Another Epic Mega Sale is upon us once again, which basically just means there are more big discounts going on in the Epic Games Store. You can get a bunch of stuff for cheap. Simple enough. What makes these sales stand apart, however, is that Epic also applies a “coupon” for 25% off your total purchase. But only if that purchase adds up to $14.99 or more and includes eligible games from the sale. Once an eligible transaction is complete, you then get a new coupon to replace it, allowing you to repeat the process over and over again. The question at this time becomes: what’s the best game to buy during the Epic Games Mega Sale? Which is exactly what I’m here to help you try and figure out.
See, I’ve become obsessed with finding under-the-radar games over the last week or two. It’s fun to discover little windows into worlds of players enjoying very specific types of games that don’t appeal to a huge audience. Like Jack Skellington dropping through the Christmas Door (or something). Granted, a lot of the games I’ve discovered lately are exclusive to Steam, but I thought I would flex my knowledge just a tiny bit by poring over this latest sale and pointing out what’s good. Just bear in mind that this list also prioritizes games with decent discounts (i.e. more than just 10% off) and games you probably haven’t heard of (nobody needs me to tell them that Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands exists at this point).
During this time, the Epic Games Store is also giving away one free game per week. Starting with Borderlands 3. While the base game doesn’t get our full-throated recommendation, the DLC has also been discounted, and most would agree it’s the best part of that game.
Last but not least, note that this current Epic Games Mega Sale discount starts on “May 19, 2022 at 11am EDT to June 16 2022 at 11am EDT.” After that point, those digital coupons will then “expire on Thursday June 16, 2022 at 11:00AM Eastern Daylight Time.” That’s according to the Epic Games Store sale itself. With that out of the way, though, let’s get to it!
Iratus: Lord of the Dead – Epic Mega Sale 2022
If you’re like me (i.e. constantly looking for a true Darkest Dungeon successor) you might know about Iratus: Lord of the Dead. While this isn’t nearly as good as the punishing masterpiece from Red Hook, it’s still pretty fun and might scratch that itch. The game puts you in the shoes of the baddies and, boy, are they corny. We’re talking Saturday morning cartoon villains here. This also makes the game a bit easier, since less time is spent dealing with the emotional problems of your not-so-merry band.
- Is it on Game Pass? No.
- Is it also on Steam? Yes, it’s just not on sale on Steam at the moment.
Risk of Rain 2 – Epic Mega Sale 2022
This beloved third-person shooter/roguelike probably needs no introduction. I’m mostly mentioning Risk of Rain 2 here because the game got a sizable expansion earlier this year: Survivors of the Void. The DLC is also included in this sale. In case you missed out on it in March, now is a good time to pick it up.
- Is it on Game Pass? Sorry, no.
- Is it also on Steam? Sure! It’s just full price right now.
Norco – Epic Mega Sale 2022
This is the game that many have called “this year’s Disco Elysium.” Though Norco hasn’t garnered nearly as much attention. Perhaps because it’s more of a point-and-click adventure game than an RPG? Perhaps because there’s no Kim Kitsuragi equivalent? Whatever the case, it treads similar ground with a pseudo-sci-fi world ravaged by capitalism. It’s also weird. Both in the “funny haha” sorta way and the often very depressing way.
- Is it on Game Pass? Yeah!
- Is it also on Steam? Yes.
Chorus – Epic Mega Sale 2022
Chorus is pretty one-note, but it’s a highly polished note you don’t hear sung too often these days. It’s an arcade-y space shooter with lots of dogfights and cool magic powers in a semi-open-world space. There’s not much to write home about in the story department, but good space shooters are few and far between these days.
- Is it on Game Pass? Nope. Not right now.
- Is it also on Steam? Sure is. It’s on sale there, too!
