Microsoft has once again applied discounts to numerous games in the Xbox Store across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC. The TA news team has had a rummage around to find their top picks.
Okay, so when we said, “TA news team,” we actually meant Tom and Luke. As this week’s Xbox sales are coming off the back of the Black Friday sales, pickings are most certainly slim, so Heidi and Sean have had to sit this week out. Not to worry, though, as the pair of us managed to rustle up two picks each — well technically Luke chose four, but who’s counting? — from the various discounted games across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC.
As there are just the two of us this week, we’re practically begging you to join us on this journey rather than asking. It’s a good one, though, we’re sure; filled with more bullets than a John Wick movie, fantastical mysteries, bendy vehicles, and various other features that can only be described as ‘normal’ in video games. Take a look below to check out the discounts we think are worthy of your money and time.
Bargains from the latest Xbox sales
Luke — Digerati Best Sellers
Three games for a fiver is a great deal however you slice it, especially when you consider that I’ve previously recommended one of the games in this bundle in a previous article when it was more expensive than this lot on its own. Sunless Sea is the standout pick of the three games here for me — a roguelite-style exploration game set around a sunken steampunk London where each expedition out onto the waves leads to new mysteries, dilemmas, and cosmic horror weirdness. It’s bleak and unforgiving, but there’s a wonderful dark humor to the game that keeps it from getting overbearing, even when things get super desperate. And hey, the next generation can always continue your legacy if worse thing really do happen at sea (spoiler: they do), or they might strike out on their own and do something completely different.
Also in this bundle is a punishing retro-style action game Slain: Back from Hell, a throwback to the days of 8-bit and 16-bit Castlevania games and the like. Also unforgiving, just like the games to which it pays homage, Slain can be frustrating, but if you like a game that can put up a fight, this and Sunless Sea will both be great fits — we’ve only got just over 70 completions on the site between the two games and there’s a total of around 10,000 TA score in it for you if you can fully complete both. Rounding up the package is something rather different in the chaotic Snakeybus, which is basically Crazy Taxi meets Snake, with your bus getting longer each time you make a drop-off. It’s daft fun and a quick and (relatively) easy completion unlike the others, so should serve as a great little palette cleanser. An ace bundle, at an ace price, with 85% off this week.
Digerati Best Sellers
A triple treat of Digerati hits! This bundle contains Slain: Back From Hell, Snakeybus, and Sunless Sea: Zubmariner Edition.
Luke — Call of Cthulhu
If I’m going to double-dip, I might as well stick to a theme, so let’s go with my love of Lovecraftian lore. I couldn’t very easily recommend Call of Cthulhu to most people at a much higher price than this because it’s not a game without its fair share of problems, but for five bucks, it’s worth it for the world and atmosphere alone, particularly if you share my love for elder gods and sanity-smashing cryptids. There are also some interesting nodes to the many tabletop and pen-and-paper games that have used the Cthulhu mythos over the years, which, as a fan of many of those as well, is really cool to see. What Call of Cthulhu lacks in polish (which is a lot), it pretty much makes up in flavor so long as you’re on the Cosmic Horror Express for the ride — it’s not exactly a great game (and certainly not a patch on the excellent Dark Corners of the Earth), but we’ve hit the point where it’s cheap enough that I’d argue it’s worth this meagre asking price just to go and have your mind put through the wringer by the big guy from R’lyeh and his mates for a few hours.
Call of Cthulhu
1924. Private Investigator Pierce is sent to look into the tragic death of the Hawkins family. He plunge into a world of creeping madness and cosmic horror. Cryptic clues, shadowy figures, and pure terror bar your way as you fight to retain your sanity and solve an otherworldly mystery.
Tom — Aliens: Fireteam Elite
Well, if there was ever a better time to champion the purchase of Aliens: Fireteam Elite, it’s now. Microsoft has just announced that it’ll be leaving Xbox Game Pass soon, so if you’re yet to unlock all 46 Aliens: Fireteam Elite achievements and don’t own it outright, it’s current 40% discount makes it a pretty welcoming price to continue the extraterrestrial fight. It’s not the lowest price it’s ever been, and it’s only for the base game, but I think it’s worth the entry fee. If you’re yet to play the game, Fireteam Elite puts you in the shoes of a hardy Colonial Marine as part of a three-player squad to take the fight to both Xenomorphs and Androids through a pretty fun multi-act campaign. Playing through it with some friends can make for a great evening, but be prepared for quite the grind if you decide to go for the completion — it’s quite the fight!
Aliens: Fireteam Elite
Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a cooperative third-person survival game set in the iconic Alien Universe. Battle through hordes of different types of Xenomorph, customize your character and gear, and level-up as you try to contain this ever-growing threat.
Tom — Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
Yes, another one that features lots of guns — what can I say? I’m a sucker for violent video games! On a personal level, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier was one of my favorite games set in the Ghost Recon series during the Xbox 360 era. Its mix of high-tech equipment, tactical gameplay that made multiplayer matches a thrilling ride most of the time, and a fairly enjoyable campaign, have kept the game fondly nestled in my memories as a time to cherish. Ubisoft closed the servers earlier this year, unfortunately, meaning a completion isn’t possible anymore due to 30 Ghost Recon: Future Soldier achievements having been discontinued. It’s certainly worth the nostalgia trip, though, with the campaign seeing you travel to many different locations around the world as your squad attempts to stop civilisation from imminent annihilation. You can pick it up right now for the price of a sandwich, thanks to its 75% discount. Can you really put a price on the world’s salvation?
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier
Armed with the most advanced combat technology, the Ghosts are an untraceable unit of soldiers who track down the highest-value targets in the highest-risk conflict areas around the world.In the near future, 4 of these elite soldiers serve as the tip of the spear in a hidden war raging across the globe. As the Ghosts accomplish their objectives, they discover a far greater threat – one that could alter the international balance of power forever.
If there’s nothing here that takes your fancy, maybe check out our best free Xbox games article to see if there’s a freebie you could grab instead to save a little cash this week! Will you be picking up any of these awesome games, or have you got some suggestions of your own? Drop a comment below and let us know!