Nihilistic city builder ‘Frostpunk’ is free on Epic Games Store | Engadget

11 Bit Studios’ post-apocalyptic steampunk city builder Frostpunk is now available for free on the Epic Games Store until June 10th. The game offers a dystopian look at society in a world that’s frozen over and was designed to force you to make some difficult moral decisions. As you struggle to keep whatever’s left of civilization from falling apart, you may have to let people starve, allow the sick to die or put children to work looking for supplies to keep the generator (providing the people much needed heat) running. 

When Frostpunk was announced a few years ago, 11 Bit creative director Michal Drozdowski called it a “serious game created for a mature gamer.” He added: “We’re putting human nature under a microscope to ask about what happens when people need to stay alive.” 11 Bit was also the developer behind This War of Mine, another survival-themed game in which you also have to make decisions that could cause you great moral dilemma.

Frostpunk is beautiful and challenging, but it’s also moody and — as a lot of those who’ve already played it can tell you — frankly quite depressing. Even if you’re not in the right headspace for it right now, you can get the base game at no cost and keep it in your collection until you’re ready. You’d have to buy its expansions if you want them, though, including On The Edge, its third and final one that was released last year.