Free Will

About

Free Will is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Kipps In A Box and was released on May 7, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

THE GAME IS CORRUPTED. DO YOU WISH TO PROCEED? Free Will is a 2D psychological puzzle RPG suffering from corruption. Playing this game means you accept the responsibility of cleansing Corruption from its system. You control Will, a sick little boy who has been bedridden for most of his life, but must now fight against reality-breaking monsters as he struggles to understand the depth of his own au…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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97%

Audience ScoreBased on 175 reviews

story29 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

Innovative meta gameplay mechanic requiring players to manipulate game files to progress, creating a unique and immersive experience.
Emotionally impactful and well-written story with strong characters that deeply engage players.
Great art style and soundtrack that enhance the atmosphere, making the game memorable and enjoyable despite its short length.

Achievement system is mutually exclusive, allowing players to obtain only one of the two endings' achievements without cheating or reinstalling.
Some puzzles and mechanics can be confusing or complex, especially for players not familiar with manipulating computer files.
Occasional issues with missing files or needing to run the game from specific directories can cause frustration or block game progression.

story
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
37%
6%
The game's story is widely praised for its emotional depth, unique meta-narrative style, and engaging characters, often evoking strong player connections and thought-provoking themes. Despite its brevity, the plot is considered rich and satisfying, effectively intertwined with innovative gameplay mechanics that enhance the storytelling experience. Overall, players find the story memorable, impactful, and well worth exploring, especially given the game's free availability.
- “Plus the story, the characters, and the message behind the story especially stuck with me.”
- “The story is very rich and takes a much-anticipated direction.”
- “The overall gameplay is very unique and super fun, although I must admit I might have had to use a tutorial for one of the puzzles, the story is amazing and it really makes you feel connected to the characters, both endings are top tier but especially the free will one.”
- “No story, like playing 'Candy Crush' for the story.”
- “The story is no slouch either; it keeps you wanting to know more about the characters and their backstories, but overall it's quite short.”
- “For someone new to computers, it was a a bit complex at first, and once I understood the context and the story, I couldn't finish it.”
gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
45%
14%
The gameplay is praised for its unique meta mechanics, creatively integrating interactions both inside and outside the game, such as file manipulation and fourth-wall-breaking puzzles. It offers an engaging, cohesive experience that combines intuitive yet thought-provoking mechanics with a compelling narrative, maintaining a brisk pace without frequent restarts. Overall, it’s a standout example of innovative, short-form gameplay that surprises and captivates players.
- “Free Will is a very fun game to play mechanically, having the player perform a fair few interesting actions both inside and outside the game, done quite creatively.”
- “Free Will keeps its scope very small, allowing it to experiment with brand new meta-gameplay in many different ways.”
- “The gameplay experience hooked me quickly with the meta interactions and file manipulation.”
- “Free will keeps its scope very small, limiting experimentation with new meta-gameplay.”
- “Most of the mechanics were pretty intuitive, but I had an issue not realizing things could be dragged into the game screen.”
- “The mechanics weren't super complex and didn't provide much challenge.”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely praised for its powerful emotional impact, often described as both heartwarming and heartbreaking, with many players moved to tears. Its concise yet touching story resonates deeply, delivering a memorable and harrowing experience. Overall, it is celebrated as an emotional indie gem that leaves a lasting impression.
- “This game is incredibly heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time... I love it so much, even though the completionist in me is a bit bummed that I'll never get to keep both achievements lol.”
- “Absolutely incredible and extremely heartbreaking, cried the entire time I played it but it was beyond worth it.”
- “For although short, the story was concise, emotional, and had me hooked.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The music in the game is widely praised for being catchy, immersive, and enhancing the narrative experience. Players frequently highlight the soundtrack as a standout element that adds to the game's atmosphere and memorability. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the enjoyment and engagement of the game.
- “I liked the game; it's a nice short meta-horror/file exploration game with dope mechanics, cool music, and good narrative.”
- “The music is good, enhancing immersion and making you feel more connected to the story.”
- “The music is very catchy (I've had the Kipps mini-game song stuck in my head all day).”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
37%
The graphics are praised for their unique, Undertale-inspired art style that combines fun visuals with a distinct aesthetic. Users appreciate the game's gorgeous and varied visual presentation, which effectively complements its serious themes and storytelling. Overall, the artwork is described as both beautiful and engaging.
- “I was looking to try some free games because I was bored of the ones I had, and this one caught my eye with its Undertale-like art style, yet it had its completely unique style and storytelling.”
- “Lovely gameplay with fun mechanics, gorgeous visuals and audio in multiple styles, and a devastatingly beautiful storyline.”
- “It has a great visual aesthetic and tackles some pretty serious themes.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is generally stable, but minor glitches appear gradually and eventually lead to significant corruption. Despite these issues, the overall experience remains engaging with a compelling story and reveal.
- “All the glitches were annoying, although the story was great and the reveal was impressive.”
- “However, minor glitches occur gradually before the game becomes too corrupted to play.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users indicate that grinding in the game requires additional time or effort, suggesting it may be somewhat time-consuming or repetitive.
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is effectively eerie and unsettling, with the music and tracks skillfully creating a spooky and immersive experience.
- “Exe and also all the more atmospheric tracks did a really good job getting me uncomfortable and spooked.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers good replayability by allowing players to experience both endings, encouraging multiple playthroughs to see the full story.
- “Both endings are playable, allowing you to experience each ending.”