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Itching for some interactive thrills? We’ve got a nice stack of Halloween-ready options that you can download on your Mac today. If you’re looking for gruesome, violent adventures filled with aggressive enemies, we’ve got those. Prefer something atmospheric and eerie, albeit with the occasional well-timed jump-scare? Well, we definitely have those covered, too.Inside are 15 games you can play on a modern Mac, ranging from well-known titles like The Walking Dead and Doom 3 to indie favorites like Devil Daggers and Layers of Fear. Whatever you chose, these games are all designed to shock and startle.
Don’t say we didn’t warn you! Valve’s zombie-blasting series is one of the most beloved cooperative gaming experiences, and ($20) is the latest and greatest around. Along with three other players, you’ll battle through various Deep South locations (including New Orleans), blasting scads of aggressive foes while watching each other’s backs and trying to escape to safety.What makes the game so special, besides its complete focus on team play, is the AI Director 2.0—a feature that dynamically changes the game experience based on your progress, whether it’s the number of enemies, the route ahead, or even the in-game weather. To make things all the more frantic and chaotic, of course. ($50) might star Amanda Ripley, daughter of original film series heroine Ellen, but it smartly follows the horror-centric mold of the first flick rather than the action-centric sequel. It’s just you and a single, super-smart alien on an abandoned space station, and you’ll have to survive on your own using only gadgets and stealth movements.It’s an incredibly intense experience, especially when you’re silently hiding in a locker, or when the brainy alien suddenly pops out of a vent. Alien: Isolation has atmosphere for days, but this Collection also has bonuses: you also get a couple of extra, standalone missions featuring the original film’s cast, and letting you play as Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) herself.
While the TV show might be shedding fans with its gruesome twists, Telltale’s ($25, Season One) game series has been widely praised from the start, with two seasons, a spinoff mini-series, and now a third full season beginning in November. If you haven’t played this choose-your-own-adventure amidst the zombie uprising, now’s the time to get started.The five-episode first season puts you in the shoes of Lee, a man with a mysterious past who teams up with a young girl, Clementine—and every decision and dialogue choice you make has consequences that echo throughout these five episodes and into the later seasons. It’s pretty grim, heartbreaking stuff, but also very tense and startling at times. Haven’t heard of this cheap, lo-fi indie game? You’re probably not alone. It has a relatively low profile and was just released on Mac this summer, but the people who love it absolutely love it: the game has “Overwhelmingly Positive” reviews on Steam.
That’s because it’s one of the wildest first-person shooters ever released, and it’s pretty horrifying to boot.($5) is built in the mold of classic shooters like Doom, but instead of sending you along through hallways, you’re dropped into a darkened arena filled with huge, glowing threats. Floating skulls and massive beasts emerge from the shadows, and you’ll have to fire your magic daggers at a constant clip to stay alive. Are you afraid of the dark? Speaking of Doom we still don’t have this year’s awesome reboot on Mac, but at least you can grab the previous entry for a song. ($5) put a glossy coat of paint on the classic corridor shooter, amplifying the intensity while adding more of a horrifying edge to the monsters you encounter along the way.Doom 3 finds you exploring an experimental research facility on Mars that has accidentally opened a portal to Hell—and unsurprisingly, Hell’s inhabitants aren’t too happy to see you. Expect long walks through darkened rooms filled with grotesque monsters, along with plenty of blasting, plus there’s a Resurrection of Evil expansion available if the main game isn’t enough.
Whether you play on Mac or iOS, Playdead’s ($10) is a game that can’t be missed. And it’s absolutely haunting: you’ll command a young boy as he wanders through the shadowy forest, encountering strange beasts and surprising traps as you solve puzzles and try to unravel exactly what’s happening. Without dialogue or instruction, it’s never 100 percent clear.But you’ll pick up the fundamentals right away, and then Limbo should have you within its grasp.
Whether you’re trying to fend off a towering spider, avoid a spiky demise, or overcome a perplexing obstacle, this atmospheric adventure delights. And the ultimate payoff is pretty great, too.
It’s only a couple of hours long, but it’s brilliant from start to finish. Slender Man is one weird, weird Internet artifact: a creation of the Something Awful forums that somehow became a cult sensation, generating all sorts of memes, fan media, and even some horrifying real-life violence.
