FREE GAMES: Bus Simulator 21 & Lego Star Wars: Skywalker Saga

Freebie Date: 4122024.14.1:
These are the voyages of the newsgroup CSPIGA. Our mission: to collect
each and every free game made available to us. Currently we are in
orbit around planet EpicGameStore. There have been reports of repeated
freebies up for grabs on a weekly basis. I've sent Lt. Commander
Lenumero down to the planet to see if these stories are true.


* Bus Simulator 21: Next Stop
https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/bus-simulator-21
     Far be it from me to complain about another work-place
     sim like Bus Simulator. I'm the one who keeps driving
     a virtual truck across a virtual Europe after all. I
     could actually see myself getting into this game if I
     wasn't already dedicated to hauling cargo in my
     sixteen-wheeler. But this game is really hard to
     recommend; it's just too buggy and janky to love.
     Conceptually it's great --assuming you can buy into
     the concept, which I get not every one can--- but
     in practice it's just badly written software with
     poor mechanics. It's the sort of game people make
     fun of on YouTube for all its flaws. And unfortunately
     --three years down the line-- it doesn't look like
     it will ever get the fixes it needs to reach its
     potential. Even if you like the idea of a bus
     driving sim, this is a game to avoid (and if you
     don't, why did you bother reading this far?).


* Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/lego-star-wars-the-skywalker-saga
     The latest in the long-running Travelers Tales Lego
     Star Wars games. The latest, but -at least in my
     opinion- not the greatest. Which is unfortunate,
     because its obvious the developers tried to make this
     game stand apart from its predecessors. While the core
     gameplay still is the same comfortable and familiar
     platforming we've come to associate with the franchise,
     there was an obvious attempt to add some variety to
     the games. But it came at a cost to the actual content;
     there's just so much less to actually PLAY with in
     this game. If its not the overlong and too frequent
     cutscenes, it's the tiny levels. Honestly, you're just
     better sticking with the older Lego Star Wars games;
     they're a bit dated and predictable, sure, but you get
     a lot of content. And none of it is from the Star Wars
     sequels; a definite bonus!


Freebie Date: 4122024.14.2:
The reports from Lt. Commander Lenumero are troubling. TWO free games
in one day? Who knows where this sort of madness can lead? We will
continue to monitor this situation for at least the next week and get
back to you with further news as events warrant. This is captain
Zuviele Spiele, signing off.


[Final note: It looks like Epic _is_ doing a Holiday Give-Away this
year after all (poseurs! CSIPGA did it first!). So I guess we'll see
another announcement tomorrow)]