The Epic Games Store is giving away Rogue Waters and Songs of Conquest for free this week.

Every week the Epic Games Store gives away a game or two for free. This week, we get two free games that are turn-based, with somewhat similar vibes, but very different gameplay loops.

• Rogue Waters
  • Release Date: September 30,2024
  • Game Type: turn-based tactical roguelite
  • POV: 3rd person
  • Party: Single Player
  • DLC: Just the soundtrack.

It’s a great day for a little piracy. In Rogue Waters, you navigate a course through a changing seven seas, as one of several pirate captains. Upgrade your ship, upgrade your crew, and see how far you can get this run. You can even summon the Kraken, assuming your stars align. Turn-based usually has me a little apathetic, but there’s just something about a well-done pirate theme that really sells something I might not otherwise pick up. But, of course, I’m definitely picking it up.

• Songs of Conquest
  • Release Date: May 10, 2022
  • Game Type: turn-based strategy
  • POV: 3rd person
  • Party: Single Player
  • DLC: Several mission packs and other perks are available for sale.

Songs of Conquest is a modern take on the old-school strategy games like Civilization, but with several extra gameplay loops. That concept, that there needs to be something different from the core loop to keep the player invested, is very modern indeed. Like Civ, there are several other factions to keep tabs on and defeat — in one way or another. It definitely hits a certain nostalgia point, but I’m not sure how fun those extra gameplay modes and options will be in the end.