FREE GAMES to download.

[Thomas @ Kustom]

There’s been quite a surge in free games recently, so I thought I’d take the time to make you all aware of some of the great titles that once sold in shops and are now available at no cost, and others which have been developed from the ground up for free.

Very recently fileplanet and Vivendi came together to release Ground Control. This is a 3d Real-time Strategy game, the graphics are good for their time, and for a free game you certainly won’t be disappointed.
http://www2.fileplanet.com/images/140000/142438ss_sm.jpg

http://www.fileplanet.com/promotions/groundcontrol/ The download requires a FREE Gamespy ID to get your individual serial for the game Gamespy Signup (https://v3.gamespyid.com/fileplanet/index.aspx?siteid=6&returl=http://www.fileplanet.com/gsidscript_new.aspx?fpr=http%3a%2f%2fwww.fileplane t.com%2fpromotions%2fgroundcontrol%2f)





In the first person shooter genre you should take a look at Return to Castle Wolfenstein : Enemy Territory. Originally an Expansion for the game, it was then released as a multiplayer only client completely free of charge.
http://www.rtcw.jolt.co.uk/content/enemy_territory/server_guide/cvar_restrict/r_subdivisons_high.jpg

Enemy Territory Download (http://www.fileplanet.com/124800/120000/fileinfo/Return-to-Castle-Wolfenstein:-Enemy-Territory-Client-v2.6)
I would put the graphics somewhere between the original half life and Quake 3. There are a wide variety of game plays and the maps are large, objectives can include moving large trains with equipemtn on them across a map so the game play is varied.





While we’re on first person shooters, certainly one of the leaders of the crowd as far as free games go would be Americas Army. This originally came as a shock when the American army released this 3d First person shooter for free at a time when the most you could expect for free was a web based version of Pong.
http://www.gameogre.com/reviewdirectory/upload/Americas%20Army.jpg
Americas Army Download (http://www.fileplanet.com/89806/80000/fileinfo/America's-Army:-Special-Forces-(Q-Course)-v2.4.0)
The key difference with this game is that while the others mentione so far were games previously released, this game is actively developed and distributed free of charge, as such they continually improve the engine and visuals long after most other developers would have perhaps called it the final client or moved onto their next project.


Hidden and Dangerous Deluxe.
http://cerberus.gamershell.com/screenshots/4072/63215_full.jpg
This is set in WWII era, it was released years before allied assault and as a promotion for the 2003 sequel to the game, the publishers released it for free.
http://www.3dgamers.com/dlselect/games/hiddendangerous/hddeluxe.exe.html




Starsiege Tribes is a futuristic shooter, in 1998 the creators had the vision to create massive areas for multiplayer battles and had player controlled vehicles way back before battlefield 1942 and unreal tourney 2004 were released. Many people like it for it’s low system requirements.
http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/images/screenshots/1/132861/startrib_screen001.jpg
http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/images/screenshots/1/132861/startrib_screen003.jpg
http://dw.com.com/redir?oid=4520-6464_7-6300449-1&ontid=6464&siteid=7&edid=3&lop=txt&destcat=ex&destUrl=ftp%3A%2F%2Fftp%2Esierra%2Ecom%2Fpub%2Fsie rra%2Ftribes%2Fother%2Ftribes%5Ffullgame%2Eexe




With many people well and truly hooked on World of Warcraft, the other 20% of us who haven’t bought the game, can’t afford it, or maybe just don’t like the idea of paying continuously for a game should not fear. There are other options.
http://www.muonline.com/ReGlobal/images/sub_gallery/screenshot_b_0012.jpg
MUOnline is a MMORPG which is entirely free, no cost to buy, no ongoing subscriptions costs. You can grab the client from http://www.muonline.com and set up your account there.





Also in this line is the MMORPG Rubies of Eventide.
http://www.eventide.net/images/3.jpg
This is a Medieval fantasy game played by people from all around the world. The graphics I suppose are not the best they could be, but again, you may find that the game play surpasses this, and there’s certainly nothing to loose by taking a look. Again no initial cost, and no ongoing cost.
http://www.eventide.net/download.html




Last in this category is Knight online
http://www.fileplanet.com/150752/150000/fileinfo/Knight-Online-Client
This is technically free and has no ongoing costs, however they do offer buy options to get access to premium services
http://www2.fileplanet.com/images/150000/150752ss_sm.jpg

[Thomas @ Kustom]

BATTLECRUISER MILLENNIUM : THE NEXT ITERATION
This is a space flight game, really well described on it’s site
Battlecruiser Millennium is the third breaking title in the critically acclaimed and industry recognized, Battlecruiser series. BCM is a technological breakthrough in all aspects of its implementation.
Complete with over nine new or enhanced engines, including AI, graphics, soundfx etc, BCM is the most advanced and visually splendid title ever seen in the series to date. In keeping with the tradition of providing endless, top notch gameplay, BCM continues to stretch the limits of player imagination by providing an even more thrilling player experience than any of its predecessors in this long running series.
http://www.3000ad.com/downloads/bcm.shtml <-- download here.

