Steam picks for a Pint
It's the middle of winter, it's wet and cold outside, you're bored of watching the same TV show for the 100th time, you can't afford to buy one of the latest games for your shiny PC thanks to the joys of post-Christmas poverty. What do you do? Check out Steam's selection of cheap gems of course. But how do you know which games to pick out from a wide variety of potential dross? Have a read through our buyer's guide for the best bargains on Steam, all of which cost you roughly the same as a pint of the landlord's finest in your local pub.
Aliens vs. Predator Classic 2000
It was terrifying back in 1999 and even now, over 10 years later, it's still guaranteed to cause some frights and thrills. Aliens vs. Predator Classic 2000 is a stunning piece of survival-horror FPS gaming. Offering three separate campaigns allowing players to undertake the role of the Alien, Predator and a colonial Marine, there's certainly plenty to do here immediately making the 2.99 GBP price tag a bargain. While the Alien may be the fastest of the bunch, it is also the weakest with the Predator and Marine much stronger albeit slower. Each campaign offers enough variety to ensure that none of the character types feels like filler material simply thrown in to extend the length of the game. It's the atmosphere throughout the title that truly makes Aliens vs. Predator memorable and although the graphics may be rather aged now, it never detracts from the tension that players can't help but feel throughout the experience. The Steam version of Aliens vs. Predator also includes the Millennium Add-On pack adding further longevity to affairs. Simply put this is an utter bargain of an aged classic.
Have you been desperate to live out your comic book hero ambitions but haven't been able to play it out in a game before? Then check Freedom Force out. It's almost like the real thing. Probably. Mixing real time strategy elements with RPG mechanics has worked well for Freedom Force, it's quite reminiscent of Baldur's Gate which is praise in itself. A much simpler RPG than Baldur's Gate but one that never gets boring or ever overstays its welcome. It might not seem the most challenging of titles, however there are more than enough strategies and tactics available. This gives bargain hunters plenty of reasons to replay the 20 missions available here, and there's even the almost-as-good expansion pack, Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich, available for the same price.
Switch your brain-off goodness is frequently welcome in any gamer's collection, which is handy as that's exactly what Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved provides. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved forgoes a plot in favour of frantic, old school shooting action. It's arguably one of the hardest shoot 'em ups of recent years with fast reflexes crucial to success, but it makes for great stress relief and consistently has that 'just one more go' feel to it. It might not be as deep or as complex as other games on this list but those who prefer more traditional gaming where a high score is all that matters are bound to love Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved.
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
One of the oldest games in our list, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis is still one of the strongest examples of point and click adventure gaming. Besides the obvious fact that surely any game featuring Indiana Jones has to be at least half decent, it's things like alternate paths and endings which makes all the difference. Throw in some great puzzles and a compelling plotline; Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis has it all. It's well worth any self respecting puzzle gamer's attention. Plus once you're done with this game, there's always The Last Crusade which is available for the same price and is only slightly inferior in quality. http://store.steampowered.com/app/32310/
Yes, another classic LucasArts adventure game, but both Loom and The Dig are near perfect titles at near perfect prices (2.99 GBP each). They both weave different styles of storyline. Loom is a surprisingly complex fantasy tale while The Dig is science fiction. Both are deeply serious in their approach, a rare departure from LucasArts' other point and click games. The Dig is arguably one of the best Science Fiction games of all time, not surprising when you bear in mind Steven Spielberg conceived the idea as well as wrote parts of it. Loom followed a different path for the genre focusing on magical notes that can be played on a distaff rather than the usual puzzles involving environmental or NPC interaction. Both titles are certainly different compared to the typical point and click adventure but for the price of a pint, worthy games to check out.