So This Was My Steam Holiday Sale Haul!

So it's been over a week since the Steam holiday sale concluded, and finally the shakes have subsided enough that I can sit down and write this. I mean those sales do get REALLY addictive, not just buying the games, but checking the specials every day, going on the forums for advice and to see what other people are buying, and so on. And this one was much more elaborate, as we could vote for the next specials, plus there were the flash sales...in short Steam did good. The only reason I didn't buy three times as many games as I did is because I already have most of them! At any rate, clicking that purchase button rapidly becomes second habit. I miss it.

Here's a quick review of the games I got from the sale!

Crysis 2 Maximum Edition

Have to admit that I played this on 360 when it came out in 2011, and now with DX11 fully implemented and running in ultra settings, the PC take on Crytek's second numbered release in the franchise makes that version of the game look like a sad joke. When seen as intended and with the extra content, Crysis 2 is a gorgeous game, and plays much better as well. Was also happy to see EA coming back to Steam, at least in a limited capacity!

Fable - The Lost Chapters

Laugh it up, but it was really cheap and I never got a chance to play the first Fable so I figured why not! Sure, it's a 2004 game running in 1080p with some upgraded textures and lighting effects, but it's still cool and has a lot of extra material compared to the original Xbox version. Not sure I'll ever actually get around to finishing it, but it's nice to have nonetheless.

F.E.A.R 3

Another big game I played on 360 when it first came out in the summer of 2011, which seems like a million years ago, by the way. Perhaps the term "big game" is arguable here, because not many people seem to have actually gotten FEAR 3 nor remember it, but I wanted to experience it again on PC in glorious detail, not to mention there's bound to be a fourth installment so might as well brush up on my Alma drama.

FTL: Faster Than Light

The first indie purchase for me in this sale, FTL has been gaining recognition in the PC gaming community for delivering a highly detailed and rewarding sci fi management experience, where you take charge of a ship and go zoomin' around the galaxy. You get to tweak and control almost every aspect of the ship, including the crew, upgrades, and of course space combat. Very minimalist in style, from what I've played so far FTL is also extremely tough, but I'll give it a fair shake.

Grand Theft Auto IV

Clearly played this day one when it came out in the spring of 2008, and as we all know, this is a rare case where PC gamers have to concede the console versions indeed look and play better. Nonetheless, really felt like redoing Nico's adventures in Liberty City, as I've given my 360 copy away. Plus, for $5 this comes with the two big DLC campaigns, so it's a great value. Even if it took forever to get to run, because Rockstar apparently never coded this to be compatible with graphics cards featuring more than 2GB memory!

Miasmata

An adventure game reminiscent of Amnesia, Dear Esther, and Anna, Miasmata also has hardly any hand holding and stars a protagonist who finds himself on an island with very little in the way of knowing what to do. I enjoy this sub-genre of games, though Miasmata is not as stunningly pretty as some of its peers. Definitely a lot of potential here, though.

Payday: The Heist

Quite the online phenomenon, this one, and for the low price it was offered at, I couldn't resist. If you have a thing for bank robbery sequences from movies and games, Payday takes that and runs with it way past 11. Designed for co-op and multiplayer, it does play surprisingly well in single player, and definitely warrants a closer look.

Portal 2

Really wasn't expecting to purchase this, as the first one proved well beyond my analytic capabilities, yet I was tempted and gave in to the urge. Portal 2 taps the Valve Source engine for all it's worth, and has tremendous writing with great humor and allusions to the expanded Half-Life/Portal/Valve universe. It also delivers superb voice acting, and if you relish a challenge you can't go wrong with what is essentially one long mind-bending puzzle.

Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad

A PC-exclusive tour de force of excellent graphics and detailed WWII action, the second Red Orchestra harks back to the halcyon days of the mid 2000's when Call of Duty was still a fresh entrant. Of course, Red Orchestra 2 is a relatively new game with spectacular visuals and production values, but at heart it's a more realistic first person shooter dedicated to hardcore WWII antics. It even talks about bullet drop and wind speed in the tutorial, and lets you adjust sights to compensate for distance. How many shooters let you do that? At the same time, it's much more accessible than the likes of the ARMA series, so I really like this.

Saint's Row the Third

The Saint's Row series was always sort of like the even more over the top Grand Theft Auto, but with Saint's Row the Third Volition dialed the ludicrous factor down a little while upping the bling quotient, so it's more of a serious affair. It tells the story of the Saints making it big and having to deal with new adversaries in new environments, and on the PC in fully cranked DX11 settings can be downright breathtakingly pretty. The action is fast and furious, but not too hard, and the characters are relatable in their own strange way. There's a lot of good one liners and dialog, and the world is loaded with detail and things to do. While I found previous Saint's Row games just not very satisfying and plain silly, the third one is a bona fide good game.

Waking Mars

What a lovely gem this is! A cerebral multi-directional scrolling platformer, Waking Mars combines attractive and sleek visuals, responsive controls, and a solid story. Set on, well, Mars, it stars a Dr. Liang as he explores underground caverns in search of advanced Martian lifeforms. Won't give too much away here, but thanks to its unique look and use of actually decent science, this is one of my favorite grabs of the sale.

The Walking Dead: Season One

Thought I had my fill of zombie games and movies, but so many people recommended this, I decided why not. And am I happy I forked over those $12. This is a marvel of storytelling and interaction, with some of the most fleshed out characters I've ever encountered in any game. The graphics are comic book-styled, but very well conveyed. Yes, it can be described as a long quick time event, but that's simply not fair, as the fiction and emotional investment are what counts here. Imagine Heavy Rain with zombies and constant decision moments a la Mass Effect, except the actions and repercussions have a more palpable effect on you since this is very mature content. A must-buy for any gamer, and naturally a NO BRAINER if you're a zombie fan or an appreciator of the TV series. Had some issues getting this to run properly and it simply refuses to work with the Xbox controller plugged in, but once you get started it's very hard to stop playing it.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to read this and feel free to post your own hauls in the comments in the forums. There's always the next Steam sale to look forward to, so ready your wallets.