Nine cheap video games to help you through the summer

It's summer! Which means that in true traditional British fashion it is very likely to rain a lot, ruining all those beach and summer plans. 

However that doesn't have to matter, as there are a lot of video games that will entertain you right through the summer, and the best bit is that many of them are cheap, or even free!

No matter if you are a mobile, PC or console gamer, there are plenty of affordable games for you to enjoy so take a look through our recommendations to find out what you should be playing next:
 

1) Rogue Legacy

Rogue Legacy

Price: £10.99
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, PS Vita

Don't let the pixel graphics fool you, as this Rogue-lite game becomes very addictive once you start playing it. You play as randomly-made knights, and you get one life to battle as much as you can of a randomly-generated castle. However once you die your stats carry forward to your successor in the family bloodline, and the coins you collect will let you boost any of them that you choose, or buy new gear and spells.

2) Driveclub

Drive Club

Price: PS Plus version is free, Full version between £10 and £25
Platforms: PS4

If you want to play an affordable arcade racer with the most stunning current generation graphics available, then look no further than Driveclub (providing you own a PS4 - Forza is a safe bet for Xbox players). This game packs over 60 cars and dozens of events in 6 different countries, and will keep you racing for hours.

3) Hotline Miami

Hotline Miami

Price: £6.99
Platforms: PC, PS3, PS4, PS Vita

This indie game is extremely violent, but it is also extremely fun and addictive. The game plays as a top-down retro-styled game reminiscent of classic Grand Theft Auto, but differs in the fact that the game is seriously hard, but when you die you can restart instantly to have another shot at the level. There's also variety on offer with how you play, with a range of different masks available offering different perks, as well as the choice between playing stealthily or running in all-guns-blazing.

4) Resident Evil Revelations 2

Resident Evil

Price: £19.99, Single episodes from £4.99
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS Vita (August 18th)

Resident Evil games have always been a great horror/action experience, but the latest release is great for being affordable, fun and also scary. The main story mode is episodic so it can be played in short or long bursts, and what's more is that the game comes with an addictive 'Raid' side-mode, which pits you against waves of zombies in various locations.
 

5) Fallout Shelter

Fallout Shelter

Price: Free
Platforms: iPhone, Android (August 13th)

Fallout Shelter is a mobile spin-off from the mainline Fallout RPG games, and puts you as the overseer for your very own vault. You will be recruiting wastelanders, creating rooms and trying to keep calm and order in this addictive mobile game. 

6) The Sims 3

The Sims 3

Price: Between £10 and £20
Platforms: PC, PS3, Xbox 360

The fourth installment of The Sims may already be out, but The Sims 3 is still the game to get, and is available at half the price of the latest release. Whether you enjoy building your own houses, creating families or treating your sims like prisoners, this game will literally make hours go by like seconds. 

7) Minecraft

Mine craft

Price: Between £5 and £18
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Mobile

This game rarely needs an introduction as it is being played but almost everyone. This block-based game lets you do everything from survive the days and nights against creepers and spiders, to making massive and awesome creations out of blocks. It feels like you're playing with virtual Lego. This game can keep you hooked for weeks, no matter what platform you're playing on.

8) Olliolli 2

Olli Olli 2

Price: £7.99
Platforms: PS4, PS Vita, PC (August 11th)

Taking the innovative flick controls of Skate and merging it with a 2D sidescroller, Olliolli 2 is an addictive indie game that tasks the player of skating from the start to finish of some rather difficult but creative courses. It is very fun, using the same style of instant restarts and wanting to try 'one more time' as Hotline Miami, but it's also amusing to mix up different tricks, grinds and manuals. 

9) Trials Fusion

Trials Fusion

Price: £16
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One

The latest Trials game was released in 2014 and has since been expanded with DLC, online multiplayer and even unicorn-riding cats. It's a side-scrolling motorbike racer which can become extremely difficult once you reach the later stages, but it's very enjoyable to tone your riding skills to complete even the most challenging of tracks.
 

More on TSR: 
Project Morpheus – A Look At Virtual Reality on PlayStation 4 
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TSR Game Bargains Thread


(All prices are worked out from various digital and online sources, correct for July 2015) 

What games are you playing this summer? Got any good games that are cheap? Let us know in the comments: