And just like that, it’s that wondrous time of year again, that time when Steam decides to let its hair down, grab a cocktail or two and celebrate its best life by offering us, its loyal users, some of the very best discounts thanks to the Steam Summer Sale.
The Steam Summer Sale is currently running and will last until the 11th of July. While there’s no better time to pick up that game you’ve been eyeing now that it’s on special, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by it all.
So, to help, I’ve compiled a list of some of the best-reviewed games we’ve covered here on NAG that are included in the Steam Summer Sale.
That way, you can catch up on our words, maybe find a new game, and save some bucks. What could be better?
Death’s Door
Price: R46 marked down from R185
Our rating: 98
Death’s Door is one of the most satisfying gaming experiences I’ve had in a game and when I finished it, I walked away craving more and with a feeling of accomplishment, which speaks volumes about how great the game truly is.
Dreamscaper
Price: R57 marked down from R230
Our rating: 98
If I ever lose my memory, I want someone to let me play Dreamscaper so that I can experience it again, for the first time.
The Last Campfire
Price: R14 marked down from R145
Our rating: 98
The Last Campfire is like a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter’s night; It’s like your mom reading you your favourite bedtime story as a child, and it’s like putting your music on shuffle and hearing exactly what you wanted. The Last Campfire is incredibly simple and straightforward, from the mechanics to the puzzles, making it a game that can be experienced all on your own to tune out the world around you or shared with your child, a younger sibling or even a friend.
Lost in Random
Price: R82 marked down from R549
Our rating: 98
It’s not every day that I finish playing a game and just sit there wishing I knew others who had also just finished it so that we could talk about our shared experience together. Yet, that’s exactly what I wanted to do with Lost In Random. I wanted to talk about it, I wanted to praise it, and I wanted to dissect every lost detail within it. Honestly, that level of engagement is why I can’t think of a game I’ve enjoyed playing more, and I don’t know when I’ll play something like it again.
Tunic
Price: R135 marked down from R270
Our rating: 98
Tunic has, without a doubt, set itself up to become a classic. It did everything right and made me feel like a kid again while playing it, something I’ve not experienced with a game for a long time. If you’re looking for a Zelda-esqe game experience as brutally challenging as it is adorably cute, then Tunic has been made just for you.
Pacific Drive
Price: R227 marked down from R379
Our rating: 95
No matter how often I took to the road in Pacific Drive, it was always a thrill to be back behind the wheel, and the time spent in the garage repairing and replacing parts of my car felt like a labour of love unlike any other game has managed to conjure.
Gris
Price: R29 marked down from R145
Our rating: 95
When I finally picked up Gris to play, I wasn’t in a great mental space. I found it very hard to allow myself to relax or focus on anything other than my looming anxiety. Within minutes of starting Gris, I felt at home and was so invested in the game that everything else in my life suddenly seemed to come into perspective and not seem so utterly overwhelming anymore. Gris is, without a doubt, a masterpiece of a game that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits
Price: R191 marked down from R479
Our rating: 95
Kena: Bridge of Spirits is many things, but at its core, it’s a story about the importance of being connected to the world around you. Through exploring the world, you’ll see Kena start to make meaningful connections with the Rot and, through doing that, slowly begin to restore the world to how it once was. It’s not the type of story that will have you moved to tears, but it is the type of story to warm your heart and give you fuzzy feelings when everything starts to pull together.
The Quarry
Price: R267 marked down from R1069
Our rating: 95
If you enjoyed Until Dawn or The Dark Pictures games, you will enjoy The Quarry. The Quarry never moves too far from Supermassive Game’s previous titles; instead, it takes a formula many love and improves upon it. The story is interesting, the characters feel like real people, for better and worse, and the world is oh so creepy – all the elements of a good horror. The Quarry is a horror game that will keep you in the dark with twists and turns but make you love every second of it. Overall, this game looks, feels and sounds better than anything Supermassive Games has done before. If you’re a fan of interactive horror games where your choices shape how the story pans out, this is the game for you.
