The selection of free games on the Epic Games Store can be a bit of a mixed bag. Sometimes the titles on offer can fail to garner much attention from players, while other months will provide a great selection of enjoyable games. The Epic Games Store has faced some criticism in the past for some of the free games on offer, as well as for aspects of the digital storefront like its exclusivity deals with a few developers. Whatever its failings, the Epic Games Store can give gamers some really engaging free games, and July is no exception.
The Epic Games Store's recent free haul of titles includes Hood: Outlaws & Legends, Geneforge 1: Mutagen, and Iratus: Lord of the Dead, which are all available for players to add to their collection until July 7. Then the rest of the month will be kicking off with two new free games – Ancient Enemy and Killing Floor 2 which will be available until July 14. These two games couldn't be more different, and show the variety usually on offer in Epic Games Store's monthly free selection.
Ancient Enemy
Grey Alien Games' Ancient Enemy takes all the elements of a classic role-playing card game and transports them into a video game format. The card battler pits players against the forces of evil and a host of nefarious foes as they navigate the scarred landscapes of a land already lost to enemy forces. Utilizing a range of abilities and spells that they can pick up on their travels, gamers can enhance their hero and take on the army of antagonists through some solitaire-style turn-based combat and a range of puzzles to solve.
The elements of strategy help to elevate Ancient Enemy's gameplay and the simple but satisfying animations combine with the game's engaging formula to make an entertainingly addictive experience. The mixture of its solitaire-style with upgradeable gear, spells, and defenses for combat scenarios ensures that the gameplay is straightforward and accessible, especially with the option between three difficulty levels. Even gamers who wouldn't necessarily think of playing a card battler RPG should give Ancient Enemy a try and explore its dark, folklore-inspired story for themselves.
Killing Floor 2
The sequel to 2009's Killing Floor brings back the gruesome FPS action, and in Killing Floor 2 players can choose to face the zombie-like mutated specimens – or Zeds – alone or as part of a team of up to six players. Set a month after the events of the first game, the military clones that were created by bio-tech firm Horzine have run riot across Europe, toppling governments and bringing societies to a standstill. Like the first game, players must battle waves of violent Zeds, with the final wave culminating in a challenging boss fight. Gamers earn money and experience points in each match which they can then use to purchase gear or make upgrades to finesse their clone-killing capabilities.
Killing Floor 2 has really upped the ante from the first game, making the action more visceral and the deaths gorier. The Versus Survival game mode also adds the opportunity for players to indulge in a twelve vs. twelve PvP match where they can either be on the side of the humans or the side of the Zeds. This frenetic mode may be short, but it's still a lot of fun, and offers something a little different to the main modes. Original enemies from the first game return alongside new foes, but this time with improved AI to make them more of a challenge, showcasing just one of the ways that Killing Floor 2 has made improvements on its predecessor.