Let’s be real for a second. We’ve all been there. You’re staring at a digital storefront, it’s late, and you’ve got ten bucks burning a hole in your pocket. You see a mystery bundle and think, "This is either going to be the greatest haul of my life or I’m paying for digital landfill."
The very positive mystery bundle - september 2025 from Fanatical was one of those moments that had the Steam community talking. Why? Because the name itself is a promise. In the world of PC gaming, a "Very Positive" rating on Steam is the gold standard of community trust. When a bundle claims every single key inside meets that bar, expectations go through the roof.
The Mystery Behind the Rating
The hook for this specific September drop was simple but bold. Fanatical promised a pool of games where every single title held at least a "Very Positive" user rating. For the uninitiated, that means roughly 80% to 94% of people who played the game actually liked it.
You weren't just rolling the dice on random indies; you were rolling on games that people actually vouch for.
Pricing was tiered, which is typical for these guys. You could grab a single key for a buck, but the real "value" (if you want to call it that) kicked in at the 10-key or 20-key levels. At the 10-key mark, you were looking at roughly $7.99.
Honestly, that’s less than a fancy latte for ten games. Even if half of them are "meh" to your personal taste, you’re still winning on the math.
What Was Actually Inside?
I spent a lot of time lurking on r/Gamebundles and watching the "pull" videos from folks like Retr0Rob to see what people were actually unboxing. The variety was kind of wild. It wasn't just a bunch of 2D platformers from 2014.
Here are some of the heavy hitters and frequent flyers that popped up in the very positive mystery bundle - september 2025:
- DOOM Eternal: Yeah, the big one. Some lucky people pulled this AAA monster.
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance: A hardcore medieval RPG that is definitely not for everyone but has a cult following for a reason.
- Ghostwire: Tokyo: This one appeared in several high-tier pulls. It’s a visually stunning trip through a haunted Japan.
- Fallout Classic Collection: For the old-school fans who want to see where the wasteland started.
- Smalland: Survive the Wilds: A survival game that feels like "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" but with more dying.
- Lake: On the complete opposite end—a cozy mail-delivery sim.
There were also some smaller, quirkier "bangers" that people were surprisingly hyped about. Picayune Dreams and Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath showed up a lot. These are the kinds of games you never buy on your own but end up playing for six hours straight on a Tuesday night.
Is the Value Real or Just Good Marketing?
The big question is always: "Am I getting my money's worth?"
If you look at the MSRP (the retail price), it’s a slam dunk. Most of these games retail for $15 to $40. If you spend $8 and get $150 worth of games, the "value" is objectively there. But we know it’s more complicated than that.
Digital games have zero resale value. If you already own Dishonored 2 or Prey—both of which were in the pool—then a "High Value" pull is actually worth $0 to you.
That’s the gamble.
One thing Fanatical did well in September 2025 was the "guarantee" system for their VIP and Premier versions of these bundles. They started promising that games would be Steam Deck Verified. If you’re a handheld gamer, that’s a massive win. Nothing sucks more than getting a "Very Positive" game only to find out it runs like a slideshow on your Deck.
The "Trash" Factor
Let’s talk about the filler. Every mystery bundle has it.
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Even in a bundle where everything is "Very Positive," you’re going to get stuff like Floor 9 or Hacknet. Are they bad games? No. But are they the reason you bought the bundle? Probably not.
The September pool had a lot of "Simulator" games too. Streamer Life Simulator 2 and Airport CEO made frequent appearances. If you’re into management sims, you’re eating good. If you wanted an action-packed shooter, you’re probably going to be a bit annoyed.
How to Handle Future Mystery Bundles
If you’re looking at the very positive mystery bundle - september 2025 and wondering if you should jump on the next one, here’s the strategy I use.
First, check the "pool" list if it's available. Usually, sites will list 10-15 "featured" games. If you want at least three of those, the bundle is usually worth the risk.
Second, check your wishlist. If your Steam wishlist is 500 games deep, there’s a statistically higher chance you’ll pull something you actually want.
Third, don't buy the 25-key pack unless you’re planning on giving keys away to friends. The duplicate protection only works for a single purchase. If you buy two packs of 10, you might get the same game twice.
Final Thoughts on the September Drop
The very positive mystery bundle - september 2025 was a solid entry in Fanatical's lineup. It felt less like a "clearance sale" and more like a curated list of games that people actually like. While some people walked away with three copies of Fallout New Vegas, others got Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night for less than a dollar.
It’s gambling for gamers. As long as you treat it like a fun $10 surprise and not a financial investment, it’s hard to be truly disappointed with a "Very Positive" lineup.
If you’re sitting on keys from this bundle that you haven't redeemed yet, your best bet is to head over to a trading community like Barter.vg or r/indiegameswap. You can often swap those "Very Positive" titles you don't want for something that’s actually on your wishlist.
Before you buy your next bundle, take five minutes to cross-reference the potential game list with your current Steam library to avoid the sting of a duplicate pull.