This $1 Steam bargain is a quacking hidden gem and the cosiest 'game' we've ever played

The Steam Summer Sale is now live and for less than $1 you can add one of the most endearing ‘games’ you’ll ever play to your backlog. Trust us, you won’t regret it.

Everyone loves a cosy game in some shape or form, but you have to admit some of that cosiness quickly dissipates when your to-do list gets longer and longer.

Stardew Valley for instance is a great game to relax and unwind to, but building and managing a farm can be so hard. We’ve even devised a tiny list of helpful mods to help you make life easier in that regard.

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Those looking for something really relaxing then should look no further than Placid Plastic Duck Simulator, which is currently being sold for less than the cheapest of takeaway coffees on Steam.

Placid Duck Simulator is a Steam deal you genuinely won't regret

Simply put (because it literally couldn’t be any simpler), Placid Plastic Duck Simulator is about collecting and observing a wide-variety of ducks in a luxurious, calming swimming pool.

It’s meant to be one of those games you stick on in the background like one of those fireplace livestreams, occasionally glancing over for a minute before getting lost in your own thoughts.

The game certainly achieves what it sets out to do, as it’s got some very pleasing background noise and watching the ducks float around aimlessly does have quite a calming effect.

turbolento publishing, Team17

Actually paying attention to the game is just as enjoyable though, as each new duck added to the pool has its own unique design and properties. One duck can glow in the dark, one sinks like a stone, and one copies the design of the last duck it touched.

More ducks, and maps, can be added via some DLC packs, which are just as cheap as the full game.

One of Steam’s best-rated games is about plastic ducks, let that sink in

At the time of writing Placid Plastic Duck Simulator has a 97% Overwhelmingly Positive rating with over 12,000 reviews.

The funny thing is I’ve played this one myself on Xbox and I couldn’t agree more. It’s an under-appreciated gem.

One of the game’s Steam reviews reads: “I actually love this game, if you want to have fun buy the DLC. But I love how you can play this game in the background and get all the ducks seriously a 10/10”

Another says: “I love vibing and looking at the ducks. This game is adorable. A modern fish screensaver.”

Usually the game costs $1.99/£1.69 but with the Steam Summer Sale it currently costs $0.99/£0.84.

Honestly though, I’d suggest buying the Buy More Ducks Everywhere Bundle if you want to get serious. That currently costs $7.11/£6.03 in the sale. It contains the base game plus all the DLCs, so you get more quack for your bill… I mean more bang for your buck.

If Placid Plastic Duck Simulator turns out to not be your cup of tea though that’s fine, as you can always refund the game on Steam if you play less than an hour. Usually we’d say that’s a great feature but recently it’s left one indie dev heartbroken as some players abused it to claim their game for free.

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