Last time, we told you about some free games that you might not even know about. The topic has found a tangible response from the site visitors, so we are back with a new selection of interesting games for which you don’t have to pay a single hryvnia.
The selection rules have not changed much. Here you’ll find games that hardly ever appear in similar selections, but still deserve attention. The emphasis was on single-player games, as there is already enough online entertainment in the Free-to-Play format. In addition, you will see several well-known titles in the selection that you might not know are now free.
Aimlabs
Platforms Windows
Genre shooter
Year 2023
As we all know, the most important thing in online shooters is accuracy. But this is exactly what many people have problems with. It’s not for nothing that eSports competitions in Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 are considered so prestigious, and it’s incredibly exciting to watch as a spectator.
Aimlabs was created to help you learn how to shoot better in online shooters. It’s not even really a game, but rather a simulator with a huge number of settings. Previously, something like this existed as fan maps inside Counter-Strike, and now it has grown into a separate service.
Among other things, Aimlabs attracts with built-in game-specific settings. That is, you can choose, for example, Overwatch, Destiny 2, or even Minecraft. And then you will train in conditions as close as possible to these games. So, almost everyone should try Aimlabs, as the list of games for training here is suitable for all tastes.
Beneath a Steel Sky
Platforms Windows, iOS
Genre adventure
Year 1994
Back when point-and-click adventures were one of the most common genres, Beneath a Steel Sky was considered a living classic. Now it has turned into an ordinary classic. The developers of the Broken Sword series – however, Beneath a Steel Sky was released before the first part, Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars, have created an interesting cyberpunk world that beckoned with its characters and dialogues.
The story tells about a boy Robert and his robot friend Joey, who need to figure out the intrigues in Union City. Puzzles, dialogues, searching for objects – all the signs of good classic quests are in place.
In 2020, a sequel to the game called Beyond a Steel Sky was released. It is available on iOS for Apple Arcade subscribers.
Blood Spear
Platforms Windows
Genre action, soulslike
Year 2021
Like many other free-to-play games on Steam, Blood Spear is actually a student thesis project. It was developed by students of ISART Digital in Paris. The game won first place at the ISART Digital Montréal 2021 competition.
The main weapon here is a spear to stick enemies on it and push them against other objects. The physics engine handles all interactions quite adequately. In general, this is a standard fantasy adventure with magic, palaces, and other attributes.
The gameplay is reminiscent of Dark Souls, but without too many challenges. The level of difficulty is adequate and suitable for players of all experience levels.
Emily is Away
Platforms Windows, Mac OS, Linux
Genre visual novel
Year 2015
Another unusual game that can also evoke powerful nostalgic feelings. After all, it is all made in the aesthetics of Windows XP, and the main game mechanic is communication through the internal analog of the AOL Instant Messenger service. Or AIM, as it was more commonly called back then.
The plot revolves around the protagonist’s relationship with his girlfriend Emily. The story covers several years of their relationship, and your answers directly affect the scenario. So technically, this is a visual novel in its simplest form, but the visual design takes it to a new level. And there is an authentic sound design that can also touch something in your heart.
Heroine’s Quest: The Herald of Ragnarok
Platforms Windows
Genre adventure, role play
Year 2013
It may seem that Heroine’s Quest: The Herald of Ragnarok is another game from the 90s. However, it was released in 2013, when gaming technology has made many steps forward. However, the fact is that the game was originally conceived as a tribute to gaming classics.
In Heroine’s Quest, the developers combined the mechanics of quests and role-playing games. That is, you need to collect items and solve puzzles, but do not forget about improving the skills of the main character and regular battles. The variety of situations and mechanics is impressive, especially for a game from a small team.
Heroine’s Quest: The Herald of Ragnarok was released at the peak of another discussion about the role of female characters in pop culture and video games. That’s why the developers made the protagonist as human and well-developed as possible.
LET IT DIE
Platforms Windows. PlayStation 4/5
Genre action, roguelite
Year 2016
This game from the Japanese studio Grasshopper Manufacture, which gave us No More Heroes and Lollipop Chainsaw, is probably the most stylish on this list. The look of the local Death alone is worth it. In LET IT DIE, everything is built on grotesque and vivid images.
The gameplay resembles a mix of roguelite and soulslike. Your character has to gradually climb a huge tower, simultaneously finding new equipment and defeating enemies. The game has elements of asynchronous multiplayer, so some of the enemies are “casts” of live players.
Even if you don’t like the gameplay, be sure to check out the game’s soundtrack. Akira Yamaoka, known for the Silent Hill series, gathered a hundred Japanese rock artists for it. The composer describes the result as one of the best in his career.
LIDAR.EXE
Platforms Windows
Genre horror
Year 2022
The subgenre of horror based on environment scanners appeared not so long ago. To some extent, we have Apple to thank for this, as the new iPhones put a lot of emphasis on the LiDAR scanner, which is capable of forming 3D objects from the environment and evaluating the surrounding space.
LIDAR.EXE was not the first in this subgenre. Before it, there was already a paid Scanner Sombre and a mode for Garry’s Mod LIDAR. But it was the free-to-play nature of LIDAR.EXE that allowed the game to become popular.
In it, you have to make your way through a dark environment using LiDAR. The darkness hides many horrors, and the scanning features do not always allow you to react to danger in time. There are no explanations and no special plot in the game. Just pure horror and well-realized basic game mechanics.
