The Steam Summer Sale is here, and many of us (myself included) can finally grab that title we’ve been eyeing for ages, or in the worst cases, end up spending way more than we should. I’m kidding, of course. Or at least, I hope that doesn’t happen.
Either way, today I want to share a few titles pulled directly from my wishlist, and I promise I won’t recommend anything that costs more than $10 per game.
It goes without saying that my list is packed with turn-based RPGs and hybrids close to the genre. Sure, I love action games too, but we can leave those for other websites. What I really want to do with this list is take a step back in time and highlight a few hidden gems from the past, games you might have missed, but that could bring you some unexpected joy now.
I’d like to revisit this in the next few days with additional recommendations, so consider this part one of a two-part series.
One title I strongly recommend grabbing is Alder’s Blood: Definitive Edition. It’s a strategy RPG where you play as hunters who aren’t exactly human, in a world where God has been killed and the earth has turned into a hunting ground for all kinds of monsters.
You’ll be managing this group of hunters, handling recruitment, trading, and hunting quests that play out in tactical combat layered with a stealth system tied to the creatures’ senses. It also has a distinctive, gritty art style that really stands out. Considering it goes for around $4 during the sale, it’s absolutely worth adding to your library.
Another title I’ve mentioned quite a bit recently (especially since its developer is working on a promising new isometric CRPG) is Raiders! Forsaken Earth. This is a survival strategy game that throws you into a classic post-apocalyptic setting where you’ll trade, fight, and try to survive in what’s left of the world. It’s a game that can easily give you many hours of gameplay, and at around $3, it’s a steal.
For something with a different twist, check out The Magister, a 2021 RPG that puts you in the shoes of an investigator handling procedurally generated cases, ensuring every playthrough throws new scenarios your way.
Set in the rugged lands of Silverhurst, this card-battler RPG lets you build and customize your deck not only for tactical turn-based combat but also for Tactical Diplomacy, offering a path to resolve conflicts without bloodshed. You can negotiate with your foes through carefully chosen dialogue cards or unleash potent strikes like Poison Slash in combat, and you have only 14 days to crack the case.
You can recruit mercenaries or even furry companions to aid your pursuit of justice, while your Magister’s unique traits, be it a cunning alcoholic or an insomniac scholar. In short, it’s a pretty unique title, and it doesn’t even cost more than $3.
I can’t not mention Pillars of Eternity II here. Sure, it goes on sale often, but right now you can snag it for around $10.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire invites you to chart your own course across the sun-drenched seas of the Deadfire Archipelago, captaining your ship in pursuit of a rogue god while uncovering secrets among shifting alliances and ancient powers.
This sequel refines the classic isometric CRPG formula with a deeply reactive world, layered party interactions, and the option for turn-based combat, letting you tailor your journey and tactics to your style. Tons of hours of gameplay and an absolutely recommended title.
Another title that, unfortunately, didn’t get the best reviews on Steam, landing only a “Mixed” rating, but still worth mentioning, is Crimson Tactics: The Rise of the White Banner. A kingdom teetering on the edge of collapse, where civil war and political ambition ignite conflict across the fractured land of Wendalle.
In this turn-based tactical RPG, inspired by classic tactics games (you know what games), you command your units across grid-based maps, featuring a flexible class system and a unique mount mechanic letting you ride dragons and horses. So, mounting a dragon for just $7 is a deal, right?
The Conan the Barbarian vibes are strong in Lands of Sorcery, a unique indie RPG where you’ll manage a roster of adventurers across the continent of Akoll, equipping and upgrading your fighters while engaging in Darkest Dungeon-style battles that emphasize skill use and morale.
The game blends a tongue-in-cheek narrative with combat-focused progression, offering a mix of story-driven campaigns, character development, and a lighthearted homage to pulp fantasy and 80s B-movie inspirations. Seeing warrior women in bikinis is always a sight, and honestly, that alone (but not only that) makes those $5 well spent.
Getting back to something more tactical, another interesting title currently heavily discounted is Tyrant Blessing, where you command the last living warriors of Tyberia against the undead forces of a tyrant who has promised a paradise without suffering by erasing life itself.