That last bit is terrible, terrible stuff, but if you want to be scared stupid without anyone actually being hurt, play ($10).Primarily set within a forest, you’ll explore with a flashlight and try to figure out where your friends have gone and then you’ll stumble upon the titular antagonist, a supernaturally tall and long-limbed monster without a face. And then the screen will get fuzzy. And then you should definitely turn around and run if you want to survive.
When the zombies rise and begin roaming the Earth, most games would have you shoot your way out of it. ($25) has some of that, sure, but it also throws in more than a dash of Minecraft, letting you craft weapons and armor, build up defenses, mine and scavenge for resources, and work together to survive for as long as you can against the undead.Even with more of a strategic sandbox edge, 7 Days to Die is plenty intense whether played in single-player or multiplayer modes. For all of the exploration, structure-building, and menu navigating, there’s plenty of brain-blasting and head-bashing to find here.
Even six years later, ($20) is still considered a master class in designing a totally twisted and completely unnerving game experience. It’s a first-person adventure game set inside a castle, with your character trying to piece together his past.
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However, there are threats abound—both inside the location and within your mind, as well.Daniel is prone to hallucinations, and how can you trust your ability to evade enemies if you can’t even believe what you’re seeing? It’s a constant struggle that makes Amnesia truly one of the most grueling survival horror adventures around, plus there’s an expansion pack to endure, not to mention a grisly standalone sequel called Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs.
Obsession can drive one to madness, and that’s exactly the premise of ($20). You’re a painter locked inside a Victorian mansion, eager to complete your ultimate work, but there’s a big problem: you’re completely nuts. And that’s represented within this horror game in a rather visceral and eerie way, as the environment changes with every camera movement, leaving you ever unsure of where you are or what’s real.It’s heavy on jump-scares, which our friends at PCWorld say is a downside, but the way it toys with your expectations and assumptions is pretty spectacular.
“The way rooms twist and turn in on each other like a hellish labyrinth, an impossible house full of impossible things—it’s unsettling,”. Much like Alien: Isolation, ($20) isn’t designed to make you feel like an all-powerful warrior. In fact, you’re a journalist—and no, the job description doesn’t come with firearm proficiency. As an investigative reporter, you’ll explore the Mount Massive Asylum, where rumors claim that horrific experiments are taking place.
Yes, the rumors are clearly true.You’ll find that out quickly when being pursued by some freakish, ultra-fast beast, and you’ll need to run or hide to evade their capture (and your demise). Thankfully, you have a night-vision camcorder to help you explore the darkened hallways and gruesome operating rooms, but that won’t help you much when you’re trying to sprint to safety. Ah, to view the world from the eyes of a precious two-year-old. It sounds well, it actually sounds kind of terrifying, no? And this isn’t your average single family home in ($15), or at least it doesn’t appear that way from your undeveloped mind. Woken by an unknown noise, you’ll wander the space seeking comfort and light.The environments can look twisted and strange, and the creatures—or monsters—are unknown and terrifying, but at least you have a sentient stuffed bear to reassure you and light up when pressed. Still, there’s an unsettling backstory here about a seeming dispute between the mother and father, and Among the Sleep has been lauded for its emotional gut-punch of a narrative.
Many of the games of this list have realistic (or semi-realistic) graphics and may take place from a first-person perspective to boost the immersion, but you don’t have to see a game world from your character’s eyes to be spooked by it. That’s clearly the case with ($15), a much-loved indie game that has an old-school, 16-bit-esque pixel graphics look to it.Thankfully, that doesn’t neuter the tension or freaky atmosphere at all. You’re the titular hero: a rare survivor trying to escape a disease-ridden city, only you’re dealing with some vivid hallucinations amidst the aggressive mutants. It’s a blend of adventure, action, and simulation games, with a bit of virtual pet management tossed in, and your choices along the way help shape the conclusion. ($30) hails from Frictional Games, the same studio behind Amnesia: The Dark Descent, but it’s thankfully not as exhausting of a horror grind. That’s not to say that it lacks tension and atmosphere, however: with a sci-fi storyline and setting, it’s one of the most memorable Mac games released in recent memory.The first-person adventure takes place on an underwater lab called PATHOS-II, where the robots have developed personalities and think they’re alive. Not creepy enough for you?
