So, you received a gift card for Steam over the holidays. If you own a gaming PC or Steam Deck, it's like getting a key to the city. There are a lot of great games on Valve's PC gaming platform, and you'll likely get a lot for your money (did you know that Steam gift cards can also be used to purchase hardware like the Steam Deck OLED?). So how do you decide what to buy?
That's where this post comes in, bringing you a collection of titles that are getting some well-deserved attention on Steam, as well as informing you of the best deals on the best games of 2023 happening during the Steam Winter Sale, which will run until January 4, 2024.
Fun fact: Almost all of the games mentioned below are included in Polygon's ranking of the best games of 2023.
The killer company
If you have some friends that you like to play games with, consider this The killer companywhich costs $9.99 (NB:It's in early access). It's a multiplayer survival horror game that can cause intense screaming and laughter, often simultaneously. You'll work together to collect scraps and loot from creepy places, at least for as long as possible until monsters or environmental hazards destroy you in unpredictable ways. Although the game is terrifying at times, proximity-based voice chat adds to the humor of losing your friends or narrowly escaping death. Polygon video crew streams The killer company on Twitch from time to time, and you can check out a Previous stream here.
Baldur's Gate 3
Image: Larian Studios via Polygon
Whether you're playing games alone or with a crew, Baldur's Gate 3 It is a game you should play on PC. This RPG is heavily steeped in Dungeons & Dragons in terms of universe and ruleset. However, you don't need to have played D&D at all to quickly immerse yourself in this game. Each battle is turn-based, and you command a crew of four characters, complete with their own weapons and spells. Fights are always exciting, but what happens outside of the punches is just as interesting – if not more so. You'll make decisions that will change your path through the game, as well as your relationships with the main characters. If you're smart, you can even talk your way out of fights. There is so much possibility at every turn that it is impossible to see it all Baldur's Gate 3 You have to offer it in one playthrough. During the Steam Winter Sale, Baldur's Gate 3 Costs $53.99 (Normally $59.99).
No sky man
Image: Hello Games
A first-person space exploration game from Hello Games No sky man It is the oldest title on this list, having been released in 2016 to average reception. Since then, the developer has delivered update after game-changing update, constantly raising its own level to give players near-total freedom in space. Simply, No sky man It is a treatment for the amount currently sold ($29.99), and experience is what you make of it. It can be a space exploration game where you collect resources to upgrade your ship to its maximum capabilities. You can focus strictly on building outposts. Or you can become a space pirate, and fight other players to seize their treasures.
Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew
Image: Mimimi Games
Most of us have played tactical spy games, however Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew It puts a new spin on this concept – one that only its developer, Mimimi Games, could have pulled off. Swansong for the studio is his best work, as it is based on his previous games such as Shadow tactics And Desperate people 3. Visually, it walks the plank and dives headfirst into the pirate aesthetic, with characters and settings that my colleague Alice Newcomb-Bell described in her review as “Monkey Island.” During the Steam Winter Sale, this game $31.99 (Normally $39.99).
cocoon
Image: Geometric Interactive/Annapurna Interactive via Polygon
cocoon It's a puzzle game that doesn't do its best to explain itself to the player. But, like the best games of its kind, it's designed to tap into our curiosity, and encourage us to think outside the box (er, field). The dialogue-free title was directed by Jeppe Carlsen, who has also helped design other simple puzzle games, including Limbo And inside. It's worth the price of admission just to experience the ingenious planet crossing puzzle mechanics. This title is $5 off during the Steam Winter Sale, at a cost $19.99.
The world of deadly murder
Image: IO Interactive
IO Interactive has left many Polygon employees obsessed again in 2023 thanks to the introduction of a new mode in The world of deadly murder. Its Freelancer mode puts a roguelike twist on the game, allowing you to become more of a super agent when you're on a hot streak of killing targets. Your success earns you items, weapons, and information that can make it easier for you to finish the more difficult levels you'll encounter later in Freelancer mode. However, you will return to the bottom tier if you die, only keeping some of those collectibles. It sounds punitive, but I promise it's a good time. It's also a great way to get more comfortable indoors AssassinAnd mastering its mechanisms and equipment.
IO Interactive's Big Bundle costs $69.99 and contains every map from their recent series only $27.99 During the Steam Winter Sale.
Dave the diver
Image: Mintrocket via Polygon
in Dave the diverYou are doing much more than just diving. In addition to fishing and gathering materials, you can help run the sushi stand at night. As this cycle repeats throughout the in-game day and night cycle, you gain more customers, which in turn allows you to expand your restaurant's capabilities to serve new types of meals and food items. There's enough to get obsessed with, and that's before the game delivers one hook after another in the form of minigames, an engaging story, and a list of objectives that never becomes overwhelming. Dave the diver It's extremely useful, and it's one of the best games of 2023 (despite debuting in Early Access in 2022). During the Steam Winter Sale, the cost of the game will be determined $15.99 (Normally $19.99).
Octopath Traveler 2
Image: Square Enix
One of Square Enix's best games of 2023 doesn't have the word “ultimate” or “fantasy” in its title, yet it deserves a similar level of attention. Octopath Traveler 2 It has the necessary ingredients to be respected by its target audience of RPG fans who are nostalgic for SNES classics such as Chrono trigger. It has excellent tunes and a fun battle system, and each of its characters' stories are captivating. We've referred to it as “the perfect comfort food for gaming,” so be sure to take it into consideration if you have room in your gaming library for an adventure that will take dozens of hours to finish. This game $41.99 During the Steam Winter Sale.
Sennar songs
Photo: Rundisk/Fox Entertainment
Not many games require you to fundamentally learn a new language. Sennar songs It does, but don't confuse this innovative indie title (one of Polygon's favorite games of 2023, and one of the most great games of the year) for a new spin. Duolingo. The game begins shrouded in mystery, as the player wakes up from a coffin. You're given a simple task to navigate through the environment, filled with puzzles with ease, the solutions of which become easier once you know the basic underpinnings of the local language. Not only that, your knowledge is used to understand the culture in which you find yourself. The sense of discovery that comes from putting together a puzzle is something that many players will enjoy. It's easily worth it $15.99 selling price.
Diablo 4
Everyone's Steam library needs a big, deep RPG that you can immerse yourself in over the winter. Diablo 4 It is wonderful. Months after it debuted on Blizzard's PC client (making many Steam Deck owners jump through hoops to play it), it's now available on Steam. This entry needs no introduction, but it deserves one. The latest entry in Blizzard's venerable Diablo series lives up to the name by delivering a polished and rewarding experience at launch. And it's only gotten better since then, whether you're playing alone, with random people, or with friends. Plus, there's more content on the way in 2024. And with the Steam Winter Sale price $41.99It's never been this easy on PC.
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