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!
Reky
Reky turns puzzle-solving into modern art. With clean lines, stark cubes, and just a splash of color, its minimalist design hides devilishly tricky challenges that escalate fast. Ninety-six levels, an ambient soundtrack, and clever mechanics make it as stylish as it is brain-bending — simple to look at, hard to put down. It’s the kind of game that clears your head and tests it at the same time.
———OR---------
God of Light: Remastered
God of Light: Remastered makes bending beams into art. With HD visuals, a dreamy UNKLE soundtrack, and clever physics puzzles across 150 levels, it’s a feast for both the eyes and ears. Guiding Shiny through mirrors, prisms, and black holes feels equal parts meditative and mind-stretching. This is puzzle gaming at its most luminous. Once you start chasing the light, it’s hard to step back into the dark.
South of Midnight: Key Giveaway For Free Subscribers
South of Midnight spins Southern folklore into a dark modern fairytale. Playing as Hazel, a newly anointed Weaver, you’ll confront haunted creatures, mend broken spirits, and unravel a family legacy as heavy as the storm that tore your hometown apart. Its painterly visuals, gothic atmosphere, and weaving-based magic system make every encounter feel like folklore brought to life. A haunting journey through myth, memory, and the search for home.
If you would like to be in the running for a key, hit reply and just put 'midnight'. We will pick a winner and send over the key in 48 hours
Subterraneus: 30+ Key Giveaway For Free Subscribers
Subterraneus drops you headfirst into a mountain of trash and dares you to climb back out. This hand-drawn point-and-click adventure channels the spirit of old-school classics with 500+ interactive points, quirky NPCs, and puzzles layered with oddball references. Its humor is dry, its style deliberately retro, and its underground journey is equal parts absurd and intriguing. A one-man passion project that proves garbage can hide real treasures.
If you would like to be in the running for a key, hit reply and just put 'subterraneus'. 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!
Helldivers 2 [Steam]
Enlist yourself in the Helldivers and jump right into the fight. $̶̶46.69 $33.95
Sid Meier's Civilization VII [PS5]
The award-winning strategy game franchise returns with a revolutionary new chapter.$69.99 $48.99
Subnautica [PS5]
You have crash-landed on an alien ocean world, and the only way to go is down.$29.99 $14.99
Resident Evil 3 [PS5]
Umbrella unleashes their ultimate secret weapon: Nemesis.$39.99 $9.99
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition [Nintendo Switch 2]
Legends are made here. What will yours be?$69.99 $59.49
BioShock: The Collection [Nintendo Switch]
There's always a lighthouse. There's always a man. There's always a city.$49.99 $9.99
Featured Game Review: Gears of War: Reloaded
To revisit Gears of War is to remember that first jolt of chainsaw revving through armor-plated enemies and realizing this wasn’t just another shooter—it was a revolution in how we thought about cover, pacing, and weight. What looked like a brawny, testosterone-fueled war fantasy back in 2006 quickly revealed itself as something more: a series that embraced its bombast while surprising players with atmosphere, tension, and even heart.
Now, almost two decades later, Gears of War: Reloaded asks the question: how do you bring back a classic without sanding off the grit that made it iconic? The Coalition’s answer isn’t subtle—it’s bold. Sharper visuals, smoother framerates, and a complete technical overhaul make this feel less like a remaster and more like a reintroduction. If the Ultimate Edition was a respectful touch-up, Reloaded is the full-blooded return, running in 4K, pushing 120Hz, and pulling new audiences in on PS5 and Steam with the same force Marcus Fenix kicks open a door.
A Touch of Color, A Lot More Grit
The Xbox 360 original was often mocked for being fifty shades of brown, but Reloaded makes Sera feel alive in ways the Ultimate Edition only hinted at. The sharper color palette and dynamic lighting bring its ruined cities and war-torn landscapes closer to the cinematic look of Gears 5. Blood sprays more vividly, smoke curls more menacingly, and the small details—like rotting food in fridges or walls decorated with legal portraits—sell the collapse of civilization better than any cutscene could. It’s still the same Gears you remember, but with a texture and density that make the world worth looking at again, not just fighting through.
Of course, beauty only matters if the gameplay keeps pace, and for the most part, it does. The exaggerated roadie-run screen shake remains intact by default, forcing players to use cover smartly rather than sprint like maniacs. Add in 4K resolution, 120Hz multiplayer, and a stable 60fps campaign, and it’s clear The Coalition wasn’t just chasing nostalgia—it wanted Reloaded to play as smooth as it looks.
Welcome to Delta Squad, PS5
The biggest surprise isn’t graphical—it’s the platform. Seeing Gears of War on a DualSense still feels surreal, but the adaptive triggers and controller speaker give Reloaded a distinct identity on PlayStation. Hearing Marcus bark orders through the speaker or feeling the resistance of an active reload adds novelty, even if not every implementation lands. Some sections, like turret firefights or vehicle drives, push the haptics too far, making them more chore than immersion—but thankfully, options to toggle these features exist.
Beyond that, Reloaded is still a co-op-first experience, and that’s both its biggest strength and weakest link. Playing alongside a friend—online or couch co-op—remains the definitive way to experience the campaign. The AI, however, is noticeably weaker than in Ultimate Edition, leaving your squadmates to bleed out constantly on higher difficulties. Combine that with minor bugs like broken checkpoints or audio drops, and the seams start to show. Still, extras like unlockable comics, concept art, and revamped multiplayer servers (now at 60Hz with up to 120fps on console) add enough polish to keep fans grinding for another run.
Bottom Line
Gears of War: Reloaded isn’t just a prettier coat of paint on a classic—it’s a reminder of why this series defined an era of shooters. The reworked visuals, smoother framerate, and thoughtful extras breathe new life into Marcus Fenix’s first fight, and while some bugs and clumsy squad AI keep it from perfection, the core still hits as hard as it did in 2006.
For longtime fans, this is the excuse you’ve been waiting for to chainsaw through Locust once more. For newcomers, it’s the best way yet to see why Gears became the blueprint for cover-based shooters. Rough edges aside, Reloaded proves that grit, weight, and heart never go out of style.
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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