Well, wait and see what happens when the lights are out. Our sister site PCWorld dropped on SOMA last year, claiming, “SOMA does BioShock better than BioShock ever did BioShock.”. Train conductors probably deal with a lot of day-to-day stress, but this is next-level: ($15) puts you in the job as you try to guide a train of survivors through the aftermath of an apocalypse. As you might expect, that’s not the easiest task around.You’ll need to keep the train in working condition as you travel from station to station, and each destination is filled with infected attackers—but resources are scarce, so blasting a path through them isn’t your smartest approach. Even with a pixel-art aesthetic, it’s filled with tension and startling violence, and it seems like the kind of game you can play multiple times over with varying experiences.
In Fortnite, you and 99 other players will have to scramble to find weapons, shields, and resources for a chance to be the last man (or squad) standing.You can’t just hide and hope for the best, however; the longer you survive, the tighter the playing area becomes, forcing you to engage in combat. And as you’d expect from one of the finest, the competition can be brutal.But Fortnite is more than just another Battle Royale game, it also allows you to use its unique building mechanics to better hunt (or escape from) your opponents.Those willing to pay will be able to unlock more cool skins and other cosmetic items. But other than that, everyone gets access to the full game!Verdict: This is a generous free-to-play game.Benchmark results (in FPS). Testing Conditions: We tested the game using the Low Quality Preset, 100% 3D Resolution, V-Sync Off and 1280×800 resolution:Can your Mac run it? Fortnite used to be very demanding. Even our 2016 MacBook Pro couldn’t pass the 30 FPS mark (which is the absolute minimum for a fast-paced online shooter). However, the Mac performance of the game has improved a lot and the game is now playable on more machines.Any bugs you should be aware of? Not exactly a bug, but be aware that performance is terrible as soon as your character jumps from the bus. This is also improving but not entirely gone yet.
Be patient and wait until performance improves and FPS stabilize.Verdict: Somewhat DemandingSystem Requirements: OS 10.12.6 and a machine that supports Metal, 2.4 GHz Intel Core i3 Processor, 4 GB RAM, Intel HD 4000 or better. Developed by, Starcraft 2 is a real-time strategy game that shouldn’t need an introduction.Sequel to the critically-acclaimed Starcraft, Starcraft 2 features the most intense, fast-paced and well-oiled gameplay you’ll ever see in a real-time strategy game.
A good and mouse are both mandatory!Starcraft 2 was already a must-buy when it was $59.99, but now that the game offers an extremely generous free-to-play version, you owe it yourself to try it.The free-to-play version of Starcraft 2 gives you the complete Wings of Liberty campaign, ranked and unranked Multiplayer, and every co-op commander available. And if you ever want more, you can pay to unlock more single-player campaigns, special skins, etc.Verdict: This is a generous free-to-play game.Benchmark results (in FPS). Counter-Strike practically gave birth to the competitive FPS scene and is responsible for most of the LAN parties that took place in the 90s. That was a long time ago, but Counter-Strike has managed to evolve and remain relevant.In 2012, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was released and it expanded upon the team-based gameplay it pioneered 19 years earlier. With new maps, characters, weapons, and its extremely solid gameplay, CS: GO easily became (and still is) one of the most played games on the planet.And now that the game and includes Danger Zone, a brand-new battle royale mode, CS: GO is a must for anyone remotely interested in shooters.Verdict: This is a generous free-to-play game.Benchmark results (in FPS). There are so many good MMOs out there it can be hard to figure out where to start. If you’re in that situation, why not begin your adventure with Lord of the Rings Online?Developed by Turbine, LotRO follows the story from the books and movies and gives free access to almost everything the game has to offer.
The only differences with the paid version are so small, they’re easy to forget considering LotRO is one of the higher-quality MMOs available.Lord of the Rings Online isn’t just for fans of Tolkien’s work, it’s for anyone who loves the classic MMO formula (such as World of Warcraft’s) but prefers to not have to pay for it. The amount of fun you can have with this game without paying a dime is outrageous, making it one of the finest free online Mac games available.Verdict: This is a generous free-to-play game.Benchmark results (in FPS).
Few companies can deliver as high-quality free games as Valve, but one that certainly can is Blizzard. Hearthstone is their digital collectible card game based on the popular Warcraft universe. If you’re not usually into card games, don’t skip ahead just yetthis one is widely praised by everyone.Hearthstone is much simpler than you would imagine. In every match, you pull three or four cards (depending on who goes first) out of your customized deck of 30 cards. There are different card types (weapons, spells and minions), but the objective is clear: empty your opponent’s health before he does the same to you.Hearthstone is a great game. It’s easy for new players to get into but offers enough depth to keep you hooked. It also benefits from frequent, free expansions to refresh the available cards.Verdict: This is a generous free-to-play game.Benchmark results (in FPS).
