One of the most iconic "walking simulator" games, Dear Esther, is free on Steam for a limited time in its Landmark Edition guise, giving you the chance to experience one of the most inspiring games of the past 20 years. It helped drive games like Amnesia A Machine for Pigs, Outlast, Visage, Gone Home, Firewatch, Soma, and Death Stranding, among many others.
Dear Esther is a contemplative experience, divulging a story to you as you walk around an island, following in the footsteps of your predecessor. It's a moving and personal experience, lacking any of the action of almost all other games, and focusing instead on narrative, immersion, and setting. It's a deeply engaing experience if you can allow yourself to lean into its unique look and feel.
You can complete it in about an hour too, so if you've never played your way through it before and fancy exploring on of the roots of modern gaming styles, then it's well worth grabbing while it's available for free.
Part of this is to help advertise the re-release of developer The Chinese Room's Little Orpheus, a surprise Apple Arcade hit from 2020 that is now making its way to Steam in March.
