Foretales, the narrative card game from publisher Dear Villagers, is the Epic Games Store's free pick this week. The offer went live on July 23 and runs until July 30 at 4pm BST (that's roughly 11am ET). Claim it before then and it's yours to keep permanently.
The game normally retails for $19.99 on the Epic Games Store, so this is a straightforward free pickup. Worth noting: it's also on sale on Steam for $2.99 until July 28, but there's no reason to pay anything when Epic is giving it away.
What Foretales actually is
The setup is classic fantasy-apocalypse stuff. A curse is ravaging the realm, and a small-time thief named Volepain gets pulled into a conflict that will determine whether the world survives or gets swallowed by the Maelstrom. The Weaver entrusted godlike instruments of creation to her children, the Nymphants, and figuring out what they're really after sits at the center of the whole story.
Here's the thing: Foretales isn't a traditional RPG. The narrative plays out through card-based decision-making, with turn-based combat layered in at key moments. You're managing resources, making branching story choices, and steering multiple characters toward (or away from) salvation. Multiple endings mean the decisions you make actually stick.
The game is narrated by Travis Willingham, who voice actors fans will recognize as Sephiroth in the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy and from his long run on Critical Role. That alone gives the audio presentation a leg up on most games at this price point.
Who will click with this one
If Baldur's Gate 3 hooked you on turn-based fantasy combat and character-driven storytelling, Foretales scratches a similar itch at a much smaller scale. The card mechanics are described by players as "simple and intuitive," which makes it accessible even if deck-builders aren't usually your thing. One Steam reviewer called it "one of the best video games ever made," which is the kind of hyperbole that usually signals a game punching well above its budget.
Player sentiment on Steam sits at 86%, which is a solid indicator the core loop holds up across a playthrough.
The branching structure also means replaying to see different outcomes is a genuine option, not just a marketing bullet point. With up to 32 hours of content for completionists, there's more here than most free giveaways offer.
How to claim it before it's gone
Head to the Epic Games Store, search for Foretales, and hit the free button. You'll need a free Epic account if you don't already have one. The offer expires July 30, so you have about a week from today.
PC only for this one, though the game runs on lower-spec hardware without issues, so you don't need a powerhouse rig.
If you want more free content to chase down while you're at it, check out our gaming guides for tips across a range of titles. And if you're already deep into Epic's ecosystem through Fortnite, there's a separate guide on how to get the free Jess skin in Save the World that's worth a look before that window closes too. Epic tends to run overlapping free offers, so it pays to stay on top of what's available across all their modes and storefronts, including Fortnite Save the World Twitch Drops if you want to stack rewards.
