Hedge Wars
Hyperspecific Genre: Worms-like Artillery Game
Have you heard of Worms? Turn based game where your little wormy dudes fire heavy weaponry at other wormy guys with absolutely ridiculous weapons and the last player standing wins? Imagine that but free and with hedgehogs. I don’t think it’s as good as Worms but it is free and hugely extensible.
Dec 6, 2023
Gun Godz
Hyperspecific Genre: Wolfenstean, but Venusian and Weirder.
Wolfenstein 3d style shooter with a “Venusian” gangsta rap soundtrack. Gameplay is rad because levels are short and sweet unlike Wolfenstein's labyrinths and all the guns feel great to use (which is like 90% about how they sound, 10% about how they act). Takes about thirty minutes to an hour to beat and is worth the time spent with the soundtrack.
Dec 6, 2023
FreeCiv
Hyperspecific Genre: 4X, heavy on the exterminate, but also free... like beer.
It’s Civilization but free. Contains rules variants to mimic Civ 1, 2, 3, and the ability to make hex style maps like 5 and 6. Worth checking out if you want a free civ and has several offshoots, the most interesting of which is an MMO “RTS” (their words not mine) take on civilization called [https://gaborauth.itch.io/pop-e]{Power of Planets - Earth}. Both are worth checking out and putting some time into. As a bonus both should run on literal toasters.
Dec 6, 2023
Area 51 (2005)
Hyperspecific Genre: Men in Black Alien Repression Shooter
An FPS remake of sorts of the light gun arcade game we all remember from our youths, Area 51 was made free because development was sponsored by the US Air Force. Go to Lucas C’s Area 51 Patches Guide and follow the instructions to install. Fun romp, worth your time if you’re broke or just want something fun for free. Multiplayer is shockingly fun too.
Dec 6, 2023
Alien Swarm Reactive Drop
Hyperspecific Genre: Top Down Left 4 Dead Co Op Shooter/Friend Griefer
4 player co-op top down twin stick shooter about killing aliens that are definitely totally legally distinct from xenomoprhs and warhammer 40k tyranids/starcraft zerg. It’s hard as balls and has five campaigns of varying difficulty and length. Lots to unlock, see and do in this one and it’s got a pretty sick deathmatch mode.
Dec 6, 2023