The Free Ones

77%
Game Brain Score Based on 254 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
The Free Ones Game Cover
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"The Free Ones" is a first-person platformer where you play as Theo, a prisoner who escapes from slave mines using a grapple system. Swing through the man-made island's canyons and wooden structures, using momentum and wits to progress through levels. Along the way, uncover an extraordinary story with a surprising twist.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

77%
Audience ScoreBased on 254 reviews
story49 positive mentions
stability5 negative mentions
  • The movement mechanics are fun and satisfying, allowing for high-speed traversal and engaging gameplay.
  • The game features beautiful environments and a charming atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
  • Despite its flaws, the game provides a unique parkour experience reminiscent of 'A Story About My Uncle'.
  • The story is weak and poorly executed, with lackluster voice acting and a predictable plot.
  • The level design can be frustrating, particularly with sections involving moving crates that lead to unfair deaths.
  • The game is relatively short, with many players completing it in under four hours, making it feel less worth the full price.
  • story233 mentions

    The story in this game has been widely criticized for being weak, repetitive, and lacking depth, often drawing unfavorable comparisons to "A Story About My Uncle." Many reviewers noted that the narrative feels underdeveloped, with poor voice acting and a lack of emotional engagement, leading to a general indifference towards the characters and plot. While some players found the gameplay enjoyable, they often recommended skipping the story altogether or playing the original "A Story About My Uncle" for a more compelling experience.

    • “The developers created a beautiful world and story to explore.”
    • “The story is very intriguing and the whole experience will keep you hooked until the end.”
    • “It has a very unique art style and captivating story.”
    • “The writing is abysmal and I would rather have had 0 story, only implied by the surroundings without explanation!”
    • “The story is practically non-existent and doesn't really make a whole lot of sense in any way whatsoever.”
    • “The biggest downside is the story, and alongside that the only 2 voice actors in the game and none of their performances were very good.”
  • gameplay115 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players enjoying the grappling hook and gliding mechanics that offer a fun and engaging experience. However, criticisms include repetitive environments, clunky controls, and a lack of polish, which can lead to frustration. Overall, while the mechanics are praised for their potential and enjoyment, the execution and level design leave some players wanting more.

    • “The gameplay is fun and rewarding, especially after you get to grips with the grappling hook and how to use it to its full potential.”
    • “The gameplay was really smooth, visuals are pretty good for it being on the Unity engine.”
    • “I really enjoyed the gameplay; the mechanics in this game are smooth and well-polished, though it takes time to adapt to it.”
    • “The gameplay is clunky and the controls are sometimes very unresponsive.”
    • “From a gameplay perspective, the game quickly became dull and repetitive, not having upgrades spaced out as they were in 'A Story About My Uncle.'”
    • “I found myself regularly going, 'not this thing again,' especially in the last half of the game when there are no new movement mechanics to explore, just loads more environmental hazards.”
  • graphics42 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are generally mediocre or simple, often lacking variety and polish. While some appreciate the beautiful environments and unique art style, others criticize the visuals for being uninspired and poorly optimized, with frequent graphical glitches. Overall, the graphics are described as serviceable but not exceptional, with a few standout moments amidst a backdrop of repetitive and bland design.

    • “A beautiful game for sure!.... lovely environments and art style; a ton of fun and at times extremely challenging.”
    • “This is an amazing game with awesome visuals.”
    • “The graphics and visuals look awesome.”
    • “The grapple frequently refused to latch even though the icon was lit up, and my character would also frequently get stuck in the graphics requiring a restart.”
    • “The graphics could pass as ok-ish, but there are moments when you start wondering if you are looking at a bush or at a rendering artifact.”
    • “The graphics are mediocre – there is not much asset variety and the texel resolution (as in pixel density on a model) is really unbalanced.”
  • music21 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising the soundtrack as "great" and well-suited to the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience, especially during intense moments. However, some players find the audio mixing problematic, noting that the music can be overpowering at times, and others feel that the ambient music lacks the depth needed to create a compelling atmosphere. Overall, while the soundtrack is a highlight for many, its inconsistent integration into the game leaves room for improvement.

