Steam Sale

The following post details my thoughts on the Steam weekly sale that started today. There are a number of titles of interest that are available at some significant discounts, and if your war game or strategy library is a bit on the light side of things these games may do the trick in filling out your roster of potential go-to games.

These recommendations are of course based on my own personal opinion, so your mileage may vary somewhat. I will note however that for the most part the Steam user ratings are quite dependable (if a title truly does suck the community will let you know, and it does not appear that a developer or publisher has any ability to influence the street credit their title may be receiving).

These are the top titles of note available this week on Steam:

Unity of Command Trilogy Bundle
75% Off
$7.49 USD

Credit Steam/2X2 Games

Contents: Unity of Command: Stalingrad Campaign (base game), Red Turn (DLC), and Black Turn (DLC).

My Thoughts: I already own all of this content, and while I have not completed the game or posted extensively about it here on this blog, the content is deep, challenging, and satisfying. The "bobblehead" design of the unit counters may put some war game purists off a bit; however the data behind those large heads is both pertinent and relatable.

Call to Arms
75% Off
$6.24 USD

Credit Steam/Digitalmindsoft

Contents: Base game (can be bundled with a Deluxe Edition which will provide you access to the work-in-progress single-player campaign.

My Thoughts: This is an Early Access game that came out of the gates focused on multiplayer gaming. It is from the makers of the Men at War series, and personally I have this marked as Not Interested at the moment due to its state and initial focus. I have the complete Men at War series and have barely gotten past the training missions in most of them given the over-the-top RTS click fest difficulty.

Cities in Motion 2
70% Off
$5.99

Credit Steam/Colossal Order LTD.

Contents: Base game (can be bundled with several pieces of DLC, and other titles in the series and from the developer are offered as well).

My Thoughts: I have had this title in and out of my Steam Wish List multiple times over the last year, and due to the amount of negative reviews on Steam I typically wuss out at the last moment. While I am into city builders and management games in general, they are huge time sucks and have produced scarce content for this blog. This could be one of those games where you spend the rest of your gaming life in, or toss aside as a digital coaster.

Storm Over the Pacific
66% Off
$3.39

Credit Steam/Wastelands Interactive

Contents: Base game.

My Thoughts: This is a Wastelands Interactive title that covers the Pacific theater during World War II (specifically 1937-1945). Apart from the earlier than most starting year, the game allows you to play as one of 30 different countries, or to control several as an overall alliance of sorts. I personally do not own any games from this developer as I find the graphical quality quite circumspect, however to be honest that may not be a fair assessment as there could be deep strategic content here.

The mixed reviews this has received on Steam (and the mostly negative reviews other titles from this developer has received) has effectively kept this off of my Wish List and out of my cart.

Ironclads: American Civil War
80% Off
$1.99

Credit: Steam/Totem Games

Contents: Base game and a high dollar bundle offer that includes other titles in the series.

My Thoughts: I own this game and all other titles in the bundle offer (an egregious $49.95 as the Civil War title is the only on sale this week). I bought this entire package as a bundle during the Steam Christmas Sale back in 2012 for $14.98 so to see it still being hustled years later at full price is somewhat shocking).

The Mostly Negative reviews on Steam for this title are quite well earned. To say this game is terrible would not begin to shed light on the level of disappointment that came with spending almost $15 on the entire series. Everything from the interface, to the graphics, to the lack of options or even gaming modes makes this a complete waste of hard earned gaming money.

So there you have it, my thoughts on several games available on this weeks sale. Of course these are simply my thoughts and opinions, and your remarks are welcome in the comment section below.