Why You Can Trust CNET Steam Summer Sale: 10 discounted PC games to buy now
Steam has hundreds of games on sale. Here are 10 we recommend.
Amazon Prime Day is out, Steam's annual Summer Sale is very much in. There are tons of PC games with huge discounts on the Steam store at the moment, such that the store has a choose-your-own-adventure style menu to help you browse through them all. It's worth taking time out to explore it all, especially if you're into indie games.
To help get you going, we've picked out 10 fantastic games that are discounted on Steam. This include brand-new titles like Mass Effect Legendary Edition as well as games that are slightly older but still great.
The Steam Summer Sale lasts until July 8, and we'll update this post as new titles are added or new gems unearthed.
Half-Life: Alyx isn't just a new Half-Life game -- which is like purified air at this point -- it's also the best reason to invest in VR yet. A fully-fledged AAA developed from the ground up for virtual reality platforms is exciting, especially when it comes with a pedigree like Half-Life.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition is just over a month old, yet here it is in Steam's Summer Sale. It's $10 off, a 17% reduction, at $49. That's some amazing bang for your buck when you consider the hours and hours and hours (and hours) of content here, which includes the three main Mass Effect games plus all their DLC content.
The Outer Worlds is a fantastic, charming RPG by the same team that brought you Fallout New Vegas. It's a long and worthwhile adventure in its own right -- and a sequel was just announced at E3. If you have Game Pass, you can play it there for free.
Hades won many Game of the Year Awards in 2020, and now is a fabulous time to see why. It's a stylish game in every sense, from the art to the combat, and includes many memorable characters. It's absolutely worth playing -- especially for just $17.50. Note it's coming to Game Pass in August.
Horizon Zero Dawn is one of the best games on the PS4, and was a big hit after launching on the PC in 2020. The Complete Edition, which also includes the Frozen Wilds expansion and a bunch of extra weapons and art, is 40% off -- great timing, with Horizon Forbidden West coming out at the end of the year.
Battlefield V is the most recent game in the storied franchise, launching back in 2018. It's gotten a bunch of expansions and DLC content, which is all included in the Definitive Edition. It's massively discounted, at just $12.50, and will serve as good target practice ahead of Battlefield 2042. Also on Game Pass as part of its deal with EA Play.
Video game remakes are very hot right now, and Resident Evil 2 is arguably the best one yet. It's a faithful remake of the PlayStation 1 original (unlike Final Fantasy 7 Remake, which is more of a reimagining), and it's a fantastic one. Racoon City is horrifying, but worth a visit -- especially at $16.
Final Fantasy was a console exclusive for many years, so many PC diehards probably missed out. If you're curious about the franchise and looking for an in, Final Fantasy X is as good a place as any. The remastered combo of X and X-2 are 50% off, or you can play for free with Game Pass
Forza Horizon 4 is on Xbox Game Pass, so you should play it through that service if you haven't already. If you're not into subscriptions though, the excellent open-world racer is 50% off right now.
What Remains of Edith Finch is a narrative-based game that you can breeze through in about three hours. It explores the traumas experienced by the Finch family and the story of its eponymous character through a series of minigames. That may not sound too exciting -- but it's a three hours you won't forget. (Also on Game Pass.)