Hot game deals

[JD]

Yeah but it's worth it to get a free game I'm never going to play

[Thad]

Hey, they've got some good freebies sometimes.

It's just that if it's something I want to play, I've usually bought it somewhere else by the time it's free on GOG. (Shadowrun Trilogy and Metro: Last Light Redux are a couple examples from the past year.)

I'm still on the e-mail list. But it's definitely influenced my e-mail filters.

[Thad]

Hey, they've got some good freebies sometimes.

For example: right now it's Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun. I hear good things! And there's a Linux version! And GOG actually has the Linux version!

[JD]

Free on GOG:

I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream, 1995 point-and-click adventure

The Witcher Goodies Collection

[beatbandito]

Wandersong is $5 for the steam holiday sale, and is not just a fun and cute concept, but a very fun and cute game as well.

[Thad]

I got Death Stranding for $18 and Hades for $16.24 in the Steam sale.

Haven't played much of Hades yet (my controller un-synced two screens in) but Death Stranding is as bonkers as expected.

[Mongrel]

"Oh hey the Steam sale's on, I guess I'll see if there's anything on my wishlist for cheap."
"Oh hey Valkryia Chronicles 4 is on sale for 80% off. Cool!"
"Oh hey it still has Denuvo. Bye."

[beatbandito]

Monster Sanctuary is currently just south of $7 on steam. It's not "an experience" like Wandersong, but I've been enjoying it for enough hours to justify the price.

It's a pokemon clone that leans in on all the conveniences of showing information during battle, party xp sharing, and healing after each battle. All 3v3 fights and you catch 'mons as rare-ish drops with a battle rating system to increase the chances.

Outside of fights there's platforming and light puzzling on a metroidvania-like map with both character and new monster abilities being used. Story seems to be about in line with a pokemon game. In the first area you can get a cat with a greatsword.

[JD]

X-Morph: Defense free on GOG.

[Thad]

For those who like physical media: Limited Run clearance sale beginning January 3 at 10 AM eastern.

Astro City Mini, Doom 64, various Shantaes and Star Wars, Grandia, Streets of Rage 4, Samurai Jack, Shiren...lots of good stuff.

[JD]

Iratus: Lord of the Dead is free on GOG.

[JD]

Some more free games on GOG. GOG has had this Free Games page for a while, but there are some new additions since I last checked.

[Thad]

Various Switch game downloads on sale. $5 will get you Castlevania Anniversary Collection.

[Thad]

Captain Toad's currently free with a Switch Online subscription (any Switch Online subscription, it doesn't have to be the new N64/Genesis tier).

It's not free-to-keep; you can only play it free through the 20th. I haven't played it but AIUI that's enough time to finish it.

[Thad]

Spider-Man: GOTY for $16.

[Thad]

Horizon Zero Dawn is $10 on the PlayStation store.

[Thad]

Went to buy it, realized I already got it for free last April.

Why haven't I played this game? I think it must be the bland nonsense title. I keep hearing how good this PS-exclusive open-world game is but then forgetting what it's called.

[Brantly B.]

It is surprisingly good for a title that screams "funded studio churnout product".

[Thad]

The sequel has a better title. "Horizon Forbidden West" is still three random English words smooshed together but "Forbidden" is a good strong word to put in a title.

"West" is good too. Titles with directions in them are good. North by Northwest, East of Eden, Northern Exposure, Into the West, Southern Man, How the West was Won, Way Down South, Born in East LA, Journey to the West, South of the Border, All Quiet on the Western Front. I don't know if LotR: War in the North was any good but I damn-well remember the title.

Directions in titles suggest travel and adventure and exotic unfamiliar locales. Without knowing anything at all about Horizon Forbidden West I assume it's about traveling to somewhere unfamiliar and dangerous where nobody's been in a long time. Like you're exploring somewhere that's off the beaten path. Somewhere uncharted. Like in that other popular video game series. The Indiana Jones knockoff. The one they made a movie out of, with that actor who was in that Marvel movie a few months back. You know, Tomb Raider.

[Brantly B.]

It reminds me too much of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, which means it's already made me think of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West more than Enslaved: Odyssey of the West ever did. It doesn't help at all that it looks a little uhhh





(The fact that it's very possible that this was all intentional on Guerrilla Games's part as a way of dunking on Ninja Theory doesn't really make it better.)