Epic Games has revealed the third secret game that will be given away for free during the winter holiday season and the review is…Eternights. The game mixing romance with action was somehow forgotten by a lot of users. In case anyone is keeping track, it’s another game in Epic’s series of holiday presents; the scheme is to give out one free game each day for a limited time. The release was no big deal—just a tweet with the hashtag #MysteryGame and the picture of the game cover. No fanfare, just the semblance of the “bam, here is your free stuff” doleout.
What about the gaming community’s reaction? That’s where the fun starts, dude. The responses are undeniably varied, which is almost always the case with Epic’s giveaways. The excitement from gamers about the free game was very strong. One gamer honestly wrote: “Actually, I had been wanting to play it lol,” and that’s nice when a free game is just right for someone’s want list. The second was just like, “It was nice.” And after all it was free, right? It’s almost impossible to argue against the price of zero dollars.
However, there is the other side of the coin. The first reply of players from the opposing side was…that they weren’t too keen on the game. One gamer commented, “Is it some kind of visual novel? Boring.” Ouch! Someone else explained it as “slop for free to fill up my game list.” Ouch again. The problem with the Epic Games Store is recurring. Possession of more in the digital library is what people are after; one of the users even remarked that he has over a hundred games from Epic that he never played, he just likes “knowing I can”—but then they get mad if the game is not an AAA blockbuster.
This whole incident has once again opened the door for discussing those irritating “leak” lists that typically come to the surface before these announcements. The lists where people are trying to guess the full lineup, you know. One commenter said, “Another ‘leak’ list has been shown to be fake.” And it is always the same! Daring gamers create these guesswork lists, and then when the actual game turns out to be something other than expected, it is like the whole internet conspiracy theory has collapsed. A user made a funny suggestion saying that maybe the lists were indeed right but Epic just flipped things at the last minute. Honestly, who knows when it comes to such things.
Returning to the game Eternights once more. It is an action RPG with dating sim aspects, during which you fight monsters in the daytime and later on, attempt to win the favor of the characters at night. One user remarked, “We have Persona 5 at home,” which is a cruel but humorous criticism. Another simply noted that it has “waifus”—which is already enough to attract customers. A more elaborate comment said “Eternights was good, but it had a sad ending,” so if you are not into pessimistic outcomes, better be ready for it.
It is just unbelievable how these free game giveaways can be so divisive. On the one hand, it is indisputably very nice of Epic to give away a fully released game for free. It is a powerful way for the lesser-known titles like Eternights to pull in new audiences. But then again, it will not be a surprise if not all the titles are going to be everyone’s favorites when you give away a game every week. Some see it as just digital clutter; others consider it a diamond in the rough that they would never have tried otherwise.
That is the reality, isn’t it? It is not just about the game. It is all about the ritual. The daily check of the online shop. The slight disappointment or the shock. The discussions on social media. The fellow with the hundred games who will never play them. It is a little ecosystem. Even though the complaints are a sign of engagement, Epic’s mystery game strategy is an engagement genius. They get everyone talking, regardless of whether it is good or bad.
What’s the final conclusion? You can currently download Eternights for free from the Epic Games Store. If you like action with a lot of character interaction and you are okay with a possibly bittersweet story, the game is for you. It would not cost you anything but your hard disk space. If it is not your thing, don’t worry; there will be another mystery waiting for you next week. The cycle continues. The library grows. The debates go on. In the end, it is just another day in the chaotic world of PC gaming giveaways, where the only thing that can be sure is that someone somewhere will have a strong opinion on a free video game. It is either good or at least something we have to tolerate.