Crusader Kings 2 was already one of our favorite Strategy games on Mac, but now that the game is free, it has become one of our top recommendations.CK2 is a 4X turn-based strategy game that features immensely challenging, yet rewarding gameplay. This is a game you can sink an insane amount of time into, but it will require a lot of patience and discipline. On the other hand, you will witness a fascinating medieval story worthy of a Game of Thrones remake.By the way, Crusader Kings 2 is one of those games that are entirely free, including every feature available and even an Expansion. How is this possible? Developer Paradox made it free to celebrate the announcement of the upcoming Crusader Kings 3.Verdict: This is a truly (100%) free game. This indie action-adventure game puts you in control of an unnamed adventurer, known as the Spelunker.
Your aim is to explore the underground tunnels and gather as much treasure as possible while avoiding the traps and enemies filling the tunnels.The gameplay is straightforward: whip or jump on enemies; pick up items; or use bombs and ropes to further explore the caves. Levels are randomly generated, and you only get one life (if you die, you have to start from the beginning). Although this sounds like it’d make the game frustrating, it actually gives each run a unique feeling.A good match for fans of 2D platformers who want to reminisce and remember the good old days of Castlevania, Spelunky offers plenty of great, free entertainment.Verdict: This is a truly (100%) free game.
Here’s another game that’s completely free from start to finish. This open-source real-time strategy game comes from, a group of volunteer game developers from around the globe who are obviously big fans of Age of Empires 2.As you’d expect from an RTS game, you’ll spend time gathering resources, developing and advancing technologies, and defending yourself from attacks while launching campaigns on others.
The randomly generated battle maps are based upon the real geography of the ancient world, as are the detailed units, buildings, and technologies.If you’re a developer, you’re invited to contribute to the game’s growth. If you’re not, you can still get creative with the game’s map editor. It’s all free no matter how you get involved with 0 A.D., so dig in and get history started off right.
And if you really like it, consider contributing to the game’s development.Verdict: This is a truly (100%) free game. Considered a League of Legends challenger with a greater focus on team play, Heroes of the Storm is another game from Blizzard.Fans of Warcraft, Diablo, Starcraft and other Blizzard titles will be particularly excited to soo their favorite heroes take part in 5 vs 5 battles, either against the AI or against human players in ranked and unranked matches. And on top of creating a solid MOBA geared towards more casual players, Blizzard keeps rolling new game modes, events, and new Heroes to keep you coming back for more.There are around 80 heroes to rotate through, and if you find one you really like you can purchase permanent access to him/her/it through in-game currency or microtransactions. Speaking of that, microtransactions are otherwise relegated to hero customizations and mount purchases. In other words, you won’t need to pay anything to fully enjoy the game.Verdict: A generous free-to-play game.
Originally released back in 2008, we still cannot talk about the best free games for Mac without mentioning Team Fortress 2.TF2 is a team-based FPS developed. Players choose a character from the multiple classes available, then join one of two teams and battle in a variety of game modes such as capture the flag and king of the hill. Its fan base remains faithful due to its art direction, gameplay, and humor, making Team Fortress 2 one of the top-rated games of all time. Plus, find the right team and Team Fortress 2 becomes an excellent cooperative.Fans of online first-person shooters will get into this one quickly, and remain active thanks to the game’s strong sense of community and the high production values typical of Valve. Purchases are relegated to unique weapons, outfits, and such, so they’re certainly not necessary to stay involved.Verdict: A generous free-to-play game. In League of Legends, you have to destroy the opposing team’s nexus which lies at the heart of a guarded base.
Battles last around 20 to 60 minutes, with your Champions starting out at a very low level. They gain experience throughout the match and—equally important—they earn gold that can be used to buy in-game items to increase their powers and abilities.League of Legends remains one of the most popular and successful MOBA games available, but be warned, this is a complex and highly competitive game, and the community is known for being particularly harsh towards newbies.You have over 100 champions at your disposal, and you can spend money to purchase them (as well as multi-game boosts) straight-away. Beyond that, microtransactions are relegated largely to cosmetic items.Verdict: This is a generous free-to-play game. You’ve certainly heard of Cave Story—and you’ve maybe even played one of its console or Steam iterations—but did you know this Metroidvania style 2D platformer started as a “free time” project for developer Daisuke “Pixel” Amaya? It took him five years to develop the game, and it became one of the first Indie gaming successes.Cave Story quickly gained traction because of its great story and solid gameplay.
