If you only buy one thing in the 2024 Steam Spring Sale, I'd vote for this bundle uniting 5 of the best games of 2023 for nearly 50% off

Hirun Cryer
·2 min read
Venba.
Venba.

One of the best Steam bundles I've seen in years offers five outstanding indie games together in one package, and it's nearly half-price during the Steam Spring Sale.

It's only thanks to developer Deconstructeam's tweet below that I'm even aware of the new 'Excellence In Narrative - IGF 2024' bundle on Steam. It groups together five outstanding games from the past year: Venba, A Highland Land, The Comic Wheel Sisterhood, The Wreck, and Mediterranea Inferno.

Normally, this would be a staggering Steam bundle, one that I wouldn't have a second's hesitation recommending. Thanks to the ongoing Steam Spring Sale though, which began yesterday, March 14, the bundle is down by a whopping 47%, which makes it just £37.85, or $45.94.

This means you're getting five of the best games of 2023 at a huge discount. In our The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood review, for example, we awarded it a perfect score, writing that it handles player choice in a "fascinating way." Elsewhere, in our Venba review, we lavished praise on the Tamil-based cooking game, calling it a "master of the subjects it explores."

More recently, we wrote about how A Highland Song is its own kind of 'map game' - one that asks you to fully understand and master its unique world. We've also previously highlighted The Wreck as exploring an impactful story about processing trauma.

All these games are bundled together because, as the bundle's title suggests, they've all been nominated for the 'Excellence in Narrative' category at the Independent Games Festival Awards, which take place next week on March 20. Curiously, one game that's also been nominated is conspicuously absent from the list - 1000xRESIST, a dark third-person cyberpunk adventure.

If you're keen on trying some of these bangers before you buy, then I've got good news. There are Steam demos available for The Wreck and 1000xRESIST.

Keep an eye on our upcoming indie games guide for a look at all the small-time games coming out this year.