I adore PC gaming. It's the platform that gets almost every game, with plenty coming out on PC years earlier than they reach consoles. And if you enjoy your games on PC, you know one of the best times to buy games is during Steam's sales. Many people (myself included) have been looking forward to the Steam Autumn Sale, which runs from now until December 4th.
Strangely, the Steam Autumn sale is currently being outdone by a Black Friday sale going on at Fanatical, even though Fanatical is selling the exact same Steam keys! If you want to buy some games (and who doesn't?) and save extra cash, check out my round-up of the best deals on digital PC game codes.
Metaphor: ReFantazio for $45.49
This Atlus RPG is one of my current obsessions. It's $45.49 on Fanatical or $52.49 on Steam. Metaphor: ReFantazio was also nominated for Game Of The Year at The Game Awards.
In our review of Metaphor, we said, "There’s a certain familiarity in Metaphor: ReFantazio, but Atlus takes the principles of its already excellent RPGs and refines them in a way that effortlessly ushers you through its brutal, and sometimes beautiful, new fantasy world. The Archetype system and all the new wrinkles it added to the turn-based battles build upon a strong foundation, and the social elements are streamlined to better deliver the most important aspects of the stories they tell. The sense of adventure you get from traveling across the kingdom and the powerful sense of purpose you have to do so drive its memorable journey, distinguishing itself from those that came before it."
"When I finally closed the book on Metaphor after 80 hours, I felt a unique warmth in its message, because it’s driven by the ideals of a just society smartly contextualized in a unique metanarrative. Metaphor: ReFantazio is poetic, and at times, idealistic, but it also understands its complexities and that change requires action, and that even far-fetched fantasy stories can serve as inspiration to make our world a better place."
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree for $35.19
This Steam Deck playable masterpiece is one of the finest pieces of DLC I've ever played (FromSoft has been known to do that). It's only $35.19 on Fanatical, and full price at $39.99 on Steam. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree was also nominated for Game Of The Year at The Game Awards.
In our 10/10 review of Shadow of the Edrtree, we said, "FromSoftware says Shadow of the Erdtree is the only expansion Elden Ring will get, so it’s fortunate that it’s hard to imagine a better DLC than this – as long as you’re not hoping for it to do anything radically outside the box. Everything I loved about the original has been condensed into an incredibly tight package – one that’s the size of many standalone games all on its own, and can only be considered “small” in comparison to the absolutely massive world of Elden Ring itself."
"Erdtree’s absolutely jam-packed with secrets, valuable treasures, challenging boss battles, and horrific monstrosities to face off against, as well as cool new weapons, spells, Ashes of War, Spirit Ashes, talismans, and more to play around with and use to find even more novel ways to tackle its memorably brutal battles. Add on some very interesting lore revelations, not to mention the same spectacular visual design and stellar music that accompanies its larger-than-life bosses, and you’ve got what is certainly one of the best DLC expansions I’ve ever played."
Helldivers 2 for $27.99
This chaotic multiplayer gem is playable on Steam Deck and only $27.99 on Fanatical, or $31.99 on Steam. (If you watch the video review below, you'll also see me make a ridiculous decision at 7:10 while trying to get back to the ship)
In the Helldivers 2 review, we said, "Helldivers 2 is the rare modern multiplayer game that does almost everything right. It gives you a ton of freedom, feels fantastic to play, and has a smart progression system that doesn’t nickel and dime you or rely too much on a paid battle pass. It manages to keep its missions fresh by introducing a ton of enemies, modifiers, and objectives, and varying them in interesting ways."
"There are some matchmaking and performance issues that still need to be worked out, and you can only go so far by yourself or with random players – but if you’ve got a solid squad, it’s an incredible time, and certainly one of the most fun multiplayer shooters I’ve played in years. When I’m not Helldiving, I’m thinking about Helldiving, counting down the time until my next drop. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to pour myself a nice, hot cup of Liber-tea and get back at it. Those bugs and robots look like they could use some freedom, and Managed Democracy isn’t going to spread itself. For Super Earth!"
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero for $61.59
This Steam Deck playable return-to-form for arena fighters is just $61.59 on Fanatical, as opposed to $69.99 on Steam.
In our review of Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, we said, "Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a final flash from the past, sometimes to a fault, as demonstrated by its archaic menus and remedial training tools. Its Episode Battles have the kind of reaction-heavy difficulty that doesn’t really exist in most games these days, more than once crossing the line between challenging and frustrating."
"But the feeling of traveling back to a simpler time when games didn’t have to be balanced or competitive to be fun is a good one, especially when that action stays so true to that of the show it’s recreating. Reliving a story that was foundational to my youth, looking and sounding as great as I remember it, with the opportunity to alter it in sometimes dramatic new ways is clever, and the addition of tools to attempt to create our own stories could elevate the experiment even further if a community can figure out how to make the most of them."
