Over the course of the past seven years now, the Epic Games Store has been giving out freebies every week to its customers. Whether you downloaded the Epic Games Store just to be able to play Fortnite or for the Unreal Engine, it’s almost impossible to miss out on the free games that Epic gives out every week now. However, there was a time when Epic did give out freebies, but most of us either didn’t know about them or simply hadn’t even installed the launcher, thus missing out on some fantastic games.

Epic Games isn't important to gamers for Fortnite alone — the storefront has given gamers major AAA games for free, such as Death Stranding, GTA V, the entire Tomb Raider trilogy, and even the Arkham trilogy. However, there are plenty of fantastic indie or AA games that many players regret missing out on even today — they either didn’t know about them, didn’t care, or simply forgot to get them. Here are some amazing free games the Epic Games Store gave out and you probably missed.

5 The Long Dark — December 2020

Survival is beautiful

The Epic Games Store started their holiday giveaways in 2019, giving away plenty of games at the end of the year each week. In 2020, however, they changed their giveaways to have way more games — they just took them down the next day. In December 2020, Epic Games gave away The Long Dark, a first-personal survival game where you survive the frozen Canadian wilderness after your plane crash lands.

The Long Dark isn’t for everyone — it is a roguelike game that doesn’t hold your hand or care about your mistakes. If you’re the kind of player who enjoys the slow, meditative struggle against nature, this game is a masterpiece. Every playthrough becomes a fresh challenge, where planning ahead means the difference between life and a slow, inevitable death. The Long Dark teaches you to endure, adapt, and respect a world that’s constantly working against you. The game’s atmosphere is chilling — both figuratively and literally — dragging you back in with its brutal yet oddly peaceful isolation. A game you could play every winter, much like yours truly, The Long Dark is one game that should be in your library, even if you couldn’t get it for free on Epic.

4 Super Meat Boy — December 2018

Peak platforming, peak cuteness

One of the earliest Epic Games Store giveaways, Super Meat Boy, is a platformer you will never, ever forget. Given away by Epic Games from December 2018 to January 2019, Super Meat Boy is an action-packed 2D platformer where you play as Meat Boy — a sentient block of meat. The cutesy story has you chasing Dr. Fetus as he keeps getting away with Bandage Girl, your girlfriend. The plot might be cute (and thin), but Super Meat Boy wastes no time before throwing you headfirst into a gauntlet of saw blades, spikes, and split-second jumps that demand nothing short of perfection.

The game is a perfect example of platforming in its purest form. Tight controls, instant respawns, and levels so brutally designed that every successful run feels like a personal triumph — these are what make 2010s Super Meat Boy one of the best-aged games today. I might have died hundreds of times on some levels, but every failure taught me something. Nothing is random in Super Meat Boy — just you, your reflexes, and an ever-growing death counter that keeps rising with your heartbeat.

3 This War of Mine — July 2019

Survival at a soul-crushing cost

Another early giveaway that’s also a fantastic game, This War of Mine is a war game like you haven’t played before. While most games focus on the frontline war experience where we play as soldiers, This War of Mine focuses on the civilian experience, showing you first-hand what war does to the nameless, countless lives that aren’t fighting on the warfront. Made by the devs behind the stellar Frostpunk — another must-play experience — This War of Mine makes your choices weigh down on you mechanically as well as emotionally.

Do you steal from an old couple to keep your group alive? Do you take in a starving stranger, knowing it means fewer resources for yourself? These aren’t scripted moral dilemmas — they emerge naturally in the game, making every playthrough a gut-wrenching experience. When a character spirals into depression after a desperate act, it feels painfully real. With a fantastic 9/10 rating on Steam, this decade-old game still delivers an unforgettable, chilling experience. It's a shame the game's DLC was never as impressive as the base game, but not all expansions can become great and unforgettable DLCs.

2 Subnautica — December 2018

Exploring alien, unknown depths

Given away on the Epic Games Store just before Super Meat Boy in December 2018, Subnautica is one game that almost every gamer missed out on snagging for free. Understandably so, since Epic Games’ freebies weren’t all that common back then. An underwater odyssey, Subnautica crash-lands you on an alien ocean world. Here, you’ll craft, explore, and adapt to this hostile new world as you unravel the mysteries hidden beneath the waves, all while managing oxygen, hunger, and the ever-present fear of whatever it is that lurks in the dark.

Subnautica is the kind of game that stays with you long after you surface. Planet 4546B feels alive as the game ramps up the tension masterfully, making you scare yourself much like the very best horror games do. Even if you missed out on its Epic Games giveaway, Subnautica is one of those must-own titles you should add to your library without any further ado. Whether you're a survival veteran or just looking for an unforgettable adventure, there’s nothing quite like your first descent into the waters of 4546B.

1 SOMA - October 2019

Diving headfirst into existential dread

From the makers of the Amnesia series — which I will never replay because they’re too scary — came SOMA. Another under-appreciated AA game, SOMA is a survival horror masterpiece that deserves even more praise than it gets. It delivers a significantly better story and atmosphere than the Amnesia games, which is certainly saying something. Set in 2104 in an underwater research facility, SOMA’s lore and setting are quite unforgettable, with a level of polish that simply didn’t exist in the Amnesia games. Developers Frictional Games clearly put in a ton of effort to build the world of SOMA, and boy, did it pay off in the best way.

As someone who couldn’t finish A Machine for Pigs because it was way too scary for my 15-year-old self, SOMA felt like a much more rewarding experience, thanks to the game scaling back on the horror aspect just a tiny bit to deliver a more Rapture-esque feel. The narrative remains with me a decade later, thanks to the existential nightmare it bestowed upon me in the garb of a sci-fi mystery. If you’re a horror fan or just love a thought-provoking story that keeps you mulling well after you’ve put it down, SOMA is the game for you.

Some epic giveaways slip through the cracks

Epic Games giveaways are a great way to snag some fantastic titles and build your library. While you might be hyped for some of the biggest upcoming games in 2025, don't forget to snag all the AA and indie games which often go unappreciated. If you’ve overlooked these gems, now is the perfect time to dive in. Free or not, these are must-plays that prove indie and AA games can sometimes outshine even the biggest blockbusters.