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.
Key Giveaway For Premium Subscribers - Choose Your Game!
Shape of the World
Shape of the World is a tranquil first-person journey through a dreamlike wilderness that blossoms as you explore. Wander vibrant forests, glowing shores, and otherworldly caves at your own pace, with no dangers or deadlines pulling you forward. Every step reshapes the world around you, blending surreal sights with a responsive soundtrack for a meditative escape.
———OR---------
Mable & The Wood
Mable & The Wood twists the Metroidvania formula with a heroine who can’t run or jump—only shapeshift into the beasts she’s slain. Use each new form to traverse impossible terrain, wield a sword that kills as it returns to your hand, or uncover secret routes to finish the journey without shedding blood. Whether you save the dying world or become its final curse is entirely up to you.
Tactical Breach Wizards: Key Giveaway For Free Subscribers
Tactical Breach Wizards turns turn-based tactics on its head with a squad of kevlar-clad mages kicking in doors and hurling spells in style. Chain lightning strikes, shapeshifts, and other absurd abilities to outwit cops, cults, mercs, and the infamous Traffic Warlock. With free rewinds, upgradeable powers, and plenty of windows to throw people through, every mission is equal parts strategy, chaos, and comedy.
If you would like to be in the running for a key, hit reply and just put 'wizards'. We will pick a winner and send over the key in 48 hours
Star Wars: Outlaws: Key Giveaway For Free Subscribers
Star Wars: Outlaws puts you in the boots of Kay Vess, a quick-witted scoundrel carving out a life on the galaxy’s shadier side. Explore bustling cities, dusty backwaters, and sprawling landscapes as you fight, steal, and scheme your way through crime syndicates and Imperial patrols. From speeder chases to space dogfights in the Trailblazer, every risk promises a new score—if you can survive long enough to collect it.
If you would like to be in the running for a key, hit reply and just put 'outlaws'. 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!
Echoes of the End [Steam]
The World ended long ago; we're only living in its echoes. $̶̶46.75 $32.01
Mafia: The Old Country [Steam]
Uncover the origins of organised crime in Mafia: The Old Country. $̶̶58.44 $45.57
Monster Hunter Wilds [PS5]
The ultimate hunting experience awaits you in Monster Hunter Wilds.$69.99 $55.99
Days Gone Remastered [PS5]
Fight to survive an environment ravaged by a deadly pandemic as former outlaw biker.$49.99 $37.49
Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate [PS5]
A new adventure and the start of a new saga in Destiny 2.$39.99 $27.99
Spiritfarer [Nintendo Switch]
Spiritfarer is a cozy management game about dying.$29.99 $4.49
Mortal Kombat 11 [Nintendo Switch]
Mortal Kombat 11 is the latest installment in the critically acclaimed franchise.$49.99 $9.99
Featured Game Review: Stormgate
Few genres capture tension quite like the moments before a real-time strategy match begins — the countdown ticking, the map waiting, the calm before the inevitable clash. Stormgate channels that energy with precision. Developed by veterans of Blizzard’s RTS legacy, it blends the rhythm and structure of the classics with modern refinements that smooth out rough edges without diluting the challenge. The result is a game that feels both familiar and forward-looking, echoing the spirit of Brood War and WarCraft 3 while introducing design tweaks and quality-of-life upgrades that subtly shift the flow of battle. After a winding Early Access journey, Stormgate emerges as a sharper, more polished take on the “basecraft” formula, ready to test wits, reflexes, and strategy in equal measureю
The skill ceiling is high
Stormgate’s factions each offer a distinct learning curve, and recent reworks have made that climb far less punishing for newcomers — though mastering them is still a serious undertaking. The Celestial Armada, once an opaque puzzle of counterintuitive mechanics, now feels more approachable without losing its identity. Morph Cores have a clear battlefield role, Arcship placement makes intuitive sense, and power generation no longer feels like deciphering an alien manual. It’s a thoughtful refinement that opens the door for more players to explore their depth.
Not every overhaul has landed as cleanly. The Infernal Host’s recent rework stripped out its defining Animus bar mechanic — a thematic, risk-reward system that tied spellcasting to the ebb and flow of combat — along with all top-bar command abilities. Some of these have migrated to buildings, but the change leaves the faction feeling hollow, a temporary step back in identity while Frost Giant works on a replacement. Even map features have shifted, with former creep camps replaced by “Stormgates” that act as randomized reward triggers rather than contested strongholds. They can spark tense skirmishes, but they also risk encouraging awkward base trades instead of the cinematic, large-scale clashes that RTS fans live for.
The campaign feels like glow-up
Stormgate’s revamped campaign is a clear step up from its Early Access draft, with the Raptor 1’s hub tying missions together through persistent upgrades, an item locker for hero customization, and a steady drip of unlockable unit perks. Missions themselves are well-crafted, blending clever objectives with just enough challenge to keep strategies evolving. The rewritten story trims away some of the genre’s most overused tropes, replacing them with sharper pacing and fresher scenarios that make each chapter feel purposeful rather than filler.
That said, the polish pass is still in progress. Certain cutscenes land with the abruptness of a missing reel, skipping past major events in throwaway dialogue instead of showing them. Key lines — including some from protagonist Amara — can feel flat or mismatched to the scene, as if recorded without proper direction. And while the Vanguard get a strong narrative presence, the Celestial Armada remain frustratingly underexplored, with little sense of their culture, motives, or place in the broader conflict. Without dedicated faction campaigns for every side, Stormgate misses an opportunity to teach new players the nuances of each army in a low-pressure environment, leaving the “Learn to Play” experience to outdated videos and trial-by-fire multiplayer
Bottom Line
Stormgate stands as one of the most promising evolutions of the classic RTS blueprint in years. It blends the muscle memory of genre staples with smart, forward-thinking tweaks, delivering matches that are as energizing in defeat as they are in victory. The campaign has grown into a worthy companion to its competitive core, even if lingering rough edges and unfinished elements remind us the journey isn’t over. With a long road still ahead, it already balances familiarity and innovation into a cohesive, satisfying whole — the kind of RTS that makes the next match impossible to resist.
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!
The Eighth Inc. c/o LootHappens.com
46 Plains Road
Essex, CT 06426
©2024 Loot Happens | hi@loothappens.com | Privacy Policy | Terms
