This week the news was mixed bag. On Monday, I covered the Twitter Placeholder mess for Fable & Perfect Dark. Tuesday, Taylor spoke about some pirate’s tale of some guy called Guybrush, while Zoë spoke about the Cyberpunk 2077 anime that’s in the works by CD Projekt Red and Studio Trigger. Wednesday, I put myself through the monthly hell of writing about all that is part of Twitch Prime for July, and Taylor spoke of the Nintendo President, Shuntaro Furukawa, apologizing for persistent joy-con issues. Now we’re onto the ever-changing free Epic Games Store games.

Yes, once again before starting to talk about the game that is available, I must talk about the brief statement Epic put out before this week’s game released onto the store. In a supposed decision on the part of the team at Epic, the previously announced Conan Exiles will no longer come to the storefront for free. Instead, the game will release at a later date and will be made available through purchases. Some have taken this as a use of the game to attract attention to the storefront, a claim I don’t believe is entirely true or holds much value. That would make more sense if it was something big like Grand Theft Auto or something equally in the realm of a blockbuster triple-A.

This week’s free game on the Epic Games Store is, in fact, just Hue. However, that is not meant as the “Oh, it is just Hue” that it sounds like. Hue is a fun indie platforming Metroidvania with all the modern tools you’d expect. It has quick platforming, a story that is as emotional as it is indie, and a lack of color. The last one should be apparent by two things, an indie game of a small boy in an expanding world, and the title. Yes, I might be quickly running through all that’s part of the game with a quick overview, but there really isn’t much to say about Hue, even when you like it as I do. It is fun and colorful at the end, with a story that I’m sure will pull on some heartstrings.

I can’t fault it for not making much of an impression that I’m unable to talk about it much, but I can for not being much of a memorable experience. It is like a bar of chocolate, you enjoy it for the moment, but because the diet industry will tell you it was bad for enjoying yourself, you must then try and burn away that good feeling. The metaphor almost falls apart when there are good, fun, and colorful games out there to play instead of The Last of Us Part II, but it is still worth saying nonetheless.

Yes, Hue is available for free on the Epic Games Store until the 9th of July. Then it will be replaced by three games: Killing Floor 2, Lifeless Planet: Premier Edition, and The Escapists 2. Speaking entirely on first impressions and experiences alone, Killing Floor 2 is a game I was sent a key for a few years ago. I found it to be an interesting take on horror and the co-op shooter. I don’t have to say much more or play much more on my impressions of that one.

Lifeless Planet: Premier Edition is a 2014 puzzle game that ruins everything it has going for itself with a trailer, description, and a couple of promotional art shots. Set up as an alien planet exploration game with an American astronaut, you explore the Fallout 3-style ruins of this disintegrated civilization that looks familiar. You then find earth-like creature comforts: beds, houses, chairs, and all that proletariat guff. With the P in the logo being replaced with the hammer and sickle of the Russain Revolution, you can already tell you are exploring this decomposed culture either in the far-flung future or more contemporary post-nuclear war Russia.

Meanwhile, The Escapists 2 was meant to be part of the free games offered a few weeks ago, instead, it was pulled just before. Since then, Epic has claimed to be working on an issue with Team 17 and Mouldy Toof Studios. Given in recent weeks that both The Escapists 2 and now Conan Exiles have been pulled for various reasons, don’t expect any of these three games to be part of next week’s offer until they are available to download.

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.

Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!