A harrowing visual novel and add-ons for Stalcraft: X
Epic Games’ free offerings this week couldn’t be more different, but no less enticing. Those looking for their next narrative-focused adventure will be glad to see Return to Ash is free, and a starter pack for Stalcraft: X is being given away for those who want to give the MMOFPS a try.
Be prepared to get hit right in the feels with Return to Ash. The 2025 game is a heavy visual novel following Ashleigh after she wakes in a version of the afterlife. Its official store description opens not with details on the game, but with a quote from Return to Ash: “The hospital was empty. Quiet, and brighter than usual… like waking up on a snow day. But I didn’t feel cold. I didn’t feel much of anything.” Build relationships with characters who also find themselves in this afterlife while also facing trials put forth by Death themself.
Stalcraft: X is an MMO set in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, full of mutants and monsters to take down, and mixes FPS gameplay with survival horror. While Stalcraft: X is already free-to-play, Epic and developer EXBO are enticing new players to check it out by giving away a Starter Pack full of cosmetics, consumables, weapons, and more.
If you want to pick up Return to Ash or Stalcraft: X Starter Edition for free, all you need to do is log in to the Epic Games Store and claim them. They’ll be free until Thursday, Feb. 26 at 11 a.m. EST.
In February, Epic has given away Nobody Wants to Die and The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark as well as Botany Manor and Pixel Gun 3D DLC.
