In times of crisis, you look for the helpers. Humble Bundle has put together a massive package of video games and ebooks that they’re practically giving away at the low price of $30 for this entire week at the low price of at least $30. Purchasing them all separately would run you a sizeable sum of $1,071, so to say that this is the discount of the century is an understatement. After various developers got together to offer various Steam packages, and some even offering their games completely free to encourage everyone to quietly sit at home while the world metaphorically burns, it’s encouraging that Humble Bundle themselves have been working on a massive deal to help support front-line workers against COVID-19.
The sums are being donated to four charities, likely split evenly: Direct Relief, International Rescue Committee, Doctors without Borders, and Partners In Health. All proceeds will be offered to the charities to purchase protective gear and equipment for safeguarding the employees, along with providing medical care to infected patients.
Now the next question is what is included in the bundle; if it’s a simple inclusion of unheard-of titles that Humble Bundle have taken to recently offering in their recently beleaguered Humble Choice, it’s frankly not much of a deal. It’s relatively easy to spend a thousand dollars on titles that you’ll never play, just look at my Steam library.
Yet the titles included in the Conquer COVID-19 Bundle are some absolute bangers that simply should be experienced to help round out your tastes in video games; think of it like college, where you have to pay to take droning classes that have absolutely nothing to do with your major. It makes you a more well-rounded adult, as old people are decidedly fond of saying.
Included in the Bundle is the defining Metroidvania Hollow Knight, a beautiful 2D title with a focus on the exploration of bizarre new regions along with tight combat that will keep you glued to the screen for far longer than anyone would like to admit. Hollow Knight won awards from PC Gamer, Destructoid, and GameInformer, and the sequel of the game called Hollow Knight: Silksong has the entire industry abuzz with what Team Cherry will do next.
Killing Floor 2 is yet another beautiful game, although in a different way; developers Tripwire Interactive spent years fine-tuning a new gore system that allows you to pick apart zombies and monsters in an almost picturesque way. Ramp up the difficulty if you’re looking for something to make your palms a bit sweaty as you’re working through waves of creepy enemies. Not for the faint of heart; this is a game that takes pride in its Mature rating.
Here’s a blast from the past: Brütal Legend is in the bundle too, featuring a bizarre open-world RPG that sees Jack Black taking center stage in a world where rock and roll is the only thing that can save everyone. This came out in 2013, and is arguably one of the most underrated gems in the gaming world; it features creativity and strategy paired well with hack and slash action. It’s coming from Double Fine Productions, who also brought about Psychonauts and The Cave, so you can already fathom what type of outlandish situations await.
While that’s just a smattering of the 45 titles in the Bundle, there are also some brilliantly selected books that bode well in our current climate that can help users explore their emotional well-being, along with learning how to best cope during a crisis.
The supplies are limited according to Humble Bundle, so if you’re interested in acting its best to do so sooner rather than later. While you get to experience absolute classics that will occupy your time during the current…situation, you’ll also learn some healthy ways of dealing with a level of crisis that some have yet to experience in their lives. It’s all for a good cause in the end.