Stray
Price: R165 marked down from R275
Our rating: 95
From beginning to end, Stray is an absolute joy of a game. Throughout the 6-10 hours of playtime, Stray never lets itself become overly complex, and the controls don’t require you to grow extra fingers to master. The difficulty also never even comes close to threatening your nine cat lives. Instead, Stay is a game that remains consistently entertaining, engaging and immersive – something many other games could do well to emulate.
Dysmantle
Price: R62 marked down from R185
Our rating: 90
While the world hardly needs more Zombie games, it does need more survival games like Dymantle. Instead of falling into the trap of becoming a time sink and feeling like a second job, the allure of Dysmantle is how easy it is to pick up, play for an hour and then leave again with no harm done. Dysmantle takes the best parts of survival games, Zombie games and resource management games and combines them into a gem of an indie that shouldn’t be missed.
Twelve Minutes
Price: R96 marked down from R240
Our rating: 90
Even though Twelve Minutes is a single-player game, it didn’t take long before I roped my partner into playing it with me and honestly, that’s the best way to experience it. Overall, Twelve Minutes is one of the most fun games I’ve played in a long while – Even if I found myself disappointed that I guessed the big plot twist before it could be revealed.
Gamedec
Price: R116 marked down from R292
Our rating: 90
Gamedec is one of the most engaging detective games I’ve played in a long, long while. There is an overwhelming amount of dialogue, an anxiety-inducing amount of conversations, and more clues than you’ll know what to do with. But at the same time, it’s also all of these elements that make every deduction feel rewarding and every solved case feel like an achievement.
Death Trash
Price: R148 marked down from R185
Our rating: 90
Death Trash was one of those late night, spur of the moment purchases that turned out to be one of the most fun indie games I’ve played in recent memory. It’s gross, fast-paced, intriguing and makes you feel like a complete badass. What more could you want.
Twin Mirror
Price: R114 marked down from R457
Our rating: 90
Ever since I played the very first episode of the very first Life is Strange game, I was sold on the way Dontnod not only told stories but in the way they made me a part of it. Twin Mirror is no different. If you’re looking to step into a life that’s not your own and feel wholly immersed in it for roughly 6-7 hours, then this is, without a doubt, the game for you.
Lacuna – A Sci-Fi Noir Adventure
Price: R22 marked down from R110
Our rating: 90
Lacuna was a game I had sitting on my wishlist since its launch but never got around to purchasing and playing. However, when I did, I found myself totally and utterly drawn in by the game and unable to pull myself away until the end credits rolled. Don’t let Lacuna pass you by if you’ve ever wanted to play a detective story where you aren’t spoon-fed, and instead, everything is in your hands.
Norco
Price: R72 marked down from R145
Our rating: 92
NORCO retains every bit of the magic that made me fall in love with the point-and-click genre as a child. However, instead of relying on my nostalgia for a simpler time, NORCO seems to see me for the sometimes sad, messy and chaotic adult that I am and manages to match that mood from beginning to end.
Cozy Grove
Price: R58 marked down from R145
Our rating: 91
Cozy Grove isn’t just any cosy game; it might just be the cosiest game of them all. Everything from the art to the writing to the world is delightfully charming, and I can’t wait to return to it day after day.
Sea of Stars
Price: R220 marked down from R315
Our rating: 90
Sea of Stars is a game that managed to recapture the very spirit of the games I grew up on but never lets itself fade with that familiarity. Instead, Sea of Stars reinvents a genre whose light has since faded with such spectacular mastery that in a sea of modern AAA games, it still manages to hold its own.
Eastward
Price: R138 marked down from R230
Our rating: 90
Eastward is a great game, that I thoroughly enjoyed. And although it pulls a lot of influence from many older generation titles, making it a reminiscent gem, it still sits at its own seat at the table.
And there you have it, a list of some of NAGs top reviewed games you can grab for yourself, right now, thanks to the Steam Summer Sale.
But now we want to know what games you have your eye on. Let us know in the comments, and let’s all be broke—but happy—together.