Steam’s Summer Sale is now live, running from June 26 to July 10, with major discounts across a wide range of genres and titles. Below, we’ve highlighted some of our top recommendations, grouped by budget. Prefer to explore on your own? You can browse the full sale lineup here.
Under $5
GRIS $1.49
Genre: Indie, Platformer, Puzzle
HowLongToBeat: 3½ Hours (Main Story)
What it does: A stunning, wordless journey through grief with watercolor visuals, a haunting score, and evolving mechanics that mirror emotional healing. Short but deeply affecting.
Half-Life 2 $1.99
Genre: FPS
HowLongToBeat: 13 Hours (Main Story)
What it does: A landmark in first-person shooter design, Half-Life 2 pairs smart physics-based puzzles with cinematic pacing and world-building. Gordon Freeman returns in a dystopian sci-fi setting that still holds up, thanks to sharp writing, unforgettable set pieces, and mod-friendly design.
Blasphemous $2.49
Genre: Action, Platformer
HowLongToBeat: 14 Hours (Main Story)
What it does: Blends brutal hack-n-slash combat with rich, cryptic lore across a dark, non-linear world. Tough but rewarding, with a haunting visual style and atmosphere to match.
STEINS;GATE $2.99
Genre: Visual Novel
HowLongToBeat: 26½ Hours (Main Story)
What it does: A masterclass in sci-fi storytelling, Steins;Gate blends time travel, suspense, and gut-punch emotion. As the second entry in the Science Adventure series, it’s best experienced with the Committee of Zero patch for improved localization. We’ve reviewed it here—and yes, it lives up to the hype.
Crash Bandicoot™ N. Sane Trilogy $3.99
Genre: Platformer
HowLongToBeat: 15 Hours (Main Story)
What it does: Rebuilds the original Crash trilogy from the ground up with modern visuals, tighter controls, and all the classic platforming mayhem. Nostalgic, polished, and still as chaotic as ever.
Resident Evil / biohazard HD REMASTER $4.99
Genre: Survival Horror
HowLongToBeat: 11½ Hours (Main Story)
What it does: The survival-horror classic Resident Evil returns fully remastered in HD, setting the bar for quality remakes. Timeless tension, updated visuals, and tighter controls make it a must-play. We reviewed it here.
Under $10
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown $5.99
HowLongToBeat: 12 Hours (Main Story)
What it does: Delivers high-octane, photorealistic dogfights with full 360° control. Ace Combat 7 nails the rush of aerial combat with cinematic flair and tight flight mechanics.
Mafia II (Classic) + Definitive Edition $5.99
Genre: Action, Open World
HowLongToBeat: 12 Hours (Main Story)
What it does: Mafia II delivers a gritty, cinematic crime drama set in post-war Empire Bay. Follow Vito’s rise through the mob in a story-driven open world packed with atmosphere, character, and consequences.
Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition $7.49
Genre: Character Action, Action
HowLongToBeat: 11 Hours (Main Story)
What it does: Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition amps up the stylish action with new characters, modes, and visual upgrades. Fast, flashy, and full of flair—it’s DMC at its best.
Touhou Artificial Dream in Arcadia $7.49
Genre: DRPG, Turn-Based RPG, Indie
HowLongToBeat: 28½ Hours (Main Story)
What it does: A first-person dungeon crawler set in the Touhou universe, blending Wizardry and Megami Tensei influences. Developed almost entirely by one person (music aside), it’s a retro-styled adventure that lets you explore Gensokyo through an outsider’s eyes.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night $9.99
Genre: Indie, Metroidvania, Platformer
HowLongToBeat: 14 Hours (Main Story)
What it does: A gothic side-scrolling action RPG from Castlevania legend Koji Igarashi. Bloodstained delivers deep exploration, slick combat, and a massive castle full of secrets—all wrapped in a cursed tale of survival. With the next entry dropping next year, now’s a great time to jump in.
Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Complete Edition $9.99
Genre: Turn-Based RPG
HowLongToBeat: 96 – 190 Hours (Main Story)
What it does: Packs two full-length Digimon RPGs into one sleek bundle, with classic turn-based combat, deep monster collecting, and a surprisingly mature story. With Time Stranger arriving this October, now’s the perfect time to jump in.
Note: Can be purchased on Fanatical right now for $4.49 if you’re quick.
Under $20
BlazBlue Entropy Effect $13.99
Genre: Roguelike, Action, Indie
HowLongToBeat: 13 Hours (Main Story)
What it does: This action roguelike delivers lightning-fast, combo-heavy combat with razor-sharp controls. Tons of unique characters, each with their own playstyle, plus a mountain of unlockables make every run feel fresh and fierce.
STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN $15.99 / $23.99 (with all DLC)
Genre: Action RPG
HowLongToBeat: 17½ Hours (Main Story)
What it does: A gritty, action-heavy reimagining of the original Final Fantasy, Stranger of Paradise is a chaotic prequel to FF1. Developed by Team NINJA, it blends punishing combat with unfiltered B-movie charm and a bold, brutal spin on the series’ origins. A hidden gem—and my personal Game of the Year for 2023.
Chronicles of the Wolf $17.99
Genre: Action, Platformer, Indie
HowLongToBeat: 17 Hours (Main + Sides)
What it does: Chronicles of the Wolf drops you into 18th-century France to hunt the Beast of Gévaudan in a gothic action-adventure packed with brutal bosses, sprawling castles, and hidden secrets. Features narration by Robert Belgrade (Alucard) and other surprise guests.
Half-Life: Alyx $17.99 (VR Required)
Genre: FPS, VR
HowLongToBeat: 12 Hours (Main Story)
What it does: Valve’s stunning return to the Half-Life universe, built from the ground up for VR. Alyx sets a new bar for immersion with intuitive physics, tense combat, and a gripping story set between the first two games.
The Citadel & Beyond Citadel Bundle $18.21
HowLongToBeat: 5½ Hours (The Citadel), 8½ Hours (Beyond Citadel)
What it does: This double pack bundles The Citadel and Beyond Citadel—two anime-styled, retro-inspired FPS games made by a solo dev (music by mothman47 on Beyond). Expect gritty 90s shooter energy, realistic gunplay, and over-the-top anime violence. Fast, raw, and unapologetically old-school. We reviewed them here and here.
FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE $19.99
Genre: RPG, Open-World
HowLongToBeat: 40½ Hours (Main Story)
What it does: My favorite 3D Final Fantasy, The Zodiac Age refines XII with enhanced visuals and the long-awaited Zodiac Job System. Its standout feature is the Gambit system—a smart, programmable AI setup that lets you control your party like a tactical command script. Strategic, sleek, and endlessly replayable.
There’s still more to find, but these picks pack a ton of value for the price—whether you’re revisiting classics or trying something new.
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