In the second week of its Mega Sale, theEpic Games Storeis still continuing to release “mystery” free games. Normally, these games would be announced in the previous week to build hype. However, the last few installments, starting withNBA 2k21, had the veil of “mystery game” hiding them. As a marketing strategy, it is certainly not unheard of — mystery box services are incredibly popular. In fact, it’s not even new for Epic Games, a company which launched previous “mystery” free games includingGrand Theft Auto 5. The hype built by this mystery box formula, and the notoriety of that specific title, crashed Epic’s entire storefront.
The power of the mystery free game appeared again recently whenAmong Us' PC player count skyrocketed to over two million after its free mystery game release. So, theEpic Game Store’s mystery free game initiative is undeniably popular. With the hidden game strategy continuing further into June, what Epic has in store for the rest of the month remains a mystery. It is, however, likely that the games will follow the pattern of the last few months, likely having either mass player retention appeal or a lot of DLC available. There are some games, however, that would definitely benefit both Epic and its customers more if they became free this month.
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Frostpunk Is Free on The Epic Games Store Right Now
Despitefalse Epic Games Store leaksimplying thatRise of the Tomb Raiderwas the store’s next free mystery game,Frostpunkreleased free on the store on the 3rd of June. A city-building survival game in the vein of previous free Epic Games titleSurviving Mars. Rather than the more traditional hard sci-fi of that game,Frostpunkfocuses on the stark realities of a frozen world, and the harsh decisions needed for survival. This level of difficulty is no surprise from 11 Bit Studios, creators ofThis War of Mine.
InFrostpunk’scase, it’s a war of attrition more than anything else. The game is incredibly hard, but gorgeous visuals and incredibly dynamic moral choices make it very playable, despite its many stressful moments. With a particularly unique setting, the title asks players to navigate the thorny mess of political, material, and psychological problems of a city constantly on the brink of icy demise.
Darkest Dungeon
BothAmong UsandFrostpunkare delightfully tense games for very different reasons. If Epic’s free games for June go down a similar route toFrostpunk, thenDarkest Dungeoncould be a fantastic choice. Although massively distinct fromFrostpunkin terms of genre and mechanics, a similar, incredibly fraught tone exists between the two games.Darkest Dungeon’sdeveloper Red Hook Studios is named after a deep H.P. Lovecraft reference, and the themes (and mechanics) of madness in the game do that reference ample justice.
In fact, afree release ofDarkest Dungeoncould do a lot to stimulate the player base of a now six-year-old game. For Red Hook, a boost in players would not go amiss, as the game’s sequel is set for early access release in 2021.Darkest Dungeon 2is apparently “coming soon” on the Epic Store. So, perhapsDarkest Dungeon 2will release this month on the store — it would not be the first time a game has premiered for free on the storefront. After all,Darkest Dungeon 2’s early access will be an Epic Store exclusive. If not, the first game releasing for free as a “mystery game” in June would be great for fans of survival horror and Lovecraftian stories alike.
JackBox Party Pack 6
Considering the Epic Store’s central aim at building a larger PC game marketplace, releasing the viral hitAmong Usfor free was not an entirely surprising move. In a similar vein,theJackboxserieshas always enjoyed considerable virality, especially among a similar Twitch streamer demographic.Jackbox Party Pack 7is one of the more recent iterations in that franchise.
While some installments in the series omitQuiplash, arguably the most popular part of the variousParty Packs, the seventh party pack boastsQuiplash 3. With every release,Quiplashadds new dialogue and prompts for players to construct punchlines.Party Pack 7also brings a few new games, includingTalking PointsandBlather Round.
Gone Home
If Epic honors Pride month with a free game,Gone Homeis arguably the perfect option. One of the progenitors of the “walking simulator” subgenre of games,Gone Homeuses this eerie pace to evoke the discomfort that comes with probing one’s identity. In mode of play, tone, and content,Gone Homeoozes style. It is not a flashy style, but a layered, interpersonal grit that comes from investigating an abandoned family home. The game is not purely somber, however, and a really nuanced wit also runs throughout the title.
It also shares some surprising similarities to bothAmong UsandFrostpunk, albeit in unconventional ways. LikeAmong Us, the game went somewhat viral on release, although some of the attention was negative. Unfortunately, the game received a lot of contempt from certain elements of the gaming community due a lack of interactive elements, but overall garnered a cult status as aniconic LGBTQ+ gameand narrative title.Frostpunkrequires players to have an incredible eye for detail, micromanaging and observing the many parts of its central city.
InGone Home, observational skills are key. Although perception is essential, it doesn’t carry quite the same life-or-death stakes as inFrostpunk. Despite the lack of traditional game mechanics,Gone Homepacks a gorgeous narrative that would make it a wonderful game to get free for Pride month.
Frostpunkis free on the Epic Games Store until the June 10.
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