With social-distancing and self-isolation measures implemented across the world, a fair amount of people are struggling to find activities at home. We’ve compiled a list of our favourite games that are currently free and can help fill all of your newfound time at home!
*All games are free forever once downloaded or acquired unless otherwise noted.
Steam
Drawful 2 – Available until April 10
Platforms Available: Windows, MacOS
Grown out of The Jackbox Party Pack series, Drawful 2 is one part Pictionary, one part improv game. Very easy to set up, this game is a social distancing-friendly way of getting the gang back together.
Goat of Duty – Available until March 31
Platforms Available: Windows
Did you know that there is a game that combines the multiplayer excellence of Quake 3 with the aesthetic splendor of goats? Well, now you do! Get your arena shooter fix with this parody game.
Epic Games Store
The Stanley Parable – Available until March 26
Platforms Available: Windows
Looking for something in between a game and a movie? The Stanley Parable might just be the middle point you’re looking for. Journey through Stanley’s increasingly absurd (and narrated) office existence. A great game to sit down with and just poke and prod at its various, humorous divergent pathways.
Watch Dogs – Available until March 26th
Platforms Available: Windows
Explore a fictionalized, hacker-infused Chicago in this 2014 action-adventure game. Fill that open-world game void with a wide variety of side quests and game mechanics.
Figment – Available from March 26th – April 2
Platforms Available: Windows, MacOS
This indie game is a surreal exploration of the mind. The beautiful art style takes a page from Dr. Seuss and an overall presentation that’s worth more than the price of admission.
GOG.com
Ultima 4 (1985)
Platforms Available: Windows, MacOS
Consistently rated as one of the best RPG’s of all time, this is a great time to dig up your video game roots and enjoy the forefather to the modern-day RPG.
Itch.io
Macbat 64
Platforms Available: Windows
Relive the Nintendo 64 with this love letter to the platform games of yesteryear. While it’s by no means perfect, it’s N64-inspired graphics and gameplay are a great way to spend an afternoon.
Soko Loco
Platforms Available: Windows, MacOS
Soko Loco is a strategy simulation game that explores building a successful train operation, not unlike the Tycoon series. Infrastructure planning has never been so fun with this vibrant and kooky game.
Folding @ Home
Remember when the PS3 launched and Nvidia created a program that could run in the background of people’s consoles to help process data for a cure for cancer? Well, they’re turning the power of our collective gaming PCs to fight COVID-19. Just download the software, and the program will work in the background to run simulations and crunch big data that will give researchers important data to help with this global crisis.
