The Epic Games Store recently announced its two free games for November 10th, these being Alba: A Wildlife Adventure and Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun. Both of these games are indie games that the Epic Games Store offers, so there’s no shame if someone hasn’t heard of them. However, for the appropriate audience, these are great games to check out.
Indeed, what is immediately clear is that the Epic Games Store chose two indie games that were on completely opposite ends of the spectrum. There are many obvious differences in terms of genre, art direction and gameplay, but the biggest separation is the target audience: one game is designed to be a casual game, while the other is described as “hardcore”.
Epic Games Store: 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-to-play “chillectathon.” This is a 2-4 hour game with players able to explore, scan and interact with the island’s wildlife, but it should be noted that many of these creatures are of different races of birds. It can easily be split into smaller game sessions or can be played just to relax for a few hours. Either way, fans can expect a very laid back and relaxed game in Alba.
At the opposite end of the spectrum is Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun, which is anything but a casual and relaxing game. It is designed to be a hardcore stealth tactics game. Hard depends on the skill level of the player, of course, but it is by definition hard. Players will experience 13 main missions over approximately 20 hours, with each decision weighing heavily on success or failure. In fact, there’s an on-screen timer that reminds players to save… after a minute has passed. They don’t have to obviously, but the thing is, every decision, every aspect of its minute-by-minute gameplay is designed to challenge players.
This dichotomy is pleasing to see. Someone stressed out Shadow Tactics can turn to Alba to relax, or in turn, someone not challenged enough in Alba can check Shadow Tactics. Even if the audiences are completely different, this stopover would be a good way to enjoy both. Even though many Epic Games Store users only play one or the other, the difference here makes these two titles shine.
Epic Games Store users receive a handful of games each month.