OpenTTD
Platforms Windows
Genre simulator, economic strategy
Year 2004
Niche simulators about some kind of infrastructure are another genre that was much more prestigious and popular in the 90s than it is today. For example, Transport Tycoon in 1994 allowed you to create your own transportation empire, which includes cars, trains, ships, etc. OpenTTD is based on this game.
It’s an open source project that tries to take the best of Transport Tycoon and bring it to the next level. The open nature of the game also means that it is regularly updated. It took almost 20 years to develop a stable version, so now is the perfect time to see what the fans have come up with.
The multiplayer mode for 255 players is particularly attractive. In this mode, you have to manage a company with a group of other players to become more successful than your competitors. Competitors are also managed by people. The result is an interesting combination of cooperative and competitive gameplay that can also teach you basic business skills.
Samorost
Platforms Windows
Genre adventure
Year 2003
Games by Amanita Design are distinguished primarily by their visual style. Each project is something bright, unusual, even a little bit obscene. The company’s journey began with the first part of Samorost in 2003. And in 2021, the game was re-released on Steam so that everyone could experience the classic.
The new version has improved graphics and additional music. Jakub Dworski, the founder of Amanita Design, is able to make even the rather demanding quest formula more friendly to people, so playing Samorost is as comfortable as possible.
By the way, Amanita Design once raised money to support Ukraine. So now you can support the studio at least by downloading a free game. And then you may want to do more.
Spelunky Classic
Platforms Windows
Genre roguelite, platformer
Year 2009
The Spelunky series is a high-quality roguelike game where you have to explore caves and collect treasures. It sounds simple enough, but the magic is revealed through random generation, high difficulty, and the ability to manipulate the environment. For example, bombs can break through walls, and a rope can help you climb higher.
This is a game that requires patience and skills, but many roguelike projects are based on this kind of approach. Spelunky has two paid parts, both of which can be recommended. But the classic free version can also entertain. Moreover, it is launched directly from the browser. It also has Ukrainian localization, which is always a plus.
The Baby In Yellow
Platforms Windows, Android, iOS
Genre horror
Year 2020
The itch.io platform offers free horror games for all tastes, which is regularly used by streamers, YouTubers, and bloggers. However, not all of these games can boast of high quality. However, the developers of The Baby In Yellow have put their heart and soul into the project, so the quality here is on par with the “big” gaming industry.
In the game, you have to look after a cute baby. But it quickly turns out that the baby has demonic powers and can turn your life into hell. So you need to survive, escape from the baby, and try to find out what’s going on.
The Baby In Yellow attracts with high-quality graphics, a physics engine that allows you to do quite interesting things with the baby, as well as general elaboration. The developers are planning to release the full version on Steam for money, but right now you can download the game for free via itch.io and get a positive experience that not all paid games can give you.
The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
Platforms Windows
Genre role play
Year 1996
A living classic, without which the world of modern video games would be completely different. These are loud words, but in the case of The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, they are not ashamed to be used.
The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall features the largest world map in The Elder Scrolls II series. Its area is 161,600 square kilometers. No other game has even come close to this scale. Of course, many locations and situations here are quite monotonous, remember the year of the game’s release and technical limitations. But the bare numbers are still impressive.
Otherwise, you will get the typical The Elder Scrolls gameplay, full of quests, items, caves, dungeons, and various NPCs. For free, it’s a real treat.
The Sims 4
Platforms Windows, Mac OS, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Genre simulator
Year 2014
The Sims game series doesn’t need any extra presentations. No one has been able to come close to the level of diversity in the depiction of life as The Sims developers do. Publisher Electronic Arts takes advantage of this, so each part of the series receives a large number of paid add-ons.
Therefore, the decision to make The Sims 4 free in 2022 seemed like something out of the ordinary. However, there is no need to rejoice prematurely. Players can only access the base game, and all add-ons must be purchased separately. They cost almost 35,000 UAH in total.
However, even the basic The Sims 4 can give you tens or hundreds of hours of gameplay. Or at least give newcomers the opportunity to appreciate what this almost eternal series about the lives of virtual people is like.
What Never Was
Platforms Windows
Genre adventure
Year 2019
A short adventure for one evening about the granddaughter of a prominent researcher who left many unsolved secrets after his death. Now the main character is exploring her relative’s attic to learn more about his adventures.
The gameplay is based on solving puzzles, and the developers were inspired by the classic Myst and The Longest Journey levels. There is nothing particularly complicated here, but it is pleasant to read the notes and put all the details together.
The developers also plan to release a sequel someday, which will most likely be for money. A standard scheme that resembles the distribution model of the cooperative adventure We Were Here.
Yume Nikki
Platforms Windows
Genre adventure
Year 2004
A cult classic, without which games like Undertale, Doki Doki Literature Club! and other unusual projects would not exist. It’s a niche sensation whose influence on the indie scene is still felt today. And it still plays great.
In Yume Nikki, you play as a girl who travels through her dreams. There, she will meet many surreal characters, as well as receive special effects that allow her to explore new locations. There are no explanations or logic here, which also brings the game closer to dreams. And for years, fans have been building theories around what happened here.
Interestingly, the game was created by a Japanese independent developer named Kikiyama, who keeps his biography a secret. A new version of Yume Nikki: Dream Diary, but we don’t recommend playing it, because it has no soul anymore.
Perhaps you have also found some interesting free games that not everyone has heard of? Share your finds in the comments. And if you also like this selection, we will return with a similar one next month.
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