This summer sale I have decided to do something different. Instead of trying to create a massive list of “the best of the best” games in this Steam Summer Sale by “everyone’s standards”, I’ve been wanting to create something a bit more personal.

In this list, you’ll find 10 video games that I love and would not hesitate to advise anyone to buy, no matter your background, experience and preferences in gaming.

There are a lot of great titles on sale, and you should check out the Featured Deep Discounts for some sweet deals, including The Witcher 3 at $3.99, Assetto Corsa at $1.99 and Arma 3 for $2.99.

XCOM: Ultimate Collection

XCOM will always be one of my favourite games of all time. The 2011 remake of the turn-based tactics classic of the early 90s that pits humans against alien invaders is the best turn-based tactical experience you can have if you’re new to the genre and are even mildly curious as to why people love this game, there’s no better reason. The XCOM: Ultimate Collection is currently going for less than 20 dollars, and those 20 doubloons of yours will equate to hundreds of hours of some of the best and most challenging turn-based action ever created, alongside a compelling narrative and elaborate meta-layer of management. Every game in that series is great, and even the less beloved Chimera Squad is an absolute delicacy of a turn-based tactics title.

Battlefield 1

I had to include a historical shooter on this list (and I use the term “historical” very loosely here), and considering the games available, their quality and their prices, there’s no doubt that Battlefield 1 is my go-to title. For $2.79 at a 93% discount, Battlefield 1 is an absolute steal. It has some great mini-campaigns, with one of the best campaign entry missions ever. It still has a very active multiplayer community, averaging around 10.000 peak players every day, and considering that the game came out in 2016, it speaks to its quality as a multiplayer title and the endearing nature it cemented with the community.

Call to Arms – Gates of Hell: Ostfront

I know, I know, and I’ve heard you all before on my Best Real-Time Strategy Games List “Gates of Hell is overrated”, “Gates of Hell isn’t that great”, “You got paid to promote Gates of Hell” (I didn’t, but I wish I had). The truth of the matter is: if you’re looking for a real-time strategy World War 2 videogame, there isn’t a single thing that even comes close to being as excellent as Gates of Hell: the game is based on the Men of War engine, so it plays pretty much the same, except that it has greater graphics, plays more realistically, has some great campaigns, a conquest mode, and even a 3rd-person mode if you want to take control of a single unit. I love it. Oh, and there are hundreds of mods, in case you’re interested in that side of Gates of Hell.

Total War: Shogun 2

I made up the rule that I could only place one Total War title in this list. That honor goes to Total War: Shogun 2. Hailed by many as the best Total War title ever created, it’s hard to argue with its $2.99 price point. This was a close call between Total War: Warhammer 2 and Shogun 2, but the price difference closes this deal outright. Shogun 2 is the epitome of Total War historical titles. It’s well-researched, semi-authentic with its battles, beautiful to look at and the geopolitical situation of Sengoku Jidai (and the rise and fall of the samurai) is a fascinating and complex setting.

Crusader Kings 3

While I’m currently playing Fields of Glory: Kingdoms and enjoying it more than I ever enjoyed Crusader Kings 3, I still believe that Crusader Kings 3 is an amazing game that does something that no other game series ever tried to do, and that’s simulating the complexity of medieval politics from a personal perspective, instead of nationwide, which is as historically accurate as it’s going to get. The game contemplates nearly all aspects of political life- court intrigues, arranged marriages, power struggles, sabotage, poisoning, assassinations, imprisonment, and plays of power. All great stuff.

FTL: Faster Than Light

It’s hard to believe that FTL: Faster Than Light came out all the way back in 2012. This original Kickstarter indie darling is still a blast to play in this day and age. FTL: Faster Than Light is a hard-as-nails spaceship simulations roguelike that puts you at the helm of a ship and its crew, in a randomly generated galaxy, and tasks you with escaping the grasp of the confederacy. The systems-targeting-based combat works amazingly well, giving ample room for player strategy and ship builds. In case you don’t own this already, it’s just $2.49.

Battle Academy

I’m kind of tired of recommending Battle Academy on every list I write and I was going to skip this one, but since it’s the first Battle Academy is going for just $1.49, there’s no way I’m not letting you know about this.

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I’ve been running Strategy and Wargaming at my own expense since 2017, with only the ad revenue to cover the hosting, with everything else being done by me. It’s thanks to the goodwill of video game publishers like Slitherine, Hooded Horse, and others that I’m able to cover games prior to