Half-Life 2 has had a lot of children, even if they’re not directly spawned by the legendary juggernaut. Industria, a surreal, atmospheric puzzle-filled FPS definitely owes a lot to Valve’s game, but it manages to carve out an identity all of its own. One of 2021’s most underrated games it can now be yours to keep for free, but you’ll have to make sure you grab it before this week’s over.
The setup for Industria may seem familiar to those who’ve dipped their toes into a few FPS games. You’re going about your day when everything goes wrong and suddenly you’re zapped into an alternate dimension where things have gone even more wrong. If that were all Industria had to hold, it’d be easily dismissible, but how it handles its alternate-universe adventure and its strange, often-Lynchian tone, sets it utterly apart.
This isn’t one of those shooters where you’re mowing down enemies, though there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. It’s a game where enemies are light on the ground, each one taking preparation and planning to take down successfully. Its medley of robotic minions truly terrify on first sight, making each encounter an event in its own right.
Industria is a muted, contemplative affair which sees you explore ruined streets and buildings, with scarce weapons and ammo, all the time hunting down your missing work colleague who… no, we won’t spoil what happens. That’s all before we get on to its surreal interstitial segments set in monochrome East German buildings, odd whispers and strange sounds suffusing the air, which drop into the game in-between levels.
Industria is currently a free game on the Epic Games store from Thursday, April 25 through Thursday, May 2. Secure your copy by heading over here before the week’s out.
That isn’t the only game that’s free this week, you can also get your hands on LISA: Definitive Edition. This pixel-powered post-apocalyptic black comedy RPG combines LISA – The Painful and the LISA – The Joyful DLC into one package. LISA: Definitive Edition is free to own on Epic from Thursday, April 25 until Thursday, May 2. Grab yours by scooting over to the Epic store now.
Should all this talk of smaller games get you hungry for more, our guide to the best indie games you can play will soon have you playing your next favorite game. For those looking for a little more stats in your life, our guide to the best RPG games will have you putting points into STR in no time.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.