10. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
While most people immediately think of the multiplayer aspects when it comes to real-time strategy PC games, there’s so much you’re missing out on if you never consider their single-player content.
Although it’s been well over 10 years since the single-player campaign forStarCraft II: Wings of Libertywas first released, it remains as fun and compelling as ever. A great way to get your feet wet, for sure.
StarCraft II’s expansions—Heart of the SwarmandLegacy of the Void—aren’t free, but if you really enjoyWings of Liberty, you probably won’t mind paying for them. They’re considered sequels, though, andWings of Libertyis completely satisfying on its own.
Related:The Best PC Strategy Games of the 2010s
9. Asphalt 9: Legends
I’ll be upfront with you: of all the games on this list,Asphalt 9: Legendsis definitely the most annoying in terms of microtransactions. However, it’s so good that you may not even mind.
After all, it’s pretty hard to find free racing games that are as high-quality as this one, that offer as much single-player content as this one, that are as engrossingly addicting as this one.
Sure, you might scoff at the fact thatAsphalt 9: Legendswas originally a mobile game ported to PC, but the controls work great and the gameplay is smooth. If you like racing games, you’ll be hooked.
8. Quake II RTX
If you’re looking to give your graphics card a serious workout but you don’t have the budget for a new AAA game with the latest and greatest features,Quake II RTXwill work in a pinch.
Admittedly, there isn’t a whole lot of content here.Quake II RTXis essentially the three original levels that came in the shareware version ofQuakewhen it first released way back in 1997.
As it turns out, developer iD Software knew what they were doing! Despite short content, the game is as compelling now as it was then.
Related:What Are Boomer Shooters? Several Great Examples Worth Playing
7. Gravitas
It’s lesser-known than some of the other titles on this list, but that doesn’t mean you should skipGravitas.
This is a short, first-person puzzle adventure game that has you playing with gravity to make your way through the game’s increasingly dangerous museum setting.
The gameplay isn’t exactly the same as world-renowned puzzle adventure games likePortal, but if you lovedPortal, you’ll like this one!
6. Princess Remedy in a World of Hurt
Another game that isn’t as well-known as it should be,Princess Remedy in a World of Hurtwas created during a game jam, which is when a developer spends 48–72 hours straight creating a game from scratch.
The results of that game jam were promising, so the game was eventually extended into a full game.
Princess Remedy in a World of Hurtis a bullet hell of sorts, except it has a different message: in this one, you’re healing instead of hurting.
But don’t think that means this game is a cakewalk.Princess Remedy in a World of Hurtdoesn’t go easy on you, and there are even multiple difficulty options to increase the challenge.
Related:The Best Bullet Hell Games on PC
5. Beneath a Steel Sky
Another classic,Beneath a Steel Skyis a point-and-click adventure game that was originally released in 1994.
Unlike the other relatively light-hearted LucasArts adventure games from around the same time, this one is a darker cyberpunk tale—one that’s absolutely still worth playing.
Beneath a Steel Skyhas been available as a free download on GOG for years, serving as an appetizer for its sequelBeyond a Steel Sky.
4. Deltarune
Deltaruneis the follow-up to the smash-hit indie RPG darlingUndertale(look closely at the spellings of both names).
Unlike the original,Deltaruneis free—or, at least, that’s the case for the foreseeable future. According to the game’s website, Chapters One and Two are free (perhaps implying that Chapter Three won’t be).
Even so, there’s plenty of gameplay here. Ideally, you’ll have playedUndertalefirst, but nobody’s stopping you if you haven’t.
Related:Why Indie Games Are Better Than AAA Games
3. Aperture Desk Job
Technically,Aperture Desk Jobwas originally released as a tech demo of sorts for Valve’s Steam Deck controller functions.
For that reason,Aperture Desk Jobdoesn’t support mouse and keyboard controls at all. Keep that in mind before you give it a download.
That aside,Aperture Desk Jobis a short but lovely experience that’s worth the minutes you’ll spend with it, especially if you have a Steam Deck.
2. Doki Doki Literature Club!
It may look like a cute visual novel, and you may have steered clear of it because you don’t think this kind of game is up your alley, but consider the warning on the game’s Steam page:
Look, I don’t want to spoil anything about this great game, so suffice it to say that appearances are very deceptive in this case.Doki Doki Literature Club!is more of a psychological horror game than anything.
And it’s completely free, so there’s no harm in giving it a try. You might just find this game becoming one of your favorites.
1. Crusader Kings II
WithCrusader Kings IIInow on the market, publisher Paradox decided it was a great time to make the base version ofCrusader Kings IIfree.
Granted, there’s still a boatload of paid DLC for the game if you want to experienceeverythingit has to offer. That said, the base version ofCrusader Kings IIoffers countless hours of replayability on its own.
If you’ve ever wanted to create your ownGame of Thrones-style political drama in a video game, this will get you very close.
Read next:The Best City Building Games on PC, Ranked
