When it comes to gaming events, there are few that generate as much hype as Steam’s seasonal sales. Steam’s Spring Sale runs from March 16 to March 23, 2023, and there are some spectacular deals to be had on some of the best games around.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps isn’t a game centred around heart-pounding action, or a dark, gritty story about the dangers of capitalism. Ori is a hand-drawn puzzle-platforming adventure game that sees players embody the titular spirit Ori on a quest to rescue a lost owlet. If you’re after a stunningly-scored, beautiful, atmospheric journey filled with character, challenging puzzles, and an occasional epic fight to delve into, Ori might be what you’re after.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps, the sequel to Ori and the Blind Forest, is available on Steam for US$5.99 — 80% off — until March 23, 2023.
If you’ve been around video games for long enough, you’ll know all about FromSoftware’s reputation for crafting mindbogglingly difficult games with intricate world building and phenomenal attention to detail. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is no different, although it augments the Souls series gameplay with much-needed changes to the combat system, making it a little more forgiving and a little more complex at the same time.
Sekiro is a game that leans heavily on stealth and mobility, rewarding diligent players with spectacular assassinations worthy of the John Wick franchise. Players join the titular shinobi, Sekiro, on a quest about revenge and honour, as he grapples, sneaks, slashes, and murders his way through feudal Japan, facing enemies of both the human and mythical variety in spectacular fashion.
You can grab Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Game of the Year Edition for US$29.99 during the Steam Spring Sale, on until March 23.
If you’re less inclined towards a directed story on rails, and prefer an open world, Outer Wilds may be what you’re looking for. Outer Wilds is a non-traditional story that sees the player exploring an ever-changing solar system trapped in a time loop. As part of The Outer Wilds Ventures, a space program in its infancy, it is your duty to decipher the solar system by visiting its exotic planets, moons, and hidden locales that are shrouded in mystery. Outer Wilds is about adventure, peril, and the unknown, and the colourful, stylised open world allows for endless exploration and discovery.
You can grab Outer Wilds on Steam for just US$14.99 during the Spring Sale.
If you’re an old-school gamer, you’ll appreciate the retro aesthetics of the 8BitDo Pro 2 Bluetooth Controller, available on Amazon.
Hades is equal parts hack-and-slash, dungeon crawler, roguelite, and narrative-driven story. Hades relies on its replayability and roguelite elements to tell its story, with the plot unravelling further every time you fight your way through the Greek underworld. With fast-paced combat central to the experience, Hades‘s visual finesse and rewarding character progression are a cherry on top of what is otherwise a satisfying story that has no right to be as polished and enthralling, considering it’s “just” an isometric hack-and-slash about trying to escape the underworld.
Supergiant’s award-winning Hades is available on Steam for US$12.49 during the Spring Sale.
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Julian van der Merwe – Magazine Writer – 73 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2022
My interest in tech started in high school, rooting and flashing my Motorola Defy, but I really fell down the rabbit hole when I realised I could overclock the i7 930 in my Gigabyte pre-built PC. This tinkering addiction eventually lead me to study product design in university. I think tech should improve the lives of the people using it, no matter the field. I like to read and write about laptops, smartphones, software and trends in technology.
Julian van der Merwe, 2023-03-18 (Update: 2023-03-18)
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Julian van der Merwe