Great Steam games to play in Build your own Paradox Bundle

Steam rating: 'VERY POSITIVE'

In strategy sandbox sim Prison Architect, you can forget beat 'em up... it's time to lock 'em up!

You'll be responsible for designing your own prison from scratch and ensuring that all necessary facilities are available - including a holding cell, canteen, infirmary, guard room and toilets to keep your prisoners in check... perhaps an execution chamber too?

The game follows the story of Edward, a prisoner facing the electric chair for committing a crime of passion. You'll play through four additional chapters focusing on different characters and aspects of prison life.

See Mafia Dons, power-crazed senators and other dangerous prisoners roaming around your customizable prison, and witness award-winning professional writer Chris Hastings at work as he produces an enthralling tale of corruption and human misery set against the background of the modern prison industrial complex!

Steam rating: 'VERY POSITIVE'

From Obsidian Entertainment, the developer of Fallout: New Vegas and South Park: The Stick of Truth, comes a daring fantasy RPG. In Pillars of Eternity Hero Edition, you'll recapture the deep sense of exploration, the joy of a pulsating adventure, and the thrill of leading your own band of companions across a new fantasy realm and into the depths of monster-infested dungeons in search of lost treasures and ancient mysteries.

Gather your party, venture forth, and embrace adventure as you delve into a realm of wonder, nostalgia, and the excitement of classic RPGs. You'll get to play as any one of six races - Human, Aumaua, Dwarf, Elf, Godlike and Orlan - and utilize five core skills to overcome any situation - Stealth, Athletics, Lore, Mechanics and Survival.

Side with various factions using a reputation system, where your actions and choices have far reaching consequences!

Steam rating: 'VERY POSITIVE'

If you've always wanted to build a bustling virtual metropolis and lead your city in whatever way you see fit, then Cities: Skylines is certainly a good choice - it's intensely fun for fans of the genre and newcomers alike. Accessible and deep and simply full of charm, you can simply focus on whatever you see fit.

Balance essential requirements such as economy and healthcare. Create busy city districts and quite suburbs - you decide the laws of your city.

Want to ban pets? Sure. Want to decide how the education system works? By all means, go ahead. You decide whether or not you want a giant industrial city, or a quaint seaside town... you decide how you want your people to live!

Every hour of the day affects your city and the way your citizens interact with it. Traffic is visibly lighter at night and some zoned areas will not work with full efficiency.

Be in control of managing all the different aspects of the day and night cycle.

Steam rating: 'VERY POSITIVE'

Combining the critically-acclaimed campaign and first premiered major expansion, action strategy RPG Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director's Cut adds a host of new content and enhancements to the original game. This includes five all-new missions, alternate endings, new music, a redesigned interface, team customization options, a revamped combat system, and much more!

Experience the unique 'Tech meets Magic' dystopian future of Shadowrun, a fan-favorite game setting now celebrating it's 25th anniversary. Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director’s Cut is the perfect entry point to the setting for those with no prior Shadowrun experience, while providing plenty of classic Shadowrun characters and tech for veteran players to sink their teeth into.

You'll lead a small team of shadowrunners - each with their own outlook, motivations, and backstory. The members of your team are designed to play contrasting roles during missions, and each has a distinct set of skills, abilities, strengths, and weaknesses.

But it’s not all about the mission - each team member also has challenges to face in their own lives, which you can choose to brush aside or play an important part in.

Steam rating: 'VERY POSITIVE'

A deep engrossing political simulation with dozens of different governments, grand strategy Victoria II sees you (carefully) guide your nation from the era of absolute monarchies in the early 19th century - through expansion and colonization, to finally become a truly great power by the dawn of the 20th century.

You'll experience an in-depth political simulation where every action you take will have various consequences all over the world. The population will react to your decisions based on their political awareness, social class, as well as their willingness to accept or revolt against their government.

Over 200 different countries can be played, during the era stretching from 1835 to the onset of WWII, with an advanced technological system that lets you discover thousands of inventions. With Gunboat Diplomacy, there's no need for negotiating as a fleet outside a port may be a more persuasive argument.

Steam rating: 'VERY POSITIVE'

The ever-popular BattleTech franchise returns, featuring turn-based strategy combat and, of course, lots of heavily armed ‘Mechs.

BattleTech puts you in the heat of a futuristic war, set in 3025, where large BattleMech suits roam the battlefield. With the original BattleTech/MechWarrior creator Jordan Weisman and the developers of the award-winning Shadowrun Returns series at the helm, witness the next-generation of turn-based tactical ‘Mech combat.

Lead your own mercenary outfit of `Mechs and the MechWarrior through a ruthless interstellar civil war. Be sure to upgrade your base of operations, negotiate mercenary contracts with feudal lords, repair and maintain your stable of aging BattleMechs, and execute well-planned combat tactics to defeat your enemies.

With over 30 BattleMechs available to deploy into battle, prep your army and make tactical decisions to stay one step ahead of the opposition. Use terrain, positioning, weapon selection and special abilities to outmaneuver and outplay the enemy.

Recruit and develop unique MechWarriors, as well as improving and customizing your dropship. Oversee your team of technicians, engineers, and support personnel.

You can customize a Lance of ‘Mechs and MechWarriors to go head-to-head with friends and fellow players, compete against match-made opponents online, or jump into single-player skirmish mode to test your strategies against the AI.