The Steam Summer sale is in full swing, but what to buy? Damned if I
know, but fortunately other people on the Internet have given this
problem some thought. Yup, I'm stealing somebody else's work and idea
for a new discussion topic again! Anyway, I blatantly stole the idea
(and the list of games) from the video here: >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FYInCjYR0Y
[What, you want me to put in the effort myself? I'm lazy!
I didn't even finish watching the whole video!]
In said video, the presenter lists a bunch of games that are going for
an exceptionally low price (most of them in the $2-5 range) during the >current Steam Summer Sale. Of course, there are always a lot of games >available on Steam at the price, but most of them are crappy
AI-generated asset-flips. But these are some that caught their eye as >actually being somewhat good. Are they? I've no idea. But if you want
to pick up a few bargains, maybe this list will help you filter out
the gold from the dross.
#
* Star Traders Frontiers - $5.99 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/335620/Star_Traders_Frontiers/
An open-world sci-fi trading/exploration sim. Think "Elite"
except as played through a "Masters of Orion" interface.
Looks interesting, except maybe for its card-deck mechanics.
* Grim Dawn - $2.49 USD
https://store.steampowered.com/app/219990/Grim_Dawn/
A top-down action RPG. Looks fairly typical for the genre,
but reviews are very positive.
* Gedonia - $1.49
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1114220/Gedonia/
An open-world RPG, with visuals stylistically similar to
the newer Zelda games. Looks fairly simplistic and lacking
the depth of some bigger games, but probably worth its
price
* Dome Keeper - $5.39 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/1637320/Dome_Keeper/
Part survival/crafting game, part tower-defense, build
up your heavily armed 'dome' to fight off waves of
attackers. A bit too Indie for my taste, but I can see
why it might appeal to some.
* Urbek City Builder - $3.03 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/1411740/Urbek_City_Builder/
The title tells you all you need to know; it's a city-
builder like SimCity. Looks neat.
* Black Skylands - $4.99 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/1143810/Black_Skylands/
Build and fly your skyship in this top-down open-world
exploration game. It reminds me of that old classic
"Stratosphere", except that one was channeling "Command
& Conquer", and this one is more akin to "Elite"
* NEO Scavenger - $3.74 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/248860/NEO_Scavenger/
An old-school (with hexes, even!!!1!) turn-based top-down
RPG set in a post-apocalyptic wilderness. It's low on polish
and seems ruthlessly hard, but looks like it might be fun.
* Transport Fever - $2.99 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/446800/Transport_Fever/
A more modern take on the Railroad Tycoon games of yester-
year. The graphics are prettier, anyway. Apparently this
game has a number of rough spots (mostly fixed in the
sequel) but that's double the price and this one isn't too
bad if you're a little forgiving! ;-)
* Don't Starve / Don't Starve Together - $2.49 / $1.49 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/219740/Dont_Starve/
A wilderness survival game with unique visual style. Not
really my thing. The "Together" game is a multiplayer
expansion.
* FTL - $2.49 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/212680/FTL_Faster_Than_Light/
The classic sci-fi spaceship roguelike. Flee the ever-
encroaching enemy as you speed towards the safety of
civilization, trying to keep your crew alive and your
spaceship running.
* Carrion - $1.99 USD
https://store.steampowered.com/app/953490/CARRION/
A Metroidvania-style platformer with a twist; you're the
monster in the dark fighting off the adventurers.
* Apico - $3.99 USD
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1390190/APICO/
A 'beekeeping sim'; wander the world gathering resources
and skills that help you build up and maintain your
beehives. Very low-key.
* Endzone: A World Apart - $2.49 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/933820/Endzone__A_World_Apart/
Another city-builder, except this one is set in a post-
apocalyptic world. Rebuild civilization in a radioactive
world. Apparently I own this one already but I've never
played it? I really should; it looks neat.
* Moonlighter - $2.99 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/606150/Moonlighter/
The shopkeeper in a fantasy setting secretly moonlights
as an adventurer. Sell the gear that the adventurers need
to survive... and maybe have a few adventures yourself. I
say meh, but reviews are good.
