Gaming News Are these games better than Starfield for less than $15? 2023 was a year full of gems!
Have you been disappointed by the release of some of your greatest expectations, such as that of a certain Starfield? It’s never too late to taste happiness… This year you may have missed these nuggets that promise you a few hours of guaranteed enjoyment and no disappointment. Thanks to some promotions or just very attractive basic prices, these games currently cost fifteen dollars or less.
Dave the diver
DAVE THE DIVER is probably the most addictive game of 2023. With 97% positive reviews on the Steam platform and an excellent score of 91 on Metacritic, it has brought joy to thousands of players. “This is easily one of the best games I’ve played so far this year“, even wrote IGN. On paper, it’s a “relaxed” RPG adventure game that’s teeming with activities. Dave the Diver’s small program takes place in two phases: During the day you go exploring on the high seas and fishing, before you take over the management of your sushi restaurant in the evening and gradually expand the menu for your customers. The whole thing is so exciting that you will never get bored in this game. Even in the depths of the sea there is an aquatic ecosystem that changes every day and even promises you a few surprises, just like the freshest possible plot that introduces you to a series of very eccentric characters, such as Bancho, the always very stoic sushi -Koch, or even Duff (our little favorite). , the gunsmith, completely obsessed with anime. The game is currently available on the Nintendo Switch e-shop for $15.99 until December 31st.
- Buy Dave the Diver from the Switch eshop
The final
It’s FREE and released just a few days ago: The Finals is an FPS with destructible settings dreamed up by Battlefield veterans, from which he draws much inspiration for large-scale battles. It was shown during the prestigious Game Awards ceremony and released immediately. As for the pitch, the developers were heavily inspired by the film “Running Man,” in which we follow a police officer played by Arnold Schwarzenegger as he unwillingly takes part in a particularly macabre reality TV show. Of course, this free game includes Battle Passes, which offer tons of cosmetics to customize weapons and characters. The title currently offers two main modes: Quick Cashing, a 3v3v3 where you have to collect a chest and then transport it to a redemption point, and Rain of Coins, a more relaxed experience where you have to collect coins from and from chests the corpses of the opponents. At JV we tried the experiment and really liked it: “Overall, we really enjoyed this first session with The Finals. Technically it is super clean (even if the artistic direction is not always the same), as are the sensations when shooting.”
- Download The Finals on Steam
KarmaZoo
If you’re looking for a good little game to play with friends or family that costs less than a meal at McDonald’s, KarmaZoo might be the solution. It is proposed by the studio that signed the development of Arkanoid Eternal Battle and Rayman Mini: PastaGames. KarmaZoo is a game full of good feelings that focuses primarily on mutual help and boundless love, and is used extensively in the main cooperative mode, where each participant chooses the adorable animal they want to embody. Of course, everyone has a certain advantage and everyone has to stay close in order to get through very winding levels that are peppered with little puzzles that have to be solved together. “Forge authentic connections with complete strangers online, share unique moments, and work together to harvest the most valuable resource of all: Karma,” reads the game’s Steam page. The most entertaining mode probably remains the “Couch Mode”, which can be played with eight players, in which a series of pre-arranged mini-games follow one another and offer very different objectives: be the first to cross the finish line, get your team to the finish line before the others Getting to the top of the level, reaping the most rewards, etc. Adversity is therefore the order of the day, as is laughter. The game costs just $9.75 on the Steam platform and you can even download a demo to try out the experience before fully committing to it.
- Buy KarmaZoo on Steam
LEGO Fortnite
It’s a game within another game: LEGO Fortnite has been a real sensation for several weeks, entertaining thousands of players for entire evenings while they diligently stack bricks with friends. LEGO Fortnite is a building adventure game with a heavy dose of survival and creativity. Multiple activities are offered: Playing as your favorite battle royale characters such as Neon Terror and Cuddle Expert, the goal is initially to collect food and resources, craft items and then face alone or multiple enemies. It is also important to build a shelter to defend yourself and customize your base before recruiting villagers. And then you have to properly equip yourself to explore the caves in search of rare resources. Developed under Unreal Engine 5, LEGO Fortnite is a true tribute to the little bricks that shaped our childhood. Procedurally generated worlds, which consist of different biomes to be explored, shine with their colorful artistic direction. According to our journalist Jay, who attempted the adventure, the Epic Games title is “constantly invites us to grow beyond ourselves, to explore and to acquire an experience that is consciously designed to be accessible to as many people as possible. According to Epic, “the LEGO Fortnite adventure is just beginning,” new gameplay features and new outfits in the LEGO version will be available thanks to updates from early 2024.
- Download LEGO Fortnite on PC
Danger of rain returning
Risk of Rain Returns is simply the return of a roguelike license that was highly praised by the public and was born in 2013. For the record, the saga was born at the University of Washington, where two young students, Duncan Drummond and Paul Morse, decided to create an experience inspired by their favorite titles and won the award for the best at the Independent Games Festival in 2014 Student game receives. And in 2019, Risk of Rain will have an equally appreciated sequel. This new version called Risk of Rain Returns offers a revised design, improved graphics, new features but also content from Risk of Rain 2! In this game, the player takes on the role of the survivor of a space freighter crash. Then he finds himself on an unknown and mysterious planet that he has to explore. Risk of Rain Returns is currently available on the Nintendo Switch e-Shop for the low price of $12.74. A small -15% promotion on this game normally costs $14.99 and is valid until December 31st.
- Buy Risk of Rain Returns from the Switch e-shop
A Highland song
This year inkle studio, the makers of Heaven’s Vault, have released Overboard! and 80 Days gave us a dive into Scotland with A Highland Song, a more linear adventure with a nice focus on music. For one particular player found in the Steam reviews, it’s definitely “the first game since Breath of the Wild that gives me such a sense of adventure.” Just that. Overall, the game received very positive reviews on Steam and achieved a very good score of 79 on Metacritic. We play the very young Moira, who has to cross the Scottish Highlands, a wild region with difficult paths, to get to her grandfather reach. A Highland song costs $15.99 on the Steam platform.
- Download A Highland Song on Steam
If you’re looking for a different, short and exotic video game experience, A Highland Song is probably right for you. The same applies if you are more of the curious and adventurous type. To quote another Steam review: Our short experience coincides with that of YomzEd: “An excellent game that will allow you to relax or give you that little smile of nostalgia that you have not yet experienced.” – Opinion of our journalist Meakaya
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