Speed. That's the core theme of the next four games free on the Epic Games Store over the coming fortnight. Not only are the current two free titles totally chaotic, high-octane independent titles, but next week's free offerings also revolve around going as fast as possible. These breakneck-pace free games come on the cusp of Epic's Mega Sale mystery games. The last two mystery games were Genshin Impact and Control, each having notably slower gameplay and stories than the newer free titles. With Overcooked 2 and Hell is Other Demons free this week, it also seems like Epic is continuing this heightened volume of free games it releases each time.
Epic Games will also release two more games next week. Sonic Mania and Horizon Chase Turbo certainly carry on the high speed of this week's roster of titles. It is interesting, however, to see the variety in genre across these four games. From Hell is Other Demons' bullet hell platforming, to Overcooked 2's chaotic co-op escapes, to the high speed racing of Horizon Chase Turbo and Sonic Mania's breakneck 8-bit platforming, the Epic Games Store is maintaining its commitment to thematically similar but massively distinct free games. Speed is the overarching focus of the last set of free games for June, and it'll be interesting to see what Epic has in store for July.
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As any discerning Hell's Kitchen fan will know, cookery is not exactly a calm, tranquil profession. This harsh reality is made a bit more fun in the cooperative cacophony of Overcooked 2, which debuted free on the Epic Store. The original title, Overcooked, was free twice already, so seeing this game follow suit is no surprise. This game carries a lot of the kitchen chicanery of its predecessor, but also brings new levels, mechanics, and a punny new antagonist in the "Unbread." These hoards of crumby corpses threaten the entire world, with only the player's group of canny cartoonish cooks standing in the way.
Overcooked 2's cooperative kitchen antics span over many diverse levels. These include river rafts and crashing air balloons, each level a race against the clock to accrue as many points as possible. Players can compete for points or work together, but either method will result in multiplayer madness. The main consistency binding all of these diverse locations together is the frenetic gameplay. Players can choose how they enjoy this game, either playing online or having some classic couch co-op.
This title is from a slightly smaller independent developer with Kongregate as its publisher. Some of Kongregate's games have made their way into Epic's "Discover: Free Games" section before, most recently with Breath of the Wild-like open-world adventure Pine. Developers Cuddle Monster Games created an incredible fusion of high-octane bullet hell and speedy platforming in this title. There is a blend of many different combat mechanics, including a huge array of weaponry and even some stomping mechanics. The verticality, art style, and head-stomping are all very reminiscent of Downwell, another modern indie platforming classic.
While the game is not as collaborative as Overcooked, it still has a real sense of fun and wit to its gameplay. In a similar fashion to many recent indie offerings, Hell is Other Demons has roguelite elements. However, this title does not rely on procedural generation, instead using hand-crafted levels that span all across the various circles of hell. The really distinctive use of color here is what stands out most of all, and makes the gameplay's velocity and direction all the more dynamic.
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Hell is Other Demons plays on the arcade stylings of bullet hell shooters from days past. Likewise, Horizon Chase Turbo takes the fast-paced racing game of yore and updates them with sleek, modern voxel-style graphics and a wealth of gameplay modes to sate even the most seasoned virtual racer. Not only does this game include tournament and endurance modes alongside regular racing, but there is also an optional online ghost mode to challenge friends with, wherever they may be racing. The game also bears some similarity to Overcooked 2. Horizon Chase Turbo also has a couch co-op mode supporting up to 4 players.
Developer AQUIRIS lists 80s/90s classic racers like Out Run, Top Gear (SNES), and Rush among its extensive array of inspirations. While it boasts some significant improvements over these predecessors, including over 109 different tracks and sharp visuals, it still maintains the spirit of fast paced, arcade action that made those games classics. Not content with emulating gameplay and aesthetics, Horizon Chase Turbo also invokes the iconic sounds of older racing games. Horizon's soundtrack comes from legendary composer Barry Leitch. Leitch worked on many of the game's influences, with the soundtracks of both Rush and Top Gear on his resume.
Speaking of nostalgia, Sonic Mania packs it by the bucket. Lab42's reincarnation of SEGA's classic franchise satisfied manty fans who felt abandoned by some of the modern Sonic games. Many felt that the move to 3D was a huge misstep, with titles like Sonic: Unleashed attracting rather a lot of criticism at launch. Sonic Mania is a return to the iconic retro platforming of the brand's past.
Regardless of this commitment to the classics, Sonic Mania still boasts a deep concern with modern quality of life improvements. The game's clean, high-fidelity pixel graphics run at a solid 60 FPS, perfect for the discerning modern gamer. It is a perfect addition to Epic's fortnight of fast free games. Like several games on this list, Sonic Mania will debut free on the store, perhaps speaking to other modern classics likely to come to Epic's storefront.
Hell is Other Demons and Overcooked 2 are free on the Epic Games Store until June 24th. Horizon Chase Turbo and Sonic Mania will be free until July 1st.
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