Silent Hill 2 Remake for $41.99
Silent Hill 2 got a beloved remake this year, and it's already available for $41.99 on Fanatical, but still $55.99 on Steam. Silent Hill 2 was also nominated for several awards at The Game Awards, including Best Narrative, Best Action/Adventure game, and more.
In our review of Silent 2, we said, "Silent Hill 2 is a welcome modernisation of a survival horror masterpiece. It smoothly polishes down the rough edges of the original game’s combat while taking a piece of heavy grit sandpaper to scuff up every rust and mold-covered surface of its nightmarish environments, successfully making them appear far more abrasive and menacing to explore."
"Previously primitive boss battles have been transformed into substantially more intense encounters, and its intimidating audio design kept me acutely aware that every fog-cloaked street I walked down could quickly hurry me towards my own dead end. It does feel a little padded out in parts, and I do wish that Bloober Team had streamlined some of its more convoluted puzzle sections to prevent the story’s momentum from sagging on occasion. Still, intermittent pacing problems aside, Silent Hill 2 is a great way to visit – or revisit – one of the most dread-inducing destinations in the history of survival horror."
God Of War for $17.99
This Steam Deck-verified RPG made quite the splash when it was revealed. It's been a while, but you can get it for $17.99 on Fanatical and $19.99 on Steam.
In our review of God of War, we said "I expected great action from God of War, and it delivers that handily. But I didn’t expect it to be a thrilling journey in which every aspect of it complements the others to form what is nothing short of a masterpiece."
"It’s a game in which Kratos, a previously one-note character, becomes a complex father, warrior, and monster, embattled both on the field and within his own heart about how to treat his son; one in which the world opens up and shifts, offering rewards in both gameplay and knowledge of its lore that I treasured with each accomplishment. The obvious care that went into crafting its world, characters, and gameplay delivers by far the most stirring and memorable game in the series.
Ghost of Tsushima – Director's Cut for $41.99
Jin Sakai's journey to reclaim Tsushima comes with some extras in the Director's Cut version, which was originally a PS5 exclusive. Right now you can grab a PC Steam key on Fanatical for $41.99, even though it's $47.99 on Steam.
In our Ghost of Tsushima review, we said, "Ghost of Tsushima is an enormous and densely packed samurai adventure that often left me completely awestruck with both its visual spectacle and excellent combat. By steadily introducing new abilities instead of stat upgrades, its swordplay manages to stay challenging, rewarding, and fun throughout the entire 40 to 50 hours that it took me to beat the campaign."
"A few aspects are surprisingly lacking in polish in comparison to other first-party Sony games, especially when it comes to enemy AI and the stealth part of its stealth/action split. Still this is an extraordinary open-world action-adventure game that solves several issues that have long gone unaddressed in the genre, while also just being an all around samurai slashin’ good time."
Persona 5 Royal for $20.99
This game helped put Persona on the map— (even though Persona 3 has a superior cast and story. I'll have that conversation in the comments if you like)— and it's just $20.99 on Fanatical or $23.99 on Steam.
In our Persona 5 Royal review, we said, "Persona 5 was already a strong front-runner for being the best JRPG ever made, and Royal really gets me wondering what else could even compete. The excellent story and its lovable, multidimensional characters along with the challenging, tactical combat are all refined and back for another round with new surprises and new friends in tow."
"There are new areas to explore and new twists to leave your jaw on the floor. Very little has been left untouched, and just about everything that has been touched is better off for it. The Phantom Thieves have stolen my heart all over again, and I don’t really want it back."
More From Fanatical:
Build your own Platinum bundle for $9.99:
Game options include Definitely Not Fried Chicken, Nocturnal, FixFox and more.
From Humble:
Humble has over 6,000 games on sale right now in its store's library! Humble Bundle's 'Pay What You Want' purchasing option allows you to always save big on bundles. For example, right now you can pay just a minimum of $19 and get 8 items in the Sci-Fi Shooter bundle, which is valued at $209. One of the best deals is 60% off Life is Strange, but there are literally thousands more. Use the filters to narrow down your favorite genres and scan the deals you want to see.
More Black Friday Deals
A grab bag of daily game deals has arrived, and we've got other gaming lists to keep an eye on all this week. Be sure to see the best PlayStation Black Friday deals and Xbox deals, as well as highlighted SSD deals below that you may need sooner than later.
Outside of video games, there are tons of LEGO, collectibles, streaming services, tech gadgets and more to shop for now through Cyber Monday. For instance, the incredibly popular (for good reason) Calvin and Hobbes Complete Hardcover box set is down to just $83. There are true hidden gems across retailers' sales, so keep your eyes peeled on IGN for the best discounts that are worth your time. Plus, you could even get some early holiday shopping done while you're at it. See our tech gift guide, our PC gift guide, our ultimate gamer gift guide, and more shopping guides for 2024.
Brian Barnett writes reviews, guides, features, & more for IGN, GameSpot, & Kotaku. You can get more than your fair share of him on Bluesky & Backloggd, & enjoy his absurd video game talk show, The Platformers, on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.
