107 Best Free PC Games to Play in 2017: Page 12 of 22

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55.  Marvel Puzzle Quest (2013)

‘Super-bejewled?’

Developer: Demiurge Studios

Genere: Puzzle RPG

Theme: Combining two faddish things to create an uber-fad

They say innovation is when one combines two things in a new and exciting way. With that definition in mind, I can totally see what Demiurge Studios was going for. Take one thing people are mindlessly obsessed with (weird gemstone puzzle games) and take another (blockbuster superhero media) and just smash them together haphazardly. The result is, of course, Marvel Puzzle Quest.

Alright, maybe I’m being a little harsh. Those puzzle games are, admittedly, addictive, and the superhero storyline twist adds a certain new level of depth to the gameplay. You build a team full of superheroes who have different skills to use on the game board- certainly an intriguing twist. So ignore my jaded ass. This is a fun and imaginative game that is worth a look if you’re into that sort of thing.

 ‘What’s more action packed then dragging your finger over some random shapes? Exactly.”

54.  Spiral Knights (2011)

 ‘Oh the things one can do with Java’

Developer: Three Rings Design

Genre: MMORPG

Theme: Platform-y hack-n-slash in a browser

It never ceases to amaze me what some folks can do with Java. Indeed, Spiral Knights is a project that evokes such amazement in me and a gamer base that used to number in the several millions.

Spiral Knights allows you to play solo or with others, a choice that many gamers do not take for granted given the MMO-only approach taken by many titles these days. The game is massively multiplayer, but keeps things small for its players; PvP matches are 6 on 6, instances of the setting contain a couple dozen player knights at most, dungeon raiding coop mode allows teams of 4. It’s a game that embraces connectivity without drowning you in it.

Put simply, Spiral Knights is some of the most Java-based fun you can have, and developer Three Rings Design continues to update it regularly. Join in, loot up, and fall in love.

‘Aww, he’s hacking and slashing his way into my heart’

53.  Elsword (2011)

‘So this is 2.5D huh? Funky.’

Developer: KOG Studios

Genre: MMO Fighting Side Scroller

Theme: Exploring the second and a half dimension

I’m ordinarily not too keen on side-scrollers- I’m just too attached to the third dimension of reality to let it go. Elsword’s clever 2.5 dimensional platforms feel built for people like me, using an extra bit of depth in the 2D setting to provide the oomph and flourish in the combat that 2D games could never do as well as 3D titles.

Elsword offers many of your typical RPG features in its lineup. Players take control of one of ten individualistic characters (including Elsword himself), each with 2 “Job Changes” that you acquire as you level. Job Changes provide distinctive paths for your character to go down; for example, Elsword can first choose to focus on swordsmanship or developing magic, with the second job change being a heightened extension of those choices (“Lord Knight” and “Rune Slayer” in this case). At level 20, players can buy a “Skill Notebook”, allowing them to take control of skill customization.

It’s pretty conventional in its gameplay, but its funky art direction and addictive action make Elsword a solid free-to-play option for anime lovers and sidescroller nuts alike.

‘That hit count announcer in the corner gets me all tingly’

52.  America’s Army: Proving Grounds (2013)

 ‘Ahh, pro-military propaganda gamified for children. I love America’

Developer: United States Army (no joke)

Genre: Tactical first-person shooter

Theme: Winning the hearts and minds of the American fourteen-year-old boys

Some call it insidious, most consider it ethically murky, and many consider it just a really fun game. But we aren’t here to discuss ethics (much as I wish we were). We’re here to talk about games for the sake of gaming, and America’s Army: Proving Grounds is a genuinely entertaining FPS no matter who produced it.

Proving Grounds puts heavy emphasis on small tactical unit maneuvers, an attempt to stay true to the current methods employed by America’s actual army. In this sense, if one has already decided to take up arms for their country, this can be a good primer; otherwise, it can be a good way to engender empathy for those willing to die a cold and nameless death for a cause.

As a military FPS, America’s Army: Proving Grounds is exactly what you would expect it to be, but a good rendition of that expectation nonetheless.

‘Great looking windows in Unreal Engine 3, wow’

51.  Aura Kingdom (2014)

‘It looks like an anime version of Fable’

Developer: X-Legend

Genre: MMORPG

Theme: Bright, bubbly, and beautiful anime world

An upbeat MMO in the vein of Eden Eternal, Aura Kingdom is a fluid, balanced experience with just enough variety to keep you hooked into the wee hours of the morning.

Aura Kingdom is typical in many sense that fantasy MMORPGs are: you get thrust into a village, have to interact with the locals to acquire your first quests, and surrounds you with other player characters to emote with. It differs slightly in a couple of key areas. First, the stats system behind the combat is made available- a mainstay in the old RPG days that is increasingly falling out of favor today, much to the chagrin of many a traditionalist. Second, the leveling system eschews the skill tree in favor of giant square that doesn’t confine players down certain paths- increasing the customization options exponentially.

Aura Kingdom is a laid-back MMORPG experience. Chill out, find and love a pet, level however you want- anything goes in this anime MMO.

 ‘Anime: unrealistically cute humans meet ridiculously scary monsters’

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Gamer Since: 1998
Favorite Genre: RPG
Currently Playing: Overwatch
Top 3 Favorite Games:Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening, Mass Effect 2,


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