undoubtedly my favourite title in the franchise, and I can’t help but picture my 18-year-old self – when the game was first released on console – shouting to my then boyfriend (now husband) to take the club mission super slow in order for me to appreciate the banging industrial club tune…
Apart from that, however, the gameplay of the older games can feel heavy and frustrating, but this is a style that gets better with practice and age. You must stealth your way through missions, finding ways to complete your objectives by using initiative and quick-thinking. There may be elements of trial and error in regards to some objectives, but there are many ways to finish the main part of each mission, making replaying missions a key selling point. Of course, you can go in all guns blazing, but you don’t get the satisfaction from it. If you want that, stick to Just Cause.
At the games’ releases, the set pieces were another part of what made them so good and popular. In the same way as other Square Enix/Eidos games, the atmosphere created by these sets and graphics completely involve you in the story, and before you know it, you’re invested and it’s next Tuesday.
EGX goers get a look at an exclusive mission for the recent episodic release simply titled Hitman, which I’m super excited about, so stick around this weekend to hear about it!
Another darker franchise from Eidos, also based on stealth, is Thief. All the games are part of this same deal, and the bundle for all of them has 72% off. This is one I’ve not played myself, but it looks to be in the same vein, full of glorious set pieces, music, and driven by a captivating storyline. It’s set in a dark fantasy, medieval world full of corruption and hidden agenda. I’m giving it a good go whilst trying to do the whole contribution to society thing. Wish me luck with that. I have a feeling stealth action is going to take precedent.
Steering away from Eidos and Square Enix, in anticipation of the new game out on October 21st (oh my days, I want it now), Civilisation V and all the add-ons are all down by 75%, with the bundle of III to V being half price. I’ve spoken about Civ before, I just wanted to give you all a heads up, reminding you that I absolutely adore this series, and that you’ll find me playing VI on the day of release, I’m sure.
Special mention this week to Farm for your Life which is half price, and Ragdoll Runners, which has 20% off. Both titles are indie, casual and full of laughs. Farm for your Life is a farming sim that looks like a cross between Harvest Moon and The Walking Dead. I never thought I’d say that sentence. You are living in a community of apocalypse survivors, trying to bake your daily bread whilst keeping it safe from zombies. It’s catchy and I love the mashing of the genres. Might even be a fun alternative for the kiddies.
Ragdoll Runners is just hilarious. It’s one of those physics games, where you have to use your controller like you’re flying a helicopter in a storm. All you have to do is get to the end of the race, or do a long jump. It’s a perfect party game to play with your buddies, and most definitely will result in salty-ness.
That’s me out for the week. Look out for my reports on EGX over the weekend and into next week, and I will see you all on the flipside yo.
