1. Hades
If you've ever been around anyone who is into roguelite games, you'll have heard them sing the praises of Hades. This award-winning isometric, roguelite, dungeon-crawler RPG follows Zagreus, the Prince of the Underworld, as he makes his way out of the ever-changing, labyrinthic underworld that he has always reluctantly called home.
As players hack and slash their way through the realm of the Greek god of the dead, they will encounter a number of other Greek gods who will help Zagreus on his quest. Hades, in all its permadeath, hack-and-slash glory, excels at non-linear storytelling, with much of the lore and story delivered in tidbits and interactions with the other gods that have come to Zagreus's aid.
If you like your flashy, fast-paced fights, rewarding progression mechanics, and gorgeous hand-painted in-game artwork tied up with a unique narrative bow, Hades is worth at least a second look.
Hades is just US$12.49 during the 2023 Steam Summer Sale until July 13.
2. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is the most recent addition to Sony's Spider-Man video game series. The game follows a young Miles Morales as he settles into his new title as a fully-fledged superhero and a new personal situation, to boot. Typical of a Spider-Man story, Miles Morales's tale is packed to the brim with electrifying brawls, exhilarating web slinging, plenty of charm, and more than a handful of witty remarks.
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is on sale for US$33.49 during the Steam Summer Sale, until July 13.
3. Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection
The Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection tells the stories of Nathan Drake in Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Chloe Frazer in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. Both stories in the bundle are linear action games that follow the treacherous adventures of expert treasure hunters as they venture to strange lands in search of mythical riches.
As always, when it comes to storytelling, Naughty Dog has done a great job on both counts, with solid writing, endearing characters, and appropriate pacing. Both of the games in the Legacy of Thieves Collection are littered with puzzles to solve, beautiful scenery to admire, and action-packed set-pieces to battle through.
The Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is discounted to just US$29.99 during the Steam Summer Sale.
4. Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight is a 2D side-scrolling platformer set in the gloomy underground world called the Hallownest — a world full of charming, quirky NPCs whose tales of woe slowly reveal the overarching plot through dialogue and quests. Hollow Knight is another delightful, yet tragic game that can be filed in the unconventional storytelling cabinet, with much of the plot about fallen heroes left to the player to unravel for themselves. This could be through conversations with the aforementioned NPCs or environmental storytelling and pickups.
In terms of gameplay, Hollow Knight delivers a challenging 2D platforming experience with Metroidvania-esque exploration and combat mechanics.
Hollow Knight is on special for US$7.49 during the Steam Summer Sale.