Well, it's that time of year again. The sun shines longer, the birds chirp a bit more happily, and fireworks begin to go off at odd hours of the evening. People who like video games enjoy the beginning of summer with an extra little twinkle in their eye, as they know that these signals hint at the start of the big mega-sale: Steam's Summer Sale.

For the uninitiated, Steam is a video gaming platform. Basically, it's the video game equivalent of iTunes. Users can download any games they choose (given they have the money) and install it on their computer, using the Steam client to amass their many video games. Like iTunes, Steam is also free-to-download, and has an app for smartphones.

I've always been a gamer--granted, my gaming tendencies are probably a bit different from the average stereotypical gamer--but play video games I have, since I was 4. I've always been an RPG (think Pokemon, Kingdom Hearts, etc.), Platformer (Kirby, Mario), and story-driven visual novel (Clannad, Steins;Gate) fan--all of which games I play are of the "family-friendly" variety. (So, no Grand Theft Auto or Saint's Row here, even if I do appreciate those games for what they are. Not my cup of tea, though!) Even though all of those are more easily available on PC than Nintendo DS (my go-to console--ily ds), PC gaming wasn't really something I considered until last summer, when pretty much all of my friends and colleagues recommended it. Go get Steam! It's free! There's a sale going on too!

I couldn't resist. From there, I've found myself playing 10x more video games, all of which are unique experiences. Some of which, also, are perfect for computers, and others being wonderful ports (games moved to PC from other consoles). So, with that in mind, here are the 10 games I'd recommend buying during this year's Steam Summer Sale!

Note: Some of these games contain material that is a bit on the violent or mature side, and I will make note of it in the description.

1. Don't Starve

Do you like Tim Burton films? Do you like cute art in general? Do you like strategy? Well, then Don't Starvewould be right up your alley!

Don't Starve places the player in a nightmarish nature world, where you have quite literally only one goal: Don't starve, as the name implies. Still, unlike other survival genre games, this one deserves a shoutout for being 1) non-violent and 2) not being horror. I don't like either of those, so for me, this game really hit everything I want in a survival game.

I will also add that this game is hard. I've never made it past a little over a week. So, if you want to take some of the edge off of the struggle of surviving, I'd recommend getting the combo pack with Don't Starve Together, the game's multiplayer version. Best part of Don't Starve Together? If you die and your partner doesn't, you come back as a cute little ghost and haunt things until you can be resurrected.

Awww. How cute.

2. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

This one is kind of a given, but for fantasy fans, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrimis a treasure. I'll confess, I mainly bought it just to say I played it, but even if I couldn't get through it myself (I have horrible motion sickness, and since I can't even handle-third person camera view, I couldn't even get past the prologue), I've managed to play bits and pieces on my friend's computers and consoles, and overall, I'd say the game is as good as they say it is. It also is gorgeous, I must add.

This one does contain fantasy violence, so this one's rated a bit more maturely than the others on the list so far. But, really, you can avoid all of that violence if you want to. You don't have to kill any other character in the game if you don't want to. (It's much harder that way, but hey. It's worth the effort, based on what my friends have said.)

This one is a "sandbox" title, where you pretty much get to do whatever you want. Wanna go fight dragons? Go for it. Become a werewolf? Go for it. Save orphans? Go for it. Heck, pillage dungeons if you want to and join a band of assassins, since the game essentially lets you do anything your little adventuring heart desires.

There's also a lot of customization for characters in this game, so you can really make a unique protagonist! Plus, usually, the game is a steal during the sale. At the moment, the prices aren't posted, but I got it for $5 last year. I'd say that's a good deal!

3. BattleBlock Theater

Platformers are a lot of fun. For Mario and Kirby fans, BattleBlock Theatre takes that core dynamic of strategy and planning, and adds in the best narrator I've ever encountered in a video game. He's hilarious, as is this game overall. I don't even mind losing, as his comments make me chuckle.

Still, that aside, the game is a great platformer, which, even if the narrator berates the player, the game respects the player. You're given unlimited lives, and the chance to customize your character with ease. Also, the story mode is adorable. With the option to play alone or with others, the game really has a lot of versatility--add in a controller, and you're set for some platforming fun!

