Freeware PC Games - For the frugal PC gamer

[Block Me]

One of the wonderful things about PC is that basically anyone can make a game using prefab software and post it online for free. Post your favorite free games, with links to download if possible.

One of my childhood favorites was Treasure Adventure Game, a 2D open world exploration game that came free with every GOG account (and still does AFAIK). It's super, super amateur and unpolished but it's fun as hell and surprisingly long and detailed.

 

[Gatdam Animal Person]

There's this little fan sequel to Space Jam and Barkley : Shut Up and Jam that was made with GameMaker. For a free parody game it sure is well made!

It's an oldie but it's a goldie!

 

[Block Me]

I forgot to mention in OP, itch.io is a great source for new free games. Lots of indie devs post their side projects there and a lot of them are really good. Yo Noid II is an N64 style sequel to an NES game based on the old Domino's pizza mascot and it's surprisingly solid for something that was made in a month for a game jam.

Also, it has analogue dabbing

Download

 

[Win98SE]

There's this little fan sequel to Space Jam and Barkley : Shut Up and Jam that was made with GameMaker. For a free parody game it sure is well made!

It's an oldie but it's a goldie!

This game really is an experience. That fucking Hybrid Song/Quad City DJs track mashup is so dope. Unfortunate that the sequel is effectively vaporware.

I was very active in the early/mid-2000s freeware scene. There's so much gold from then that is completely lost to time. I've meant to look through some old hard drives and maybe rehost a few classics I've been unable to find elsewhere. Here's some older ones:

Highly recommend the games from Japanese developer "Ikiki". Some are small prototypes, and others are longer/more fleshed out. Some of his games went on to inspire the likes of Hotline Miami, etc. Here's a page with some links to his old work and some newer stuff: https://www.glorioustrainwrecks.com/node/11090

Iji, although it's been a while since I've played it, is a great platformer with some nice visuals: http://www.remar.se/daniel/iji.php

The Chzo Mythos, a series of adventure games from "game critic" Yahtzee. First game might be a little dated, but it's a great series with some really cool settings: http://www.fullyramblomatic.com/5days/

Street Bike Fury. Maybe a bit underwhelming given the current tech available to indie devs, but this was really pushing what most independent developers were doing with the likes of GameMaker and other software at the time. It's a procedurally-generated side-scrolling shooter on a bike! http://www.reloaded.org/download/Street-Bike-Fury/231/

Fiend. Nice top-down horror game. http://www.reloaded.org/download/Fiend/337/

Honorable mention: http://www.instantkingdom.com/notrium/ Ahead of its time in a lot of ways - a 2D, top-down survival game from 2003! I didn't dig around on the page much, but it appears there's now a price attached to it. The original might still be there for download somewhere.

 

[Inflatable Julay]

"childhood favorites"

It came out in 2011 you are a fetus

 

[Witthel]

When it comes to freeware games, I usually look at this site for the good stuff.

Free Game Planet

All The Best Free Video Games With New Additions Every Day

www.freegameplanet.com

They always manage to showcase unique, fun and interesting games.

 

[Duncan Hills Coffee]

You mean to tell me there's a Freeware PC Game thread and nobody brought up Cave Story, which is quite possibly the biggest example of freeware PC games?

For shame.

 

[b0o0pinsn0o0tz]

I fully Reccomend Tyrian 2000. It has a weird yet enjoyable sense of humor that makes the solid shoot 'em up game play better. The hidden carrot ship that shoots bananas and beer side levels will always be funny.

 

[FuckedUp]

Lots of stuff on The Pirate Bay is good.

 

[Smaug's Smokey Hole]

You mean to tell me there's a Freeware PC Game thread and nobody brought up Cave Story, which is quite possibly the biggest example of freeware PC games?

For shame.

The MSX-style version of La-Mulana is free as well.

 

[Stasi]

Are we including abandonware in this? GOG are slowly gobbling up dead games and breathing new life into them but there are still tons of late 90s and early 2000s games in limbo. E.g. you can get Typing of the dead on myabandonware.

 

[Twitter Hate Mob]

Seconding Iji, it did the whole "pacifist run changes the game" thing years before Undertale did.

 

[Block Me]

"childhood favorites"

It came out in 2011 you are a fetus

2011 was nine years ago you crusty ass boomer lmao

Pom Gets Wifi is a fun RPG Maker game that's absolutely loaded with early 2010's internet bullshit, plus it's fuggin adorable.

 

[Smaug's Smokey Hole]

2011 was nine years ago you crusty ass boomer lmao

Do you know how to operate a rotary phone? Honest question.

 

[Inflatable Julay]

2011 was nine years ago you crusty ass boomer lmao

Pom Gets Wifi is a fun RPG Maker game that's absolutely loaded with early 2010's internet bullshit, plus it's fuggin adorable.

Do you know what a boomer is motherfucker?

 

[Block Me]

Do you know how to operate a rotary phone? Honest question.

Actually yes, they're a neat antique but I wouldn't use one on the daily. Having to literally dial numbers on a rotary pad is a pain.

Do you know what a boomer is motherfucker?

It's internet slang for old folks. Yes, I know the term technically refers to people born from 1946-1964 (and judging by your posting style I'm guessing you're a millennial), but thanks to the rapid evolution of language on social media it has taken on a new, more euphemistic meaning. I referred to you as a boomer to imply that, from my perspective, your reaction to my childhood anecdote makes you look old.

 

[Pissmaster]

2011 was nine years ago you crusty ass boomer lmao

Where were you on September 11th, 2001?

 

[FuckedUp]

Do you know how to operate a rotary phone? Honest question.

Zoomer here. I could've operated one at six because old cartoons like Tom and Jerry show characters using them all the time.

 

[DapperShark]

Where were you on September 11th, 2001?

Probably swimming inside his dad's ballsack.

 

[Block Me]

Probably swimming inside his dad's ballsack.

I’ll fuck your Dad you prolapsed anus