Daily Tribune
And, just like that, it’s December! In the face of a flurry of Christmas parties, crazy news days full of political controversies, and other year-end rush projects like doctor visits before they go on vacation, I have not only been set upon by the beginning of Advent, but by the end of the annual Steam Autumn Sale as well!
The week of deep discounts on thousands of games ends tomorrow morning at 2:00 AM. Once I realized how little time I had left — and, like any Millennial suffering gravely from the fear of missing out (FOMO) — I began to browse the gaming platform’s expansive library of cut-price titles.
After a few minutes of wishlisting games, I felt another twang of emotion: guilt, about neglecting the many, many, games I had already bought during past sales; games that were sitting on my virtual Steam shelf, gathering virtual dust. I can’t be the only person in this situation: endless social media and marketing efforts relentlessly encourage us to consume more, buy more, accumulate more.
Taking a long, hard look at my library, I came to the conclusion that I have about as many games as I need to keep me busy for the rest of my life. This doesn’t mean, of course, that I will never purchase another video game. I am, in fact, looking forward to the latest, refreshed iteration of Football Manager in 2025. This is simply a sorely needed reminder that the dopamine hit I would get from buying a 100-peso, eight-year-old game won’t last long enough to justify adding more titles to the list of games I may never install, or play longer than a couple of hours.
So, I wanted to share with readers some of the games I have actually played a lot that I can wholeheartedly recommend picking up while they’re on sale. Hopefully, you’ll have a bit more info to help guide your Steam purchasing decisions before the 2 AM deadline.
Age of Empires IV is a title with a long and storied legacy dating back to 1997. It was a pioneer of the real-time-strategy genre and the originator of a couple of enduring internet memes. Critics may (very reasonably) say that the series fell off in 2005 with the release of the Age of Exploration-themed Age of Empires III.
I enjoyed the game, for what it’s worth, but it’s safe to say that the series made a proper comeback in 2021 with AoE4 and broke sales record with the follow-up DLC The Sultans Ascend in 2023.
I recommend this game particularly to fans of MOBAs looking for something familiar but distinct. In fact, the smash hit genre traces its roots back to another classic RTS, WarCraft II. AOE4 is quite difficult to learn but endlessly rewarding, so pick this up if you’re looking for something to sink your teeth into and replay a lot.
Vampire Survivors is one of the most successful titles in a relatively new subgenre, “bullet hell” action roguelikes. It’s trivially easy to pick up: you choose from among a limited pool of heroes with unique weapons and fight your way through increasingly more difficult dungeon levels while trying to survive for a certain amount of time.
Along the way, you can grab various power-ups ranging from new weapon variants to attack speed bonuses. You can also unlock new levels and characters and open up pathways to new, more complex levels and content. A lot of the joy in this game comes from accumulating enough abilities and buffs to completely obscure the screen with animations while cutting a path through a swath of enemies in the process. Be warned though: a sub-optimal build will have you fighting for your life and heading for a quick and painful trip back to the select character screen.
This is the priciest title on this list, even at more than half-off, and is also the one that experienced the most harrowing release. Cyberpunk 2077 was one of 2020’s most highly-anticipated titles, especially during a pandemic-fueled lockdown period where gamers were looking for their latest time sink. Unfortunately, what came out was simply an unfinished game. Blame the developers or the higher-ups who refused to push back the release date, but it would take many months before this RPG was even close to its final form.
Thankfully, we’re there now, and for around five Starbucks' drinks, you can add one of the best RPGs on the market to your library. Everything, from the graphics (as long as you’re packing the right hardware) to the skill tree to the storyline, is now polished, immersive, and positively depressing. I would expect nothing less from a game based on a literary genre oozing with hopelessness and subservience to corporate capitalism.
There’s a DLC out, Phantom Liberty, but I can’t recommend it because I don’t own it yet! I haven’t missed it, either.
Hades turned out to be the pandemic release that I had hoped Cyberpunk would be. Before I even talk about the gameplay, I need to say that the art and music are gorgeous. Supergiant Games has been delivering works of art for years in the form of action-RPGs Bastion (2011) and Transistor (2014), with relatable and realistic characters, addictive and rewarding gameplay loops, and soundtracks masterfully crafted by Darren Korb.
Hades is a roguelite game set in Greek mythology’s Underworld. As expected from a story involving Zeus, much of the game’s plot involves setting a familial dispute. I’m oversimplifying, of course. Every “run” into the game’s path of dungeon brings not only powerups, but emotional revelations involving estranged relatives, strong and authentic LGBTQ representation, and, eventually, catharsis. Oh, I said I would talk about the gameplay, too. It’s great. Each run is different enough that every attempt feels unique, even if your goal of escaping the Underworld is always the same. Play Hades!
Tyranny is a sort of niche, hardcore role-playing game with an isometric POV and an ingenious hook: YOU are the baddie. As an important functionary of an all-powerful, Sauron-like dictator, you explore a war-torn domain, dispensing justice as you see fit. Will you show no mercy to overlord Kyros’ squabbling subjects, or will you begin to see why maybe his rule isn’t the only or best way forward for this world?
The main story doesn’t take too long to finish and the combat system can feel limited at times, so I’ll leave this in as a recommendation with a disclaimer: pick this up if you love Dungeons & Dragons or other old-school RPGs that rely on die rolls and dialog boxes. This could be an incredible experience for the right type of gamer.
We’re capping my recommendations off with a choices-matter card game that takes you on an immersive journey for under one dollar. In Reigns, you are a medieval king whose goal is to stay in power for as long as possible. To do this, you must balance the interests of different groups with competing interests.
The game presents you with a series of choices with two options. Naturally, your decisions will polarize your subjects, with some groups lauding you for your wisdom and judgment and others perhaps plotting to assassinate you in your sleep.
I really don’t want to spoil this charming game, but its value proposition of games on the short side, choices that really affect the outcome of your session, and adorable sound and VFX design make this well worth the P40.
