Plenty of developers and publishers offer limited-time free play periods to drum up interest, often coinciding with the game being on sale. If you’re not sure what you want to play this weekend, five PC games on Steam currently have free trial periods. Who knows — you might just discover your next favorite game. (And while we’re talking free games, you still have time to claim Epic’s weekly free selections, including a Batman game.)
1
V Rising
V Rising combines action RPG, survival, and base-building elements. You play as a vampire on the hunt for blood (of course), and you’ll stalk your targets at night while avoiding the sun during the day before it turns you to ashes. You’ll also build up a gothic castle that would make even Dracula jealous. V Rising can be played solo or cooperatively online. Players have really had their time as vampires as V Rising has about 54,000 “Very Positive” player reviews on Steam. It can be played for free until May 18 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, and is also on sale for $15.74, or 55% off, if you want to purchase the game to keep your vampiric escapades going after the free weekend.
2
Astral Ascent
Astral Ascent is a hack-and-slash roguelike with over 1,700 “Overwhelmingly Positive” player reviews on Steam. You choose one of four distinct heroes to adventure with across The Garden, an astral prison full of beautiful hand-crafted levels with 12 bosses to face. To defeat them, you’ll need to gradually unlock dozens of spells to use in your killer builds. Astral Ascent can be played for free until May 18 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, and is also currently on sale for $9.99, or 60% off.
3
Make Way
Build your own track in the racing party game Make Way. You’ll grab pieces, like loops and train crossings, to snap together in your chaotic courses, complete with weapons and power-ups. Crossing the finish line doesn’t mean you’re done, as you’ll keep building a track to get to the next race. Make Way can be played for free until May 18 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, and if you want more racing afterward, it’s on sale for cheap at $3.74.
4
Misery
Though it hasn’t even been out a year yet, Misery already has over 6,200 “Very Positive” player reviews on Steam. It’s a post-apocalyptic co-op survival game. After a nuclear disaster, you’ll hunker down in your bunker, which you can customize and upgrade. Venture out to scavenge procedurally generated areas for survival supplies while also making sure you don’t lose your grip on reality. Misery will be free to play until May 18 at 1:00 p.m. EDT and is on sale for $8.44.
5
Greedfall: The Dying World
Greedfall: The Dying World has struggled to land with both critics and players; it has a “Mixed” rating on Steam based on 900 player reviews. It’s an unfortunate sendoff for AA studio Spiders, the studio behind the “good but not great” Steelrising and first Greedfall, among other games. Spiders shut down in April, after it and parent company Nacon filed for insolvency. Nacon couldn’t find a buyer for Spiders, and the studio shut its doors.
If you want to check out its last game, Greedfall: The Dying World is free until May 17 at 1:00 p.m. EDT and is on sale for $34.99. It’s a prequel to the first game, which Polygon compared to older BioWare games, and is a narrative-focused, choice-based RPG. You’ll travel across a war-torn land and recruit allies along the way.
