Caravan Sandwich is this week’s free game from the Epic Games Store

Every week the Epic Games Store gives away a game or two for free. This week, they’re giving us a heartfelt adventure game which is somehow both cozy and post-apocalyptic.

• Caravan SandWitch
  • Release Date: September 12, 2024
  • Game Type: Adventure RPG
  • POV: 3rd person, over the shoulder
  • Party: Single Player
  • DLC: The soundtrack and a DLC with 3D print files and an  IRL coloring book are available for sale.

Caravan SandWitch is an excellent exploration game with a vibe that lies somewhere between melancholy and cozy. Set in a post-apocalypse — but a hopeful one, for a change — you use your borrowed camper van to traverse the rocky desert of Cigalo. Much of exploration revolves around some degree of puzzles and unlocking new areas with gadgets you acquire over time, like a winch on your van you can use as a zipline. Meet, befriend, and help the people who live in your village and beyond.

I truly adored this game. The driving parts are relatively minimal, serving mostly to help you traverse the landscape. There are no timers or combat, so the pressure is relatively minimal even if the friction present from going back to an area after you get a new thingamabob can start to feel really bad by comparison. As a writer, the writing was so good it made me jealous — sparse, yet wrenching. Even if you happen to miss Epic Games Store giving it away for free, I’d still consider picking it up.