Four games are free to play on Steam the weekend of June 20; here’s what to look out for. The global repository of all things PC gaming, Steam really has it all, from free-to-play RPGs to deep, tactical strategy games. Also running this weekend is Steam’s Next Fest, which offers a bounty of demos for upcoming games that you can check out at no cost.
If you’re looking for something a little meatier to sink your teeth into, though, check out these four Steam games: each of them is having a free weekend, meaning you can play them as much as you want through June 22. These events usually coincide with holidays, like Juneteenth this past Friday, which has given us a three-day weekend with plenty of extra time to stay inside playing games.
We’re starting off strong with Two Point Museum, a sort of Zoo Tycoon-esque sim game where you can build and manage your own museum. You can choose a theme (prehistory, aquarium, supernatural, science, or space), collect objects to exhibit, and keep guests happy in a surprisingly deep and strategic simulation.
In a 9/10 review, Screen Rant called Two Point Museum “a fresh take that doesn’t forget its foundations.” If you’re looking for an engaging management sim that draws you in and keeps you there, this is a good place to start.
Next up is Stellaris, a space-age strategy game by masters of 4X gameplay Paradox Interactive. You’ll explore a galaxy, forge relationships with new species, collect resources, and compete to dominate the galaxy with friends or AI NPCs.
I’ve said this before with Paradox games, but it can be difficult to get into them in a single weekend; there’s a lot to learn, and you’re most likely to spend the first few hours just clicking around and learning the system. Still, think of this free weekend as a demo, a chance to decide whether you want to invest the time required in figuring out how Stellaris ticks.
Have you ever seen the 1975 film Rollerball, or its 2002 remake starring LL Cool J? Then you probably get the gist of Speedball, a dystopian sports game that’s free on Steam this weekend. Two teams compete in a deadly, corporate-sponsored handball-football hybrid that also has flamethrowers and electrified traps. What’s not to love?
It’s worth mentioning that Speedball also has online PvP multiplayer, if you’re looking for some absurd fun with friends this weekend. This is a good pick if you just want to hop on and play a few quick, chaotic matches before signing off.
Finally, it wouldn’t be a Steam free weekend without a mech game, and this week’s is MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries. You’ll customize and maintain your mechs, assemble an army of mercenaries, and embark on missions of destruction, often leveling whole cities with some very satisfying destruction physics. There’s also a four-player co-op mode, if you’re so inclined.
While free weekend only lasts so long, all of these games are on sale until June 25, with discounts as deep as 75%. If you try one of them this weekend and decide you like it, you can pick it up at a very reasonable price, and keep it in your Steam library for good.
- Brand
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Valve
- Original Release Date
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September 12, 2003