We are currently half way through the Steam Summer Sale, and unlike the usual mid-sale lull that appeared in the past there is to be no respite this time around as the storefront is filled to the brim with a whole variety of games vying to get your undivided attention.
As before, I am here to offer you my humble recommendations on what exactly to grab during today's sale. I've chosen all of the following games based on two criteria, their quality and the depth of their discount, while the actual order of their appearance is completely random. With that said, let's get straight to it:
I am a big fan of Telltale's work, and as you may have noticed throughout these articles, I've recommended nearly every single one of their modern games. However, while The Walking Dead and Tales from the Borderlands are amazing pieces of gaming storytelling, neither of them come close to capturing the same emotions and atmosphere as The Wolf Among Us. The characters are memorable, the writing is impeccable, and the story will keep you guessing until the very end. If you enjoy narrative driven games, and especially if you enjoy Telltale's other works, you owe it to yourself to try The Wolf Among Us, its quite possibly Telltale's best.
Shadowrun Complete Collection (-79%)
Continuing on with the narrative-driven gameplay theme we have the Shadowrun series, a bunch of Cyberpunk RPGs with some surprisingly engaging gameplay mechanics, and unsurprisingly compelling storytelling. What initially drew me into Shadowrun was the idea of technology and magic coexisting in the same world, but what made me a true fan of the series was the compelling cast of characters, intriguing storytelling, and a world filled with so many secrets I may never find all of them out. If you're a fan of RPGs, especially those based around turn-based combat, then give Shadowrun a try, its well worth the time.
Do you like shooting guns? Do you like ridiculously big guns? Do you like shooting your ridiculously big guns at even more ridiculously big enemies? If the answer is yes, then you will without a doubt enjoy the Serious Sam franchise. There is no story, there is no character development, its just you (and maybe your friends), a whole assortment of deadly weaponry, and enough enemies to fill out a single Call of Duty map three times over. If you're looking to unwind after a long day at work, or just want something fun to do in the background as you chat with your friends, then Serious Sam is here to offer exactly that type of "brainless yet surprisingly fun" entertainment.
After years and years of shitty sequels and reboots, Lara Croft finally got a break with the aptly named Tomb Raider. She became more interesting as a character, the story made slightly more sense than usual, and the gameplay was taken to a whole new level. While it doesn't offer anything truly unique, Tomb Raider is a blend of everything an action adventure needs in order to keep the player occupied. Plenty of niche weapons, a decently well done stealth system, and a whole bunch of enemies to creatively take down. You won't ever hear me say that Tomb Raider is a flawless game, but if you're looking to explore some ruins and just have a jolly old time for a couple of hours, then by all means, give it a try.
Yes, I'm actually being serious. While the whole truck simulator genre might be easy to dismiss as something only clinically insane people would be willing to do for fun, I can't deny how enjoyable it is to drive a gigantic truck around Europe while listening to either music or a podcast. I'm aware Euro Truck Simulator 2 is not going to be a game for everybody, but if you're the type of person that enjoys simply relaxing alongside your games, then this might just be the one for you. The gameplay is interesting enough to keep you engaged, but not complex enough to take your full concentration away, so just put on an interesting podcast or audiobook, pick a route, and enjoy the scenery!
And there you have it, these are all of my recommendations for today. As always, I suggest you take the time to dig through the Steam Store in order to find the sort of niche games only you might be interested in, as they are bound to be out there somewhere, even if they're not as heavily advertised on the front page. If not, you are always welcome to come back tomorrow and see what Day 7 brings with it.