You start as an amnesiac who wakes up in (you got it) a cave, and as per usual when you find yourself alone and without memories in a cave, you quickly learn you’ll have to fight a crazy doctor who plans to conquer the world.The enhanced version called is available pretty much everywhere, but the original Cave Story is still available for free.Verdict: This is a truly (100%) free game. Dwarf Fortress is part construction, part management, part roguelike, and part text-based. Yes, text-based.A typical Dwarf Fortress game involves a randomly generated world in which you indirectly control a group of dwarves in an attempt to build an underground fortress. Without much direction (the game has no objectives) and text-based graphics, this game is hard. But that’s also Dwarf Fortress’ charm. Once you figure out how everything works, building that fortress becomes an addiction.Also, part of Dwarf Fortress’s fame comes from the fact it’s a two-member project that survives solely on donations.Dwarf Fortress is a good option for folks who appreciate a good challenge (it’s famous for its difficulty and complexity) and who don’t need high-end graphics to enjoy a good gaming session.
You can also feel good about yourself for supporting the indie movement.Verdict: This is a truly (100%) free game. Here’s another game that promises “ No Pay to Win. No Pay to Play. No hidden fees. No monthly costs.
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And it’s going to stay that way forever.” Sound good?Brawlhalla is a 2D platformer fighting game along the lines of Super Smash Bros., only with many more gameplay options (you have to have something to compensate for the loss of Ike, I guess). There are online ranked 1v1 and 2v2, online 4 player free-for-all, online 8 player free-for-all, and 4v4. Locally, you’ve got free-for-all, custom teams, and a single-player tournament.And if the gameplay options don’t keep things fresh, the multitude of weapons and power-ups available during the brawls will certainly keep things moving along. If you do want to pay, you can unlock all of the characters or you can get different outfits for them.
But if you decide to keep your money to yourself, it won’t stop you from winning.Verdict: This is a generous free-to-play game. Terrified by the concept of joining a book club? Then this game’s for you. A visual novel by Team Salvato, Doki Doki Literature Club is actually a psychological horror game in disguise.It starts out innocently enough, with your character joining a high school literary club.
There’s a poem writing mechanic you can use to flirt with the various girls in the club, and there’s a lot of dialogue to click through. But things turn dark very quickly and you’ll soon find that Doki Doki Literature Club is not really about finding your one true love through books.The game breaks the fourth wall quite a bit, creating a wholly meta experience that’s effective even if you’ve never played a dating sim before. Be prepared for the disturbing contentand plenty of restarts.
You’ll need to play through the game a few times to get the ending that won’t put you off high school clubs forever.Verdict: This is a generous free-to-play game. Remember Transport Tycoon Deluxe? It was a business simulation game released back in 1995, so if you were too young or just missed it, its spirit lives on with this open-source remake.Like its inspiration, the point of Open TTD is to make money by transporting people and cargo via planes, trains, automobiles, and boats. Each time you successfully move an object from point A to point B you’ll get income that can be used to build better methods of transportation.
All this takes place between 1950 and 2050, giving you plenty of different technologies to develop and utilize.Of course, technology has changed quite a bit since 1995, and Open TTD has taken advantage of that by expanding the game with larger maps, an enhanced UI, multi-language support, custom AI, and plenty more. Even better, Open TTD features online and local multiplayer with up to 255 players!
And although updated, the game does retain its original visual charm.Verdict: This is a truly (100%) free game. Dota Underlords is Valve’s latest game and their take on Auto Chess, a brand-new genre that came to life as a mod for, guess what, Dota 2! Still exists but Dota Underlords is Valve’s free-to-play take on the genre, meaning you can safely test it risk-free.In case you’re unfamiliar with Auto Chess games, the game will pit you against seven opponents in a battle where tactics are everything. You’ll have to carefully choose your units, properly combine them and place them on a board. Then you sit back and watch the game unfold.
