There's a stigma that because something is free or 🀅cheap, it lacks quality. However, that is far from being true, as some games made by an indie developer often have the best gameplay and a well-thought-out story. Just because a game isn't an AAA JRPG doesn't mean it can't have an amazing narrative; even the most basic of platformers can have t🦋hat.

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Related
The Best Free Nintendo Switch Games You🙈 Can🍎 Play Today

The Nintendo Switch is home to fantastic games lik🃏e Super Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild, but there are some great free-to-play titles to♏o.

Free games are also a good choice when you want ♛to try something a little bit different than 🍸your usual wheelhouse or more laid-back. In this list, you can find some of the best free games with amazing stories.

Updated April 23, 2025 by Jacqueline Zalace: Games seem to get more expensive each year. If you want to give your wallet a break, you're in luck! We've updated this list with a few more free games with great stories.

26 ♑ ꦺ Star Wars: The Old Republic

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Your Rating

168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Star Wars: The Old Republic
Systems
Released
December 20, 2011
ESRB
Tꦗ for Teen: Blood and Gore, Mild Language, Sexual Themes, Violence
Developer(s)
BioWare
Engine
HeroEngine
Multiplayer
🐻 🐻 Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer, Local Co-Op

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

Platform(s)
PC
How Long To Beat
130+ꩵ Hours

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:If you're a fan of the Star Warsꦐ f🔴ranchise and have never tried The Old Republic before, rectify that immediately. It's an MMORPG where you can make a character in different classes, andꦗ each one has their own storyline for you to follow.

They fall under two umbrellas of either the Republic or Empire, so there are a lot of options for custo𝓀mization here. There are many planets on the map to explore and sto🌊ries to uncover, all set in the Star Wars universe. The game has been running for a long time, so there's plenty of content to keep you entertained.

25 Doki Doki Liter♛ature Club

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Your Rating

168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Doki Doki Literature Club!
Top Critic Avg: 87/100 Critics Rec: 83%
Released
September 22, 2017
ESRB
e
Developer(s)
ꦗ 🎃 Team Salvato
Publisher(s)
𝓡 ไ Team Salvato
Engine
Ren'Py

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

Platform(s)
PC
Developer
ꦡ 🐓 Team Salvato
Publisher
ꦐ ꦍ Team Salvato
How Long To Beat
4 Hours
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty

This visual novel game is the definitio💛n of never judging a book by its cover. The title promises something akin to your typical high school story, but it is definitely more t𒆙han that. The twists and turns in it will surprise you, although some of the narrative is dark, so be aware.

There is a paid version called Doki Doki Literature Club Plus, but the orꦺiginal is completely free on the developer's website. If you enjoy visual novels that go beyond the norm, it's definitely worth checking out.

24 🥀 Honkai Impact 3rd

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Your Rating

168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Honkai Impact 3rd
Action
RPG
Adventure
Systems
Released
October 14, 2016
ESRB
t
Engine
Unity
Multiplayer
𒁏 ꦰ Online Co-Op

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

Platform(s)
PC, Android, iOS
How Long To Beat
62 hour
Developer
miHoYo
Publisher
☂ miHoYo, SU, YU-WEI, Mihoyo Inc.

While Honkai Impact 3rd was launched before the gacha boom, it's 💮still considered to have one of the best stories in the genre. This game works a little differently as it puts you in a lobby where you can enter story scenes by taking part in different chapters, with each one having multipl🌜e acts.

The sto﷽ry itself has a slow buildup, but once it gets there, you'll⭕ be getting goosebumps every chapter. Honkai Impact 3rd has done a phenomenal job with character-building and immersion, making it one of the best stories you'll experience in a game.

23 Grimm's Hollow

The reapers waking up Lavender in Grimm's Hollow.
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Your Rating

Grimm's Hollow
Adventure
RPG
Systems
Released
October 31, 2019
ESRB
e
Engine
RPG Maker 2003

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

Platform(s)
PC
Developer
🦋 Ghosthunter
Publisher
Ghosthunter ♈
How Long To Beat
2 Hours

If you enjoy the style of an RPG game but don't want something that's very long, Grimm's Hollow is an excellent choice. The characters are written very well, and it has a good soundtrack and a really pretty color palet𒀰te.

Related
168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Best Turn-Based JRPGs ܫOf All Time, Ranked

A l๊ot of great turn-based RPGs came from Japa♒n. Here is a look at just a few of the best, ranked!

You follow the story of Lavender, a girl who passed on but was not able to go into the afterlife. Instead, she ends up in a place called the Hollow, whe🌜re she becomes a reaper. She finds out that her little brother Timmy is somewhere in the Hollow as well, and goes on a quest to find him. It's really interesting to see the game's lore about the afterlife, which contributes to the great story.

22 ♛ Wuthering Waves

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Your Rating

168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Wuthering Waves
Action RPG
Open-World
Systems
Top Critic Avg: 73/100 Critics Rec: 75%
Released
May 22, 2024
ESRB
T For Teen // ♈Suggestive Themes, Violence 𓄧
Developer(s)
⭕ 🐽 Kuro Games
Publisher(s)
Kuro Games 𝐆
Engine
Unreal Engine 4

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

Multiplayer
Online Multip🐬layer
PC Release Date
🅰 May 22, 2024
PS5 Release Date
🍎 January 2, 2025
OpenCritic Rating
Fair

When you first start playing Wuthering Waves, you enter a post-apocalyptic worldꦜ where the Threnodians and Tacet Discords have brought humanity to the brink of existence. You play as Rover, a strong individual who seems to have strong ties with this world, but can't quite remember their past.

