Sanctuary RPG: Black Edition -90% = $0.79

An ASCII art RPG sounds like a drab affair, but this one is fun! The music does a lot, and its style is lighthearted and upbeat. This is totally different from those RPGs that tries to be 'epic' or 'gritty' with crap like moral choices.

What also set this RPG apart is that it is exclusively designed for PC gaming. This is apparent both in its art style which wallows in MS-DOS nostalgia and in its user input which favors a real keyboard with num pad.

Okay, I haven't played it enough for my opinion to matter. But the quick taste I had left me with a real good feeling!

It's roguelike, but with an optional 'softcore' mode!

Thanks a lot! I was thinking about it last time but completely forgot it!

I would like to suggest <span class="bold">Octodad: Dadliest Catch</span>.

Because even if it's very short, the time you spend in it is very enjoyable and fun, especially in coop.
The idea is that you'll try to control Octodad, an octopus who tries to live like an human, but it's really hard : human's world isn't really very handy for him. This results in a "chaotic" gameplay that you try to master : you have to move and do simple tasks, but the controls and the physics aren't easy ! You really feel like this poor Octodad.

Me and my girlfriend really liked it because in coop, you can choose which arm/leg you control, and each of us took both one arm and one leg (ideally in diagonal to confuse even more) : and here the game was really great ! In itself, I find the game good, but in coop, you have to speak, to coordinate, you discuss, one want to see something, the other something else... And chaos and laughs are here :)
We found the story pretty well done and really touching.
The gameplay serves well the goal of the game, and you even have to learn how to play (for example how to walk) and so it's a success.
We liked a lot the graphical style and the humor too :)

But there are some flaws. It is really short (let's say between 2-4 hours to end it if you take your time). And some (very few) parts can be a bit hard in coop.
You must be curious about games to like it : you must like take the time to play slowly, to take a look at the details, to "hear" a little story... and to "play" with physics.
You can't like this game if you want "absolutely precise gameplay", scoring, hundreds hours of game.

It's not "the best game ever", but for us, it's very good.
It's a game which tells an interesting and touching story, a game which is fun and that can be played in coop (up to 4 players if I remember correctly).
It's a game we'll remember, and that isn't nothing :)

A small bump

Deadlock : Planetary Conquest

Originally I mistakingly bought this game thinking it was Genewars (long story...) and very nearly shelved the game in disgust, that is, until I tried it.

Deadlock is a pretty unique combination of turn-based strategy elements in a sci-fi setting. You've got the tech tree from civilization, the province type system from grand strategy games, the give-orders-and-sit-back-and-watch combat from I don't know what, the cheerful roster of alien races from most space TBS games, and some minor city building elements from simcity.
The combination works very well imo, especially when combined with the game's music, sound, animations and artwork (except for the surrounding terrain on city level as you'll see in the screenshots). The music and ambient sound effects in particular are excellent at delivering the sci-fi atmosphere.

Difficulty : Pretty much midfield as far as TBS games go. Overall a challenging game.
Game length : Depends on mapsize, but will keep you will be kept busy for a few hours at least. Not nearly as long as a typical civilization game though.

Summary : A unique, atmospheric and addictive TBS. Recommended for any TBS fan after something a little different.

+1 for Tzar and a story
I was playing against a friend that had built a wall totally surrounding his castle and while his much stronger army was coming to me, I sent three flying carpets to him. One of them landed inside the wall and started destroying his castle and he went sooooooo mad and was ordering his army to destroy his wall so that he could get access to my army. Of course he didn't make it in time:D

Bumping it once again ;)

Escape Goat $1.29
https://www.gog.com/game/escape_goat

I bought this one during the sale and finished it a couple days ago. Mainly got it because I'd heard good things and it was not expensive. It's not a long game - that's a positive in my book.

You're a goat. You're trying to escape a prison designed of puzzles. And there are sheep to save. And a mouse to help you. And there are lots of ways to die in the effort. And if you're like me, you'll die alot trying to figure out how to escape. But that's ok.

It's a platform-puzzler, with more emphasis on puzzler than platform, except toward the end when precision platforming becomes more critical. But by then you've jumped around with the goat so much that you're ready for it.

Anyhow, I had fun with it. It did not add to my backlog!

https://www.gog.com/game/escape_goat

Can't be arsed to look if those are on sale right now (imo everyone should have those in their library regardless of the price they're currently selling for):

Zombie Night Terror

Modern take on "Lemmings" with zombies instead of those funny looking little critters.

StarCrawlers

Legend of Grimrock in spaaaaaace, pretty much.

Brigador

Remember the "tank control" scheme from games such as Crusader No Remorse/No Regret?
Here it's properly applied to actual tanks, mechs, exo-suits and anti-grav vehicles you're steering through isometric urban and suburban landscapes you can utterly and completely lay waste to, Red Faction-style.
THE demolition and "scorched earth"-simulator.

Shadow Tactics

Commandos/Desperados in feudal Japan, just brilliant.

Hard West

XCOM in sort of a "Weird West" (Cowboys vs. Demons) setting. Lacks a bit in tactical depth and variety of options, but overall good stuff.

Aragami

Third person stealth, fairly linear and simple, but still enjoyable.

Satellite Reign

Modern take on Bullfrog's Syndicate, can get a bit too hectic at times.

Thimbleweed Park

Ron Gilbert's (Maniac Mansion, Zak McKracken, Monkey Island) glorious return to form.

Stasis & Cayne

Very good spiritual successors to Sanitarium.

Grim Dawn

ARPG Diablo-clone done right, from the same guys that brought us the excellent Titan Quest.

The Curious Expedition

Roguelike, CYOA (Choose your own adventure)-style explorer, challenging without being frustrating.

Expeditions: Viking / Expeditions: Conquistador

Tactical RPG goodness with a decent story.

Armikrog

Doesn't quite reach the quality of The Neverhood, but a good spiritual successor nonetheless.

Pathologic / The Void / Kentucky Route Zero

For something actually completely different...

+1 and plus another one!

Amazing game with great atmosphere! :)

Maybe try to write a few words what make it so special, that would certainly be very helpful :)

Another one I really liked : Door Kickers.
It's a top down tactical SWAT game. There are a lot of missions, you choose the team members & gear, and then, into the action !
The gameplay is real-time, but there is an active pause during which you can look at what's happening and adjust/give new orders.
So you can approach the gameplay in two way. The first : you give some orders to your team members, and adjust regularly with what's happening. The second, harder : you try to plan all the mission, and watch the result (you can set some "key point" where members of the team will wait until you push the associated key).
There is a nice tutorial, a lot of "free missions", 6 official campaigns, a mission generator...
So there's a lot to do, and a very nice gameplay :) A very good game !
(and the price is very low with the sale !)

It's totally unique, great atmosphere and design, great story and characters, gameplay elements which I have never seen anywhere else. There is not a game like that. I don't want to spoil, so better read the GOG description.

Freedom Fighters is one of the best games I've ever played.There is no other game like this one.