Video game company Electronic Arts (EA) finally launched the first wave of their homegrown games on Steam, a widely popular digital storefront for PC games. Almost a decade ago, EA left the platform to release their own distribution client called Origin to funnel all revenue to the company, avoiding paying for shelf space in other platforms. They pulled out their past titles from Steam and only released future games on Origin.
Talks of the comeback started in late October 2019 when EA’s Twitter account posted a video of their brand’s mug with Steam coming out of it. Gamers were only able to speculate the meaning of the tweet then, as it held no captions or further information. But the day is finally here with 25+ EA games available for download on Steam, with more coming as promised by the publisher. The launch is part of EA’s initiative to make their games available whatever storefront players use. It is also a way for EA to expand the reach of its subscription service, EA Access, given Steam’s massive user base.
The move seems to be welcomed with open arms as most of EA’s titles are in Steam’s top sellers’ list, as of this writing, despite how some games were already released more than a year in the past. This is every gamer’s chance to finally complete their libraries with award-winning games. Here are the top three games you won’t regret getting.
- Dragon Age: Inquisition
The Dragon Age franchise is a fantasy role-playing video game lauded for its deep narrative, interesting character development, and emphasis on the importance of player choices affecting the story of the game. The three installments, with Dragon Age: Inquisition (DA:I) as the latest game, have gained a considerable number of fans cosplayingfavorite characters, creating merchandise like mermaid stamps, and illustrating fan arts.
Players of DA:I will find themselves thrust onto the role of the Inquisitor who has to stop the world from being overrun by dangerous demons, power-hungry officials, and the despair easily seeping through the masses. Themes of hope, the pains of war, and the costs of pride and selfishness are explored, making the game an intense journey of reflection for the player.
- Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst
This first-person action-adventure platformer uses urban exploration and parkour movements to accomplish missions and defeat enemies. The gameplay of Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst is unique from other games, focusing on free-running and wise use of the environment instead of straightforward shooting in first-person shooters or casting of magic in fantasy games.
While the game’s story was criticized for being predictable with unlikeable supporting characters, the beautiful visuals and fun game mechanics made up for those weaknesses. Players could spend hours roaming around the vast world and taking up the sights.
- Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville
The classic Plants vs. Zombies gets a 3D makeover as a third-person multiplayer game where players can assume the role of either the Plants or the Zombies. Both factions fight for control of the map, much like the original game, but with 20 customizable characters. They can be attackers, defenders, or supporters, depending on how the team chooses to play.
Various competitive modes are available, from the more objective-based Turf Takeover to a team deathmatch variant called Team Vanquish. There are also several player-versus-environment open zones for exploration, collectible-hunting, and quests completion. Whatever your play style, Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville has it covered.
The synergy of Steam’s community-friendly digital storefront and award-winning games of EA has become a sight for sore eyes for gamers. Hopefully, EA’s biggest games like Battlefield, The Sims, and Apex Legend will soon join the Steam platform.