4. The Fallout Series

I know I'd have a lot of very angry people if I didn't at least mention the Fallout series--by the same developer as Skyrim--so they deserve a mention.

Taking place after an apocalypse (nuclear, as one can guess from the title), these games take place in the same overall universe--a decimated United States, with the wild west atmosphere of westerns punctuated by a gritty, post-apocalyptic aesthetic. I will warn that these games are incredibly graphic. So graphic that I couldn't actually play them past the tutorial. (I'm kind of squeamish.)

Still, that aside, the games in this series also have phenomenal world-building and wonderful dialog.

Sandbox, open-exploration, like Skyrim, but with sci-fi flare. These games have phenomenal dialog, wonderful writing overall, and some fantastic customization. Though, I will admit, if you're like me and can't deal with violence OR motion sickness, then you probably shouldn't play these games. I couldn't get through the prologue without having to stop a few times. I haven't picked it up since, but pretty much everyone I know recommends these games, and I second that, and for good reason.

5. Child of Light

Next up is Child of Light, a game about a young girl from 1895 Austria, who awakes in a fantasy world of light, magic, and wonder. This turn-based strategy RPG and puzzle platformer is quickly becoming one of my favorite games. I'll admit, I'm still stuck in the beginning due to the fact that I've been kind of busy with "life" as of late. It's normally $15, but right now, it's around $3! So, I'd say go for it!

From what little I've played so far, I've loved it. For Final Fantasy fans, this will be refreshing. I mean, simply put, it's gorgeous. The combat is well-done, the story is heartwarming, the music is lovely, and oh my gosh please buy this game.

6. Goat Simulator

In Goat Simulator, you play as a goat. A sandbox like Skyrim and Fallout, the world is yours to explore... as a goat.

I honestly can't say much more for this masterpiece besides, "Play it." It's quite the experience, and is better experienced yourself, or through watching a playthrough. It's hilarious.

7. Analogue: A Hate Story

Do you like sci-fi? Do you like history? Do you like The Handmaid's Tale? Well, then Analogue: A Hate Storyis the game for you. In this game, you play as a historian (gender choosable by the player) who examines an abandoned Korean spaceship in the distant future, the Mugunghwa, which had somehow reverted back to feudal Korean (Joseon era) ideals before mysteriously, everyone died. *Hyun-ae, your friendly neighborhood computer girl, is glad to share with you some log files, so you can begin your investigation. As you dig deeper and deeper into the secrets and lives of the people who lived on the Mugunghwa, the question remains: What the heck happened to them? And, more importantly, why?

Gameplay for this game is pretty non-linear, which gives the player a lot of room to explore. I will add, this game does contain some mature material, especially in regards to assault, death, and a bunch of other unsavory topics. There's also a lot of abuse and mistreatment of women (hence the Handmaid's Tale connection). Still, considering that life for women in the Joseon era was kind of awful, this game deserves props for historical accuracy. (This is also reflected in speaking with another AI you meet later, *Mute, whose dialog changes completely if you play as a woman to reflect Joseon era ideals.) This game isn't mature in the explicit sense, but in the sense of, "Jeez, this is heavy stuff here," and is very powerful at its best (and also hilarious when it needs to be). The music is also wonderful, really adding atmosphere without being intrusive. The art is basic anime-style art, but it's good. Well-done overall, and a bit quirky in the best of ways.

Still, that aside, I have to also mention that this game also lets your character romance the computer girls. Granted, I was there for the mystery investigation aspect and the riveting story and not really for the romance (no one who recommended it to me mentioned it was had that aspect, and I was surprised!), but hey, I rolled with it. It's an added perk, for those of you who are into the romance genre!

Also, this game is in a bundle with the sequel, Hate Plus+, which also allows you to import your save files from Analogue to continue the investigation of why the Mugunghwa ended up as a feudal Korean space dystopia. Plus, it's on sale right now in a bundle with the first game, so I say to go for it! It's worth it. It's ended up being one of my favorite games of all time, even with its unorthodox romance component. It also mercilessly parodies aspects of anime fan culture in general, which gives it a bit of a self-aware edge (ex: the "special" ending). It begs for multiple playthroughs, and deserves a shot!

