Steam regularly gives PC players a chance to try something new without spending a cent, whether through games that are temporarily free to play or occasional giveaways that can be kept forever. These promotions can be a good excuse to sample a lesser-known game you might otherwise overlook, or convince a few friends to dedicate a weekend to a new multiplayer experience.
Two very different games with positive reviews are currently getting the free-to-play treatment, and you have until Aug. 4 to give them a go. Neither is free to keep, so access disappears once the promotional period ends, though both games are also discounted for anyone who decides to stick around.
Chaotic 200-player battles set in World War I
The first game, Over The Top: WWI, is a large-scale World War I shooter that launched in March 2026. Its huge battles invite some obvious comparisons to modern war games like Battlefield 6 and Hell Let Loose, with infantry fighting alongside tanks, artillery, and aircraft across maps that can support as many as 200 players. It’s rougher around the edges and less cinematic than mainstream warfare titles, but that lack of polish is part of the appeal: explosions can tear apart fortifications and reshape the battlefield, while players can dig trenches and build up defensive positions as a match unfolds.
The free weekend arrives alongside the game’s new US Expeditionary Forces update, which adds the United States to the conflict along with new maps, uniforms, weapons, vehicles, and a first-person perspective.
A remake of a PlayStation tactical RPG classic
The other free-to-play game is Front Mission 3: Remake, a turn-based tactical RPG built around battles between heavily customizable mechs known as Wanzers. Released on Steam in January, it’s a modern remake of the 1999 PlayStation game, with updated graphics and animations, reorchestrated music, and a new quick combat mode.
Rather than the huge multiplayer firefights of Over The Top: WWI, Front Mission 3 is a slower, more methodical strategy game. Players take control of Kazuki Takemura and his squad as they become embroiled in a military conspiracy involving corporations, secret weapons, and competing nations. Battles revolve around positioning and customizing individual Wanzer parts and weapons, making it a particularly good fit for players who like mechs, JRPGs, and turn-based strategy games.
Both games are free to play on Steam for a limited time, so this is an easy chance to try something outside your usual rotation without committing to a purchase. If either one clicks, the temporary discounts make it cheaper to keep playing once the free period ends.