It seems the current strategy with the Epic Games Store is to give out two games every week, and hopefully, that remains. Two games is the sweet spot to hopefully give a little something to everybody. Even aside from Epic Games Store’s mystery games, it has only been one week after week before, so it’s something that constantly changes. It’ll hopefully remain the same for a little while longer though.
After all, until June 30, fans can claim two game-mechanic heavy games--A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Digital Edition and Car Mechanic Simulator 2018. They’ll be replaced on June 30 at 10 am CT with two games, while those for July 7 will also be announced. The Epic Games Store free games for June 30 are Geneforge 1: Mutagen and Iratus: Lord of the Dead.
Epic Games Store: Use Magic, Create Armies
It would seem that the two games given each week share a common theme. It’s more obvious here than with A Game of Thrones and Car Mechanic Simulator 2018, but both of those games have a multitude of layered systems and mechanics to tweak every little aspect. Those who really enjoy games with deeply-refined mechanics will find that in those two. For Geneforge and Iratus, it’s all about magic and armies.
In Geneforge, players are a wizard known as a Shaper. They use their magic to essentially will things into existence, including beasts and monsters. Players are set loose on a forbidden island, creating an army to threaten and/or battle their enemies. Meanwhile, Iratus: Lord of the Dead puts players into the shoes of a Necromancer, who must make their soldiers from their slain enemies. In it, they gather an army of undead. Both games use magic to create armies, which isn’t necessarily the most common theme in video games. This adds a unique twist to the coming selection.
However, just because there is a thematic similarity doesn’t mean fans should think of them the same. Geneforge is an adventure RPG, really pushing all the elements of an RPG with multiple systems. Iratus is more of a roguelike game that brings in turn-based and RPG elements. They share a similarity, but in terms of gameplay approach and style, they are distinct—not as much as Game of Thrones and Car Mechanic Simulator, but distinct.
It'll be interesting to see how long Epic Games Store keeps up this thematic pattern, but for now, fans will have two games to check out, two more on June 30, and who knows beyond that.
Epic Games Store users get a handful of free games every month.