The graphics are not bad, kind of Homeworld level I suppose.
http://www.3000ad.com/pics/bcm/photo001.jpg
http://www.3000ad.com/pics/bcm/photo013.jpg





If Space Sims are your thing and you’d like to try your hand at commanding the Space shuttle in a realistic simulation, Orbiter may be what you need. Developed by Martin Schweiger as freeware the program does have a donation option, but no features are locked in the free download version available here.
http://www.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/~martins/orbit/orbit.html
http://www.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/~martins/orbit/images/thumb45.jpg
http://www.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/~martins/orbit/images/thumb59.jpg
http://www.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/~martins/orbit/images/STAThumb.jpg

Realistic as the sim is, there are other options allowing you access to more science fictional craft that will let you fly around a very detailed solar system.
http://www.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/~martins/orbit/images/neptune-thumb.jpg

[Thomas @ Kustom]

With many people hooked on the Grand Theft Auto 3 series(GTA3, Vice City and San Andreas), which arguably Rockstar have created a new genre with, you may be interested to see where it all started. To that end Rockstar have started their “classic” selection.

There are three games up for grabs at the moment. All of them require you to fill out a form, but there is no obligation in the form to mailing lists etc.

First is the original Grand Theft Auto, now made free to download it has been modififed slightly to me more compatible with today’s hardware.
http://www.rockstargames.com/classics/gta.html
http://1.im.cz/n/photo/00/73/48qxuxf-original.jpg
While the Graphics may look old, the gameplay and comedy defiantly make up for it, this game was very addictive on the playstation back in 1997 when there were 3d rivals around, and it still won through.



Next up more recently was the release of Grand Theft Auto 2. The only one in the series to be set in the future it still had the top down view, but was vastly improved graphics wise, and added a new element to the game play which was standing or ranks with local gangs. Doing a mission for one gang would increase your rank with them, but perhaps make you less popular with another.
The cars had a sort of 1940s era style with a future twang to them :D it was a very nice touch.
http://www.gouranga.com/images/gta2/gta2-2.jpg
http://www.cheatcc.com/psx/pics/gta21.jpg
http://www.rockstargames.com/classics/index.html




In between GTA and GTA2 DMA designs (now Rockstar North) made Wild Metal.
Taken from the description
“[Wild Metal] is a 3D strategic vehicular combat game set in a distant land, in which you command armed roving vehicles to disrupt dangerous automated military units that have overtaken the Tehric planetary system. While it flew under the mainstream radar when it was originally released, it was critically acclaimed for its unique yet intuitive control schemes and its massive open world to explore.”
http://www.origo.hu/jatek/gamer/leiras_kep/wildmetalcountryshot2.jpg

Pick it up Free of charge here
http://www.rockstargames.com/classics/wmc.html




There are PLENTY more Games and programs out there free of charge at the moment. I’ve decided to put this up now, and I’ll add to it as I discover other Games that have been released free.

That lot should be enough to keep you going for AGES!

Enjoy

Thomas

[SiLvEr_SnAkE]

Excellent, downloading ET now :)

[muddyfox470]

Cheers of the HU Tom

Ill try (i have aol :rolleyes: ) and download Enemy's Territory and Americas Army!

Thanks Again

Ian

[DomA]

Nice thread TOM, enemy territory is a great online game...

[BUFF]

Battle Cruiser Millenium - Oh God, not Derek Smart nooooooo!

[Thomas @ Kustom]

Battle Cruiser Millenium - Oh God, not Derek Smart nooooooo!

Uh what? IS that a character in the game, and did you not like him?

[InfamousButcher]

WOW...Hidden and Dangerous Deluxe....that's a fab game..

A crowd of us used to play H&D religously, every Friday night. It was a huge let down when H&D 2 came out and had no co-op mode. :(


I think the Deluxe version has uprated graphics too. Marvellous.

Oh - and did I mention that free is my favourite price????????



IB.

[Essay @ Kustom]

Derek Smart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Smart) for those interested.

[digit]

Ah that has jogged my memory a lot that article on wikipedia. The man who promised so much for the games he was in control of yet in the end the game didnt live up to what he said. Countless promises made and broken :(

[Craig]

Cracking list there Thom, will grab some of those later.

Anyone ever see the Derek Smart Something Awful video? Was rather funny.