In many ways, this was the least eventful Steam Sale in recent memory. The lack of game specials, or flash sales, made the sale an altogether more relaxed and structured experience. Although I did enjoy waiting for the upcoming deals, some of which I'm sure we missed out on due to the format change, the piece of mind I had because of the static pricing made my shopping more structured & less rushed. And while I made less forays into the Steam market than I had for recent sales, my purchase frequency reflected that of previous sales, while I also think my game haul is filled with greater quality than usual.
Steam always inserts a gimmick into their sales, as a way of inserting fun into the experience and enticing users to return often. This year came in the form of an episodic graphic novel, with a Christmas / Film Noir theme - or black Christmas.
Although not quiet as engaging as recent gimmicks, the clicker battles of the summer was particularly addictive, the art and parody in the story was compelling and I genuinely wanted to see how it ended. Of course, adding a beginning, middle and end to a 12 page graphic novel is tough & it did fall flat towards the end, but it was an enjoyable freebie all the same.
Click Here to Check out the full "North Pole Noire" Graphic Novel.
Now down to the important stuff; what did I buy?
Battlefield Bad Company 2 (€2.49) + Battlefield Bar Company 2: Vietnam (€3.29).
This was a throwback to the good 'ol days for me, more than anything else. Many a weekend was wasted cherished gunning down planes, capturing control points and executing ad-hoc teamwork amidst the carnage of war. Indeed, the Battlefield franchise is one close to my heart. Unfortunately their appeal has waned in recent instalments, as the move away from team-play towards a Call of Dutyesque run & gun model has meant the series now appeals to a different audience.
Depending on how you view it Bad Company 2 is either the beginning of the end or the start of an era - I'll look forward to finding out as even a diluted version of Battlefield 2 would keep me happily entertained, especially at this bargain-basement price.
What savings did I receive: RRP STEAM: €9.99 -75% / €9.99 -75%
ALL TIME LOW: €1.00 / €3.29
Space Engineers (€11.49)
A game straight from the wishlist & one which I've been eyeing up for quiet sometime. At €11.49 it came in as my second most expensive purchase, but I have a feeling it could be worth every cent.
Having only invested an hour or so into this so far, I've already realised that this is a game that will give maximum reward for an extended input, but it has a brutally unforgiving learning curve. I enjoyed playing around in sandbox mode, but feel like I could get lost in the vast galaxy of mining, construction, engineering and navigation that exists in standard mode. The fact the game is still in development, but looks & plays better than many AAA titles, fills me with encouragement that indeed Space Engineers was worth the outlay.
I think I may mess around with it a bit more and try gather some better understanding of the overall dynamics of Space Engineers, but may wait until a few more friends have added this title to their own libraries before trying to truly get to grips with all it has to offer.
What savings did I receive: RRP STEAM: €22.99 -50%
ALL TIME LOW: €8.99
Footlol (€0.99)
A game which combines my love for football and my love for carnage, what's not to like? Frankly, this was bought off the back of the price-tag alone - although the Worms-like presentation of the game also appealed.
I can say that I've made my money back and then-some already, having invested 2 hours into this title. Many more hours will surely follow in future dates. I've only played single-player at the moment, as I want to unlock all the weapons etc. before trying my hand at multi-player. I can already see how this game can be addictively appealing when paired off against a miked-up opponent - pure carnage!
This is a pick-up-and-play game with huge appeal & I feel like many a coffee-break will be spent on the killing fields of Footlol.
What savings did I receive: RRP STEAM: €4.99 -80%
ALL TIME LOW: €0.99
Black Mesa (€9.59)
Messing with perfection is a very risky undertaking & I was always a bit sceptical of Black Mesa in the past; but nonetheless, I decided to take the plunge this Christmas. It was worth it.
I have finished the game - or at least, what's available to play so far - & intend to release a review soon, so won't prattle on about it too much here. But all I say, is this game is as good a remake as you could expect. It keeps true to the story, exploits technological advances & mixes it up just enough to keep everything fresh.
What savings did I receive: RRP STEAM: €19.99 -52%
ALL TIME LOW: €9.59
Divinity: Original Sin (€26.79)
I broke a rule of mine on this one, by paying over the odds, but this is a title which I've been coveting for a while. I need a good ARPG in my life & while Grim Dawn is enjoyable, as is Path of Exile, neither gave me the same thrill as Torchlight 2 or Diablo 2. Hopefully Divinity: Original Sin could be my next ARPG love.
The reviews and hype behind this had me chomping at the bit & needless to say it was top of my steam wishlist. Although I have yet to really give this game a real go - I've only booted it up the once - I am intrigued by the game-play; it lies somewhere between Baulder's Gate and Diablo. It is a game that demands a real time investment, so despite me coveting Divinity: Original Sin, it will be something I'll reserve for a date in which I can invest the time it demands.
What savings did I receive: RRP STEAM: €39.99 -33%
ALL TIME LOW: €26.79
Bastion €3.74 (26/12)
While Divinity was too vast a meal to consume, I figured Bastion's snack-size packaging would be provide sufficient ARPG sustenance.
The game is very pretty & I the commentary is fantastic; it's narrated by a voice akin of Sam Elliott meets Ron Pearlman. I did however feel repetition in the game-play quiet early on. While I also discover that Bastion may fix my ARPG hunger but not my loot addiction. This led to me growing bored of the game, quiet quickly. It's not a bad game by any means, just not the style of ARPG I was looking for.
What savings did I receive: RRP STEAM: €14.99 -75%
ALL TIME LOW: €1.97
Hero Siege €0.89 (31/12)
The short-term, bargain basement fix. The methadone or codeine that would solve my loot-sickness.
This game requires you to look past the pixels and into the game-play; you will be rewarded.
It ticks all the boxes, loot-driven with an engaging skill-tree & for an added bonus the game features wave-based levels. Love it. A word of warning howevr, this one is more difficult than you'd think. Maybe I just suck, but I got frustrated of having to start a level from the start after dying. Town-portals tended to die when you did and having to repeat 20 waves to mend an error was quiet unforgiving.
I'll get back to this for sure & act perhaps a more conservative approach will curb my frustration. This will curb those loot cravings until I find time for Divinity.
What savings did I receive: RRP STEAM: €5.99 -75%
ALL TIME LOW: €0.29
The Evil Within €8.99 (31/12)
The only modern AAA title I bought this time around & something that has sat in my checkout basket many times in the past, only for me to opt out at the last second. As a huge fan of Resident Evil, particularly Resident Evil 4, this game has appealed to me since it launched. For me Shinji Mikami is gamings answer to Stanley Kubrik, a genius in every aspect of his work.
But there was a reason I stood off from this in the past, reviews have been relatively mediocre, while recent Resident Evil titles have failed to impress me. I'm sure I will enjoy this game, but will it be able to live up to the high-standards early Resident Evil titles has built up?
It is installed and on my hard-drive, so I plan to find out this weekend.
What savings did I receive: RRP STEAM: €59.99 -85%
ALL TIME LOW: €8.99
I'm quiet pleased with my outlay this Christmas & I'm sure that I'll be kept entertained by these titles until the Summer Sale comes around - even if I have reverted to form, by blasting through hordes of zombies in Killing Floor 2 rather than booting any of these titles up for a meaningful play-through. Hey, there's always next week.
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