A big welcome back to all Loot Happens subscribers. Loot Happens is a weekly newsletter that is emailed and posted on LootHappens.com.
It's important to note that for premium subscribers, game offerings, and in-game content, every week is different. Sometimes it's in-game codes, Steam keys, and giveaways, but premium members will always get something special every mailing. We also occasionally get mind-blowing early access or premium games that pay for an entire year's subscription.
Each newsletter is generally structured as Premium Loot > Free Sub Giveaways > Game Feature > Game discounts.
Premium Subscribers: MIAZMA or the Devil's Stone Keys
Miazma is an intriguing FMV adventure game that thrusts you into an atmospheric hunt for a mysterious meteorite brimming with cosmic secrets. As a determined investigator navigating live-action cinematic scenes and beautifully recreated real-world locations, you'll unravel an immersive story filled with compelling characters, clever puzzles, and looming disaster. Your decisions matter—will you decode the ancient legend quietly, or risk everything to seize the stone and alter destiny itself.
Vanguard Exiles: Key Giveaway For Free Subscribers
Magic: The Gathering creator Richard Garfield’s just launched his new game, Vanguard Exiles plunges you into a dieselpunk fantasy, set in a post-apocalyptic world scarred by the catastrophic Day of Ash. Playing as a tactical General, your mission is to unite scattered exiles from rival factions, strategically deploying squads to conquer battlefield zones and secure critical Victory Points. With each squad boasting unique units and abilities, anticipating your opponent’s strategy becomes the key to reclaiming a war-torn realm where magic and machinery collide.
This game has not been released yet, but one lucky winner will get a full game key.
If you would like to be in the running for a key, hit reply and just put 'vanguard'. We will pick a winner and send over the key in 48 hours
The End of the Sun: Key Giveaway For Free Subscribers
The End of the Sun is a first-person mystery experience where Slavic legends come alive. As an ashter—a time-traveling sage—you follow a mysterious fugitive into a village of burned hearths and fading myths. Every discovery blurs the line between reality and folklore. Meticulously recreated with photogrammetry from ethnographic museums, each relic breathes life into the village's haunting past. Will you unlock the secrets of the past, or let the mystery remain forever unsolved?
If you would like to be in the running for a key, hit reply and just put 'end'. We will pick a winner and send over the key in 48 hours
Historically Low Prices
This section of Loot Happens tracks historical discounts right now on games and throughout the industry! Our tireless web crawlers scour the web daily, sniffing out the best deals across the gaming landscape.
These aren't just any games – they're titles we adore and highly respect. And right now, you can grab them at prices we've never seen before!
A Way Out [Steam]
Play the role of one of two prisoners making their daring escape from prison. $̶̶32.48 $5.99
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord [Steam]
The horns have been sounded, the ravens gathered already. $̶̶54.14 $20.47
EA SPORTS FC 25 [PS5]
Get your team playing like the world’s best with EA Sports FC.$69.99 $20.99
FINAL FANTASY XVI [PS5]
An epic dark fantasy world where the fate of the land is decided by the mighty Eikons.$49.99 $32.49
Ori and the Will of the Wisps [Nintendo Switch]
Immerse yourself in a hand-crafted narrative experience with deeply emotional storytelling.$29.99 $9.89
Sonic Mania [Nintendo Switch]
Experience the ultimate celebration of past and future in this Sonic adventure.$19.99 $7.99
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim [Nintendo Switch]
Winner of more than 200 Game of the Year awards.$59.99 $19.79
Featured Game Review: Wanderstop
With the creative minds behind The Stanley Parable and The Beginner’s Guide steering the project, Wanderstop arrives with lofty expectations, a game that promises an emotionally charged narrative, a wry sense of humor, and unexpected twists. Centered on the themes of tea-making and avoiding burnout, it transforms simple, everyday rituals into a profound exploration of productivity and self-care, offering an experience as potent as a hot cup of tea spilled unexpectedly.
Wanderstop invites players to experience its unfolding story with as few spoilers as possible, preserving the impact of its early narrative twist. The game follows Alta, a once undefeated arena fighter now struggling with a crushing losing streak, who ventures into a mysterious forest in search of a legendary fighter to mend her fortunes. Instead, she encounters Boro—the kind and charming owner of a tea shop bearing the game’s name—who presents a deceptively simple choice: rest and make tea or push forward at any cost. This intriguing premise sets the stage for a journey that blurs the line between duty and self-renewal, promising a reflective and immersive experience.
The game isn't afraid to explore the complex themes
Wanderstop isn’t afraid to explore complex themes, boldly challenging the toxic cycle of relentless productivity that defines modern life. The game dismantles the romantic notion that one can simply wander into a magical tea shop, help others solve their problems, and expect to be fixed in return. Instead, it confronts the uncomfortable reality that even the act of relaxing has been transformed into a chore, as Alta’s remark that “even relaxing feels like a job” sharply illustrates. This critical perspective forces players to acknowledge that the pursuit of constant productivity is unsustainable.
Beyond its narrative critique, Wanderstop integrates these themes into its gameplay with clever design choices that underscore the tension between duty and self-care. In the tea shop’s forest clearing, players must engage with visitors and piece together their unique tea requests, setting the stage for a thoughtful exploration of personal stories and unmet needs. The game further reinforces its message through a gardening mechanic where careful experimentation with seed combinations yields diverse plant varieties—each with distinctive tastes and subtle effects when brewed. Even the tea-making process, with its intricate ladder climbs and precise lever pulls, mirrors the delicate balance between effort and reward.
The lovable characters aren’t quirky merely for the sake
Wanderstop’s charm extends well beyond its core mechanics, with even the simplest tasks imbued with thoughtful design. Beyond cultivating bizarre fruits and gathering rare tea leaves, players are equipped with a trusty broom and garden shears to tidy up the clearing. There’s no overt reward for sweeping away leaves or pruning spiky weeds—the clutter merely slows progress rather than presenting any real danger. Yet, hidden beneath the mess are delightful trinkets: colorful tea mugs, charming teddy bears, and even mysterious lost packages that add a subtle layer of intrigue to every cleaning session.
The lost packages, in particular, underscore the game’s clever narrative approach. Once discovered, these parcels can be sent out through a quirky mailbox, triggering a response in the form of a letter that strings together humorous snippets of life beyond the clearing. This interplay of cleaning, discovery, and storytelling is never gratuitous. As Boro wisely reminds Alta, the inability to carry decorations on the journey isn’t a reason not to beautify one’s surroundings. Each carefully crafted detail reinforces Wanderstop’s underlying philosophy: that even transient, everyday moments can carry deep, enduring meaning.
Bottom line
Wanderstop shatters the conventions of similarly wholesome games with its vibrant colors, quirky characters, and enchanting music, weaving a compelling narrative that challenges players to confront not only Alta’s insecurities but their own. It’s a powerful exploration of burnout and the heartache of shedding familiar coping mechanisms that once provided comfort, all while its simple yet satisfying tea brewing experimentation creates a safe, introspective space. In a gaming landscape starved for such thoughtful adventures, Wanderstop stands as a rare gem, one that offers a much-needed invitation to find beauty amid life’s toughest challenges.
Next Week
Every newsletter has a lot to look forward to, and we are in active communication with several developers and studios. More to come next week!
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