It’s Thursday today, which came as a surprise to me. Not only does this mean that it’s nearly Friday, but it also means that you can get your hands on this week’s batch of free PC games from Epic – one of which is an all-time classic and easily one of the best immersive sims ever.
The first of the two free games this week is Buried Stars, a light puzzle game with a heavy narrative. A televised game show (think Big Brother) goes horribly wrong when the building that houses the studio seemingly collapses around the contestants, trapping them all inside. You must work together with the people you’re trapped with to find a way out.
To make things worse, there’s a murderer in your group, and you have to figure out who it is without finding yourself on the wrong end of a sharp implement. It reminds me a bit of Danganronpa, only without the murderous bears. Which, to be honest, is a plus in my book.
The second free Epic game this week should realistically require little explanation, although I’ll do it anyway. It’s System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster. One of the founding fathers of the immersive sim, System Shock 2 has been revamped and streamlined to make it a bit more palatable for a modern audience.
It’s a bit Alien; it’s a bit I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream. You’re trapped on a seemingly deserted spaceship and tasked with finding out what’s going on. There’s a murderous AI and all manner of other nasties you must deal with as you explore the ship deck by deck. It’s got a bunch of build options, revolutionary for the time, and it’s great.
Buried Stars and System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster are free to claim via the Epic Games Store between Thursday October 1 at 8am PT / 11am ET / 4pm BST / 5pm CEST and Thursday October 8 at 8am PT / 11am ET / 4pm BST / 5pm CEST. Head here to get them while the offer lasts.
If you ever needed an excuse to play one of the best PC games of all time, there isn’t a better time than now. Even if you don’t plan on playing it right this second, make sure you head over to the Epic Store before next Thursday to claim it, then wait for the appropriate rainy weekend to smash out a spooky story in space.
