Epic Games : new week, new games to Grab
Whaaaats up guys ! New week at Epic Games, and that means new free games to claim. You know the drill, every week we're here at LBC to remind you to boot up the Epic Games Store and grab your gifts. Let's be real, the lineup varies in quality from week to week, and sometimes, we get some really cool stuff ! So here is what is on the menu this week.
Key takeaways in 4 points
- Buried Stars : a Korean investigation adventure set in a live survival show, free until next Thursday.
- System Shock 2 : 25th Anniversary Remaster : the cult survival-horror FPS from Nightdive Studios, also free until next Thursday.
- How to claim them : launch the Epic Games Store and add each game to your library, they are yours forever.
- Next week : Out of Sight (Little Nightmares vibe) and Terrascape (medieval strategy).
Buried Stars : investigation under the rubble
A reality TV show turning into a nightmare
The first one is a kind of adventure-investigation game coming straight from South Korea. It is called Buried Stars. Basically, you follow a reality TV survival show broadcasted live, and suddenly, the building collapses. You find yourself trapped under the rubble with the other contestants and the tech crew. Up to that point, it is already heavily stressful, and then you add a brutal murder right in the middle of it all.
Social networks as an investigation tool
On the atmosphere side, we are looking at a narrative adventure that perfectly blends 3D environments with 2D illustrated characters, delivering a highly cinematic feel. And the core hook of the game is that your entire survival and investigation process goes through in-game social media. You will have to analyze the timeline and the live public reactions to catch crucial clues, understanding who did the deed and why.
Pay close attention to what you say or do : your dialogue choices steer the story, trust cracks easily within the group, and your actions unlock plenty of different endings. Everything is elevated by an immersive original soundtrack that really cranks up the pressure.
You can grab it right here : Buried Stars on the Epic Games Store
💡 Tip : it is not exactly my usual style, and there is something for everyone. If you want to take the plunge, remember you have until next Thursday to add it to your library !
System Shock 2 Remastered : the return of a monument
Nightdive Studios, a company that knows what it is doing
And next, we have a glorious semi-retro and fully old school game just the way we like them : System Shock 2, the remaster released barely a year ago ! It is published and developed in part by Nightdive Studios, a team you probably know from their remaster of Outlaws + A Handful of Missions, or the Dark Forces Remastered that I recently played live on the channel, and which I discuss in this article on the history of Star Wars Dark Forces. We can also mention their work on Doom I and Doom II, Hexen and Heretic, or very recently, the highly praised SiN : Reloaded !
💾 Dark Forces, Doom, Hexen, Heretic... The Nightdive catalog is basically a time machine for all 90s FPS lovers.
The spiritual father of BioShock
For those who missed it back in the day, System Shock 2 is a true gaming monument, the undeniable spiritual father of BioShock. You find yourself trapped on a massive spaceship, the Von Braun, with a completely megalomaniac AI that lost its mind and crew members transformed into infected mutants.
It is an incredibly gripping mix of a highly tense FPS, pure survival-horror that makes you sweat at every intersection, and quite deep RPG mechanics. You will need to upgrade your stats, manage your inventory with absolute precision, hack terminals and specialize your build to have any chance of surviving. This modernized version brings a solid visual and technical comfort, fully preserving the grimy and terrifying atmosphere of the original title.
To add it to your account, head over here : System Shock 2 : 25th Anniversary Remaster on the Epic Games Store
⚠️ Warning : this game is intense and quite punishing. Manage your ammo and resources carefully, otherwise the run will quickly turn into a nightmare.
See you next week
There you go boys and girls, that is all for today ! I will catch you next week with more games, and this time we will talk about Out of Sight, a game with a heavy Little Nightmares vibe, and Terrascape, a medieval strategy title. And you, which of these two weekly games will you launch first : the Buried Stars investigation or the space horror of System Shock 2 ? Let me know in the comments !
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FAQ : the Epic Games freebies of the week
Until when can we claim Buried Stars and System Shock 2 for free ?
Both games are offered on the Epic Games Store until next Thursday. Simply launch the client, open the game page, and add it to your library. Once added, the game is yours forever, even after the offer ends, so do not wait too long.
What kind of game is Buried Stars ?
It is a narrative investigation adventure from South Korea. You are a contestant on a live survival show, trapped under the rubble of a studio after a collapse and a murder. The in-game social networks are used to find clues, and your dialogue choices influence the story and the endings.
Is System Shock 2 Remastered worth playing today ?
Absolutely, if you love tense FPS games with a heavy dose of survival-horror and RPG elements. The remaster by Nightdive Studios modernizes the visuals and the technical comfort, perfectly retaining the oppressive atmosphere of the original. It is a fantastic opportunity to discover the spiritual father of BioShock without spending a dime.
Which free games are coming next week on Epic Games ?
Next week, the Epic Games Store will offer Out of Sight, a game with a strong Little Nightmares vibe, along with Terrascape, a medieval strategy game. We will talk about them in detail on Little Big Campus, and remember to boot up the launcher so you don't miss any rotation.