In other words, you do half the work, the strategizing, while the game handles the rest automatically.Dota Underlords is still in Early Access, meaning some features are still unavailable. That said, this is still a fun free-to-play game that can be enjoyed without spending a dime.Verdict: This is a generous free-to-play game. Born as a mod for the Source engine, Fistful of Frags is a deathmatch game set in the Wild West. It has your basic options such as versus and elimination modes, but separates itself with some unique mechanics.For example, it has a dual wield weapon system with double dynamic crosshairs, and you can even throw your weapons as projectiles when all else fails. And speaking of weapons, the historical guns available to you are slower to use than modern first-person deathmatch games, but they’re still quite powerful. It also forces you to play things a little more realistically than when you’re using tasers, bazookas and flak cannons. The more skilled you become with your guns, the more you’ll be rewarded.Even better?
You won’t have to pay a dime to play Fistful of Frags; no microtransactions exist within the game. Use the money to buy some whiskey, if you’re of age, as the game seems to focus on that quite heavily.Verdict: This is a truly (100%) free game.
The Battle for Wesnoth is an open-source, turn-based strategy game featuring turn-based battles on a hex grid that will take you back to the ‘90s visually.The Battle for Wesnoth features 16 single-player campaigns and 46 multiplayer maps (online and hot seat) over which more than 200 units will battle. The game has developed a large, dedicated fanbase due to the quality and quantity of content, the engaging gameplay, and the fact that it’s free (not to mention its Tolkienesque setting).That community has, in turn, contributed a ton of user-made content ranging from new campaigns and factions to artwork.Verdict: This is a generous free-to-play game. Sometimes you want to play a game with just one button. We get that, and that’s why we offer up Canabalt. This endless runner has been released on everything from iOS to the Commodore 64 (waitwhat?), and it offers plenty of frenetic fun on Mac.Basically, you’re a dude running from some sort of threat.
We’ve all been there, right? In Canabalt, this involves running/jumping across rooftops as you dodge various obstacles along the way. Unlike in real life, you get faster as you progress, increasing the challenge.And unlike many endless runners available, the environments in Canabalt are procedurally generated. This means the game is more about skill than memorization, and it greatly increases the replay value. If you’re looking for a free way to kill some time on your Mac, Canabalt is it.Verdict: This is a truly (100%) free game. For your reference, this is how we describe the different levels of performance (in frames per second): Below 20 FPSUnplayableLaggy gameplay, full of stutters and slowdowns.20-30 FPSBorderlineCan be Ok in slow paced games.
Still, not optimal.30-45 FPSPlayableAcceptable for most (most gaming consoles do this).45-60 FPSSmoothFluid gameplay, with no perceivable stutters.60+ FPSVery SmoothFor hardcore and professional players, a luxury for most.We usually aim for 30 FPS, because 30 FPS is enough to guarantee a smooth and fluid experience. This video does a great job at showing the differences between 30 FPS VS 60 FPS. GamesGamesOur takeGenreMMORPGGuild Wars 2Because you can’t have a guild without having wars. If you tend to prefer story-driven games, this MMORPG actually builds a storyline around your actions. It’s a great way to stay involved when you get tired of fighting for fighting’s sake.Developed by ArenaNet and published by NCSOFT, Guild Wars 2 uses a dynamics event system as opposed to traditional quests to create the story within its persistent world. Select your race choose your profession, pick your skills and join the fight.74 MetascoreMMORPGMMORPGTroveThis sandbox MMORPG allows you to play as a pirate, a dinosaur tamer, a headless knight, and more.
Developed and published by Trion Worlds, Trove invites players to build a world, explore others, fight, and go home (it’s the only place you’ll be safe, after all).The game is visually reminiscent of Minecraft, but offers plenty more dungeons to explore, abilities to master and bosses to defeat. And because everyone’s competing with Fortnite these days, there’s a battle royal mode to keep the kids happy.NA MetascoreMMORPGMMORPGEVE OnlineSurprisingly, this is only one of the few MMORPGs set in space as opposed to a fantasy world. EVE Online features over 7,800 star systems to explore and conquer, and its unscripted setup means you can do so at your discretion.Its persistent world of mining, piracy, manufacturing, trading, exploration, and combat will keep you entertained for a very long time, and there’s now a limited free-to-play to help you get started. EVE Online has even been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, for crying out loud!NA MetascoreMMORPGMOBASMITEThis free to play third-person MOBA from the developers of Paladins allows players to control a god and get into the thick of the team-based combat with the game’s third-person perspective.You get five free gods (from the available 80-plus) when you sign up, and new content is released every two weeks. Start off in the newbie-friendly arena mode and build up your skills until you’re ready to become a Grandmaster in the SMITE World Championship (or just have fun with the numerous promotions events).NA MetascoreMOBAShooterXonoticTotally free and totally open-source, this first-person shooter runs on a modified Quake engine and is inspired by Unreal Tournament and Quake (but with enhanced player movement). This means you can play classic modes such as deathmatch and capture the flag, but you can unlock 14 more for a wide variety of intense combat options.And as you’d expect when hearing the names Quake and Unreal Tournament, Xonotic, is a rare first-person shooter action amongst the other games on our list.NA MetascoreShooterCollectible CardsThe Elder Scrolls: LegendsA collectible card game featuring two-player turn-based combat (against a human or computer opponent). The cards are based on characters and creatures from The Elder Scrolls, pitting the player character against a High Elf named Naarifin who intends to fulfill the Culling with the help of an army of demons.The game is free-to-play, with expansion sets available for purchase (including one that features elements from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim).