* Pan'orama - $2.09 USD
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1730250/Panorama/
A fairly simplistic puzzle game of some sort; honestly,
I'm not sure what the gameplay is like. The visuals look
nice, though
* Siege Survival: Gloria Victis - $2.49 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/1167140/Siege_Survival_Gloria_Victis/
Manage your medieval city that's under siege, stock-
piling resources and working to keep the city walls from
falling. It looks interesting, but it's not really my
thing, I don't think.
* Driftland: The Magical Revival - $3.99 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/718650/Driftland_The_Magic_Revival/
A fantasy 4X strategy game set in a world of flying
islands. Fine, I guess.
* Dust to the End - $2.39 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/1074070/Dust_to_the_End/
Another post-apocalyptic game; these seem to be in vogue.
Send your survivors out into the wilderness and do whatever
you need to do to survive in this top-down RPG/rogue-like
* Gladiator Guild Manager - $4.94 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/1043260/Gladiator_Guild_Manager/
An autobattler. Manage your team of gladiators and then send
them out into the arena to fight for money and glory
* Open the Gates - $2.59 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/1332450/Open_The_Gates/
Build up your fort and then fight off waves of attackers
in this sidescrolling RTS. A bit too basic for me, I think
* Road Warden - $2.74 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/1155970/Roadwarden/
A text-based RPG. Some nice illustrations.
* Hammerhelm - $1.49 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/664000/HammerHelm/
A cross between a third-person CRPG and a town-builder. Go
out and whack monsters with your sword, then use it to
help build up your hamlet. It doesn't look very impressive,
but the reviews are positive.
* First Feudal - $2.99 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/733460/First_Feudal/
Build up your feudal castle and then fight off waves of
attackers. Very low production values but might be fun.
* Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous - $4.99 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/1184370/Pathfinder_Wrath_of_the_Righteous__Enhanced_Edition/
A fairly typical 'Baldurs Gate clone' isometric fantasy
RPG. Not great, not without its problems, but worth
the price.
* Far Lone Sails - $1.49 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/609320/FAR_Lone_Sails/
Sail your steampunk ice-rigger across a cold wilderness
in a neat-looking survival game.
* Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation - $2.99 USD >https://store.steampowered.com/app/507490/Ashes_of_the_Singularity_Escalation/
A sci-fi real-time-strategy game in the old style.
It's okay.
#
You could buy all these games for just about the same price as GTA6!
Not that I would recommend you do so, but you gotta admit, that's a
pretty good bargain. Are they all great games? No, but there are
probably a few in that list that might appeal to you, so maybe give
them a look.
Are you going to grab any of these? Can you think of any other games
in the same price range you might recommend?
Thanks!
Just bought Black Desert for 99 cents to try single player. Can't be
any more frustrating than the red version.
Still looking :-)
On Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:40:00 -0600, PW <noneused@noneused.net> said
this thing:
Just bought Black Desert for 99 cents to try single player. Can't be
any more frustrating than the red version.
Still looking :-)
I got that one too, even though everything I've read about it
indicates it is NOT a game for me. But... 99 cents!!!!!
I won't admit how many other games I purchased (just during this sale,
even!) using that logic. I wouldn't want people to get the wrong
impression about me. ;-)
On Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:38:47 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson ><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
On Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:40:00 -0600, PW <noneused@noneused.net> said
this thing:
Just bought Black Desert for 99 cents to try single player. Can't be
any more frustrating than the red version.
Still looking :-)
I got that one too, even though everything I've read about it
indicates it is NOT a game for me. But... 99 cents!!!!!
I think it might be on-line only from what I can tell so far. Graphics
not very good. Had to enter in personal information to get the game.
Bought Wolfenstein II The New Collosus and used the task manager to
end the game because the intro was at least 5 minutes and I couldn't
get by it.
Thanks!
Thanks here too, I haven't bought anything yet but will skim this video
On Wed, 01 Jul 2026 19:50:37 -0600, PW <noneused@noneused.net> said
this thing:
On Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:38:47 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson >><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
On Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:40:00 -0600, PW <noneused@noneused.net> said
this thing:
Just bought Black Desert for 99 cents to try single player. Can't be >>>>any more frustrating than the red version.
