Alright, so we’ve all been preparing ourselves for some serious next-gen action that awaits us in the future for consoles. What of the next-gen games we can play NOW, though?! Steam’s got some great titles, and for a good price. If you can run it, why not buy it? Here are the titles that you can get your hands on (and at a reduced price, perhaps!) as of March 2014.
[promo title=”#10 LEGO Marvel Super Heroes”][/promo]
Before I begin, I should note that the game’s quality and content is virtually identical to its console counterparts, and it is actually available on Steam for about HALF of what the PS4 or XBOX One versions go for. Great deal for a great game.
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes is by far THE largest LEGO experience to date, next to LEGO LoTR of which has also incorporated open-world gameplay. The sheer size of the city of New York and the amazingly large palette of characters makes the game very full. Play as iconic characters like Spiderman, The Hulk, Thor, and more! My personal favorite is Iron Man, as his mode of transportation in the large map they put you in is flying around just as he does in the movies. LEGO Marvel Super Heroes is a LEGO game that sticks to each character’s canonical roots while still providing a new story to be told. The only personal gripe I would have with it is its slightly cheesy script; but hey, it is a LEGO game after all. It’s to be expected. Another thing that should be advised when playing this game is to not expect an incredibly complex storyline. The story was written entirely by the LEGO staff, and is not at all based on any of the films by Marvel. It is however still a fun experience, and I would recommend this game to anyone looking to save some money while getting the same quality as its PS4 or XBOX One counterparts.
[promo title=”#9 Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag”][/promo]
The only reason this game is not much higher on the list is because it IS, like LEGO Marvel, a console game as well. Those who know the game understand that it is spectacular on the consoles, and if this was a list outlining the best games on consoles as of today, I would put it at the top. If you have not played the game, or are looking for a good deal and graphics on-par with the next-gen systems, read on. If you’ve played the game already on a console, I do suggest skipping ahead to #8, as there really is not anything new or exclusive the Steam version has over the console versions.
Assassin’s Creed IV adds not only yet another vibrant world to explore, but brings an amazing story to the table as you pillage and plunder as pirates. The historicity is accurate, the characters are lovable, the gameplay is solid, and the sea is yours to explore. Ubisoft is notorious for allowing massive Steam price cutbacks on nearly all of their games, and at sporadic times of the year. Annually, you can expect them to have what Steam calls the “Ubisoft Sale”, and probably nab the game at a good 50% off. Additionally, the graphics with an Nvidia graphics card superceed that of its console counterpart, giving it an edge against the current next-gen systems when it has a sale.
[promo title=”#8 Garry’s Mod”][/promo]
Garry’s Mod. The game of many games. The king of community influence, and the champion of humor. Also, perhaps, the origin of quite a lot of ridiculous YouTube Poop videos. It still–after years of being released–finds itself on the Top Sellers list on the Steam store. The game is phenomenal. But, perhaps because it IS quite irrelevant today than it was then, it earns #8 on the list.
Garry’s Mod is a fantastic game if all you want to experience is pure, unadulterated fun. It is most definitely not played to win, nor is there any immediate incentive to play the game (aside from Trading Cards and Steam Achievements) if you don’t want to. The game teaches you, essentially, to create your own incentive. Now, for those of you who’ve never heard of Garry’s Mod (or perhaps have heard the name but not ever quite understood what is was), it is a sandbox game in essence. The game throws blank maps at you from famous Valve games (and some Gmod exclusives), to use as your canvas. The game’s community generates all of its content. Ever wanted to ride around City 17 on a Delorean as Mad Moxxi from Borderlands? Maybe play as a Portal 2 turret and protect an outpost for GLaDOS? What about run around as a Combine soldier and search for other players disguised as milk cartons and pieces of crumpled paper? Perhaps ride a rollercoaster as Sonic the Hedgehog and derail into oblivion? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this game is the one for you.