# What did you buy at Steam Summer Sale 2017? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 22, 2017, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648 "2017-06-22T23:03:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2017, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/61 "2017-06-27T17:24:25Z")
I purchased American Truck Simulator last night. I have absolutely no idea what prompted me to buy it. I’ve never had any sort of interest in driving a truck. But it was cheap and sounded like a lark. Started playing after I installed, and the next thing I knew, almost 3 hours had passed. It’s an incredibly relaxing game. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2017, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/62 "2017-06-27T18:45:04Z")
Even though I’m an avid gamer, I’ve bought nothing. The prices don’t seem that good. I’ve been getting too many ultra-cheap games on Humble Bundle and Bundle Stars, I think I’m spoiled. Plus I have a lot of games I want to play and a game has to be AAA and/or pretty amazing for me to pay more than $4-$5 for it these days. ---
**Author:** ![Orr\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@Orr\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orr_G)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2017, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/63 "2017-06-27T20:50:35Z")
About The Witness… I’m considering buying it, and am taking the advice to avoid spoilers. I just have one question. Is it just about solving puzzles, or is there something like a story to it? ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2017, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/64 "2017-06-27T20:51:41Z")
> [@Orr\_G](#): > > About The Witness… > > I’m considering buying it, and am taking the advice to avoid spoilers. I just have one question. Is it just about solving puzzles, or is there something like a story to it? I’m about in hour into gameplay and I’m wondering the same thing. The puzzles are fun but it won’t have any staying power unless I get a story to sink my teeth into. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2017, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/65 "2017-06-27T23:06:54Z")
It’s pretty much just the puzzles. There are some things here and there that are suggestive of a story, and for all I know there’s some backstory outside of the game to explain those things, but the game itself doesn’t tell a story like, say, The Talos Principle. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/66 "2017-06-28T01:35:59Z")
> [@Orr\_G](#): > > About The Witness… > > I’m considering buying it, and am taking the advice to avoid spoilers. I just have one question. Is it just about solving puzzles, or is there something like a story to it? No story. I mean, there is. But you have to figure it out yourself from looking around. It’s definitely debatable. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2017, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/67 "2017-06-28T01:37:23Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I’m about in hour into gameplay and I’m wondering the same thing. The puzzles are fun but it won’t have any staying power unless I get a story to sink my teeth into. Do not quit. A common review is “played an hour and found its just moving lines from one point to another.” You need to get further…and you need to have a couple major realizations. Hint: It _isn’t_ just panel puzzles going on. ---
**Author:** ![Orr\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@Orr\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orr_G)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2017, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/68 "2017-06-28T03:01:06Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I’m about in hour into gameplay and I’m wondering the same thing. The puzzles are fun but it won’t have any staying power unless I get a story to sink my teeth into. I went ahead and risked spoilering myself a bit and delved into some comments I found here and there. Everyone tends to be pretty vague about this game, which is probably good, if it is the sort of game I’m guessing it is. They even tend to be vague about whether or not there is a story. I’m going to get the game. I’m almost sure there isn’t anything like a story like there is in Life is Strange, or the Portal games, or even one to be uncovered like in Gone Home. Or maybe there are some story-like elements, but anyone who requires a satisfying story will be disappointed. But I’m also sure that it’s more than just a string of puzzles - there’s something there to be experienced that has more meaning to it than a Sudoku book. Food for thought, at least. ETA: Looks like it’s cheaper if you also get Braid, which I haven’t played, but heard was good. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2017, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/69 "2017-06-28T13:39:03Z")
OK so I’ve played about four hours of The Witness so far. It reminds me quite a bit of Myst: deserted island, puzzles to solve, some sort of underlying mystery (even if there is no “plot” as such). I’m posting from my phone but will post more later from home where I can more effectively do spoiler tags. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2017, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/70 "2017-06-28T15:55:15Z")
We should start a thread. I’m playing it with my husband. It’s, ah… Humbling how much smarter he is about this stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/71 "2017-06-28T16:06:06Z")
If anyone here has not played Portal and Portal 2 yet stop everything and go get it. For this sale they cost [$2.23 for both of them](http://store.steampowered.com/bundle/234/Portal_Bundle/). At that price it is impossible to say no unless you happen to really hate that genre in general. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ecks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ecks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ecks)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2017, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/72 "2017-06-28T16:41:44Z")
The Shadowrun series Cryptarc Costume Quest 1+2 Prey- Too new to be a great bargain, but I’m happy with it. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2017, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/73 "2017-06-28T17:27:06Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > We should start a thread. I’m playing it with my husband. > > It’s, ah… Humbling how much smarter he is about this stuff. Done. Thread here: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=829802](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=829802) ---
**Author:** ![Orr\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@Orr\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orr_G)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2017, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/74 "2017-06-28T17:56:54Z")
Thanks to suggestions here I’ve picked up The Witness (and Braid), and Ori and the Blind Forest. I’ve also snagged SOMA; I’m not really into the horror genre, I’ve discovered, but I found the recommendations intriguing and I’ve read that you can get a mod to tone down the dangerous parts so the game is more of an exploration game than a run and die game. I also grabbed Dawn of Discovery (Anno series). I kinda liked Anno 2070, and it was cheap (I’ll wait until Anno 2205 drops way low to pick that up). Plus, I tried to buy like four more games only to discover that they were already in my library. So there’s that. Any of the more actiony AAA games I either already have (like Mordor), or am waiting for the DLC to drop in price in the next sale or two while I play my backlog (like Fallout 4). As always, I’m on the lookout for really unique high-quality games like Life is Strange or like Valkyria Chronicles. Or any indie-sized gems (a la Witness, Ori, and the other suggestions in this thread that I already own). I’m finding my tastes to be changing a bit these days; I have less tolerance for the frenetic action stuff and I would much prefer being immersed in an interesting story or experience something unique and compelling. Meanwhile, I’ve been grinding away at ME Andromeda’s multiplayer. Bleah. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![Club\_33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Club\_33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Club_33)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/75 "2017-06-29T00:32:31Z")
Bought Assassin’s Creed III. Really enjoying it so far. Enough so that I’ll probably pick up IV before the sale ends. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/76 "2017-06-29T16:51:04Z")
I bought **SimAirport** , an early-access game in the style of Prison Architect. This is very definitely Alpha right now - not in the sense that there aren’t enough features, but rather in the sense that it changes rapidly (multiple updates per week). ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/77 "2017-06-29T17:03:54Z")
I bought FTL at last, not that it was expensive before. Sad thing is, I’m only borrowing the PC I have - need to give it back at Christmas - so don’t want to buy too much… ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/78 "2017-06-29T20:35:51Z")
Is Elite Dangerous a good buy at $20 or is it a game that needs all the DLC? ---
**Author:** ![cwniles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@cwniles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwniles)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/79 "2017-06-30T14:23:07Z")
Dropped $20 and got, Dead Cells Limbo Machinarium Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Considering Subnautica, Sunless Sea and maybe a couple of others. Pretty happy with what I got for $20 though. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648/80 "2017-06-30T14:49:39Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Is Elite Dangerous a good buy at $20 or is it a game that needs all the DLC? I’d like to know this too. I’ve been looking at it as a potential VR space sim. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-buy-at-steam-summer-sale-2017/789648.md?page=5)