The Ambitious Survival Game That Epic's Giving Away For Free

Epic Games continues to give fans the games they crave, all for absolutely free. From Feb. 25 to March 4, Epic Games will give players a chance to sail the dark ocean (and potentially commit some cannibalism) in Sunless Sea. For those unfamiliar with this game, Sunless Sea has the compelling tagline, "LOSE YOUR MIND. EAT YOUR CREW. DIE," and asks players to sail into the depths of an underground ocean full of danger and darkness, with few ways to hold onto their sanity. 

From Feb. 18-25, gamers also still can snag Absolute Drift: Zen Edition and Rage 2 for free at the Epic Games store.

Absolute Drift: Zen Edition puts players in the driver's seat as they blaze through a minimalistic world, practicing the art of the drift. Gamers can chill out to an original electronic soundtrack while perfecting their driving skills and exploring five distinct settings. Rage 2 throws players into a post-apocalyptic wasteland, full of roaming bandits and very cool haircuts. This shooter got overlooked when it was released in 2019, but Epic Games has given Rage 2 a second chance by offering it to customers absolutely free.

Both games will be available until Feb. 25, when Sunless Sea takes center stage.

In Sunless Sea, players captain a ship through the Unterzee, an underground ocean where the sun never shines and wildlife has a Lovecraftian flare. Sunless Sea is full of choices, all of which make a difference in the overall experience of the game.

Players design their own captain, select their own ship, and largely set their own agenda as they explore the dark waters beneath Fallen London. Players do have some duties in Sunless Sea, though. Captains are responsible for selecting and managing their crews, who have their own human needs like hunger and fear. Forming bonds with the crew can lead to rewards, but crossing them might end in something more sinister. 

Failbetter Games describes Sunless Sea "a nautical roguelike in glorious 2D, presenting a non-linear, choice-heavy, personalised experience." Polygon's Griffin McElroy called it "a game about finding direction in a vast, directionless world" where "your crew is going fully bananas, and also they're starving and also hey, I think that building-sized monstercrab is headed this way." In many ways, Sunless Sea is about exploration and discovery, but it also has classic elements of resource management built in. The game is necessarily challenging, but gamers have proven that challenging games can be fun — as long as you don't rage quit.