8. The Wolf Among Us

Another story-driven game, The Wolf Among Us is based on the Fables comics by Will Willingham, which are basically a grittier precursor to Once Upon A Time. In this video game equivalent of a choose-your-own adventure novel, you play as the sheriff of Fabletown, a neighborhood of New York City--Bigby Wolf (the big bad wolf), who investigates a murder with the help of Snow White, Beauty and Beast, Toad, and more.

This one is also a mature title, but hey. It's worth playing. It's got a film noir aesthetic, combined with fairytales and '90s chic. Honestly, it's also one of my favorites, and one that is tons of fun to play with friends. The voice-acting is also top-notch, and really elevates the game from "choose your own adventure" to "basically a playable film". All in all, it's definitely a must-recommend, along with another game by the same developer, Telltale games: The Walking Dead. Both are wonderful!

9. Undertale

I'm sure a large section of you have heard of this game already, as it kind of exploded all over the internet this past winter. Still, the hype was well-deserved: This is a gem of a game. The art is adorable, the characters are lovable, and the battle mechanics are creative. Along with that: You don't have to kill anyone. Still, overall, the choice is yours.

You play as a young, gender-neutral child who has fallen into the world of monsters--the Underground. With the help of said monsters--who, in reality, don't really want to hurt anyone--can you get back to the human world?

Undertaletakes everything you love about RPGs, and makes you think. Why do we have to fight? What would happen if the game remembered your decisions? I'd go into more detail, but I'd be risking bordering on spoiler territory, and this is a game that needs to be played with fresh eyes. Hence my vagueness in the description. Still, this game is an experience.

There are horror and mature elements, but overall, the game has a wonderful sense of humor, lovely music, and even if I can't handle horror that well myself, it's done in such a creative way that I have to give the game props.

Also, as a sidenote, this game begs to be replayed, and if you do replay it, it's a different experience each time. So, all in all, it's a definite recommendation.

10. Hatoful Boyfriend

I've saved the best for last. I'm sure you've heard of this game. If not, you are a lucky soul. But, if you haven't, I'll brief you on this masterpiece. Hatoful Boyfriendis a joke-game--a parody of dating sims (basically choose-your-own-adventure romance novels in game form) where you play as a cave girl who dates birds.

Yes, you read that right. You date birds. In a world where humans are second-class citizens and birds reign supreme, it's kind of inevitable. Still, your protagonist (default name Hiyoko Tosaka ["hiyoko" being "chick" in Japanese], though I prefer to name her "Nikola Tesla"--and know that both are puns) has to go through the trials and tribulations of school life in an anime-style academy, St. Pidgeonation's ("Of the pigeon, for the pigeon," as the motto declares). Still, as you play through the game, you find that there's much more to it than you'd think at first glance, and that there's something sinister brewing underneath the pigeon-based hijinks.

I will add that this game ended up being another one of my favorites. I bought it ironically at a discount after some games recommended it to me, but after doing my first route, I was impressed at how good the writing is. Really, that carries the game, besides the silly premise. After picking it up again this past semester, I was hooked. Hooked on the darned Pigeon game. I eventually played every ending, which unlocked a special route: The "Bad Boy's Love" route, which is actually surprisingly meaty for a game about talking birds who unironically say things like "everybirdie". It's also horror. I won't say more, because spoilers, but it gets pretty dark, pretty quickly.

Still, that aside, the writing is gloriously funny and surprisingly poignant at best (if full of anime tropes), the art is simple, yet effective (the birds are literally stock images with anime-style boy portraits, which adds to the hilarity), and all in all, it's in a package with the Christmas-y sequel, Hatoful Boyfriend: Holiday Star ~ Dove, Actually Edition for around $6. (This game thrives on bird puns, in case it wasn't clear.) I'd say it's a steal for at least 10 hours worth of one of the most unique game experiences I've ever had. And, of course, it's worth playing with friends for the hilarity.

Quirky? Yes. Very much so. But worth playing? Oh, definitely so.

Either way, I hope you all enjoyed this list of games! Have a great Steam sale, everyone!