It’s that time of year again where Steam is plundering out wallets with all the discounts. As we like games (you must have gathered by now), here’s some of our picks of this Steam Summer Sale! Mind you, almost any game is on sale right now, but there are some games you just might want to check out, especially with such a huge discount! Did we miss your favorites? Let us know what games we should definitely play!

Hades – Supergiant Games

Even if this game wasn’t on discount, we’ll always be telling you to buy it! This amazing Greek Mythology themed rogue-like is one everyone must have (just kidding). However, even if you don’t really like rogue-likes (or Greek Mythology), it’s a very good game and definitely worth picking up. I can tell you from experience (as I don’t like rogue-likes or Greek Mythology), although I haven’t beaten the big bearded dude yet. Either way, you’re able to pick up Hades with a juicy 30% discount. So, for the price of just a few craft beers, you can also enjoy yourself smashing vases, killing skull-crushers and fighting your way to freedom!

Assassin’s Creed Franchise – Ubisoft

Getting in the sneaky-stabbing mood from Sophie’s Stealthing Through History streams? Well, now is your chance to pick up some of the amazing games from the AC series. There’s some great deals out there, especially if you have some spare time. For example, you can pick up Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey for €18 and Syndicate for €10. Feeling really nostalgic? You can travel back to Renaissance Firenze, by picking up AC II for just €3. If you’re feeling buggy, why not check out Unity for just €4,49? Unfortunately not all games are available on Steam, but we cannot have everything right?

Civilization Series – Firaxis

It cannot be a Steam Sale without one or multiple games from the Civilization-series being on sale. Never played a 4X or strategy game and want to know what all the fuzz is about? Have you played Old World (also on sale by the way) and want to broaden your horizons? Well, you might just want to snoop around in the Civilization list, as there are some good discounts on some very solid games. From Civ III until Civ VI, there’s a 4X for everyone, and there’s even some sci-fi stuff! If you’ve already got Civ VI, this might be the time to pick up some of the DLC’s if you haven’t got those, as they’re also on sale. As someone with over 700 hours in Civ VI (and 600 in Civ V and 400 in Civ IV) it will probably be worth your money!

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice – FromSoftware

So this is a game I’ve never played (and will never play), but apparently it’s very good. If you like games such as Bloodborne and Dark Souls, you’ll like Sekiro (or might have already played it to be fair). However, if you’re new to these kinds of games, it’s never wrong to broaden your horizons! Either way, the 2019 Game Awards GOTY is now available at a 50% discount (but it still pricey).

Tomb Raider

One of those classics, with multiple reboots and revamps. Now you’ll be able to pick up some of the newer installments such as Rise of the Tomb Raider and Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition with some good discounts. Play as the young Lara Croft as she fulfills her destiny to become one of the best grave robbers ever (sorry, I’ve been in the company of archaeologists for too long). Feeling nostalgic (agian), why not go for Tomb Raider: Anniversary and play some of the old gems of the early 2000’s!

Mount & Blade franchise – TaleWorlds

Want some clunky but fun Medieval society simulation with some fighting and other cool stuff? Then you should check out the games from the Mount & Blade series. You can now pick last years EA-realeased Bannerlord with a good discount, or go nostaligic and pick up all the older games for just under €13! That’s 5 items (2 base games and 3 DLC/Expansions) for an amazing price. My recommendation: try Mount & Blade: Warband Viking Conquest Reforged Edition. It’s basically a mod made into a DLC, and you get to play a Viking!

Hearts of Iron IV – Paradox Interactive

Another one of those games I feel everyone should at least have played once, like Civ. For just under €10, you will be able to pick up the base game of Hearts of Iron IV. That way, you can try if it’s really something you like. If you like it, you might as well get some of the DLC with a discount (and you’d want that because the DLCs make the game better). Or you can just get the base game and go all out on the mods, which there are plenty of. If you’re into wargaming but don’t like fancy graphics or working mechanics, you can also go retro and buy Hearts of Iron III or II, because you’re one of those retrogamers.

Batman: Arkham Series

Not historical, but one of my favorite game-series, the Batman: Arkham series. For just €12, you can pick up Arkham Asylum, Arkham City and Arkham Knight. That’s a steal, as that would set you back about €60 without a sale. Steam has left out Arkham Origins, as that was the worst part of the series (and also the one not made by Rocksteady), and I completely agree as you don’t need to play that one. But trust me, if you like Assassin’s Creed type of games, you must try the Arkham series. Especially Arkham City is a real gem. It actually makes you feel like you are the Dark Knight. No surprise it ranks high on many ‘Best Games of the Decade’ lists. Excellent story, great combat and some good hours of fun. Also Luke Skywalker Mark Hamill voices the Joker, what more do you want?

Only unfold and watch if you don't care about spoilers for Arkham Knight

Untitled Goose Game – House House

Well, lets finish this list with a meme. Honk. That’s all you need to know.

Omar ‘oomzer’ Bugter is a Cultural Historian from Utrecht. Since interning at VALUE, he’s stuck around, mainly working on the Interactive Pasts website and the weekly streams. He wrote a thesis on Sid Meier’s Civilization VI and mods, so knows this game very well. He likes many other games, including F1 2020, Hearts of Iron, Mount & Blade and Crusader Kings III., and is VALUE’s in house city builder connaisseur. Tweet to him at @oomzer if you want to know anything about Civ or city builders.