Looking for Steam deals under $200 with fewer than four games over $30.
Looking for Steam deals under $200 with fewer than four games over $30.
TL;DR: I've been away from gaming lately and had limited funds or old hardware. Aiming for around $200 total, with 3-4 games over $30 each, but the budget is flexible. I have a spreadsheet of about 250 titles—alphabetically sorted with details like price, reviews, and release dates. Some names in blue are from my brother, possibly worth checking out. I’m not buying the full list, but need help narrowing it down.
What games really stand out? (For the worst, good alternatives exist.)
Popular picks: Archon Classic Assassin’s Creed, Bocce Revolution, Call of Duty, Cities: Skylines, Commander Keen, Keen Dreams, DiRT, Far Cry, Final Fantasy, Portal 2, Roller Coaster Tycoon, Metro, Need for Speed, Pool Nation, Civilization V.
Series to focus on: Archon, Bocce Revolution, Call of Duty, Cities: Skylines, Commander Keen, Keen Dreams, DiRT, Far Cry, Final Fantasy, Portal 2, Roller Coaster Tycoon, Metro, Need for Speed, Civilization V.
Classics and casual games are also on the list—including Minecraft, which is a bit pricey at ~$26 but worth it if you enjoy building.
I’m avoiding DOOM and similar intense horror games; I prefer less graphic content.
PC specs: Two i7-4790K systems with 32GB RAM, GTX 970M, and one desktop with 4790K, 32GB RAM, iGPU, or a laptop with i3-6100 and GTX 970M. I plan to upgrade GPUs in the future (~$250-400 for next-gen).
I’m not spending nearly the $2.3k shown in the spreadsheet if I buy everything—so I need guidance on what to keep and cut.
Any recommendations on standout games or titles to skip?
You put in a lot of effort on your desktop, but you didn’t get a GPU. My top picks are Kerbal Space Program, Portal 2, and Factorio.
Doom's on sale 40% off I'd grab that. City Skylines is ok. Do you like RTS? Company of Heroes 2 is only $16. I believe the 2033 is the better Metro game. Witcher 3 is amazing. One of my dads favorite games. I have Civ 5, it's ok but the games take forever. Gets a little boring.
Here are some new thoughts on your gaming interests. I've noted your focus on CS:GO, racing titles, and a few classic games you've enjoyed. You're also curious about racing simulations, competitive shooters, and some strategy titles. Your setup includes a laptop with an LGA1151 port, and you're thinking about upgrades like the Kaby Lake or future i7 models. You mentioned budget constraints for purchases and storage, and your preferences for certain platforms like Uplay. I've also included some suggestions for army-themed games based on your family history, and a few recommendations for racing experiences that fit your needs. Let me know if you'd like more details on any of these!
Avoid playing CS:GO if you aim to prevent gaming addiction. For a World War I theme, consider Verdun or upcoming Battlefield 1, though the latter isn't available on Steam.
You're asking about the storage size and what you're using it for. It sounds like you're managing a large collection—possibly 1200 high-definition movies at 4K resolution, each taking up around 100 TB. That's a massive amount of data! It feels similar to Minecraft in how you can explore, build, expand, and upgrade your library over time.
Never experienced the original; it might have been my first game ever, and the sentiment is genuine. I believe that’s likely the top city-building experience. Have you explored Tropico? It’s rumored to be quite solid as well. CoH2 feels more...intimate. The gameplay revolves around small units and careful placement, not mass production rushes. It stood out from other RTS titles in my view. I’d strongly consider the version with all DLCs—probably just a few dollars more. According to TB, 2033 is the superior release. At least that’s their take. Haha, he certainly plays far more games than me. He also owns three computers, one connected to a large screen. He prefers puzzle-based or open-world adventures. I was drawn to The Witcher series and Oblivion, and he’d have loved No Man’s Sky upon its launch; it could easily be his final title ever. I can’t think of anything matching the feel of Civ or Crysis 3…though it leans a bit old-school now. If it’s affordable, fine. My dad played it too—described it as a standard shooter, maybe slightly more polished. Are you ready for the Windows 10 upgrade? That could be beneficial. An SSD would help, but likely the whole system needs a complete refresh. Laptops become outdated much quicker than desktops. You might build a new PC for a few hundred dollars, though a laptop would offer better value.
Create a database with the following fields: Cities: Skylines, Civilization V, Dirt Rally, Don't Starve, Don't Starve Together, Portal 2, Rainbow Six: Siege, Sonic, Generations, SpeedRunners.