Indie game Paradox Soul is currently free to claim via Steam thanks to a limited-time 100% discount. Steam users have until June 17 to take advantage of the recently launched deal.
Developed by British studio Ritual Games, Paradox Soul is a sci-fi metroidvania with pixel art graphics. It casts players as Dr. Alli Rose, a scientist looking to uncover the secrets of a mysterious research complex. The game was originally released in February 2018 and received little critical attention. In terms of player impressions, Paradox Soul currently holds "Mixed" reviews on Steam and a 3.86-star rating on the PlayStation Store.
Epic Games Store Reveals Its Free Game for June 19
The Epic Games Store reveals a unique dystopian game as its June 19 freebie, while allowing PC gamers to claim one other title in the meantime.
Publisher GrabTheGames treated Paradox Soul to a 100% Steam discount on June 12. The indie title will be free to claim on Valve's storefront until Tuesday, June 17, at 1am PT / 4am ET / 10am CET. Regularly priced at $4.99, Paradox Soul has seen frequent sales since its 2018 release, dropping as low as $0.49 (90% off). However, this is the first time ever that the pixel art game is being given away for free.
Paradox Soul Is Beatable in an Afternoon
According to crowdsourced data from HowLongToBeat, Paradox Soul can be completed in as little as one hour. The game does have some optional secrets to uncover, but even a completionist run shouldn't take longer than a single afternoon. Back in 2019, one PlayStation gamer set a record by earning 50 Platinum trophies in 20 hours, with Paradox Soul being one of the titles they completed during this run, further underlining its brevity.
The Steam version of Paradox Soul supports Steam Trading Cards. Three backgrounds and five emoticons inspired by the game are also available in the Steam Points Shop. Gameplay-wise, Paradox Soul features fast-paced combat that requires players to make careful use of cover and evade enemy attacks by dashing while they are out in the open. Staying true to its retro metroidvania inspirations, the game features minimal hand-holding. Uncovering the secrets of the mysterious facility discovered by Dr. Rose is presented as the primary motivation for progress. Some boss fights are also part of the package, together with several weapon upgrades.
In related news, the Epic Games Store is currently giving away Two Point Hospital, a wacky management sim published by Sega. The 2018 title became claimable on June 12 and will remain available to grab free of charge until June 19. It will then be replaced by The Operator, a dystopian crime-solving game developed by France-based Bureau 81, which Epic plans to give away over a week-long period ending June 26.