Each day, you choose battles, rescue missions, or regrouping efforts, managing your resources and positioning to overcome the Dead Army. With twenty unique heroes to recruit, environmental interactions to leverage, and careful planning required to counter the telegraphed attacks of your enemies, this is a game worth the $4 tag. Same price for another tactical RPG involving deckbuilding mechanics.
Trials of Fire. A tactical roguelite where you lead a team of three heroes across the harsh wastelands of Ashe, facing enemies in battles that blend card-based abilities with careful positioning.
Each run challenges you to adapt your strategy, combining hero decks, managing equipment, and using terrain to your advantage while scavenging for resources and upgrades. It’s always caught my eye with its art style, and with procedurally generated encounters and a variety of heroes, weapons, and skills, the game really has a lot to offer.
If you’re a fan of point-and-click adventures, I highly recommend checking out The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales. At its core, it’s definitely a point-and-click, but it also introduces light turn-based combat into the mix.
You play as Etienne Quist, a writer who has lost his ability to write and now dives into books to steal legendary artifacts like Thor’s Hammer and Excalibur. Switching between reality and the worlds within books, you explore diverse settings, solve puzzles, and use persuasion or combat to achieve your goals.
Each book world offers its own rules and challenges as you work to reclaim your freedom and creativity through the power of stories. An interesting project released in 2023, and you can grab it on sale for just $4 as well.
For those who love giant robots, and really, who doesn’t?, there’s Wolfstride. Turn-based RPG where a team of former partners-in-crime reunites to enter a global mecha tournament with their battered rig, Cowboy.
Balancing strategy and resource management, you’ll upgrade and repair your mech, take on odd jobs to fund your journey, and engage in one-on-one mech battles that reward positioning and planning.
Between fights, you explore Rain City, meeting characters who offer work or challenges as the crew’s quest for victory gradually reveals the weight of their past choices and the bonds that still hold them together. Also, here is a great price, around $3.
And what if I told you that one of the greatest RPGs ever made, a game that, in a way, carved out an entirely new subgenre and has already inspired countless new titles, is on sale for around three dollars, and that game is called Disco Elysium? You’d believe it, right? Well, you should, because that’s the plain truth.
Disco Elysium – The Final Cut is a role-playing game where you step into the shoes of a detective navigating the streets of Revachol, using a unique skill system to piece together your identity while investigating a murder.
Full voice acting, branching dialogue, and deep political vision quests, the game allows you to approach every situation in your own way, whether that means taking bribes, interrogating suspects, or getting lost in philosophical debates. Rich storytelling, layered choices, and a living world ensure that each decision shapes both your case and the kind of detective you become. An incredible game for sure.
For under ten dollars, you can grab the bundle for one of the best titles in the Final Fantasy series, specifically the tenth installment, together with X-2 in an HD Remaster version.
FINAL FANTASY X/X-2 HD Remaster brings two classic JRPG adventures to modern platforms with enhanced visuals and quality-of-life updates. In FINAL FANTASY X, you follow Tidus and Yuna on a journey across Spira to confront the looming threat of Sin, while FINAL FANTASY X-2 continues the story two years later as Yuna becomes a Sphere Hunter in search of answers within a changing world.
Featuring some of the best characters in videogames, a great progression, and emotional storytelling, this remaster offers a chance to experience or revisit these beloved entries with updated graphics, rearranged music, and new gameplay options.
These are just a few of the titles I wanted to highlight for you. A few days ago, I also pointed out a great deal regarding some of the best recent Turn-Based JRPGs that you should not miss.
Below is the list of the games mentioned in this article.
- Alder’s Blood
- Raiders! Forsaken Earth
- The Magister
- Pillars of Eternity II
- Crimson Tactics: the Rise of the White Banner
- Lands of Sorcery
- Tyrant Blessing
- Trials of Fire
- The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales
- Wolfstride
- Disco Elysium
- Final Fantasy X-X2 HD Remaster
Please let me know what you end up spending your hard-earned money on. See you on X and Bluesky, on the Discord channel, and in the newly created Reddit community. Ciao
