We have covered some of the best overall deals of Steam Summer Sale 2023, as well as great games to play on Steam Deck — but now it’s time to just pick out a few hidden gems from the sale that you can buy for cheap. With these games, you can support some terrific efforts that might have flown a little under the radar.
These Games Are Hidden Gems to Check Out in the Steam Summer Sale 2023
Record of Lodoss War -Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth- – $14.99 (25% off)
Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth does everything a good search action (It’s a better genre name than Metroidvania.) game should do. It has smooth, fluid movement that expands as you play and allows you to pull off incredibly satisfying maneuvers when you master the controls. It has expanding, interconnected levels full of varied enemies and environments. It has loads of different weapons with varying speed, reach, and power to fit your play style. And it does it all so well that it’s probably the most satisfying search action game I’ve played.
The story is a great extension of the Record of Lodoss War anime that will be enjoyable for those familiar with it. Everyone else… will probably be a bit confused but will still get a nice story.
Arcade Paradise – $12.99 (35% off)
The thing that made Arcade Paradise more than a collection of fun minigames is how it marries the slice-of-life story and gameplay. You play a kid who is taking over Dad’s laundromat. When Ashley finds some old arcade machines in the back, and those make more money than the laundromat, you start building up the arcade (against your dad’s wishes and without his knowledge). You have to do simple minigames like cleaning up trash and emptying the coin hoppers to make money, which allows you to buy new arcade cabinets. Each arcade cabinet is a simple game you can actually play in-game. The games are usually something familiar (like one game being similar to Mr. Driller) or a combination of titles (like another game being a mix of Grand Theft Auto 2 car chases and Pac-Man).
Your time playing the arcade games gets interrupted by taking care of the business and having to fold laundry or fix a clogged toilet, but the incentive to stop playing games to do those things is to make money so you can buy more arcade games to play (which also make more money). Add a minimalist but touching story about a kid and his business-minded and mostly absent dad, and it’s a great mix that shows how to tie seemingly random minigames together with a good plot.
Mothergunship – $4.99 (80% off)
Blah blah, it’s a first-person shooter that feels good and has responsive arena shooter-style play. That’s fine, but plenty of games have that. In Mothergunship, you can build your own guns via a collection of modular parts, so you can make an SMG with a rocket launcher that drops mines every time you shoot. You also get to hold unique guns for BOTH hands.
The limitations come mostly from imagination, having enough parts, and screen real estate (the bigger the gun, the more room it takes up on screen). Completing levels gives you more gun parts so you can build wilder and wilder weapons.
It’s a solid FPS, but the gun-crafting mechanics make it a great play even for folks that aren’t super into first-person shooters (like me).
Moon Hunters – $1.49 (90% off)
Moon Hunters is a co-op personality test with light elements of RPGs and roguelikes. You have five days (with each day being one level) to level up and get enough supplies to fight and stop the leader of the Sun Cultists. There’s a number of characters you’ll interact with each day, and the choices you make when meeting them will change what is available to you that run. A run can be completed in 30 or so minutes, but as a roguelike, it’s meant to be played over and over.
While the main story beats are mostly the same each time, the greater story expands. Some NPCs exist out of time and reveal more of the story each time you play. In addition, the essences of previous characters remain in this entity’s realm, and the characters from previous runs can be referenced within the game.
While you can play it solo, it’s infinitely better with a friend (or three) since the combat is simple and greatly benefits from working with other players and combining your abilities.
Deathtrap Dungeon – $0.97 (86% off)
This is peak PlayStation 1-era jank. It’s unpredictable: You’ll battle juggling clowns in a circus-themed dungeon for a few levels, and then you’ll be dropping a T. rex in a spike pit before riding a flying turtle to get to different parts of a castle. It’s clunky: You’ll be trying to execute long jumps over slightly misaligned floor panels only to fall through the floor because the camera was at the wrong angle. It’s charming: There is a level of passion and commitment to the unhinged events that you can’t find in something with more polish.
It took me almost 40 hours to complete, so for $0.97, even if you’ve had your fill before the final level, you’ll get an unforgettable experience. Which is fine because the final level is honestly not even worth completing. However, the breadth of ideas and challenges you face at every level leading to it makes it worth it.
So whatever your budget or genre of choice is, there are hidden gems out there for you in the Steam Summer Sale 2023.
