As we all should know by now, the Epic Games Store has been giving away free games since its launch in December. According to my count, last week’s free game, Limbo, was the twentieth game. There were all kinds of great indie games. At first, we were getting them on a bi-weekly schedule, but since June, it moved to a weekly rotation. Now, we’re going to get not just one, but two free games every week. This week’s games are Moonlighter and This War of Mine, and next week’s collection will include Alan Wake and For Honor.
There were a couple of issues to redeem today’s games on the Epic Games Store launcher at first, but it should be working fine now. Free is free, but let’s see if these games are something you’ll be interested in.
This War of Mine: a grim meditation on war
War is no doubt one of the most popular topics for games. This War of Mine by 11 bit studios might be the most honest and least naive game about war ever made. This is a survival simulation about civilians in a fictional, war-ravaged Eastern European country. It begins with a quote by Ernest Hemingway: “In modern war… you will die like a dog for no good reason.” The main campaign gives you control over three characters: Katia, Pavle, and Bruno. Each one of them has unique skills and unique flaws. You must use their skills and bear with their flaws in order to survive as you try to manage resources and fend off threats.
It’s a game that feels very personal and you make a lot of emotional investment in your characters. The gameplay isn’t particularly innovative, but the crafting and management of resources can be engaging. There’s also a lot of additional content, and today 11 bit studios just announced a new This War of Mine: Stories DLC called Fading Embers.
Moonlighter: shopkeeping and dungeon crawling
I haven’t played Moonlight, but it’s published by 11 bit studios, and that means a standard of quality. Developed by Digital Sun, this is a 2D ARPG with roguelike elements and a really cute art style. The setting and art direction have a resemblance to The Legend of Zelda. The gameplay is often compared to that of The Binding of Isaac, but it looks more fleshed out in that sense. You play as an adventurous shopkeeper called Will, so you do more than just kill monsters in dungeons. It’s definitely worth a try as a free game, and it’s also currently available with a 50 percent discount on Steam.
Next week on the Epic Games Store
You can already check out the upcoming free game collection coming next week. Alan Wake is a dark and tense thriller where you play as a writer facing the forces of darkness in a small mountain town. Then there’s For Honor, Ubisoft’s historical fantasy battler where you can play as knights, samurai, or Vikings. If you missed the Uplay giveaway last year, here’s your chance to check it out next week.
We have to wonder how long Epic Games will be able to keep up all these giveaways, but we’re not complaining. So if you haven’t yet, grab this week’s free game collection on the Epic Games Store.
