The Game That Tears Relationships Apart Is Free From Epic Now

Like clockwork, another free PC game is available from the Epic Games Store this week, replacing last week’s offering, Last Day of June. The game in question is Overcooked, the critically acclaimed, co-op cooking simulator from Ghost Town Games that spawned an equally good sequel, Overcooked 2. Now until July 11, the original Overcooked is completely free to claim and keep–all you need to do is create a free Epic account (if you don’t already have one) and add it to your library.

Overcooked’s premise is quite simple: You and up to three friends will take control of chefs working together in a kitchen to cook recipes assigned to you by the game. Sounds cute and relaxing, right? Now throw in a few kitchen fires, shifting stages, a beeping timer that indicates you’re about to miss an order, and dirty dishes piling up as you and your friends stumble around and bump into each other. Mastering Overcooked’s obstacles requires constant communication and strategic delegation of tasks, and you’ll be ranked on a three-star system based on how efficiently your team clears the level. You need at least one star to move forward.

Here’s the main thing to know about Overcooked: It is both very good and extremely frustrating. My boyfriend and I have gotten into serious fights over it and had to stop playing. But find the right people to play with, and Overcooked is such a rewarding experience that leaves you wanting more by the end (and fortunately, Overcooked 2 exists now). Unfortunately, Overcooked doesn’t have online multiplayer (the sequel introduced that feature), but you can also play it solo if you like. Either way, Overcooked is absolutely worth claiming and trying out, especially with it being free for the next week.

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While we’re discussing PC games: The Steam Summer Sale is still going strong until July 9 and has some of the best deals on PC games you’ll find all year. Catch up on all the best game deals in this year’s Steam Summer Sale, including the best cheap games you can get for $10 or less. There’s also a new Grand Prix mini-game you can participate in for the chance to win the top game on your Steam wish list for free.