25 Best Single Player Games for Under $30

The popularity of video games increases every year. Unfortunately, the prices tend to increase over time as well. Everyone wants and needs to stretch their money as much as possible. Keeping that in mind, we have compiled a list of some great titles that gamers can pick up for $30 or less.

1. Tunic

Tunic takes place in a post-apocalyptic world and shares many similarities with one of Nintendo's most popular franchises, The Legend of Zelda. The player controls an anthropomorphic fox as he embarks on a journey to rescue a spirit.

Much like in many Zelda games, Tunic starts off by not giving the player any direction. The player must determine the first course of action and get the ball rolling. The action takes place utilizing an isometric view, with the world open for the player to explore. Chests dot the landscape filled with items, weapons, and more. Players will also come across dungeons with secrets and bosses to defeat.

2. Portal 2

Players again assume the role of Chell, who must fight for survival, all in the name of science. Portal 2 revolves around first-person gameplay while trying to solve puzzles. These puzzles involve using two different portals and teleporting back and forth between two locations.

Portal 2 also offers an additional cooperative campaign where players can go through that story with a friend. The single-player and multiplayer campaigns occur within the Aperture Science Laboratory.

As the player tries to make their way through the facility, Glados makes her presence felt, mocking Chell while attempting to eliminate her. Chell has help this time in the form of Wheatley, a personality core. The community can also develop levels within Portal 2, allowing almost unlimited replayability.

3. Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition

Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition introduces several quality-of-life improvements over the original's release. This update fixes some difficulty balancing issues in addition to a bit of a visual change. Certain requirements have also changed to access different parts of the game.

Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition belongs to the “Metroidvania” genre. The player needs to explore the world as much as possible, discovering secrets that will allow previously inaccessible areas to become available. Hollow Knight's combat includes using a sword-like weapon in addition to magic for long-range attacks.

4. Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition

One of the most challenging platformers on the market, Ori and the Blind Forest took the world by storm when it arrived. Whether people talk about the breathtaking art style or the story that hits emotional notes almost immediately, this game draws the player into the story.

Ori and the Blind Forest belong to a few different genres, one of them being “Metroidvania.” Ori and the Blind Forest has a lot to see and do, but it will take time to unlock all the different areas and discover the game's secrets. The strategy will be essential as the player chooses Ori's upgrade path and prioritizes which skills Ori should learn first. 

5. Dave the Diver

Dave the Diver offers an interesting combination of gameplay that has captured the hearts of gamers everywhere. Players assume the role of Dave, who gets talked into managing a sushi restaurant. Dave must supply the fish, though, which means he has to dive down into the water and catch whatever he can.

Throughout the game, the player can collect resources to help upgrade Dave's gear, such as diving gear or a weapon to combat a deadly underwater creature. Much like in real life, players must take Dave's air supply into account as well.

In addition to catching fish for his restaurant, Dave will receive different quests from others. This occurs during the day, as Dave must run his restaurant in the evening. This includes cooking meals, renovating the restaurant, figuring out how to attract customers, and more.

6. Minecraft: Deluxe Collection

In addition to the standard Minecraft game, this collection gives players 1,600 Minecoins, five maps, three skin packs, a texture pack, and more. Minecraft features sandbox gameplay where the experience has no limits except your imagination.

Players begin in a blocky, pixelated, procedurally generated world. What happens next depends on the player. Players can work on gaining resources by mining the land. Once the appropriate resources become available, the building can commence.

Building within Minecraft can be as simple as putting a fence up to keep animals out of your area all the way up to recreating Midgar from Final Fantasy VII. For those who might not be the creative types, players can also visit different maps to see what others have built.

7. Stray

Stray immediately captured the interest of gamers everywhere during its initial reveal. In Stray, players assume the role of a stray cat trying to make its way through a deserted city. Humans have vanished with robots taking their place.

Gameplay involves platforming sections such as jumping from roof to roof and, of course, knocking items off of ledges. The player must complete several different puzzles to try and figure out what happened to humanity.

Throughout the journey, this stray cat encounters many dangers and must utilize the environment when possible to avoid conflict. Along the way, this cat will need help from certain robots. Fortunately, it only takes a short time for the game to introduce B-12, a drone companion that tags along for the journey. Optional activities include free-roaming during certain game sections, meowing, curling into a ball, and taking a catnap.

8. Cuphead & The Delicious Last Course

This bundle of Cuphead and its downloadable content, The Delicious Last Course, offers great value for gamers wanting a challenge. Cuphead's art style is distinct, inspired by the cartoons of the 1930s.

Cuphead offers side-scrolling action as the player alternates between screen-filling boss fights and run-and-gun levels. The expansion pack that comes in this bundle includes a brand new island not found in the main campaign, as well as the addition of a new character.

9. Undertale

A 2D role-playing game, Undertale presents its action using a top-down perspective. Undertale tells the story of a child trapped in the Underground. During his journey, this child faces a variety of monsters intent on taking him out.

The intriguing combat system involves navigating through a barrage of bullets the enemy sends your way. One interesting aspect revolves around the fact that the player can spare the monsters instead of eliminating them altogether. The player's decisions here will impact the story and how the world perceives your character.

