Discount Gaming!!
One of the great thins about Gaming in 2026 is that there are no more major gaps forward compared to the NES -> SNES -> PC Gaming -> Playstation -> Playstation 2 -> ... days and there are a ton of timeless classic games available at absolute dumping prices. I do see gaming in general getting into rough times as hardware and new games just are extremely expensive nowadays with all the price increases. That is also why I only really play games that have survived the test of time and go at a massive discount while providing many hours of fun.
I have been purchasing some Steam games at all-time low prices with the intention to play them which include Outer Wilds / Hollow Knight / Blapshemous / Fallout New Vegas / Terraria / Hades / ...
Slay The Spire (8.6/10)
Slay The Spire is totally my kind if game, It realeased in 2019 and it got on my radar as the original Card RPG video game kind of introducing something new where players have a deck of cards with abilities fighting enemies and progressing a chosen route that is procedually generated. New cards can be added to your deck and upgraded while it's possible to get Relics that give permanent abilities along with Potions that give temporary abilities. All of this just makes for very enjoyable and fun gameplay with enough of a challenge without being too hard.
I actually already bought and completed this game on my PS4 some years back while it was part of Playstation Plus. When Seeing it for just 2.29€ on the Steam Store during the Winter Sale, it was an easy pick up as I wanted to play it again on my Steam Deck which felt perfectly suited for this game. In fact Slay The Spire is in the Top 10 of games most hours played by Steam Deck Owners and I fully understand why!
While it took me a couple attempts to fully get into it again, once I got going, the game really pushed me toward wanting to complete each of the runs with the 4 different characters. Based on my Playtime, it looks like it gave me around 28 hours in total of enjoyment before I finished it and also played some of the daily quest putting myself in a satisfied mode and ready to move on from it.
The game has 4 main Characters to play with who each have their unique set of cards and special abilities that you need to use optimally to beat 3 different areas and 3 main bosses. This extends the playtime of the game quite a bit more as you need to beat the first to unlock the 2nd and so on.
What generally worked best for me was the rather slow strategy of always having block available while keeping my health high and always chipping away a bit at the health of the enemy. At times, this extended the runtime a bit too much to over 2 hours to complete a run. The good thing is that it is possible to lay it down and come back later.
Overall the game is just very well balanced and is simply has a very fun Gameplay loop. Picking up relics is always exciting and you do learn a lot about individual opponents and how to best beat them as you play. There is enough in the game to make it interesting and every run unique and at the same time not too much to get confused or mentally drained.
Conclusion
Slay The Spire is an absolute Classic and it works perfectly on the Steam Deck. It has it all, great gameplay / balance / Visuals / Audio, ... Anyone who is into board games or deck building games with plenty of randomness but where it is possible to craft a strategy with synergy should try Slay The Spire especially if you can get it on a big discount. I'm glad I played it again but at the same time, I'm also happy to be done with it after 28 Hours. Balatro was clearly inspired by Slay The Spire and that one was much more addictive to me as I don't want to know how many hours went there in the past 2 years. Overall, I rate this at a super Solid 8.6/10. I'm not tempted to pay 22€ for Slay The Spire 2 now though which is currently in early access. If the day comes where that goes at a big discount, I will be glad to give it a try.
Next Up
I have a couple of options of Games To Play next and want to give Outer Wilds another chance as I have a hunch that if I manage to pull trough the first couple of hours (which I failed to do on 2 previous attempts), it might be one of those game experiences that last me a lifetime!
| # | 2026 Played Games | Platform | Price | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #01 | Steamworld Dig 2 | Steam Deck | 1.19€ | 6.5/10 |
| #02 | Slay The Spire | Steam Deck | 2.29€ | 8.6/10 |