The very words ‘Free to Play’ in the context of video games is not necessarily a good thing. While everyone loves freebies, usually these games come with a lot of micro transaction baggage. In many cases, there are games that start out promising and end up becoming hives of toxic players and empty rooms. However, with innovative concepts unfettered by micro transactions and a strong focus on growing a community, there are some games that are really worth your time. Which is important, especially when these games demand the most important currency of all, time.
Warframe
This popular and innovative third person shooter/brawler has been around for a while. Warframe has recently got renewed popularity with a slew of new updates as well as an eventual release on Nintendo Switch. You play an ancient warrior called a Tenno, clad in an armour called Warframes, you are recently activated to save the universe from The Grineer. With shades of Destiny in it's sci-fi world, you and your friends can play through the storyline in Player vs Environment battles or take the fight to other players in the Conclave.
Asphalt 9: Legends
The much awaited followup to the most popular racer on mobile and tablets is here. Though. Asphalt 9 is still in closed beta, you can try a few VPN tricks to get it working in India. The visceral speed, intensity and style of the original is back and amped up, Asphalt 9 brings power ups that are a lot like 2010's Blur and Mario Kart. Which grants you speed and other abilities. What we did notice too that Asphalt 9 borrows the whole action movie style collapsing environments factor from a fun game called Split:Screen. Making a fun frankenracing game of sorts that is absolutely fun. Also, the game looks amazing, especially those particle effects when you pick up powerups.
Brawlhalla
No one expected a fighting game from the house of Nintendo to be as much fun as Smash Bros. was. So much so that's it's become an e-sport with a strong following. Brawlhalla is a free to play Smash Bros. clone that's much more than just a clone. With retro looking pixel graphic background and handdrawn characters that fly around the screen hacking and slashing. The premise is simple, knock the other player off the stage. Under the cartoony graphics lies a tough to master, fun to play fighting game.
Gwent
Fans of Witcher 3 will recognise Gwent, the card game that was omnipresent in the world of Geralt of Rivia, as he challenged several prominent non player characters during his travels. Finally Gwent got so popular that it was spawned of into it's own game. A worthy contender to Hearthstone, Gwent is a turn based card game that lets you play powerful cards with magical abilities. Winners get resources and card decks, adding the fun of collecting cards into the equation. Especially if you are a Witcher fan, a lot of cards are clever appearances by characters in the series.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
A free to play Star Wars massively multiplayer online role playing game, made by legendary studio Bioware. Where do we sign up. A game that's been going strong since 2008, complete with a storyline that dates back to long before the time of Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker. Where you can chose between the dark and light side and fight for or against good or evil, changing sides at will, as well as building your characters class to complement your teams. Microtransations and subscription only shows up later in the game as you level up.
Elder Scrolls: Legends
Much like Hearthstone and Gwent, Elder Scrolls: Legends is a fantasy card game set in the Elder Scrolls universe. Which is home to games like Skyrim, Morrowind and Oblivion. Working on the same turn based card concept, that involves not only cards but also magicka. The winner has to reduce his opponents health to zero by using clever combinations of magicka and card plays. With cards featuring artwork from across the Elder Scrolls lore and universe, thats great for any fan of the series.
Fortnite
What started as an Overwatch clone has now become a sensation after redefining itself into a Battle Royale game, even dropping PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds from the top charts. With it's zany presentation, superb gameplay mechanics and the surprising appearance of a story that has the entire community agog with fascination as the mysteries behind the map is revealed. Apart from the usual third person shooting action, you get to mine and collect materials to build all sorts of bunkers from which you can thin the herd. The game is out on all platforms, from PC, to consoles, smartphones and tablets and now, the Nintendo Switch. All with their own thriving communities of players.
Published - July 16, 2018 03:06 pm IST
