From Borderlands 4 to Expedition 33, Fanatical's Black Friday prices are cheaper than Steam

Though Steam may not be having a Black Friday sale of its own, that shouldn't stop you from filling up your library (see: backlog) with a bunch of Steam keys at great prices. The Fanatical Black Friday sale is finally here, giving you plenty of deals from underrated gems to this year's biggest hits, and while there's plenty to choose from, I've cherry-picked some of my personal favorites to make the choice easier for you.

Considering that Fanatical's prices are usually cheaper than Valve's storefront, I imagine most of the existing discounts will be cheaper than the next Steam sale. Best of all, it's slightly earlier, starting a week before the shopping event of the year, so if you're looking to get some adventures to end the year off, this is the time.

There's nothing quite like bathing in a shower of loot to help warm you over the coldest season of the year, and Borderlands 4 is the latest entry into the excellent FPS franchise. Choosing between four Vault Hunters, from a tanky sci-fi brute to a cybernetically enhanced exo-soldier, you're giving the tantalizing freedom to create a powerful character that embodies your preferred gameplay style.

It helps that Borderlands 4 delivers a grounded, impactful narrative that loses a bit of the overly comedic tone of the last game, yet the sheer variety of loot makes it easy to fall in love with the wildest aspects of the series. If you're looking for a true-blooded looter shooter to pour your time into, this is the game for you - especially when it's on sale.

Buy Borderlands 4 for $48.99 / £41.99 (30% off) at Fanatical.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins

2025 has been full of essential games to play, but Dynasty Warriors: Origins' January release means it's often forgotten. However, whether you're a musou game fanatic or someone who loves great action titles, it's an exceptional experience that will delight newcomers and Dynasty Warrior fans alike, with horde-slashing combat that the series is known for.

While it does remove the multi-character approach that the rest of the series offers, the amnesiac protagonist has plenty of weapons to choose from that vary up the combat, while the alternative twist on the first half of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel delivers a great narrative to enjoy. I definitely recommend it - I spent over 100 hours on it over the launch month.

Buy Dynasty Warriors: Origins for $44.79 / £41.59 (36% off) at Fanatical.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Surprise hit, top-tier RPG, and narratively brilliant - are just a few of the ways I'd describe Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. My personal Game of the Year (I can't write about Death Stranding 2 until it's on PC), Expedition 33's action-influenced turn-based combat may hook you in, but a heartbreaking and engaging world will keep you talking about it months after playing. See, I'm doing it myself right now.

As the crew of the aptly-titled Expedition 33, you'll play as a party of daring adventurers who are looking to defeat the Paintress, a godlike figure who paints a new number each year, killing everyone at that age or above. An all-star cast delivers performances that are truly memorable, and with a deep, strategic combat system, it's easy to see why everyone has fallen in love with Expedition 33.

Buy Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for $35.99 / £30.23 (28% off) at Fanatical.

V Rising

Halloween may have come and gone, but vampires are still my favorite creature of the night, and few games handle the mythos of these pop-culture monsters as well as V Rising. Blending action RPG, survival mechanics, and base-building fun, V Rising lets you create your own personal vamp as you awaken from your slumber, starving, weak, and hoping to become the powerful being you should be.

The isometric camera helps capture the beauty of the map, while the various regions will give you different dangers to encounter. The goal is to build your own personal castle, while gaining new abilities and crafting new gear in the hopes of taking on the legendary V Blood bosses scattered around. It's a favorite in the PCGamesN team, and it's one I still play regularly years after starting my adventure in early access.

Buy V Rising for $13.29 / £11.23 (62% off) at Fanatical.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2

Few superhero games have the caliber and brilliance of Marvel's Spider-Man 2, which has been a personal favorite of mine since I played it on PS5. Swinging through New York City as Peter Parker or Miles Morales is as satisfying as it ever has been, while that fast-paced Arkham-style combat, wrapped in a layer of web-based skills, keeps a smile on my face whenever I load it up to take a trip through the city streets.

