I used to be very indifferent towards video games. This will sound naïve but before, I thought video games were simply shooters or combat games, and I had no real interest in that. It was only in late 2015, when Undertale became a huge hit, that I realized that there are a wide variety of video games out there. As someone who has always been drawn to the fleshed-out stories and lovable characters in fantasy and fiction novels, I was so happy to realize that I could find such stories in video games too! Here are three of my favourite story-rich video games, all of which can be played for free.
Regency Love by Tea for Three Studios, available on the App Store
This game is a bit of an outlier in this list as it is not a computer game, but a mobile game! It’s a visual novel, which is essentially a choose-your-own-adventure novel, but in game form. It is influenced by Jane Austen novels, but the dev team has also admitted they were very heavily inspired by the intricate romances in BioWare games, such as in Mass Effect and Dragon Age. As someone who loves BioWare’s stories and romances, I was not at all disappointed! You play as a young woman of marriageable age in Britain’s Regency Era, and you can romance three suitors, with a fourth whose storyline is available as an in-app purchase. All suitors are fully fleshed out and interesting, and there is ample opportunity to create a unique playable character. You can be kind, witty, or even downright sassy or rude. The game is beautifully written, and I could barely put it down! It’s the perfect fluffy romance game, and it warmed my heart through and through.
The Cinderella Phenomenon by Dicesuki, available on Steam and Itch.io
Surprise, another romance visual novel! Heavily influenced by fairy tales, you play as a cold-hearted princess of a fantasy kingdom. However, this all changes when she is cursed by a witch. I was not expecting to end up loving this game as much as I did. The content that you get for free is crazy—there are five routes to play, and all are unique and entertaining stories. I ended up spending 15 hours playing this game, which is much more time than I have spent playing similar games that cost me money! There is also a very intriguing larger story hiding underneath the surface, which you gradually uncover the more routes you play. There are so many characters, all of whom are interesting and loveable. What surprised me the most is the writing involving the protagonist, the princess. As the story goes on, she shifts from a selfish and cold princess to a strong and kind-hearted young woman. Such a transformation is hard to write, and I can’t commend the dev team enough for creating such a fascinating and multifaceted character.
The Lion’s Song by Mi’pu’mi Games, available on Steam (and on the Nintendo Switch!)
I’m bending my own rules by including this one, but I loved the experience of playing it so much that I don’t care! The rule that I’m breaking is that it’s not entirely free. The first episode is, while the other three episodes can be purchased as DLC. However, the first episode is a charming, compact story that I highly recommend playing through. This game is a simple point and click game, and takes place during turn-of-the-century Austria. In Episode 1,Silence, you play as Wilma, a young composer who is staying in the solitude of the Austrian alps while she attempts to work through a creative block. Yet, even in the isolation of the mountains, she makes a unique friendship. I really enjoyed this game, because it was gorgeous—the art and music are fantastic! When I played this game on Steam, I found myself taking screenshots for no reason, simply because I thought the art was so beautiful! With such lovely music and art, the game itself is very relaxing but engaging experience. The story involving Wilma is very cute, and makes for a lovely way to spend a couple hours.
I hope that this list encourages you to gradually dip your toes into the wide variety of unique games out there. If these games interest you, there are so many more amazing free games available on Itch.io and Steam that are just waiting to be played. Happy gaming!
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