Here’s five great immersive sims Microsoft didn’t just cancel
The Perfect Dark reboot looked like an excellent addition to the immersive sim genre. Based on Microsoft’s previous shuttering of Arkane Austin, I can only assume that this made Phil Spencer very angry. “Why can I lift massive crates but only fit one rifle in my inventory!”, roared Spencer. Subsequently, both the reboot and studio The Initiative were axed this week by Microsoft as part of their ongoing efforts to ensure their legacy going forward is one of destroying livelihoods, participating in what a UN rapporteur describes as an “economy of genocide”, and forcing Copilot inside that little plastic bit at the end of your shoelaces.
Anyway, here’s a few great immersive sims from the Steam Summer Sale to soothe the bastard wound of Perfect Dark’s cancellation. The bastard wounds inflicted on everything good and real by stakeholder capitalism, I cannot help with. Only Prey 2 could fix that. None of these are especially deep cuts, so do let me know if I’ve missed out anything spectacular.
Ctrl Alt Ego is 55% at £7/$9/€8.50. You play as a disembodied presence, occupying devices to problem solve. It’s the strangest and most creative game on a list filled with them.
Skin Deep is 20% off at £12.50/$16/€15. “A playful and inventive immersive sim, with a few rough edges that can’t prevent plentiful laughs”, reckoned Brendy.
Filcher is 20% off at £6/$8/€7. It’s a noir take on classic Thief.
Psycho Patrol R is 20% off at £27/$32/€31. “Hallucinogenic hypercapitalist critique wrapped in a kevlar jacket of impenetrable irony”, reckoned Brendy, early access reviewishly.
Gloomwood is 25% off at £12.50/$14/€14.50. It’s in our list of best immersive sims for a reason. (The reason is Brendy put it there.)
Bonus mentions: Dread Delusion veers a bit toward the RPG side, but I’m counting it. 20% off. Similarly, Baldur’s Gate 3 is 20% off. Yes, it counts! Deep State isn’t out yet, but I’ve seen it described as “Deus Ex meets Goldeneye”, so in it goes. Ditto Brush Burial 2, but with dominatrix takedowns. These weren’t in Goldeneye, although I suppose you could describe escorting Natalya as a sort of deeply unfulfilling BDSM. Project Silverfish just launched in early access with a 16% discount, and has a demo.
Best of luck to all affected by Microsoft’s slashing and burning. Seems exceptionally callous and short-sighted from where I’m standing, though I am just a simple country lawyer with no understanding to how these big brain business geniuses operate.