The latest—Houses of Morrowind—was just released in April of this year.NA MetascoreCollectible CardsActionSuper Crate BoxThis is certainly one of the more unique freeware games on our list. Super Crate Box provides old-school arcade action mixed with the intense excitement of modern survival games. The enemies won’t quit coming, and the only thing you have to stop them is one of 14 weapons provided at random by the crate box.Pick up your weapon, kill as many as you can, then hit up the crate box for a new, different weapon. If you don’t stop the enemies before they reach the firepit they’ll return even faster. May the odds be ever in your favor, or something like that.NA MetascoreActionRacingSuperTuxKartSuperTuxKart is a kart racer with several racing modes for single and multiplayer action, as well as plenty of characters to obtain and use.There are 21 to unlock within the game’s story (it involves a kidnapping and a race-to-save-your-friend element if you must know), but with the open source model, there are plenty more to download via add-ons. SuperTuxKart has some pretty impressive, colorful racing environments that are fun to drive through.NA MetascoreRacingShooterMarathonOh, Marathon, glorious Marathon.
One of the all-time great first-person shooters for the Mac is still available, and it’s available for free. You can’t call yourself a Mac gamer without having played this.Marathon broke new ground in the first-person shooter genre across all platforms, which is quite an achievement as it was only available for Mac OS. Developed before microtransactions were even a thing, it’s totally free to play from start to finish. Still a blast to play despite its age.NA MetascoreShooterExperimentalThe Plan“A fly ascends to the skies, pondering the pointlessness of its brief existence.” They say a fly’s life is only three days, but it’s not like it knows that, right?
A fly doesn’t know death from Shinola.But we do, and that makes this “experiment” from the developers of Among the Sleep a beautiful bit of relaxing freeware. It doesn’t last much more than five minutes, but isn’t that kind of perfect? Gorgeous visuals and simple gameplay to share with others.NA MetascoreExperimentalAdventureUnturnedWork with friends to survive a zombie-infested land (because that always turns out so well). This F2P game comes from the creator of the Battlefield and Deadzone games in Roblox, bringing with it similarly blocky graphics that make the proceedings a bit more lighthearted than your usual zombie fare.You’ll be up against nature and other players—not just zombies—as you attempt to fortify your stronghold in the Yukon, Hawaii, Russia and other official and community created maps. Also, you have access to jet skis and helicopters. As you should.NA MetascoreAdventureActionThe ExpendabrosVideo games have thankfully become quite diverse over the past decade, but every now and again you just want to help some old-school arcade burly men go on an old-school action mission of intense side-scrolling mayhem.The Expandabros may be nothing more than a short but free way to try out Broforce, but we see nothing wrong with that when you get to control guys like Broney Ross, Bronar Jenson and Toll Borad.
Take down a ruthless arms dealer and his army of soldiers, artillery and circular saws exactly as ‘80s action heroes would want you to.NA MetascoreActionRole-PlayingRealm GrinderIn this “clicker” from Divine Games you’re a monarch out to expand your realm. You’ll start with nothing more than a meager farm and a strong desire to explore, build, upgrade, and attack. Are you good? Are you evil? Let the other players decide.Your concern should be solely with clicking to get rich.
