13 Best Free PC Games (Casual Edition)
Free PC games are rare these days — even more so casual free PC games. It seems like most of them involve a lot of fighting and stress.
You might find a hidden gem, but odds are you’ll hit a wall of gacha grindfests (nothing wrong with gacha though, I love them, as you’ll see here), half-baked mobile ports, or games that call themselves “free” and then hit you with a paywall after 15 minutes.
If you’re tired of the same stale lists filled with the usual suspects or games that are not really all that free or casual, I’m here to help.
So, if you’re looking for something chill and easy and free to play for a few hours a day, I’ve got picks you’ll actually want to play.
Kards – The WWII Card Game
Kards is a tactical card battler that blends historical flavor with smart strategy. You can play a match in 10 minutes and walk away satisfied, so it’s perfectly casual.
Most of the monetization is only for cosmetics and booster packs, but it’s very playable without spending a dime. If you want more card games, but maybe on mobile, check out my list.
BirdGut
BirdGut is a bizarre, hand-drawn platformer set inside the digestive tract of a bird. You play as an odd bee who gets eaten by a bird and finds many other bugs brainwashed inside the bird’s body and your job is to destroy the bird from the inside.
The progression is linear, there’s no grind, plus there are clever puzzles and silly humor. The game is completely free without ads or any in-game monetization.
Starbreak
Starbreak is a 2D action MMO with procedurally generated levels and Metroidvania vibes. There’s not much grind, but the game is surprisingly deep. You can play a few missions, have fun, then either die and restart (because it’s a more forgiving version of roguelike), or continue from where you started.
It’s completely free — there are some in-game purchases for cosmetics, etc. but you don’t need any of that to play or win.
A Dark Room (Browser-Based)
A Dark Room is a minimalistic text-based game that doesn’t require you to install anything, because it’s browser-based. The beginning is really simple and chill, but then as you progress it gets deeper and more complex, but that all depends on your pace.
It’s completely free and there are no monetization thingies inside.
Fallout Shelter
This is a surprisingly solid sim-lite. It works well on PC and low-spec machines. However, it’s mostly idle, which means that you won’t have much active gameplay. Still, if it seems like your thing or you need a background game, this is the perfect choice.
It’s completely free, but there is some in-game monetization. Thankfully, it isn’t mandatory for playing or necessary to enjoy the game.
Sky: Children of the Light
This game is absolutely beautiful and unique, especially for fans of Journey-like experiences. It’s really cozy and really relaxing. It may not be perfect if you want something to play solo, but it can work, and it’s great if you have friends you want to play with. Be warned, though, it has a slow start.
The monetization is mostly for cosmetics, so no worries about that unless you really care about these things.
Supermarket Together
Supermarket Together is a fun, goofy co-op game, and one you might not have heard of before. It’s great for laughs. You can definitely play it alone (I did), but it’s way more fun if you can play it with others. Plus, it’s casual, quick, and no-fuss. And completely free.
Sims 4
If you haven’t heard of Sims 4, you’re probably living under a rock for the past who knows how many years. But anyway, it’s a huge name, millions of players and tons of casual appeal. Sims is a life sim where you can create in-game people and do with them as you please.
The base game is free, but beware — most fun stuff is locked behind expansions you have to pay for. Now, the expansions are not expensive, usually a few bucks, but it adds up, and if you don’t wanna spend a dime on your casual gaming fun, then this might not be the best choice.
Palia
Palia is a free, cozy MMO with chill vibes, farming, decorating, etc. It’s a perfect game if you want to just relax, and it doesn’t ask for a dime from you.
The problem here is that it’s more fun with friends, so if you want to play solo, it may not be the best choice. You can still enjoy it, you just might find yourself lonely in this world.
More Options: Not Really Casual Games, But Could Be
So, if none of these rock your boat, you can try some of my options below. They’re not exactly casual, but they are free and you can play them in a casual way if you want to.
Wuthering Waves
Wuthering Waves is gorgeous and popular, but it has a gacha system, and can be really grindy if you play it hard-core. But if you play it casually — enter for an hour or two a day, roam its beautiful open world, kill some enemies if you feel like it — it can be good. Just make sure you don’t invest any money in it.
Reverse: 1999
This is another story-heavy gacha RPG. I wouldn’t classify it as casual specifically, but it has a vibe about it that makes it feel casual. You can enter once or twice a day, do your dailies and some missions if you want, and exit without worrying about it.
Summoners War
Summoners War is pure mobile-style gacha, just ported to PC. It’s heavily monetized, repetitive, grindy and time-consuming. But — and this is a big but — you can technically play it casually if you don’t spend and just enter a few times a day for the arena/live arena. You’ll need to build up to that, but it can be surprisingly relaxing.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links
This might be super niche, and it has a deep card meta, with a shaky P2P balance, but it’s a card game and if you love TCG (and are willing to do some deckbuilding), you can have some fun.
