Welcome, once again, to Gratis Gamer! Here you will find the best free games that the world wide information superhighweb internet tubes have to offer. Whether you're looking to sneak in some gaming on the sly to stave off the boredom at your soul crushing joke of a job (why else would you be reading this at work), or simply looking for some truly good, totally free, independently created games to fill the hole between those AAA title sequels, this is your guide to some of the best, ya cheapskate.
This was one of the more surprising games I've come across in quite some time. The premise is simple: the letter "t" in the word "It" (as in, the pronoun, not the department filled with smelly dudes who fix your office's computers) has tired of sitting next to the letter "I" and has decided to run off. It is your job as the lovelorn letter "I" to pass through a series of increasingly treacherous obstacles to return to the precious "t" to become whole again. Yes, the game is as strange as all that sounds, perhaps even stranger, in fact. Though I generally like to enjoy my flash games with the sound muted and my pandora pumping out something or other, this is one that you definitely want to leave the sound on for. The simple, atmospheric music and especially the excellent narration really are required to get the full, satisfying experience out of this game. Pair that with well crafted, challenging (but never too challenging) puzzles that evolve in surprising ways throughout the relatively short journey and you've got yerself one fantastic and original headtrip of a flash game.
Proun is a full fledged downloadable, abstract racing title, that has been in development for the past six years, from Russian creator Joost van Dongen. And get this, he's giving it away for free! Downloads are based on a "pay what you want" system, so you can be a cheap bastard and just download the thing for nothing, or you can throw the brilliant guy who made this unique game a few bucks, if you so please. With artwork based on the surrealist "Proun" period of artist El Lissitzky (yes, also Russian), this game is somewhat like a mindbending 3D take on classic Super Nintendo title "Uniracers". Proun is an absolute beauty to behold, the mimalistic art design is perfectly realized, the music blends seamlessly with the world and it is, at the same time, a blast to play and somehow also rather relaxing. Get over to the site and download this (admittedly short, but well worth it) amazing creation. It's always refreshing to see someone who has put so much effort into something and decide to give it away for free, simply so that other people can experience his creation; that is what independent gaming is really all about.
Learn to Fly 2 is one of those games that is perfect for gaming on the sly at the office, if not created with that exact purpose in mind (it even features a button labeled "Start Muted, I'm undercover..." upon launching). After suffering numerous grievous injuries attempting to fly in the first game, our intrepid penguin now smartly opts to utilize a test dummy penguin in his journey to achieve aviation. It is the player's job to continuously upgrade variables like ramp height/length, glider abilities, boost, etc. using money earned from each attempt. While the game is quite simplistic, it's one of those perfect time wasters that you quickly find yourself addicted to and it's an easy addiction to feed, as quickly maximizing that excel spreadsheet when your boss walks by brings with it no risk of failure. Plus, it's got a penguin and what kind of sick bastard doesn't like penguins?
The 5 Minutes to Kill Yourself series has been around for several years now, with the insufferable experience of having to deal with catching a flight being the latest justification for self mutilation. My personal taste for dark humor and the macabre may endear myself to this one more than it may others, but I feel that most people who don't have a bug firmly lodged in their rectum should find some enjoyment out of the 5 Minutes games as well. For the uninitiated, the game is exactly what it sounds like: you are placed in a setting that is generally known to cause some kind of discomfort and must then run around and discover different ways in which to cause enough massive bodily harm to your main character in order to kill him before the five minutes are up. While the original settings for the game (an office and a wedding) included a myriad of pernicious objects with which to achieve your ultimate "goal", the airport seems to harbor the greatest and most vast array of methods in which to injure yourself. The game can be played over and over, as there are far more areas and items to interact with, than can possibly be explored in just one 5 minute or less playthrough. The temptation to see your character maimed in yet another amusingly grotesque manner is more than enough to land 5 minutes a place on this list.
The last game on this here list is probably best played in the comfort of your own home, as it is a game to truly immerse yourself in. An interesting and rather brilliant use of both photoshopped images and sketch work really make this point and click detective adventure title stand out from most other flash games I've played. The setup is pretty familiar: after former detective Bela Kovacs' niece has been murdered, he takes to the streets to discover who the murderer is and bring him to justice. Though the plot may be rather standard fare, the rest of the game certainly isn't. A great deal of time and effort has clearly been poured into this title and the love that the developer has for it truly shines through. The puzzles are well paced and varied enough to maintain your interest and honestly, the artwork is so good that even if the story doesn't grab you, you'll be wanting to forge ahead just to see what eye candy awaits you at the next chapter. Though it stumbles at certain points where it seems like the developer was trying to shoehorn more "game" into the game (the collect-a-thon in the nightclub seemed a bit silly and unnecessary to me), overall I thoroughly enjoyed this Bela Novacs and am eagerly awaiting the next entry in the series.
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