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!
Of Orcs and Men
Of Orcs and Men flips the usual fantasy script by putting you in control of an Orc warrior and a stealthy Goblin on a mission to assassinate the human Emperor. Set in a brutal world where Orcs and Goblins are hunted and enslaved, the story leans into rebellion and survival. Combat mixes direct fighting with tactical abilities, letting you switch between strength and stealth. While the mechanics can feel a bit rough around the edges, the dual-character dynamic and darker perspective make it a memorable RPG experience.
-———OR---------
They Always Run
They Always Run puts you in the boots of Aiden, a three-armed bounty hunter tracking criminals across a chaotic galaxy. The extra limb isn’t just for show—it adds a unique twist to combat, letting you grab, throw, and control multiple enemies at once. Missions blend fast-paced action with light exploration and upgrades that expand your abilities over time. The story leans into conspiracy and mystery, though it sometimes takes a backseat to the gameplay. Stylish, punchy, and a bit unconventional, it stands out thanks to its creative combat hook.
No Man's Sky: Key Giveaway For Free Subscribers
No Man's Sky offers a massive, procedurally generated universe where every star hides new planets, creatures, and possibilities. You can seamlessly travel from space to surface, choosing your own path as an explorer, trader, or fighter. Survival, resource management, and ship upgrades shape your journey, whether you play solo or with others in a shared galaxy. Years of updates have transformed it into a deep, feature-rich experience with base building, multiplayer, and evolving worlds. It’s less about a set goal and more about carving out your own story among the stars.
If you would like to be in the running for a key, hit reply and just put 'sky'. We will pick a winner and send over the key in 48 hours
Historically Low Prices
This section of Loot Happens currently tracks historical discounts 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!
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach [PS5]
Embark on an inspiring mission of human connection beyond the UCA.$69.99 $49.69
FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE [Nintendo Switch 2]
Once more begins a story that will shape the destiny of the entire world.$39.99 $23.99
Featured Game Review: Crimson Desert
Crimson Desert feels like a game built from ambition first and restraint second. It reaches for everything—huge open-world freedom, cinematic storytelling, systemic gameplay, sandbox chaos—and tries to fuse it into one massive experience. On paper, it’s a dream mix of modern RPG heavyweights. In practice, it’s something far messier. After dozens upon dozens of hours, what stands out isn’t just what it gets wrong, but how often it almost gets things right.
A world that feels alive… until it doesn’t
At its best, Crimson Desert is pure immersion. You wander through stunning landscapes, stumble into side activities like fishing, gambling, or hunting, and occasionally forget the main quest even exists. Towns feel alive, with NPCs following daily routines, caravans moving across regions, and small dynamic events unfolding whether you’re there or not. There’s a genuine sense that the world exists independently of you, and when it clicks, it’s easy to get lost in it for hours.
That sense of freedom extends to how you play. One moment you’re managing a small settlement, the next you’re grilling meat before a big fight or chasing down a bounty across regions. It’s messy, but in a good way—like a sandbox that constantly throws new distractions at you. The problem is that this same world is held back by awkward systems. Inventory limits become frustratingly restrictive, forcing you to discard valuable gear, and combat encounters drag on far longer than they should, often throwing waves of enemies at you just for trying to cross a road. The scale impresses, but the design decisions chip away at the fun the longer you stay.
Combat, story, and systems that never quite click
The cracks widen once you dig deeper into the core systems. Combat looks flashy but struggles with pacing and balance, so most fights feel bloated, with too many enemies and not enough variety. Boss battles, meanwhile, shift awkwardly into punishing, multi-phase encounters that feel pulled from a completely different game. Instead of testing mastery, they often turn into endurance runs fueled by healing items and patience.
Then there’s the story, arguably the weakest part of the experience. Despite heavy focus on cutscenes and character interactions, the narrative never finds its footing. Characters come and go without impact, dialogue ranges from forgettable to outright cringeworthy, and major emotional beats fall flat. It’s especially strange given how much time the game asks you to invest in it. There are glimpses of style—particularly in over-the-top, anime-inspired action scenes, but they’re not enough to carry the overall narrative.
Bottom line
Crimson Desert is a fascinating contradiction. It’s massive, beautiful, and filled with moments that genuinely feel special, yet constantly undermined by uneven design, weak storytelling, and frustrating systems. The highs are impressive enough to keep you pushing forward, but the lows are impossible to ignore. It’s not the ultimate open-world RPG it aims to be, but it’s also far from forgettable. More than anything, it feels like a game that tried to do everything—and in doing so, lost sight of what it needed to do well.
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!
The Eighth Inc. c/o LootHappens.com
46 Plains Road
Essex, CT 06426
©2024 Loot Happens | hi@loothappens.com | Privacy Policy | Terms