Ruined King: A League of Legends Story – Epic Mega Sale 2022
This is a short but sweet little turn-based RPG centered around several League of Legends champions. Every character in Ruined King plays completely differently. Which is what you want from a game based on a MOBA. Speaking of which: said characters also smartly emulate their playstyle from the multiplayer game. Illaoi, for example, summons ghost tentacles as she smacks her opponents. Ghost tentacles which can be used to heal, block, or deal more damage as you work your way through pretty impressive skill trees. The character writing is also quite good, but finale lands on more of a light thud than a bang. It would be easy to write this off as a cheap tie-in game, but it’s really not. Give it a look!
- Is it on Game Pass? Nah.
- Is it also on Steam? Yes, but it’s not on sale there right now.
Demon Turf – Epic Mega Sale 2022
Demon Turf is 3D platformer, but it’s so much weird, cool, and criminally overlooked than that description. It just drips with style and attitude. More importantly, though, it also plays like a dream. The controls are both as tight and as fluid as you could possibly want. Seriously worth a look!
- Is it on Game Pass? No.
- Is it also on Steam? Yes. Full price.
Against the Storm – Epic Mega Sale 2022
Here we have an “infinite” city builder currently still in early access. The premise is that you must build more and more settlements in a fantasy world where it always — literally keeping the home fires lit while an evil, world-devouring storm tries to snuff you out. Hence the name Against the Storm. The infinite part stems from the game being a bit of a roguelike. After you finish one settlement, you just start another, which repeatedly send resources back to a capital that functions as your source of permanent progress.
- Is it on Game Pass? No.
- Is it also on Steam? Not yet, but the store page says it’s coming.
Inscryption – Epic Mega Sale 2022
If you don’t know about Inscryption yet, you really should. What starts as a roguelike deckbuilder turns into so much more as you begin to explore the creepy murder-house your protagonist has been trapped inside. The game’s frame narrative (you technically play as a YouTuber who is himself playing Inscryption for his channel) goes in some wild directions. I won’t spoil them here if you’ve managed to avoid learning about the game so far. It’s one of the best games of last year. Just go play it.
- Is it on Game Pass? Not yet. Maybe one day!
- Is it also on Steam? You betcha. Just not with a discount right now.
Dread Templar – Epic Mega Sale 2022
If you’re interested in the burgeoning “boomer shooter” trend, Dread Templar is one of the better options right now. Though it’s still in early access. And if there are two sub-subgenres of this subgenre — those inspired by Quake and those inspired by DOOM II — this is one of the former. It’s a fast-paced 3D shooter where what you primarily do is… shoot. Though it has an interesting perk system that sets it apart from the pack a bit.
- Is it on Game Pass? No.
- Is it also on Steam? Yes. Full price.
Viscerafest- Epic Mega Sale 2022
And if Dread Templar isn’t your style… Maybe this will be. It’s another boomer shooter. Also in early access… Yet Viscerafest has a very different tone and feel than the other satirically grimdark games of its type, like the very popular Dusk. It’s bright and colorful and stars a smack-talking alien bounty hunter who may or may not be wearing a fake human face to cover her eldritch biology. Either way, she needs quick cash to propose to her boyfriend, and decides to tear apart thousands of galactic criminals in arena combat to get it. The other wrinkle here is that Viscerafest is tough. You can’t stop moving or waste ammo. That sets it apart from the “stupid fun” of other games in its genre, for sure.
- Is it on Game Pass? Unfortunately, no.
- Is it also on Steam? Yes, but no deals today.
Nioh 2 – Epic Mega Sale 2022
Need something to fill that post-Elden Ring depression? Nioh 2 might do it. The game is much bigger and more customizable than the original. There are tons of weapon types, each with their own unique skills and abilities, on top of a loot system more like Diablo than Dark Souls. Just be warned that this game is hard. Perhaps that’s why the game seemed to come and go when it initially released? Since then, though, it’s gotten plenty of good DLC. All of which is included in this collection.
- Is it on Game Pass? Nuh-uh.
- Is it also on Steam? Yeah! Currently not on sale.
