PC video game retailerSteamis no stranger to sales — both in terms of revenue and discounts. With dozens of seasonal sales every year, the online shop is often discounting games through events. These events are often themed, sometimes around a holiday like the Lunar New Year or Halloween, and other times just selecting genres or developers to center a discount offer around.Steam’s most recent sale event is ongoing, and its theme will delight amateur detectives everywhere: the Steam Mystery Fest.
This more general theming style isn’t uncommon for Steam, with events like theSteam Survival Fest featuring survival gamesin the summer of 2022. The Steam Mystery Fest will be active until February 27 at 10 AM Pacific Time, giving players access to more than 80 mystery-themed games at discount prices. The sale features dozens of incredible indie games, and any players with a knack for investigating won’t want to miss this opportunity.
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The Case of the Golden Idol
Point-and-click adventureThe Case of the Golden Idolsets out to get players investigating deaths and murders in an 18th-century town. Innovative puzzle mechanics require the player to “think” and understand the true nature of a death by filling in gaps with words they’ve collected through investigating the area or interrogating witnesses and people of interest.The Case of the Golden Idol’s murder mysteriescan be solved one by one, but as players get deeper into the world, they may find that there are more sinister things taking place in the Victorian setting’s underbelly. With retro art, excellent music, and a twisting story,The Case of the Golden Idolmanages to be gruesome, funny, and satisfying all at once.
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
TheDanganronpaseries has become a staple of the mystery and investigative genres for good reason, and all three games are on sale right now -includingDanganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. The first game in the series sets up the world and formula for the two games to follow as a group of high school prodigies find themselves trapped inside a high school with no memory of how they got there or what’s going on. When a sadistic teddy bear claims to be their headmaster and forces students to begin murdering each other in order to win freedom, players must balance solving the grisly murders of their classmates and getting to know their peers during free periods. TheDanganronpaseries implements an interesting mix of investigation, life simulation, and courtroom-style gameplay, keeping players on their toes from minute one.
Call of the Sea
Call of the Seais a first-person puzzle gamethat tasks players with finding a missing person on a beautiful and mysterious island. Players play as protagonist Norah whose husband has gone missing on an expedition to an island in the South Pacific, and as she explores on her own she finds new clues and indicators as to what really happened on the island. Set in 1934,Call of the Seatakes inspiration from Lovecraftian stories and features stunning artwork of the lush island and excellent narration from Norah as she explores. While this is still a more mature title,Call of the Seamay be a better fit for fans less interested in murder and gore but still craving the satisfaction of solving a mystery.
Zero Escape: The Nonary Games
Zero Escape: The Nonary Gamesis actually two games in one; it’s a remake of the first two games in the Zero Escape franchise,999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 DoorsandVirtue’s Last Reward. This remake of theZero Escapegames follows a format that has been popular in media for decades: nine strangers have been abducted and are forced to participate in diabolical games hosted by a mysterious mastermind named Zero. Fans of theSawfranchise,Alice in Borderland,Squid Game,Danganronpa, and dozens of other similar franchises will find similar delight inZero Escape: The Nonary Gamesas the mystery and tense gameplay keeps them on the edge of their seats during every moment.
It’s no surprise that mystery and investigative games are so popular — there is no feeling quite as gratifying as solving a complex puzzle or deducing what a game developer was hinting at all along. Whether for a die-hard investigative gaming enthusiast or a player new to the genre,the Steam Mystery Festhas games for players of all skill and experience levels, so long as they’re willing to dig deep and find clues along the way.