Still looking :-)
I got that one too, even though everything I've read about it
indicates it is NOT a game for me. But... 99 cents!!!!!
I think it might be on-line only from what I can tell so far. Graphics
not very good. Had to enter in personal information to get the game.
It's an MMORPG, so online is in the definition. Like you, I mostly
purchased it because of its connection to "Crimson Desert"; I guess I
want to doa sort of "how far have they come" thing. But I doubt it
will get much play. But for 99 cents, that's okay.
Bought Wolfenstein II The New Collosus and used the task manager to
end the game because the intro was at least 5 minutes and I couldn't
get by it.
LOL. Looking at YouTube, you made it half-way through.
It's mostly a recap of what happened in the previous game, though, so
if you skip it --by one means or another-- you're not really missing >anything.
I've such mixed feelings about the nu-Wolfenstein games. On the one
hand, I find the gameplay largely enjoyable (not great, but above
average) and the setting is imaginative. But the narrative bits are
such a drag... despite there being so many colorful characters. The
series has always been so tonally unbalanced.
Then again, "New Colossus" lets you shoot Nazis _and_ KKK members so
that's good enough for me. ;-)
#
* Star Traders Frontiers - $5.99 USD https://store.steampowered.com/app/335620/Star_Traders_Frontiers/
An open-world sci-fi trading/exploration sim. Think "Elite"
except as played through a "Masters of Orion" interface.
Looks interesting, except maybe for its card-deck mechanics.
* Grim Dawn - $2.49 USD
* Black Skylands - $4.99 USD https://store.steampowered.com/app/1143810/Black_Skylands/
Build and fly your skyship in this top-down open-world
exploration game. It reminds me of that old classic
"Stratosphere", except that one was channeling "Command
& Conquer", and this one is more akin to "Elite"
* Don't Starve / Don't Starve Together - $2.49 / $1.49 USD https://store.steampowered.com/app/219740/Dont_Starve/I somehow ended up with Don't Starve, didn't like it early.
* FTL - $2.49 USD https://store.steampowered.com/app/212680/FTL_Faster_Than_Light/
The classic sci-fi spaceship roguelike. Flee the ever-
encroaching enemy as you speed towards the safety of
civilization, trying to keep your crew alive and your
spaceship running.
* Carrion - $1.99 USD
https://store.steampowered.com/app/953490/CARRION/
A Metroidvania-style platformer with a twist; you're the
monster in the dark fighting off the adventurers.
* Moonlighter - $2.99 USD https://store.steampowered.com/app/606150/Moonlighter/
The shopkeeper in a fantasy setting secretly moonlights
as an adventurer. Sell the gear that the adventurers need
to survive... and maybe have a few adventures yourself. I
say meh, but reviews are good.
* Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous - $4.99 USD https://store.steampowered.com/app/1184370/Pathfinder_Wrath_of_the_Righteous__Enhanced_Edition/
A fairly typical 'Baldurs Gate clone' isometric fantasy
RPG. Not great, not without its problems, but worth
the price.
* Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous - $4.99 USD
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1184370/Pathfinder_Wrath_of_the_Righteous__Enhanced_Edition/
A fairly typical 'Baldurs Gate clone' isometric fantasy
RPG. Not great, not without its problems, but worth
the price.
I hear people praising this one all the time, tempting, but I'm not into >turn based RPGs so much anymore, or real time with pause whichever it is.
* Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous - $4.99 USD
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1184370/Pathfinder_Wrath_of_the_Righteous__Enhanced_Edition/
A fairly typical 'Baldurs Gate clone' isometric fantasy
RPG. Not great, not without its problems, but worth
the price.
I hear people praising this one all the time, tempting, but I'm not into
turn based RPGs so much anymore, or real time with pause whichever it is.
***---
One reviewer said puzzles, puzzles, puzzles,... another said chore to
play, and another said broken turn-based game.
Any one ever grab one of the Fanatical deals. packages?
I think I have in the past but don't remember what games.
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