Japanese indie publisher Playism has kicked off a Steam sale running through May 26, 2026, putting some of the most celebrated pixel-art action-adventure titles up to 80% off. These aren't filler deals — each of the three games on offer has a legitimate critical pedigree and a devoted fanbase. Here's what's worth your money.
The Must-Buy: Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight — $1.99
Metacritic 84. About four hours to complete. And right now, just $1.99 (80% off).
Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight is a tight, beautifully crafted Metroidvania that wastes absolutely none of its runtime. The tone echoes Dark Souls — melancholy, bleak, quietly devastating — while the hand-drawn pixel art is some of the finest the genre has produced. Boss encounters are designed with surgical precision; every pattern is learnable, every death feels fair, and every victory feels earned.
Some players might balk at the short length, but Momodora uses those four hours to tell a complete story, build a cohesive world, and deliver a combat experience that never overstays its welcome. At $1.99, it's nearly impossible to argue against picking this up. If you have any interest in Metroidvania games, this is the deal of the week — possibly the month.
La-Mulana — $2.99 (80% off)
The 2012 remake of a PC-88-era classic, La-Mulana is a puzzle-platformer set inside a labyrinthine ancient ruin. Its Metacritic score of 74 reflects the game's deeply niche identity: this is not a game that wants to be liked by everyone.
La-Mulana's puzzles are genuinely cryptic. Clues are carved into stone tablets scattered throughout the ruins, written in an in-game language that requires careful interpretation. Traps will kill you without warning. Progress demands note-taking, experimentation, and — for many players — a significant tolerance for frustration. It is, by design, a game that resists you.
What it offers in return is a rare sense of discovery. When a puzzle finally clicks after hours of confusion, the satisfaction is unlike anything a more forgiving game can provide. This is recommended without hesitation for players who enjoy exploratory, challenge-first design.
La-Mulana 2: The Ruins of Ostium — $7.99 (60% off)
Released in 2018, La-Mulana 2 is the best-reviewed entry in the series at Metacritic 80. It preserves everything that made the original compelling — the sprawling ruins, the punishing puzzles, the sense of an ancient world waiting to be understood — while addressing the rough edges that kept the first game from reaching a wider audience.
The interface is smoother, the quality of life improvements are meaningful, and the new ruin is arguably even more elaborate than the original. For returning fans, it's a natural next step. For newcomers curious about the series, starting here is a perfectly reasonable choice given the improved accessibility. Picking up both games during this sale for under $11 combined is a strong value proposition for anyone who loves challenging exploration games.
Sale Summary
| Game | Regular Price | Sale Price | Discount | Metacritic | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La-Mulana | $14.99 | $2.99 | 80% OFF | 74 | Steam |
| La-Mulana 2: The Ruins of Ostium | $19.99 | $7.99 | 60% OFF | 80 | Steam |
| Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight | $9.99 | $1.99 | 80% OFF | 84 | Steam |
Sale ends: May 26, 2026
All three games share Playism's hallmark DNA: demanding design, expressive pixel art, and rewards that are meaningful precisely because they're hard to earn. Momodora at $1.99 is the obvious standout — an 84-point Metroidvania for less than a cup of coffee. Don't sleep on the La-Mulana series either, especially if you're the kind of player who keeps a notepad next to the keyboard.