I spend an annoying amount of time watching prices change, partly due to professional responsibilities, partly because I hate paying full price. This week's harvest finally rewarded that obsession. There are several offers here that look less like discounts and more like apologies. Happy holidays and even more savings.
Content
This day in games 🎂
Celebrating my 29th birthday in retro news Christmas nights in dreamsPossibly the greatest seasonal free game in gaming. Keep in mind last year's Christmas level update For Astro Bot Of course, it takes second place.
Sega included Chrissy NiGHTS with my purchase of a select Sega Saturn game, and it was essentially a little advent calendar whose contents changed in sync with my console's internal clock. Completing a level (redesigned with a winter and/or overtly Christmas theme) gave you limited chances to solve the tile-matching puzzle and unlock 25 “gifts.” The best of them all? A mini-sandbox level starring Sonic the Hedgehog that ends with a satisfying fight from Eggman. I love this demo CD and make sure to replay it every year.
Australian birthdays of outstanding games.
– Link: Faces of Evil (CD-i) 1993. eBay
– Zelda: Wand of Gamelon (CD-i) 1993. eBay
– Christmas nights in dreams (SB) 1996. eBay
– Art Academy (DS) 2009. eBay
Good Savings for Nintendo Switch
- Hollow Knight (-50%) AUD 8.70 A masterclass in atmosphere and map design from Team Cherry, it remains one of the best examples of how far patience and perfection can go in a small studio.
- Borderlands 3 Ult. (-50%) AUD 44.60 A complete loot shooter package that includes all the major additions and is much more dynamic now than it was at launch.
- Gris (-82%) AUD 4.20 A wordless platformer about grief and recovery, enhanced by art direction that is still cited in design conversations years later.
- Immortals Phoenix Rising (-85%) AUD $8.90 Ubisoft Quebec's playful take on open world design, filled with mythical hijinks and puzzle shrines clearly lifted from Breath of the Wild.
- The Witcher 3 Comp. (-75%) AUD $19.90 It's still one of the strongest RPG narratives ever made, and it's borderline witchcraft that it works so well on Switch.
- Robbery Legacy (-90%) AUD 1.60 The bagel that popularized generational change and remains dangerously more aggressive in short periods of time.
Or give it as a gift Nintendo Online Store Map.
Exciting Xbox Deals
- Ed Nighttrain Secker. (-60%) 34 Australian dollars A deluxe physical release for Elden Ring fans who love maps, art books, and a little flexibility on the shelves.
- Diablo IV (-73%) 30 Australian dollars After numerous seasonal updates, Blizzard's RPG finally feels set up for long-term play rather than weekly bursts.
- Like a Dragon: They were! (-58%) AUD 42.30 A historical spin-off that replaces the neon streets with samurai drama while maintaining the series' signature absurd side stories.
- blasphemous (-80%) AUD 7.40 Dark, pixelated soul-like combat inspired by Spanish religious art and far more disturbing than the screenshots suggest.
- Dredge (-60%) AUD 13.90 A fishing loop that slowly reveals cosmic horror, built on risk management rather than reflexes.
Xbox One
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla (-61%) AUD 39 A sprawling Viking epic best viewed at a slow pace, with side plots that often overshadow the main plot.
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (-75%) AUD 22.40 Rockstar's most meticulously detailed world yet, where even the smallest NPC actions seem written with obsessive care.
- Xbox Wireless Controller Carbon Black (-26%) 74 Australian dollars Still one of the most comfortable controllers around, and a smart fallback option if yours has suffered one too many rage exits.
Or just invest in Xbox card.
Net results for PlayStation
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (-50%) AUD 57.40 A hardcore sequel to the medieval RPG that doubles down on historical accuracy, right down to combat techniques taken from manuscripts.
- Marvel Spider-Man Miles Morales (-48%) AUD 49 It's shorter than the first game, but full of confidence and still one of the best showcases of the PS5's performance.
- Triangle strategy (-60%) AUD 36.30 A tactical RPG that prioritizes political storytelling, with choices that truly block and open narrative paths.
- Hogwarts Legacy (-85%) AUD 14.90 A detailed, magical sandbox that rewards exploration, especially if you enjoy poking around behind every moving ladder.
- Yoku Island Express (-90%) AUD 2.40 A fun mix of pinball tables and platforming, handcrafted to make you smile in one sitting.
PS4
- Neo The world ends with you (-53%) AUD $39.90 A stylish sequel that modernizes the combat systems without losing the series' hip personality.
- Replican NieR Ver. 1.22 (-50%) AUD 44.90 A melancholy remaster of the RPG, contextualizing the slot machines and filled with plot tricks that still catch players off guard.
- Persona 5 Strikers (-55%) AU$45 A surprisingly faithful sequel that trades turn-based combat for musou action while maintaining character chemistry.
Or purchase PS store map.
Buy cheap for PC
- Dead Island 2 (-90%) AUD 7.40 Heavy hand-to-hand combat and absurd, gory technology come together to create a zombie game that knows exactly what it wants to be.
- Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth (-50%) AUD 52.40 A confident sequel that expands on the remake project, layering character moments between bombastic set pieces.
- Ken's Bridge of Spirits (-70%) AUD 17.90 A debut from former animators that feels like a Pixar film, but hides a grittier fighting power than expected.
- Death's Door (-80%) AUD 5.90 Intense isometric combat and a surprisingly honest story of burnout told through a crow with a sword.
- Overcooked all you can eat (-75%) AUD 14.20 The chaotic perfection of the co-op, stressing friendships, is now present in every kitchen and quality of life improvement.
Or just get Steam Wallet Card
Adam Matthew is a passionate connoisseur, lifelong gaming critic, and Australian deal maker who truly wants to bring you things worth playing (but also cheap). He plays almost everything, sometimes on YouTube.