10. Bastion

Bastion features role-playing action in a world that has gone through a calamity. The main protagonist goes by “The Kid,” and it becomes his responsibility to power up a structure called the Bastion. A unique aspect of this game revolves around the narrator talking about the player's actions in real-time.

Whenever the player performs an action, the dynamic narrator will address it. Bastion has a beautiful, hand-painted, colorful art style with an isometric viewpoint. “The Kid” carries two different weapons for combat, along with a special attack. Along the journey, the player will find fragments allowing “The Kid” to upgrade weapons and buy materials to help along your adventure.

Going through the game will also allow “The Kid” to gain experience, which will determine his level and capabilities on the battlefield.

11. SteamWorld Dig 2

In SteamWorld Dig 2, the player controls Dorothy, a steam-driven robot. The protagonist from the first game, Rusty, has disappeared, and Dorothy has the responsibility to find him.

SteamWorld Dig 2 sits in the “Metroidvania” genre, giving the player a vast underground mine to explore but having certain areas inaccessible until the right power-up becomes available. As the game progresses and more of the mine opens up, different weapons and abilities become available, such as punching through rock.

The story takes Dorothy deep into the mines, where she encounters a group of devolved humans, machines causing earthquakes, and more.

12. Stardew Valley

A farming simulation game, Stardew Valley puts the player in the position to turn a farm around. The player has inherited the farm from their grandfather, but it has been overrun with trees, stumps, weeds, and more.

The player must bring this farm back to prominence and go into town to develop relationships to help achieve that goal. One of these relationships can even result in the player getting married and starting a family. Other activities include fishing, crafting, exploring caves, fighting creatures, and more.

The calendar helps to determine the crops that can be grown, the fish available to catch, and the overall activities available on the farm.

13. Mark of the Ninja: Remastered

Gamers get to experience what it can be like to be a ninja in Mark of the Ninja: Remastered. A ninja needs to be able to accomplish his goals in the shadows without anyone noticing his presence. The main protagonist of the game does not have a name but does have a dilemma.

Mark of the Ninja takes place in the present day but our ninja faces a conflict between how matters get settled today versus ancient ninja tradition. The best method to get rid of an enemy requires approaching undetected. The player can do this by removing light sources, hiding behind objects, or going through an area inaccessible to an enemy. The player will receive points based on the execution. That performance translates into honor, allowing players to upgrade their techniques and items.

14. Assassin's Creed Syndicate

Set during the Second Industrial Revolution in London in 1868, Assassin's Creed Syndicate features the story of twin assassins Jacob and Evie Frye. Despite being twins, both Jacob and Evie can be pretty different, with Jacob being more brutish while Evie prefers more of a stealth approach.

The player can choose which of the two assassins to play throughout the game, except for missions requiring either Jacob or Evie. Like their predecessors, Jacob and Evie fight against the Templars and the organized crime network festering within London.

Some notable figures from that time appear in the game, including Charles Dickens, Alexander Graham Bell, Florence Nightingale, and more. For those who want to purchase additional downloadable content, Jack the Ripper gets involved as well.

15. Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition

Tomb Raider's massive reboot in 2013 reignited the franchise. Operating as an origin story, this game showcases a young Lara Croft before she becomes the Tomb Raider we all know and love.

Gameplay takes place from a third-person perspective as Lara traverses dangerous terrain trying to survive after a big storm took out her ship. The game's premise revolves around her exploring a mysterious island, trying to track down any survivors.

Among other items, Lara has a bow and her standard guns available to defend herself. This game features role-playing elements, allowing Lara to upgrade her skill set as she progresses on her adventure.

16. Metro Exodus

The third entry in the Metro franchise, Metro Exodus, takes place one year after the events of Metro: Last Light. The game is on a post-apocalyptic Earth after a nuclear war. The people who survived have created colonies to try and make their way in this new world.

Scavenging for resources becomes a part of everyday life, needed to craft new items and ammunition. Weapons must stay clean to prevent them from malfunctioning in the heat of battle.

Players have a few different options when trying to complete a mission. The violent approach will always be possible, but going that route could raise the game's difficulty. The stealth approach, such as turning off lights to remain hidden, can get the player through certain situations, but it requires patience and strategic thinking. Players need to think about the time of day, as enemy behavior might change according to what the clock says.

Metro Exodus features different endings depending on how the player behaves throughout the adventure.

17. Final Fantasy IX

Final Fantasy IX takes place in a medieval setting. A pretty big departure from the settings of Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII, the style of Final Fantasy IX reverted back to some of the franchise's earlier games.

Much of the game occurs on prerendered backgrounds, which helps bring the medieval art style alive. On the world map, the view features a top-down perspective and gives the player more areas to explore. While exploring the world map, random battles can occur at any moment, which means the player must always be ready to throw down.

The combat in Final Fantasy IX utilizes the turn-based concept, where the player picks a command from a menu, whether to attack, use a magic spell against an enemy, or use an item to help out a team member. Winning battles will give your characters experience points, allowing them to level up and get stronger.

