Square Enix Humbling Itself for a Killer Bundle
Ted Hentschke
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Those of you who muse on the relative benefits and shortcomings of your favorite horse in the console pony show have always been a bit of a mystery to us in the PC gaming nobility. It sounds to me like serfs weighing in on which lord they would prefer to take the right of the first night with their wife, and with about as much sense and eloquence. For we oh blessed people of the realm of the PC have long since been without a master, having been enlightened by our lord Steam and the various lesser prophets of GoG and Green Man Gaming.
Among this hallowed pantheon stands mighty and tall the Bundles, proud champions of random deals at unbeatable prices. Chief among them is their progenitor, the Humble Bundle, who long ago dared to dream of indie games being sold at a pay what you want model, similar to World of Goo. Rejoice we of the PC realm did at the penny price tag of indie titles, some so enamored with the concept that they even paid hundreds of dollars just to keep it going. Exposure was given to the small titles and companies, and soon the big dogs wanted in on the action as well.
A measly 5 years later, and here we are with bundles from major companies. Who can forget the great THQ bundle of before the collapse, where you could buy Darksiders, Metro 2033, Company of Heroes, and several others for under $5. Well, the time has come again, and we are now gifted this time with a bundle from Square Enix, which excitingly has a number of games that readers of Dread Central might be interested in.
For the next 10 days (I was a bit late on writing this because I am an internet journalist and a complete hack), you can purchase the bundle at one of their three price tiers. For just a dollar, you can get Hitman: Absolution and Supreme Commander 2. At this price tier, I can see most people being interested in Hitman, which is the most recent installment of the long running franchise chronicling the murderous exploits of Agent 47. While nothing supernatural is going on, the dark atmosphere sprinkled with just a bit of comedy should appeal to anyone looking for a macabre good time. With a lengthy campaign and an overwhelming amount of challenges, this one can easily keep you entertained for weeks. Not bad for a dollar.
At the $7.34 price tier, you will unlock Thief (2014), Murdered: Soul Suspect, Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director’s Cut, the Kane & Lynch Collection, and an unrevealed title. At this tier, I think most players would be interested in everything other than Kane & Lynch. Despite the dark tone and themes of psychosis and revenge, the game is also kind of a pile of crap. Thief, while not living up to the clever writing of it’s predecessors, still offers a great steampunk adventure where the player is rewarded for sticking to the shadows. Becoming the thing that goes bump in the night is incredibly rewarding, especially when you discover that something else might be lurking with you. Murdered: Soul Suspect is a brand new IP, and tells the story of a detective’s ghost trying to solve his own murder. Twists and turns abound in this adventure game with light action, and diving into the supernatural world to interview ghosts and discover their past is a side of the ghost story that hasn’t been often explored before. Deus Ex: Human Revolution is the latest installment in the lauded cyberpunk franchise, and prequel to 2000’s Deus Ex. An incredibly gripping and action packed sci-fi shooter, the open environments and unique narrative should prove rewarding to anyone looking for a dark sci-fi world to experience.
At the $15 point, you will also receive Tomb Raider (2013) and Sleeping Dogs. While Sleeping Dogs isn’t horror or sci-fi, it still is a fun cop story about a man getting too attached to the Triads he goes undercover to stop. Think Kung-Fu Grand Theft Auto with a smattering of John Woo. Tomb Raider, on the other hand, is an action survival narrative and reboot of the famed series starring Lara Croft. Stranded on an island after a shipwreck, she must fight off a ragtag bunch of survivalist thugs to save her friends and try to find a way to escape. It isn’t clear what exactly is keeping everyone on the island at first, but as the supernatural plot begins to unravel, it becomes clear that the murderous thugs are just the tip of the iceberg. Think The Road with Samurai ghosts.
And there you have it, a bundle almost certain to please anyone. With the sheer quantity of quality games in this bundle, it is almost unreasonable to pass it up. Even one of these games at this price would be a bargain, so if you are a PC gamer or have been looking for a reason to switch, this might just Humble you into it.
Categorized:Horror Gaming News
