TheEpic Game Storerecently announced its two free games for November 10, with these beingAlba: A Wildlife AdventureandShadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun. Both of these are indie games that the Epic Games Store is giving away, so there’s no shame if someone hasn’t heard of them. However, for the appropriate audience, these are some great games to pick up.
Indeed, what’s immediately clear is that theEpic Games Store picked two indie gamesthat were on completely opposite ends of the spectrum. There are a lot of obvious differences in terms of genre, art direction, and gameplay, but the biggest separation is the targeted audience: one game is made to be a casual playthrough, while the other is described as “hardcore.”
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Epic Games Store: The Casual vs. Hardcore Audience
The first title,Alba: A Wildlife Adventure, follows a story of the PC trying to save the island, but it’s also described as a nostalgic, free “chillectathon.” It’s a 2-4 hour game with players able to explore, scan, and interact with the wildlife found on the island, though it should be noted many of these creatures are various bird breeds. It can easily be broken into smaller gameplay sessions or can be played through just to relax for a handful of hours. Whatever the case, fans can expect a very casual and relaxing game in Alba.
On the opposite end of the spectrum isShadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun,which is anything but a casual and relaxing game. It’s designed to be a hardcore stealth tactics game. Hard depends on player skill level, of course, but it is by definition challenging. Players will experience 13 main missions over 20 hours or so, with each and every decision weighing heavily on success or failure. In fact, there is a timer on the screen that reminds players to save…after a minute passes. They don’t have to obviously, but the fact is every decision, every aspect of its minute-to-minute gameplay is designed to challenge players.
This dichotomy is great to see. Someone stressed out byShadow Tacticscan turn toAlbato relax, or in turn, someone not challenged enough inAlbacan check outShadow Tactics. Even if the audiences are completely different, this layover would be a good way to enjoy both. Even if manyEpic Games Storeusers just play one or the other, the difference here makes both these titles shine.
