Three Games on Steam Available for Free Until July 13

Steam users are accustomed to a wealth of affordable and discounted games, along with a selection of completely free titles. This weekend, until July 13, three games are available to play for free on Steam, including the early-access dino-survival game Ark: Survival Ascended and one of the most impressive city builders we’ve encountered.

If you’re on the hunt for something to dive into this weekend without spending a dime, here’s what’s currently up for grabs on Steam, featuring two games with outstanding user ratings.

Ark: Survival Ascended is the 2023 remaster of the original Ark: Survival Evolved, crafted by Studio Wildcard. Still in early access, this latest iteration is “reimagined from the ground up” using Unreal Engine 5. Players can “form a tribe, tame and breed hundreds of unique dinosaurs and primeval creatures, explore, craft, build, and fight your way to the top of the food chain,” according to the developers.

Reactions to Ark: Survival Ascended have been mixed, with some players criticizing the remaster for technical glitches and monetization strategies. One player, who has logged over 5,000 hours in the game, noted, “the concept of this game is amazing,” but criticized the management, stating, “the people running the game on the other hand, they have no shame.”

On a brighter note, another user simply stated, “dinosaurs.” If that sparks your interest, give Ark: Survival Ascended a try. If you enjoy it, both this game and the original Ark: Survival Evolved are currently on sale, along with various DLC.

Against the Storm is a “dark fantasy city builder where you must rebuild civilization amid apocalyptic rains.” You’ll lead teams of humans, beavers, lizards, foxes, and harpies to reclaim the wilderness and secure a future for the last survivors, as described by developer Eremite Games.

Since its release in 2023, Against the Storm has been praised for its innovative roguelite city-building mechanics, which break the traditional mold. Instead of spending hundreds of hours developing a city from a small village to a thriving metropolis, you restart your city every 1-2 hours. This unique progression revitalizes the genre, and Steam users have responded positively, with a 94.6% approval rating based on 34,489 reviews.

In our early impressions, we noted, “Against the Storm always has a new trick up its sleeve,” and like any great roguelite, it encourages bold, unconventional strategies that you might not attempt in a standard city builder. Knowing each run has a finite end allows for fresh starts when things go awry, and when they succeed, the victory feels even sweeter.

The free weekend for Against the Storm coincides with a sale, bringing the price down to just $8.99 (70% off) on Steam.

The lesser-known free title this weekend is Gogh: Focus with Your Avatar, described by developer ambr as “a cozy multiplayer co-working sandbox with character customization, room building, and productivity tools.” It’s a space to focus, study, work, and relax with friends and players worldwide.

Gogh: Focus with Your Avatar leans more towards a virtual environment for socializing and productivity rather than a traditional game. It features tools to enhance work and study sessions, including a pomodoro timer, to-do lists, daily habits, a journal, and in-game focus statistics. Steam users have rated it “very positive” based on over 1,000 reviews.

Additionally, Gogh: Focus with Your Avatar is currently on sale for just $7.19 (40% off).

For those on PC, there are also several free titles available from another digital storefront right now.