On July 22, the Epic Games Store launched its Summer Sale, which ends on August 5. Following in the footsteps of its breakneck pace June Mega Sale, the store's summer offerings are incredibly generous. For the two weeks of the sale, customers can get up to 75% savings on certain high-profile titles, ranging from 2013 triple-A releases to cutting-edge 2021 titles. This also runs alongside some very generous weekly free offerings, and the chance to pick up some microtransactions for no cost in some free-to-play titles.
Overall, the sale cements the Epic Game Store's strategy of big savings leading to even bigger audience retention. The general trend appears to be more recent games offered at a relatively small discount, with some huge savings on older titles like Civilization 6. While it might have been nice to see larger discounts on Chivalry 2 and other titles like it, in general, the Summer Sale offers some brilliant price-cuts on some absolutely iconic titles that routinely dominate the "most popular" section on the storefront.
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At less than a year old, Assassin's Creed Valhalla is one of the newest games in Epic's Summer Sale. The recent Assassin's Creed Valhalla Druid DLC only furthered the already passionate interest in the game. Its marriage of Norse mythology with Assassin Creed's ever-deepening Animus lore storyline is near-flawless, and its incredible visuals and fidelity to the setting of Norse Britain are incredibly impressive.
Ultimately, it ranks as one of the best Assassin's Creed games, and its sales reflected that. The game sold more in its first week than any other Assassin's Creed title in history. Moreover, it also sits as the company's best-selling PC game of all time, a highlight for it during a year of Ubisoft controversies. With more DLC likely in the pipeline for the game, it is an unsurprising element of the Epic Games Store Summer Sale. The game has a 33% discount at the time of writing on the Epic Games Store.
Like Assassin's Creed, Borderlands is a hugely storied franchise. The third installment provided a much-needed update to many of the game's systems and aesthetics, while still maintaining the unbridled fun of previous games. Of particular note right now is its ridiculous discount. Customers who log onto the Epic Games Store before August 5 can get the latest Borderlands game at a whopping 67% discount, clocking in at around $22 on sale.
The long-awaited IO Interactive title Hitman 3 continues, and ends, the World of Assassination storyline the recent games have been exploring. At an incredible 50% price cut, the game is a very compelling offer. The narrative arc over the series, while interesting, is not the real draw for these titles. What Hitman 3 offers is next-level dynamic level design, with a fully accessible sandbox that really leaves anything as a possibility.
The best kills in Hitman 3 are found in the player's ability to express themselves. IO Interactive's murder-sandboxes are infamous for their avenues of player choice, and this latest title is no different. In fact, this game might well be the most expressive one yet, with unparalleled freedom—even letting players convince NPCs to do the dirty work for them.
While it is only available at a 33% discount, as opposed to Hitman 3's more impressive price-slash, Red Dead Redemption 2 has consistently dominated the "most popular" section of the Epic Games Store. The open-world cowboy adventure simulator brings some incredibly compelling story components to a commitment to its setting that most other games long for. Although Red Dead Redemption 2 lacks some of the original's features, it still stands as a fantastic game in its own right.
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The most impressing price-slashing in the Summer Sale is undoubtedly Sid Meier's Civilization 6. This title's price is currently reduced by a whopping 75%, one of the biggest discounts seen in a sale like this. If players are looking to catch up on some relatively recent society-building hot seat co-op action, then it is definitely work picking up Civilization 6 at this staggeringly low price.
Although its film counterpart received lukewarm reviews at best, the World War Z GOTY Edition is currently on sale and saw comparatively better reviews among gaming critics at the time of its release. The waves of organized, threatening zombies are radically different from those seen in other titles like Days Gone (which also features in this year's Summer Sale). With its sequel World War Z Aftermath on the horizon, it is not hard to see why the 2019 title is now on sale for $17.
It wouldn't be an Epic Games event without Grand Theft Auto 5 being on sale. The classic 2013 urban chaos simulator still probably stands as one of Rockstar's best games, and currently has 50% off its usual price. Even though it's over 8 years old, the game still features frequently as one of the Epic Games Store's free games due in part to its massive popularity.
Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt Red's highly controversial 2020 science-fiction RPG is also in the Summer Sale. Despite the myriad of technical issues, a litany of potentially problematic content, and reports of poor labor practices, the game was still popular at launch, especially among PC gamers. With some extensive Cyberpunk 2077 DLC leaks coming to light recently, interest in the game is relatively high. As such, its appearance in this summer sale makes absolute sense. It's a great chance to pick up one of the most talked-about titles in the recent years of triple-A gaming, at a solid 33% discount, for those who have the hardware to run it.
Days Gone is another great title on sale. The recent zombie survival title gave gamers Deacon St. John, widely regarded by many as an incredibly likable protagonist. While Red Dead Redemption 2's horse might be iconic in its own right, Days Gone substitutes the classic open-world steed with a trusty drifter bike. For a gritty, post-apocalyptic, open-world shooter, Days Gone is a great choice, especially with its lower price right now.
Chivalry 2 is only at a 10% discount right now, which is still pretty good for such a recent game. The modern medieval melee masterpiece features castle sieges and pike-based acrobatic attacks alike and offers the intricate battle mechanics fans expect of the franchise.
The Epic Games Store Summer Sale lasts until August 5.
MORE: Chivalry 2 Review
