Battle for Wesnoth

Battle for Wesnoth is proof that free games can be both epic and ridiculously addictive. Released in 2005 by David White, this turn-based strategy title combines charming pixel art with deceptively deep tactical gameplay. At first glance, it looks like a simple grid-based fantasy war game, but then it smacks you with permadeath units, tricky terrain, and story campaigns that will eat away hours of your life. The open-source community has kept it alive with mods, add-ons, and custom campaigns, making it feel like a never-ending fantasy anthology. It’s free, it’s polished, and it will absolutely humble you if you underestimate it.