Severed Steel – Epic Mega Sale 2022
Severed Steel is a voxel-based first-person shooter all about moving fast and fluidly — even if it means blowing holes in the environment to do it. Your character only has one arm, as well, so there’s no reloading. You need to grab weapons out of the air or off the ground as you blow up enemies in a neon-drenched techno-glass nightmare. It’s really cool!
- Is it on Game Pass? No.
- Is it also on Steam? Yes. Just no discount at the moment.
Timberborn – Epic Mega Sale 2022
Here we have an early access city builder about beavers. If you think that premise sounds niche, think again. Timberborn has garnered nearly 12,000 “Overwhelmingly Positive” reviews on Steam. People can’t get enough of these little guys. Now you can get them for 20% off.
- Is it on Game Pass? No.
- Is it also on Steam? Yeah. No discount there, though.
Strange Horticulture – Epic Mega Sale 2022
In Strange Horticulture, you play a silent botanist running a flower shop in a sort of low fantasy rural England. What might seem like a twee little way to pass the time actually oozes mystery, dread, and sinister happenings. Many of your plants, you see, are also deadly poisons or semi-magical reagents. Customers (and you) need them to overcome obstacles both big and small — like solving grisly murders happening in the county. The gameplay basically amounts to picking the right flower or mushroom for each customer as they enter every day. Your only means of identifying the correct one, however, are labels you manually write yourself and a not-entirely-clear book on horticulture. It’s fantastic logic puzzle after logic puzzle as you identify your customers’ needs and explore the countryside for more wares. Think Return of the Obra Dinn with daisies.
- Is it on Game Pass? Nope.
- Is it also on Steam? Yep. No discount.
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous – Epic Mega Sale 2022
If you’re waiting patiently for the full release of Baldur’s Gate 3 (which is still too far away), consider this slightly crunchier option. The writing isn’t nearly as worthwhile. Wrath of the Righteous tries to counterbalance this with an absolutely illegal amount of character customization and mechanical depth. It sports a whopping “25 different starting classes, 161 subclasses, and 13 class evolutions you can change into mid-game,” according to our own Guides Editor Dillon Skiffington.
- Is it on Game Pass? There was apparently some confusion about this at some point, but no. It’s not.
- Is it also on Steam? Roger. At full price.
Boomerang X – Epic Mega Sale 2022
This is one of those games that feels like an instant classic. If you look at the numbers, though, apparently it didn’t pop off. That’s a real shame. Boomerang X is a cool, unique, fast-paced first-person “shooter” where you throw a “boomerang” (which is really more of a shuriken) to zip through the air at incredible speeds. Every new mission is more like a puzzle — where you need to hit every enemy in their weak points to chain together jumps and dashes without touching the ground. It’s also got a great look. It’s as if somebody made an early 2000s Nickelodeon series like Chalk Zone into a video game.
- Is it on Game Pass? Nope.
- Is it also on Steam? Yes, but no discount. You can also get it on Switch, if that’s your jam.
Necromunda: Hired Gun – Epic Mega Sale 2022
It’s time for yet another Warhammer 40,000 game that is “like this other game, but make it Warhammer.” The difference here is that this is a first-person shooter — not a tactics or strategy game. Necromunda: Hired Gun clearly apes from Doom Eternal but has plenty of its own ideas in the mix, too. Like a nice doggy that rips apart your enemies for you at a distance. The setting and tone are a great departure from the usual “we only make games about Space Marines” franchise.
- Is it on Game Pass? No.
- Is it also on Steam? Yes, but not on sale.
