Steam Summer Sale 2021 has started
The Steam Summer Sale is an annual event that runs for about 2 weeks usually. Lots of games on Steam's gaming platform are discounted at that time. If you are a Steam gamer, you may find discounts for games that you are interested in, or discover new games using various game exploration options.
First the basics: discounts are fixed during the Summer Sale. There are no Flash Sales or anything else that would offer larger discounts. Previously, Steam offered these and many gamers waited until the last day of the Sale before they made their purchases to make sure they got the best deal.
Valve claims that thousands of games are discounted. Some are not, which is true for new games usually but also some other games, as it is up to the publisher or developer to join the sale and offer discounts.
The "game" that Valve creates for each Summer Sale mimics roleplaying adventure books in which you are presented with several choices and read on based on the choices you make. It is basic, and you may unlock stickers in the process.
Game Suggestions
As always, here is a short list of games that you may want to take a look at. Obviously, they are a personal choice, and if you are not into the genres they cover, they are not for your. Feel free to add your own tips in the comment section below.
Into the Breach (€7.49)
I'm going to start with a game that I played a lot in recent time. Into the Breach is a strategy game in which you try to defeat an alien threat. It is turn-based, includes different mech pilots, experience for the pilots, lots of equipment for different types of mechs, different objectives and lots of aliens.
All fights take place on an 8x8 grid. The compact nature guarantees tough fights, and there is a good chance that you will lose battles, pilots, or population (which you need to defend).
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition (€15.99)
Another game that I played quite a bit. Skyrim Special Edition includes all downloadable content as well as enhancements made to the original game.
It is an action game with light roleplaying elements and an interesting story. Explore the world of Skyrim, become a powerful fighter, mage, archer, or something entirely different, take sides in a conflict that determines the fate of the land, and find out why dragons are suddenly coming back (from the dead).
Like Fallout games, Skyrim gives you a lot of freedom when it comes to playing the game. You can follow the main plot and be done with the game fairly quickly, or, you may explore the world, do loads of quests and dive deep into the lore of the world.
Yaluza 0 (€4.99)
Sega's Yakuza series is finally reaching a wider audience outside of Japan. I picked Yakuza 0 as it is a good game to start with, but you can get any of the Yakuza games for a discount currently during the sale (and there are many).
Yakuza plays in the 1980s in Japan and it can best be described as an action game with lots of story. A bit like Grand Theft Auto, but the world is not as open.
Sega focuses heavily on stories, but there is a lot to explore. Fighting means hand-to-hand combat usually, and there is plenty of it in the game.
Streets of Rage 4 (€14.99)
If you like classic side-scrolling fighting games such as Final Fight, Streets of Rage or Double Dragon, then you will surely love Streets of Rage 4. The latest game in the Streets of Rage series offers everything that you could want in such a game: lots of characters to choose from, lots of bad boys that you need to put in place, boss fights, plenty of stages, and even more unlocks.
Plus, you can play with a friend just like the games of old.
Cyberpunk 2077 (€40.19)
The game has had a rough start, but received plenty of patches. The PC version runs best. The game is an action game with light roleplaying elements and a strong focus on story. If you read Gibson's Neuromancer you know what you are getting yourself into.
A world ruled by different factions, corporations and gangs for instance, body modifications, hacking and a very strong focus on technology. It is an immersive game with an interesting story.
Now You: which games can you recommend?
which games can you recommend?
Hmm, IDK, but I can tell you what I like.
I mostly like open world games and the like.. I tend to prefer games with 1st person view, but whatever is fun is still fun.
Halo was the first game I liked a lot, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the last game I played, which was also fun.
Skyrim, yes. I played it twice, the 2nd time with Skyrim SE. Good times with all that, from start to end.
Also, over the past 15 years or so I’ve mostly enjoyed the Fallout and GTA series of games.
Red Dead Redemption was also fun to poke around in. I passed on RDR 2.
I dabbled with most of the COD games, but they often seemed more like work than fun to me, but still some fun here and there. I preferred the Crysis series over COD. The Crysis Remastered Trilogy will be out later this year.
The BioShock collection was overall good, but a little lacking, as I prefer open worlds. I had much more fun with Left 4 Dead 2.
I played some Valheim, which was less than okay. I would have loved it about 20 years ago.
I’ve been waiting for something new to play, but I still can’t find much. I had hopes that Cyberpunk 2077 would be next, but it looks sucky and shallow, even if it worked.
I might like Halo Infinite, if it has a good solo campaign, as I’m not a huge fan of multiplayer campaigns.
I’ve never used Steam, and prefer owning the disks. But I see Destroy All Humans! is on sale on Steam for 50% off. That’s a game I can recommend.
There’s more, but that’s enough, as I’m not getting paid here, ha.
Amazingly, the Skyrim SE modding community is still going strong.
Is it stronger than Morrowind’s modding community, which works on:
– Tamriel Rebuilt (expanding the game to the rest of the Morrowind province)
– Morrowind Rebirth (expanding Vvardenfell with hundreds of new buildings, locations, NPCs, quests, etc.)
– Beyond Skyrim (recreating the other provinces of Tamriel and connecting them into one gigantic Tamriel map, also compatible with Tamriel Rebuilt and Morrowind Rebirth)
– Reunited Tamriel (similar to Beyond Skyrim)
The only two mods of significance that I know about Skyrim are Enderal (which was first a Morrowind mod) and Skywind, which is a mod trying to recreate Morrowind in Skyrim’s engine, so again not very related to Skyrim.
So… are there any significant mods about Skyrim, because I’m not sure that any exist.
Always check other legit sites for price
eg https://www.gamingdragons.com has Cyberpunk as low as €15.95 (vs €40.19 on steam).
It’s pre-loaded on a gog account.
or €21.49 as a gog download.
Even gog.com is cheaper than steam (just)
Does anyone even care about the Steam sale anymore? It’s no better now than the deals they have pretty much every day, they got rid of the fun events and activities, and with places like Epic giving away games by the truckload it’s just a big meh now.