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Valve's Going Rogue sale is live on Steam at the moment. The week-long sale focuses on challenging games and genres that are known to be punishing. These include rogue-lites, Soulslikes, Metroidvanias, and so on. Regardless of the genre, they all share one thing in common with players: skill.
In a nutshell, these games are known for aggressive enemies, challenging combat, and brutal platforming. The current Steam sale offers some great discounts on some of the biggest and most underrated challenging games to buy on the platform.
Experience virtual pain and death in several discounted games on the newest Steam sale
5) Dead Cells (40% off)
Described as a "roguemania," portmanteau of roguelike and Metroidvania genres, 2018's Dead Cells is one of the most renowned in its category. The narrative for Motion Twin's 2D action platformer sees players control an amorphous creature that can puppeteer corpses.
Throughout the game, players will fight through various platforming challenges, battle tough enemies in hack & slash combat and gain new temporary skills and gear to ease the journey.
The enemies are no joke, showcasing a decent variety and aggressive patterns in addition to traps lying around the map. Death is permanent as players will be sent back to the pile of rotting corpses to begin anew. However, collecting Cells will allow players to unlock permanent upgrades.
It's this slow drip of progression that makes rogues so addictive, and Dead Cells is one of the best. Ensure to buy all DLC for the best experience. The game is 40% off on Steam.
4) Slay The Spire (60% off)
Developed by MegaCrit, Slay The Spire is an RNG fueled roguelike that will test your wits and keep you at the edge of your seat despite having a card-based combat system. The adventure sees players pick one of four unique characters and ascend a spire with multiple floors. These ascend in challenge with new enemies, bosses, and encounters awaiting players at each turn.
As a rogue, all encounters, item drops, and progression will be random for a run. Players will start with a basic deck and gain new cards from fallen enemies. The game does demand a little bit of math to sum up card damage for taking down enemies.
Additionally, utilizing the Block system to avoid taking damage and skirting around enemies' own attempts is key to success. It's a simple but super effective concept that will keep players hooked for just one more run. It can be bought here on Steam at 60% off.
3) Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (75% off)
Released in 2019, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order from Respawn Entertainment and EA is a solid action-adventure that takes pages from popular franchises. As Jedi Padawan Cal Kestis, players must fight their way through many planets while on the run from the Imperial Inquisition. In a nutshell, it pairs the gameplay of Souls and exploration of Metroid with the platforming and parkour of Tomb Raider.
All enemies exhibit unique attacks, with the lightsaber's parry and Force abilities proving handy. Levels are interconnected, featuring optional collectibles and challenges. Throw in a well-choreographed narrative, and you've got a memorable adventure for both Star Wars fans and newcomers.
It is undoubtedly one of the best Star Wars games of the past few years, even though many of its ideas and mechanics are all too familiar at their core. Grab it for 75% off on Steam.
2) Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - GOTY Edition (50% off)
The most unique hack & slash offering from developer FromSoftware yet, Sekiro is renowned for its sword-clashing fights. The 2019 action-adventure features a shinobi called Wolf who must fight back against a samurai clan that has kidnapped his master.
Players will navigate through levels allowing for stealth ambushes and face off majestic bosses with the game's polished and precise combat. Breaking enemy postures, parrying, and countering are key to winning because the foes in Sekiro do not hold back.
Various tools and fluid movement allow for one of the most vertically oriented hack & slash games yet. On that note, it brings to mind the Tenchu series, which is also under FromSoft. For those wishing to test their reflexes, Sekiro is the game to get. The GOTY Edition includes all DLC content released so far. It is 50% off on Steam right now.
1) Hollow Knight (60% off)
Released back in 2017 by the small team at Team Cherry, Hollow Knight has grown to be one of the most popular indie games ever made. Taking on the role of a Nail-weilding bug warrior, players are thrust into the world of Hallownest. The labyrinthine biomes of the world are run amok with hostile bug creatures that must be put down. It takes cues from Nintendo's Metroid series for the interconnected map design with new abilities unlocked on defeating bosses.
Each mechanic opens up new areas to explore, which feature different enemies and platforming challenges. The haunting visuals, memorable soundtrack, and amazing boss fights paint this as a must-have for fans of the genre. At 60% off, Hollow Knight is at an all-time historical low, an absolute steal for one of the best Metroidvanias out on the Steam market.
The Going Rogue sale began on May 3 and is expected to end on May 9, 2022. Which of these picks do you intend to buy from the ongoing Steam sale?
Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.
