Unwrap Gaming Delights: Spend Your Holiday Cash on Steam’s Winter Sale!

So, it’s Christmas Day. You’ve unwrapped all your gifts. Now, you’re left with an assortment of gift cards, and perhaps some additional cash from a generous uncle who never seems to know what to acquire for you annually. How will you utilize it? As the senior gaming editor at Digital Trends, permit me to encourage you to consider purchasing some PC games.

The Steam Winter Sale is currently active through January 2, 2025. As is customary, it features significant price reductions on many of the year’s finest games (alongside numerous others). If you’ve held off on acquiring certain games this year, expecting future discounts, this is your opportunity. To assist you in discerning your choices, I’ve gathered some of the best bargains in this year’s sales. I’m concentrating on titles released in 2024 to help expand your backlog, but remember there are plenty more deals to examine this year.

Season’s greetings from everyone here at Digital Trends. And as an oddly placed Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson once remarked at Summer Game Fest, “Enjoy your gaming!”

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown — $20

If I had to suggest just one title from this year’s sale, it would be Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Ubisoft’s phenomenal 2D action adventure is a premier Metroidvania. It showcases a swift combat system, tricky platforming, a plethora of secrets, and remarkable quality of life enhancements that elevate the genre. It may not have received the recognition it warranted at this year’s Game Awards (although it won a well-deserved award for Innovation in Accessibility), but it secured a position on Digital Trends’ top 10 games of 2024. You can now snag it for merely $20 during Steam’s Winter Sale, and that’s a genuine bargain.

Helldivers 2 — $32

If you haven’t yet experienced Helldivers 2, now is the moment to equip yourself and defend Super Earth. The exceptional co-op shooter has become popular for a reason; it provides players with a chaotic experience designed for friends to engage in mischief. It’s an action-oriented comedy of blunders where friends can unintentionally bomb each other while combating aliens. During the Steam Winter Sale, you can acquire it for $32, which gives a slight discount off its regular $40 price. It’s also a perfect time to join in. As announced at The Game Awards, Helldivers 2 just received a major (and wild) new update called Omens of Tyranny. Additionally, it recently got new visuals inspired by Killzone 2. Gather a team and eliminate those bugs.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth — $35

This year was abundant with lengthy RPGs, so I wouldn’t blame you for skipping a few. If you’re aiming to revisit and complete your collection, ensure Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is prioritized at the top of your list. The superb sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon is an incredibly enjoyable journey that takes Kiryu, Ichiban, and their companions to Hawaii. It stands out as one of the series’ best entries yet, featuring an expansive narrative about characters confronting their mortality and discovering their role in the world. It’s currently available for $35, a great deal considering you can easily invest over 100 hours into it. Did I mention it includes an entire Animal Crossing-themed town management minigame?

Tekken 8 — $35

Fighting games often don’t receive an abundance of appreciation when it…comes to the Game of the Year period, yet Tekken 8 stands out as one of the finest of 2024, irrespective of genre. Even if you aren’t a serious competitor, you should experience its remarkable story campaign, unfolding like the most thrilling kung fu extravaganza you’ve ever witnessed. Its initial cost of $70 made it challenging for casual gamers seeking solo play, but it’s currently at a 50% discount during Steam’s sale. This reduces the price to $35, an excellent deal for a top-notch fighting game brimming with unforgettable characters.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard — $39

While it might evoke mixed feelings, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is deserving of your investment over time. Bioware’s action RPG begins as a safe revival but eventually escalates to an emotionally engaging narrative that lingers with me long after completion. This is the type of game that requires a substantial time commitment to truly appreciate, making it an ideal pick for a holiday respite. Presently, it’s available at a 35% discount on Steam, lowering the price to $39. For that amount, you’ll obtain a rich journey filled with notably intricate RPG mechanics, unforgettable companions, and heartfelt (if somewhat clichéd) writing that roots fantasy in human struggles. Give it a shot, and you may find it’ll surprise you.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess — $40

If you haven’t had a chance to check it out on Xbox Game Pass, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess should be prioritized on your gaming list this year. Capcom’s quirky tower defense experience, where players need to shield a dancing Goddess as she navigates through monster-ridden paths, is among the most inventive titles released in 2024. It’s an unusual twist on a timeless genre that intriguingly transcends categories. Moreover, it boasts some of the finest music and striking visuals of 2024. You can procure it for only $40 during the Steam Winter Sale, but there’s an even better offer. Spend just 20 cents extra to secure a bundle that also features Okami, which is finally receiving a long-awaited sequel. That’s an outstanding two-for-one bargain.

UFO 50 — $21

Initially priced at $25, UFO 50 was already a bargain. This retro collection features 50 original — and fully developed — 8-bit games that are pixel-perfect. The mathematics always favored it, as you were paying 50 cents per game. Now, it’s an even better deal at $21. This is the type of title that everyone should possess, particularly if you own a Steam Deck. I’ve logged over 85 hours with it since its release and have still merely completed a portion of its games, not to mention finishing each game’s unique challenge. Much like a compilation of fantastic NES games, this one will provide endless entertainment.

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes — $19

I cannot allow this year to conclude without recommending my personal game of the year one final time. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is, without any exaggeration, one of the finest puzzle games ever created. It presents an immersive maze filled with secrets, reminiscent of Resident Evil. Each puzzle possesses its own internal logic that significantly deviates from the rest, yet somehow maintains a sense of consistency. I can’t endorse it enough, so here’s my last push to encourage you to give it a try: It can be yours for $19 at the moment. This is reduced from its standard price of $25, and I assure you that it’s worth every single penny. If you’re home visiting family or spending time with your partner, it serves as the ideal couch co-op game (despite the lack of actual co-op) since its challenging puzzles may require two minds to solve.