Aside from Black Friday, the peak of summer often brings the best game deals we’ll see all year. Thus far, we’ve seen some solid summer deals from Steam and the Nintendo eShop. Starting today, it’s Xbox’s turn to offer deep discounts of up to 95% off during the Xbox Ultimate Game Sale. The deals run through July 29th, offering Xbox gamers an opportunity to stock up on some of the biggest games from the last few years.
Like any sale this big, there’s plenty to sort through with the Xbox Ultimate Game Sale. Though the sale page has a few helpful filters, including console, price, genre, and more, it’s still a bit unwieldy. That’s where I come in, poking through the list to find some of the standout discounts on offer this time around. As always, my list takes overall savings and general quality of the game into account to come up with our five most essential, can’t-miss deals from this Xbox summer sale.
With Subnautica 2 out in Early Access, we’ve had plenty of reason to remember just how good Subnautica really is. The undersea survival game brings players to an alien world full of strange creatures and terrain. With compelling underwater exploration and a dash of horror, Subnautica has earned every bit of its impressive Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam. Its sequel dominated the Steam charts at launch for a reason, after all.
Many survival gamers might well have already given the game a go. But I’m willing to bet a few stragglers are curious again with the hype around Subnautica 2. And that makes its discounted price during this latest Xbox sale perfect timing for Xbox gamers eager to see where the beloved franchise began. From now until July 29th, you can snag Subnautica for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, or Xbox via PC for just $7.50 USD, a savings of over $20 compared to its typical $30 price tag.
When it released back in 2015, Pillars of Eternity was lauded as one of the best new RPGs since Baldur’s Gate. That’s high praise, and those who’ve played Obsidian’s fantasy RPG mostly agree with it. After all, Pillars of Eternity has a Very Positive rating on Steam to this day. It’s got most everything you can hope for in an isometric RPG, from deep character customization to a beautifully crafted story.
Though it’s a bit on the older side now, Pillars of Eternity is well worth going back for if you missed it the first time. It’s a solid, well-written CRPG that’s perfect for fans of the original Baldur’s Gate and Dragon Age games. And the Complete Edition includes all major updates and DLC, along with updated UI that ensures it’ll run well on consoles. During the Xbox Ultimate Game sale, you can get this one for just $12 compared to its usual $30 price. Not the biggest discount on the list, but a solid deal on an even better game nevertheless.
If you grew up obsessed with Roller Coaster Tycoon like I did, you’re likely still chasing that feeling of total control. As far as modern management sims go, Planet Zoo is up there as one of the best options on offer. It delivers on in-depth management sim mechanics, with the addition of beautifully rendered, realistic animals. It boasts a Very Positive rating on Steam, and with a sequel on the way, now is a great time to explore what this first installment has to offer.
Like any management sim, Planet Zoo is often considered a PC game by default. But the console edition gives its UI the much-needed overhaul to let your creativity and management skills shine. It also happens to be one of the biggest discounts on offer during the Xbox Ultimate Game Sale. Normally priced at $49.99, you can get Planet Zoo: Console Edition for Xbox Series X|S for just $5 during the sale.
As far as I can tell, pretty much the entire Final Fantasy franchise is discounted during the Xbox summer sale. However, I’m highlighting the first two games in the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy. Yes, many Final Fantasy fans (myself included) likely have already had the pleasure. But I know some completionists in the room have been waiting for the third installment to be in sight before picking up the first two. Now that we have a release window for Final Fantasy Revelation, it’s surely at least time to add the first two games to your console.
Even if you’re not quite ready to play them just yet, why not grab Remake and Rebirth while they’re on sale? That way, you can be ready for your epic remake trilogy playthrough when the final game drops next Spring. And trust me, you might want to get started now, because these games are plenty long on their own. During the Xbox Ultimate Game Sale, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is marked down to just $14, while Rebirth is at a more modest $30 compared to its usual $50 price.
Time Stranger was arguably one of the most exciting RPGs released last year. Not only did it bring Digimon fans back to a beloved franchise, it also leveled up the game in a number of ways. While not everyone (ahem, me) loved the grind, it was very much a hit for Digimon fans. With a Very Positive rating on Steam and its recent arrival on Switch 2, the game continues to prove that Pokemon isn’t the only creature collector in town.
As one of the newer games on this list, I was pretty impressed with the discount Xbox is offering for Digimon Story: Time Stranger. Given that the game is normally a whopping $70 title, many RPG fans might well be waiting for a discount before visiting the Digital World. The current Xbox Ultimate Game Sale markdown makes the game just $42 until July 29th. Not the biggest discount ever, but certainly one of the better prices I’ve seen for this one since it released last year.
Which games are you grabbing during the Xbox Ultimate Game Sale? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
