Happy Halloween! I hope you're feeling adequately horrified and ready to hunker down to some cosy gaming days. With some frightful freebies on offer this week, there's no reason to face the scary world and all the trick-or-treating kids. Make some pumpkin pie, grab a blanket, and get yourself onto these free games.
Epic Games Store Has Another Spooky Freebie
Advert
The Epic Games Store is ramping up its scary game offering in the run-up to All Hallows' Eve. Last week we had Among The Sleep, and we're back in the realm of horror once again. If you're squeamish and scared though, that's alright! The free game for Epic this week is Darq: Complete Edition. It's more a puzzler than a pure horror experience, so it's well worth a shot if you fancy grabbing it.
Darq brings you the story of a kid named Lloyd. He's realised he's dreaming. Unlike that guy down the pub who won't stop telling you about how he can now lucid dream and how cool that is, Lloyd has realised he's in an inescapable nightmare. Poor lad. It's all good though. In the dream world, he has the ability to bend physics and manipulate the dream world - skills he'll need to avoid the numerous spooky baddies looking to send him to an eternal slumber.
It'll be a fun one to inject some eerie vibes into your life over Halloween weekend, and it's available on the EGS right here. Get to it! It'll only be available for a week (until November 3), so put it in your library ASAP - don't leave yourself in the Darq!
This Week We're Building A City On Rock And Roll
Advert
It's a big day for Game Pass subscribers. Let's go through some absolute gems that are just joining the stellar lineup this week that you can play right now.
Firstly, we have the brand new Age of Empires IV. Fans of the real-time strategy series will be delighted to know it's available on PC Game Pass today and will stick around for the foreseeable future.
Not sure if it's for you? Julian's Age of Empires IV review should help you make that decision. Whether you're in for the "excellent and lavishly produced" campaigns or the old-school "back-to-basics Age Of Empires" you know and love, AoEIV is a huge bargain for no extra cost if you can find the time to get into it. You can even learn a bit about medieval warfare while you're at it thanks to the little short cutscenes that play post-battle! Catch me regurgitating random facts about the various empires and their siege equipment when my friends ask me to shut up.
Oh, medieval strategy isn't for you? How about ancient civilisation? The Forgotten City, a former Skyrim mod being made into a fully-fledged game, is also coming to Game Pass PC and Xbox. You'll be stuck in a time loop scenario as you explore ancient Rome. You're tasked with exploring an underground city and figuring out the mystery of its destruction through your ability to reverse time.
Advert
It was reviewed excellently when it first came out but non-Skyrim fans might've missed it. I certainly did. It's far from the giant adventure Skyrim offers but should instead give a more succinct narrative experience.
.jpg)
Alan! Alan! Alan! Alan! Alan!
Xbox Game Pass is extremely strong this month - that's not even all! Alan Wake's American Nightmare has made it onto the service. While it wasn't included in Alan Wake Remastered, the Xbox 360 and PC versions are still very much worth a shot, especially this spooky season. It's a bit of a cult classic, so if a friend has been nagging you to give the Wake series a try, now is a great time.
Advert
Finally, for something completely different, we have Bassmaster Fishing 2022. Play as 10 professional anglers in eight different locations, and even get into a professional fishing career to win the Bassmaster Classic.
The game's actually already out and on Game Pass, and is an absolute treat for enthusiasts who love fishing enough to buy a game about it, so they can fish while they aren't able to fish. Bassmaster Fishing 2022 even has multiplayer modes! Worth a punt - you might just become a true angling sensation.
Everything Must Go!
Advert
One last thing - if you're a PlayStation Plus subscriber, this is the final week you'll have access to the current PS+ games! If you haven't got around to downloading Hell Let Loose, PGA Tour 2K21, or Mortal Kombat X, now is the time - they all leave the freebies section. Keep your eyes on the prize though - we're already seeing a bit of information on the PlayStation Plus November 2021 games.
---
Hope your Halloween is a treat! Carve those pumpkins, put the kettle on, and settle in for a night of eclectic tastes. Fancy scrambling through an unending nightmare, the likes of which no one has escaped from before, followed by a spot of fishing? I'll be commanding my armies to average effect over the weekend, attempting to challenge people who actually know what they're doing and getting soundly defeated in the process. How about you?
Follow the author on Twitter at @JamesMacLaw, and GAMINGbible at @GAMINGbible
Featured Image Credit: EA / Modern StorytellerTopics: Free Games