Whether you get there by dealing with elves, demons or any of the other dozen factions is up to. How much you spend it also up to you; Realm Grinder is free-to-play, but microtransactions are available if you tire of clicking.NA MetascoreRole-PlayingActionIron SnoutNot content to hide in his house of straw, this little pig would rather defend himself with cleavers, athletic equipment, and whatever else he can find.including the body parts of his enemies.
This free brawler is bloody and violent, but its colorfully cartoonish and often humorous presentation help to keep the proceedings light.The fast-paced action is enhanced by simple controls that helps you get started quickly, but you’re going to need some practice to unlock all of the game’s achievements.NA MetascoreActionStrategyOpenRAThis is your chance to play one of the earliest (and finest) real-time strategy games for free, as OpenRA is pretty much just Command and Conquer. The classic real-time strategy game from Westwood Studios has been made available through and maintained by the open-source community, and has been updated to run natively on modern operating systems and screen resolutions.So, although it retains the visual style of the 1995 original, it plays just fine on your iMac or MacBook. OpenRA offers many “modern features” as well, including dual-button mouse input, fog or war, and streaming support.NA MetascoreStrategyShooterShadow Warrior ClassicFrom the creators of Duke Nukem 3D comes his Asian counterpart.
This throwback first-person shooter is equally juvenile, equally over-the-top, and equally fun.provided your mindset is rooted firmly in the 1990s.The lead character’s name is Lo Wang, and that should tell you everything you need to know. The bad jokes, gore and stereotypes are almost as prevalent as the repeated environment textures, but that’s just what we played in the ‘90s. It was either this or Mario Teaches Typing. At least now it’s free.NA MetascoreShooter. We know that game fandom is subjective. We all have our own filters that lead us to a specific genre or title, but there’s a lot of commonality in those filters. Here’s what we used to determine which games should be included here and where they should rank.
NativeYou’d be surprised how many Top Games for macOS lists feature Windows-only games. Each and every one of the games mentioned here is officially supported on macOS and does not require Bootcamp or Wine. Mac PerformanceHaving said that, we haven’t specifically tested each game on multiple Mac systems. Because all of these games can be freely downloaded and tested, we didn’t feel the need to benchmark. Check our comments on each game, however, to see which of them are prone to lags or will work well on older Mac systems. Critical acclaimWe know that our opinions are not the only ones that matter.
To keep this guide as relevant as possible, we only considered proven games with positive reviews from both professional reviewers and average gamers. Pricing: How much are these Mac games REALLY?As we mentioned before, there’s a distinction between free and free-to-play (F2P). Both are included here, but check our designations to see which are really free and which require microtransactions of various sorts. Great games are available at any cost. And although there are features and options in $60 titles that you’ll rarely find for free, we continue to be amazed by how much entertainment you can get out of a game that won’t cost you a dime to play.
We had a lot of fun learning about and playing these games, and we hope you will, too.As you check them out, we only have two requests for you. First, be sure to tell us about any great Mac free games we missed. And second, if you can, send some financial love to the developers.Game development is a hard road to travel, and these people deserve to be rewarded. Kirk's love for Apple and Mac gaming lead him to Applelinks.com in 1997, where he would eventually become editor. He was then hired to become editor of AppleTell.com before it was bought out and shut down eight years later.
During this time, he also contributed to GamerTell, Inside Mac Games, Mac Gamer’s Ledge, and Dealerscope. Kirk is now vice president of client services at Dynamics Online, Inc, and is also co-founder and managing editor of BESTAppleTV.com, a website dedicated to viewing, gaming, and browsing on the Apple TV device.21 Comments. With the recent high sierra and the ability to connect egpu boxes via thunderbold there is a whole new world that opens for game players. Imagine playing with one of these top cards from Nvidia or AMD. Maybe we should open a page or forum thread for those who are interested in this option. As always, there is much more on the horizon than Apple pretends to publish.But as always, users will have to help each other out, even go into the grey zone to discover al the posibilities.Let the games future begin!. I can also highly recommend the Mac version of World of Warships.Initially there was only a semi-official Wine based port, that did work flawlessly most of the time.But Wargaming have worked with Codeweavers to create an official port that works really well, even though it’s still largely a Wine bottle based solution.
I can even run it in 4K on my 2010 Mac Pro, with a MacVidCards GTX980, quite a few macs should be able to run it at 1080p on medium settings. Make sure you have a SSD. My 2011 MBP can also run it, and my 2018 MBP runs it quite happily.Make sure you get the right one for your region. This is the EU one:.
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January 2023
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