Whatoplay presents 15 of the best FREE PC games that came out this year.
Note that these titles are not arranged by playscore.
To check out the full list, visit our page on all the Best Free PC games.
1. Til Nord A great start
to this list is this sublime open-world game for players who simply want to chill out (literally).
Using your snowmobile, navigate its gorgeous and snow-covered island full of sights to explore. The
visuals of its Swedish landscapes don’t feel like a free game at all. While the length is justified
for its cost, everything was made for a short zen-like experience. You’re not facing any enemies
here, or taking down big bosses. It’s just you and your snowmobile roving around a white world.
2. Deliver At All Costs Part videogame, part social commentary.
If you’re not interested in Til Nord’s zen snowmobile driving, then maybe you’d like this.
Imagine Death Stranding, but after Norman Reedus gets fed up with senseless timers, wage gaps and
traffic. That unbridled rage is what this game is all about. With your isometric view of the city,
drive around and make those deliveries your way. Play by your own rules and deliver each
product without giving a single damn about the world. It’s every capitalist’s nightmare.
3. Deltarune Chapter 2 Undertale’s popularity
knows no end and Toby Fox’s fantastical world of oddballs returns with a twist.
The latest chapter of this otherworldly RPG adventure takes us once again into the shoes
of Kris and Susie as they escape from this crazy wonderland of horror and delights.
The story is something to invest into, since Toby is continuously adding more chapters in
god knows when. The first two chapters are free, which is nice,
but the succeeding three episodes will be paid. So make the most out of this peculiar new series.
4. EQI Ever heard of
a psychedelic first person arcade game? EQI tests your perspective by putting you in a trippy world
dying to be solved. Its gauntlet of mental and physical challenges can get difficult after each
level and the worst possible outcome might be you suffering a headache from its blinding colors.
It’s a short experience, but it makes up for it with its surreal obstacles and jamming music.
5. NERTS! Online
Who would’ve thought we’d finally have an online Solitaire in the gaming world?
NERTS is a multiplayer experience where you play with up to five friends in sweaty competitive
action. It’s basically what you expect in a regular Nerts, but this time you can play
with other players from across the globe. We’re gonna spare you the history lesson behind it but
it’s pretty much self-explanatory if you’re into this fast-paced version of Solitaire.
6. SMASH LEGENDS No, it’s not Super Smash Bros., but,
aside from the fact it’s on a 3D plane, it does share the same mechanics. Enjoy 3 versus 3 battles
with other players and win by knocking your enemies off the map, or bringing their HP down to
zero. There’s even a Battle Royale mode if you’re into that. Even without any license crossovers,
the roster still boasts a wide array of characters to choose from. Of course, if you want to get
really serious about the game, those pay-to-win elements may still you give you some pause.
7. Enlisted This squad-based
first-person MMO takes us into the pivotal moments of World War II and it’s completely
free-to-play! It replicates the era’s weapons, vehicles, and atmosphere. Become a commander and
lead your squad into war-torn lands in epic battles grounded in realism. It was a timed
exclusive for the Xbox Series X in 2020 but its PC version just came out of beta.
There’s more room for improvement here, so expect regular updates in the game’s life cycle soon.
8. Wild Dose: First Session The first chapter of the first-person
cyberpunk adventure from Lappi Soft takes us to a drug-crazed dystopia where almost everyone wants
to escape their grim reality. It mixes RPG and walking-simulator elements, resulting in a game
oozing with atmosphere. Play as a cyberjunkie and explore the neon-soaked, low-poly environments.
The game’s environments will vary from time to time depending on what type of drugs you take.
9. Arid A passion project developed by talented students
from Breda University in the Netherlands. It’s a survival game that borrows familiar mechanics
from popular titles of the genre like No Man’s Sky, Subnautica and even Minecraft. The stellar
visuals of its sandbox planet feel like it came from a Triple A budget. For 6 hours of playtime,
it offers a decent amount of exploration for players looking for a new kind of adventure.
10. Fitforce PCs very-own version of Nintendo Switch’s
Ring Fit Adventures. While it doesn’t have the same budget as its Triple A competitor, Fitforce
does everything well in a game about forcing us to sweat it out. Using only your smartphone and
your computer, make your way around its multiple minigames that each offer challenges that will
strengthen those core muscles. Of course, having a decent phone with a gyro and accelerometer is
recommended. Otherwise you’d just be doing the real thing instead, but that’s not too bad either.
11. If on a Winter's Night, Four Travelers
Point and click games will never run out of style, especially when there’s a strong narrative and
fantastic art involved. This story rich project from Dead Idle Games is surprisingly well-done.
Solve a grueling mystery aboard a train in the year 1920s. It’s a combination of horror,
puzzle and psychological terror so you might have to bring an extra pair of diapers.
Honestly, with work like this, a lot of players will support and pay for it. A Support Pack
is available for purchase on Steam if you want to give thanks to the talented devs behind it!
12. My Singing Monsters
If you have a little sister, a brother, a kid, or if you’re into this kind of thing, then
My Singing Monsters might be the one you’ve been looking for all this time. Hearing adorable
creatures do rhythmic exercises isn’t something we encounter most of the time. Like Tamagotchi
but music, take care of these oddballs as they hum to your crafted tunes. Breed them, design them and
watch them grow. The end result of the harmonies you created may not be something you expected,
but the goofiness of it is enough to lure you back in and try something crazier,
or something actually memorable.
13. Blood Spear It looks like Dark Souls,
feels like Dark Souls, but it’s not Dark Souls. Blood Spear is an action-RPG that
feels familiar in every step of the way. Its hack and slash combat and vague lore feels like it’s a
Souls-like adventure, but beneath its flair, it remains an indie game with a tight budget.
It could easily pass off as a tech-demo for something larger. It’s a short experience,
so it’s best if you enjoy the game for yourself if you want something casual.
14. Miska's Cave Fans of the sidescroller genre
will find Miska’s Cave interesting. It’s creative mix of colors work so well with its small budget.
Somehow it feels like Celeste mashed with the charming aesthetics of Rayman. However, since
it’s a free title, it’s not as well-structured compared to other published titles. The game
suffers from some bugs, but developers manage to fix them through a series of updates. The length
and story however isn’t something to look forward to since, y’know, it’s just a short journey.
15. Chroma: Bloom And Blight The card game genre isn’t as great
as it was before, yet Clarity Games’ competitive CG isn’t afraid of the genre's steady decline.
Competing with Hearthstone, Magic and GWENT can be daunting. Coming out just this year,
one thing’s for sure, Chroma has potential. It’s set in a fantasy world teeming with wild
creatures and powerful characters, rendered with a fantastic art style that could easily
sell to players who love that epic CG feel. Best part about this is that it’s totally
free. Every card in the game can be yours. The only thing behind a paywall are cosmetics.