It's also got a heartfelt story about grief and growing, all within the typical heroes vs villains narrative that delivers bombastic antagonists like Kraven and Venom. The expansion of NYC from the first game gives you more of a world to explore, but I can't stress how exciting it is to simply spend time swinging around. If you'll excuse me, I have something I want to do right now.

Buy Marvel's Spider-Man 2 for $42.59 / £35.49 (29% off) at Fanatical.

Ghostrunner 2

Ghostrunner 2 is brutal and unapologetic in its difficulty, but if you can learn the ropes of this fast-paced action game, it's well worth it. You play as the agile cyber ninja, Jack, who, after the events of the first game, is rebuilt and joins a rebel faction to help bring back peace and order to the turmoil of Dharma Tower.

You can run along walls, use special skills to take down enemies, and dash around cyberpunk-style levels, but Jack can die in one hit, taking you back to the last checkpoint, while most enemies also have similarly small health. It's as much about strategy, picking out your targets and whittling down enemy forces, as it is about enjoying the chaotic action that unfolds.

Buy Ghostrunner 2 for $6.39 / £5.59 (84% off) at Fanatical.

Horizon: Forbidden West - Complete Edition

Robotic dinosaurs, a gorgeous world, and the apocalyptic remains await you in Horizon: Forbidden West. This sequel to Zero Dawn delivers a grander adventure while bringing back that incredible hunting action that the RPG series is known for. As Aloy, you'll head to the Forbidden West in search of a backup for GAIA, as part of a plan to save the degrading biosphere of the Earth.

It's a solid narrative, but where Horizon: Forbidden West remains excellent is the exploration and the eventual hunting action of the different species of robodinos. Thanks to the beautiful visuals, I love seeing how the game captures the size and stature of such powerful 'creatures', and the tools Aloy gets make every fight different, whether you use traps or go in arrows-blazing with your bow and spear. Best of all, the Complete Edition gives you the base game and the Burning Shores expansion together.

Buy Horizon: Forbidden West for $32.39 (46% off) at Fanatical.

The Precinct

If you're waiting for the eventual GTA 6 release date to roll along, and you've always wondered what it would be like to be on the other side of the law, The Precinct ought to keep you occupied. As you trawl the streets looking for criminals or continue the overarching narrative of uncovering Averno City's underworld, this indie gives you a good taste of what it means to be a good cop.

Between fighting off bank robbers or chasing down gunmen, there's the standard work of ticketing vandals and speeding drivers. It holds a balance between the mundane and the chaos, allowing you to get the full experience of being in the shoes of Nick Cordell Jr., and it's helped with a decent plot about dealing with the criminal organizations controlling Averno City.

Buy The Precinct for $16.49 / £13.74 (45% off) at Fanatical.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

Few franchises have the staying power of Metal Gear Solid, but Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a solid remake of the third game, and proves that the political plot and the stealthy combat are equally appealing to fans and newcomers alike. As Naked Snake, you're sent to Tselinoyarsk, USSR, in the height of an alternative take on the 1960s Cold War, hoping to complete Virtuous Mission for the CIA. Of course, as in any political landscape, things quickly go awry.

It's a faithful recreation of the original game with updated visuals for the modern era, but Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater also delivers quality-of-life improvements that make it more accessible for new players. Despite being over 20 years old, it's clear that the Metal Gear Solid series is just as essential a game today, further giving reason for this brilliant remake to exist.

Buy Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater for $38.49 / £38.49 (45% off) at Fanatical.

Flash Deals

Just looking for some great games at bargain prices? In that case, it's worth looking at Fanatical's Flash Deals. Available on the Fanatical homepage every day, three games go on sale, offering you steep discounts on indies to triple-A hits, but only for a day. It's worth checking every day between Friday, November 21, 2025, and Sunday, November 30, 2025, to see what's available because there have been some pretty great titles included.

So, if you've been waiting to stock up your Steam library with excellent games at brilliant prices, these are all my top recommendations. Assuming you haven't already played them to death.