Unexplored 2 – Epic Mega Sale 2022
Now is a great time to get in on the ground floor of this stellar roguelike. The original Unexplored was already a bit of a critical darling. Though its simplistic art style put many players off. Unexplored 2 fixes this issue and then some — presenting a bizarre, colorful 3D world. It also changes around you every time you die. Not in the “every level is random because this is a roguelike” sort of way. Time actually passes between runs and the world takes whatever you did before into account. Factions rise, fall, and make alliances while your next character prepares to enter the world after their predecessor. Loot you collect out of dungeons doesn’t just reappear there later. The evil empire spreads its influence… This game could be quite a big deal when it leaves early access. Either way, it’s fascinating on its own.
- Is it on Game Pass? Nuh uh.
- Is it also on Steam? Not yet, but it will when it leaves early access at the end of the month.
Hypnospace Outlaw – Epic Mega Sale 2022
Here we have one of the most bizarre, unique, and hilarious adventure games released in the past… I don’t know. Decade? Two decades? Even calling it an adventure game feels dismissive; Hypnospace Outlaw is a journey entirely in its own class. You play as an internet detective on an alternate 1990s version of the web. Back when Online was dark and weird and lawless, rather than dark and sterilized and constantly under threat of total privatization. As you solve banal mysteries, you stumble onto bizarre websites and characters whom you only get to know through their online interactions. All of which exists in a dream world that can only be accessed through a VR helmet that activates when you’re asleep. It’s truly something else.
EA Star Wars Triple Bundle – Epic Mega Sale 2022
Electronic Arts and Star Wars had a… fraught relationship. So much so that the publisher might have triggered a butterfly effect that will lead to more worldwide regulation of microtransactions on video games. That started with Star Wars: Battlefront II in 2017, which is included in this bundle of the three best modern Star Wars games from EA. All for under $30. The other two include Jedi: Fallen Order and Squadrons. None of which got as much post-release support as Battlefront II. That’s why this pack makes it onto this list. In case you missed it, the maligned first-person shooter turned around its public image so well that players actually asked for more paid expansions. Which EA chose not to follow up on… Still, if you’ve somehow managed to avoid all three of these titles, now is a great time to pick them up.
- Is it on Game Pass? Yes, actually. EA
- Is it also on Steam? Mhmm, but it’s not on sale.
Iron Harvest – Epic Mega Sale 2022
This game isn’t going to be for everyone, but at 50% off, it’s a good time to try it. Iron Harvest is a real-time strategy game set in an alternate 1920s with diesel-powered mechs. It’s based on the Scythe series of board games, if that’s familiar to you but stands out on its own with a strong single-player campaign.
- Is it on Game Pass? Nah.
- Is it also on Steam? Yes, but it’s not on sale at this time.
Remnant: From the Ashes – Epic Mega Sale 2022
This shockingly strange third-person shooter makes a mediocre first impression. Remnant: From the Ashes starts in a post-apocalyptic city full of tree monsters and Mad Max lookin’ raiders. So far, so familiar. But (and this is a tiny spoiler), you quickly discover an interdimensional nexus to other worlds. Each of which is a completely unique biome that previously suffered its own apocalypse. You explore, meet weird characters, and partake in very souls-like gameplay that relies on guns instead of swords and spells. To top it all off, the new zones are procedurally generated. Though the game doesn’t tell you that at first. This makes for a great deal of replayability and good opportunities to co-op with friends.
- Is it on Game Pass? It was… It left Game Pass just a few days ago.
- Is it also on Steam? Yes, but it’s not on sale and neither is the excellent DLC.
Griftlands – Epic Mega Sale 2022
Slay the Spire and Monster Train have seen plenty of deckbuilding competitors. Surprisingly few have been very good. Griftlands — from the makers of Don’t Starve, Invisible, Inc., and Mark of the Ninja — is a fantastic exception. It splits the action across three campaigns with their own unique characters and stories. Each character then creates two decks: one for conversation and one for combat. Both of which you need to manage in order to survive the roguelike wilds of an alien world full of bounty hunters. The writing, art, and balance are all exceptional to boot.
- Is it on Game Pass? No.
- Is it also on Steam? Yes, but it’s not on sale. It’s also on Switch, but has a few technical problems there.