18. Darksiders Warmastered Edition

A hack-and-slash action title from Vigil Games, Darksiders combined several different franchises and ideas into one fun package. Some of these inspirations include The Legend of Zelda, God of War, and Portal. The story deals with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

The player assumes the role of War. War stands accused of igniting Armageddon early and gets stripped of his powers before getting sent to Earth to try and fix the situation. In addition to regular melee-based attacks, War can utilize his Wrath powers, otherwise known as magic.

Once an enemy gets defeated, War can receive different benefits. At times, enemies might leave behind green souls that refill the health bar or give out blue souls that function as the game's currency. The player can use this currency for power-ups, new attacks, and enhanced powers.

19. God of War: Digital Dexlue Edition

The God of War franchise received a massive reboot in 2018. This new adventure features Kratos and his son Atreus. This game features Norse mythology instead of utilizing Greek mythology like previous entries in the series. Out of the nine realms of Norse mythology, the player can visit six of them in this game.

The combat in the game features an over-the-shoulder camera, a drastic change from the fixed cinematic camera in earlier titles. Another change revolves around Kratos's default weapon, the Leviathan Axe. Fighting in the game features hand-to-hand combat, as well as being able to throw the axe for ranged combat and solve environmental puzzles.

20. Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition

Horizon Zero Dawn follows a young woman named Aloy as she tries to save the world from destruction. Cast out of society as a young child, Aloy focused much of her time on training so that once old enough, she could compete in and win the Proving. The winner earns the right to become a member of the Nora tribe. As fate would have it, the outcast must become the savior once machines become violent.

Gameplay features Aloy utilizing a bow and arrow as her primary weapon but she also has traps and other items at her disposal as well. Aloy can move around, ducking, dodging, and rolling out of harm's way, but that doesn't mean the player should rush into battle. The machines roaming the land turn violent at the slightest sound and can take Aloy out in the blink of an eye. The player must consider this and utilize strategy to have any hope of survival, especially against groups of enemies.

21. Fallout 4

Fallout 4 takes place in and around the Boston area. The events of Fallout 4 take place ten years after what transpired in Fallout 3. Players assume the role of the “Sole Survivor” and must search for his missing child.

Fallout 4 offers gameplay from both the first and third-person perspective. Fallout 4 offers many different ways to play, such as a base-building system, a crafting system, various enemies, and a vast world to explore.

Fallout 4 also features more than 111,000 lines of dialogue in the game. The player can also customize weapons with the game, including over 50 different guns, all available for upgrade.

22. Final Fantasy VII Remake

The story of Cloud and Avalanche battling against Shinra received a fantastic remake from Square Enix in 2020. The first game in the Remake trilogy, Final Fantasy VII Remake, takes players all over Midgar as Avalanche tries to save the planet from Shinra. In addition, Cloud and his crew have to deal with the menacing Sephiroth, who loves to wreak havoc.

Unlike the original Final Fantasy VII, Square Enix decided the combat in Final Fantasy VII Remake should be action-based. The materia system still exists, but the development team put in a new upgrade system. New characters who weren't seen in the original also join the party.

Final Fantasy VII Remake does a great job of expanding Midgar and giving it much more life than we saw in the original. The second game in the trilogy, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, takes place outside of Midgar, but be sure to play this game first.

23. Alan Wake Remastered

Alan Wake Remastered tells the tale of a famous author who has writer's block. To try and help alleviate the situation, Alan and his wife go to Bright Falls to try and get their mind off everything. It doesn't take long before Alan's wife gets taken, and Alan has to deal with the darkness. This darkness takes over everything, including humans.

Combat involves utilizing a flashlight to drive away the darkness and then, once gone, shooting the enemy before it returns. Batteries can run out on the flashlight, so the player must monitor their supplies and restock when given the opportunity.

Alan Wake Remastered tells a powerful story of light vs. dark. The story features several twists and turns but always remember that it's not a lake, it's an ocean.

24. Monster Hunter World

Monster Hunter World changed the formula for the series a bit. In earlier iterations of the franchise, Capcom had “zones” for gamers to play in. Once more powerful hardware arrived on the market, the development team created a connected world instead of breaking it into pieces.

In Monster Hunter World, the player can create his own character. The overall plot for Monster Hunter World revolves around an expedition to study Elder Dragons. Of course, nothing goes as planned in these situations, and the teams arrive at a camp once rescued.

Plans change as the group now needs to explore this new area. This includes tracking monsters by discovering clues in the area that will lead to the beast itself. These investigations can help during battle, giving valuable insight into their strengths and weaknesses. During combat, the player can either slay the beast or capture it once weakened.

25. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

Taking place in the West Indies during the golden age of piracy, players assume the role of Edward Kennedy. Throughout the story, Edward struggles with what it means to be an assassin and a pirate.

Players can sail the open seas, with the main cities in the game being Kingston, Havana, and Nassau. Among other equipment, players must upgrade Edward's ship, the Jackdaw, for naval combat. This feature appeared first in Assassin's Creed III, but the development team improved it in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. Aspiring pirates can attack ships from afar or try to board an enemy vessel to capture it.