As you progress through the story, you get to know about various secrets while also meeting new☂ characters every step of the way. Character and world design is one of the best in this game, and it makes you feel a lot more immer♛sed in its story.

21 🐭 Honkai: Star Rail

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Your Rating

168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Honkai: Star Rail
3.5/5
Top Critic Avg: 83/100 Critics Rec: 90%
Released
April 26, 2023
ESRB
T for Teen
Engine
Unity

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

Cross-Platform Play
🍷 Yes, Honkai Star Rail does have cross progress𒁏ion on PS5
Cross Save
yes
Steam Deck Compatibility
yes
Platform(s)
Android, iOS, PC, PS5
OpenCritic Rating
Strong
How Long To Beat
24hours

Giving a new spin to the turn-based combat system, Honkai: Star Rail is a be🐓autiful open-world gacha game that takes you through different planets as you ride the Astral Express through the stellar universe. Each planet has a story to tell, but the common theme ဣbetween them is the Stellaron crisis caused by the Aeon of Destruction.

As you progress through the story, you meet various new characters, and if any of these pique your interest, you can even play as them by pull❀ing for them atﷺ the right time! While Honkai: Star Rail's story has its downsides, it's still one of the most immersive and emotional stories you'll experience.

20 The Awesome Adventures Of Captain Spi🅺rit

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Your Rating

168澳洲幸运5开奖网: The A🐷wesome Adventures of Captain Spirit
Adventure
Systems
Top Critic Avg: 78/100 Critics Rec: 72%
Released
June 26, 2018
ESRB
M for Mature ꦡ- Use of Al🅺cohol, Suggestive Themes, Strong Language
Developer(s)
DON'T NOD
Publisher(s)
Square E🌟nix
Engine
Unreal Engine 4

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

Steam Deck Compatibility
Verified
PC Release Date
June 26, 2018 ไ
How Long To Beat
1½ Hours
OpenCritic Rating
Strong
How Long To Beat (Completionist Runs)
2 Hours

Developed by Square Enix, this game is part visual novel🐷 and part adventure. As the prequel to Life is Strange 2, it follows the story of a young boy named Chris who is using his imagination to cope with the death of his mother and his emotionally neglectful father.

We highly suggest playing Life Is Strange 2 first, as this gives you an 💃introduction to Chris and his place in the overall story.

There's not a whole lot of in-depth gameplay here, but it is an endearing little emotional story that seems to frame the mind of childhood in the right way. It's really worth playing first if you are lookiꦚng to get into the Life Strange games.

19 La Rana

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Your Rating

La Rana
Adventure
Casual
Free To Play
Systems
Released
December 7, 2018
Developer(s)
Frog Paw Studios 🔥
Publisher(s)
𒀰 🦄 SMU Guildhall
Engine
Unreal Engine
Number of Players
1

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

Platform(s)
PC
How Long To Beat
♋ 💙 19 Minutes

If you enjoy puzzle games, this short adventure created by studen🌊ts from Southern Methodist University about a frog will please you.

In the story, an ancient temple is cursed, and everything is turned to stone except for one small guardian who takes🌊 the form of a little amphibian. They must go on a quest to rid the temple of its poison, save their guardian friends, and restore their neglected home to its former glory. It comes with a story worth visiting and is free to download on ඣthe Steam store.

18 🐼 Genshin Impact 𓆉

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Your Rating

168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Genshin Impact
RPG
Action
Adventure
Gacha
Open-World
Systems
Top Critic Avg: 81/100 Critics Rec: 87%
Released
September 28, 2020
ESRB
ꦕ T for Teen - Fantasy Violence, Alcohol Reference ღ
Engine
Unity

WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL

Multiplayer
ಞ Online Multiplayer
Cross-Platform Play
Mobile, PC, PS4 & PS5, Xbox ꦐ
Cross Save
yes
Steam Deck Compatibility
yes
PC Release Date
♊ Septemb🅘er 28, 2020
Xbox Series X|S Release Date
Nove𝓡mber 20, 2024
PS5 Release Date
𝓡🦩 April 28, 2021
X|S Optimized
yes
Metascore
86
Platforms That Support Crossplay
𒁏 Mobile, PC,✨ PS4 & PS5
OpenCritic Rating
Strong
PS Plus Availability
N/A
Wiki

Genshin Impact is an open-world free-to-play gacha title from Mihoyo that puts you into the land of Teyvat, where you must go on a quest to find out what happened to your twin sibling. Joining you on the adventure is your companion Paimon. R🗹ecruit other adventurers through both the gacha and story completion as you explore the world and participate in the game's plot.

Each character has their own high fantasy lore that adds a deep component to the story. There are updates and new content added to the game often, usually extending the main story arc. You can also participate in its fr💜ee events. If you enjoy an open-world RPG with gorgeous graphics, Genshin is an optimal choice.

17 ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ 🌠 Guitar Girl

art of the protagonist from the game guitar girl
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Your Rating

Guitar Girl
Simulation
Indie
Casual
Released
November 6, 2020
Developer(s)
Neowiz
Publisher(s)
Neowiz
Number of Players
1

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

Platform(s)
Android

This is a really simple, relaxed game where you play a female character who is an aspiring musician. It plays out in a story similar to a slice-of-life genre anime - the girl is a high schooler who wants to cheer people up with her music. The better you level up your guitar skills, the more followers youꦡ get on social media.

The gameplay itself is really simple with just tapping on the screen to play th💃e guitar. The story plays out through the messages your followers send you, the most memorable perhaps being a cat who is acting as a wingman for his owner who is your secret admirer.