How to find good PC games for under 5 euros
Thousands of PC games cost a few euros, and most of them are not worth your time. The trick is not finding cheap games, which is easy, but telling the good ones from the rest. This is how to do it quickly.
Start from a list that is already cheap
The under $5 page lists the games currently on sale below that price (the limit is in US dollars, a little under 5 euros at recent rates), and the under $10 page widens it. Sort by most reviewed first. A game that thousands of people have played and rated is a safer pick at any price, and the cheap end of the market is where that matters most.
What to look at before you buy
- Reviews, and how many. Look for a high share of positive Steam reviews that rests on a few hundred reviews or more. A perfect score from a dozen is not evidence.
- The date. A game updated recently and still discussed is a better bet than one that was abandoned.
- What it is. At low prices the list fills with soundtracks, art books, add-ons and asset packs for developers. Check that the listing is the game itself.
- Early access. The game may be unfinished and its price may go up when it leaves early access. Read what the developer says about the plans.
- The price line. The small line under a price on a deal card shows the cheapest price over the last 30 days where we have the record. A flat line means the game rarely moves; a recent drop means you are catching a sale.
Cheap is relative: compare stores
A game under 5 euros at one shop may be 8 at another, and the cheapest store is rarely the same for every game. Open the game's page and compare before you buy. Key shops can be cheaper than Steam, with the trade-offs in Steam keys or the Steam store.
Bundles and free games
Bundles can be the cheapest way to build a library, but the price shown is often the first tier only. The cards on the bundles page say "from" for such a price and show what the whole set is worth. And before paying anything, check the free games to keep: a free game from a store giveaway beats a cheap one.
Let the price come to you
A game you want at 7 euros may reach 4 in the next sale. A price alert on its page sends one email when it falls to the price you set, and the sales calendar tells you when the next big sale starts.