    • “The music is really amazing, the gameplay is smooth and addictive, and while the story lacks, it's not the worst thing I've experienced in a platformer.”
    • “Soundtrack: music in this game was awesome and it fit into the theme; sounds of you gliding through air and landing were also well made.”
    • “But it does have well-designed levels with a nice atmosphere and matching amazing music.”
    • “Voice acting is alright, but the sound/music gets pretty boring.”
    • “I personally found the default audio mixing bad, with the music being far louder than it should be.”
    • “The game also lacks in the music department; there's some ambient music but it really doesn't create as much of an atmosphere as you would expect.”
  • atmosphere12 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is described as a mixed bag, with some players praising its well-designed levels and engaging music that enhance the experience, particularly during dynamic moments like swinging through the sky. However, criticisms arise from subpar graphics, poor voice acting, and a lack of consistent ambient music, which detracts from the overall immersion. Despite these flaws, many players still find the atmosphere enjoyable and worth the price, especially during moments of fun gameplay.

    • “But it does have well-designed levels with a nice atmosphere and matching amazing music.”
    • “I really enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere and gameplay.”
    • “This game is worth every penny, very atmospheric and amazing parkour.”
    • “The game also lacks in the music department; there's some ambient music but it really doesn't create as much of an atmosphere as you would expect.”
    • “In my opinion, it does not fit the game's atmosphere at all.”
    • “The graphics don’t jump out as amazing. You won’t play through the game and stop to admire environments other than a couple of cool looking places. The character textures and movement really break the atmosphere.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues that detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the visuals and voice acting, the consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, leading to a framerate that does not match its graphical demands. Overall, players recommend waiting for improvements before fully engaging with the game.

    • “The game is pretty, the voice acting (what little there was) was decent and the performance was solid.”
    • “The game is incredible, but it is not optimized correctly.”
    • “Weak story, uninspired visuals, poorly optimized.”
    • “The game is also poorly optimized as its looks don’t justify the framerate.”
    • “It did have optimization issues though.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with reviewers noting a lack of connection to the characters and a melodramatic story that fails to engage. While some players found moments that resonated with them, the overall sentiment is that the game's low budget and poor voice acting detract from any potential emotional impact. Ultimately, the experience is described as lacking depth and emotional involvement, despite some enjoyable gameplay elements.

    • “Made me cry.”
    • “It was a blast, especially the fact that I finished them both in a row made me feel like I was on a really long and thrilling adventure.”
    • “Other than that, there is nothing to cheer the gaming up or add some emotional value to it.”
  • stability6 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally acceptable, with users reporting minor glitches and occasional freezing, but these issues do not significantly detract from the overall enjoyment. While some players experienced bugs, many found them manageable and not as severe as anticipated.

    • “The grappling mechanic is quite pleasant; it's not bug-free, but it's also not as bad as others say.”
    • “The game runs smoothly most of the time, providing a stable experience that enhances gameplay.”
    • “I've encountered very few issues, and the overall stability makes it enjoyable to play.”
    • “I had some minor bugs where the game freezes, but I just waited for a second and I was able to play it again.”
    • “Kinda buggy, but it's still fun.”
    • “A little buggy.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often requiring multiple retries due to challenging level design and difficult-to-reach collectibles. The experience is marred by a sense of luck rather than skill, leading to a repetitive and unenjoyable grind.

    • “Throughout the whole game, the character misses landings by a hair's breadth and then has to retry the whole tedious experience.”
    • “The collectibles are tedious, and half the time they are so far out that you have to get lucky to find them.”
    • “The level design is extremely tedious and frustrating.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely criticized, particularly due to poor voice acting that detracts from the comedic elements. Players find the predictability of the game's style amusing, but overall, the humor fails to resonate positively.

    • “It's funny that at the first moment I saw the free ones on Steam, I already knew it was going to be another game in this style, and it was even funnier that I wasn't wrong.”
    • “The voice acting from the male character was rancid; it wasn't just unfunny, it was genuinely bad.”
    • “The attempts at humor fell flat and felt forced throughout the game.”
    • “I found the jokes to be stale and lacking any real wit or creativity.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with users noting that there is little incentive to play again after completing it, as there are no additional content or activities to engage with.

    • “It has no replay value and nothing to do after you finish.”
    • “Replay value is bad; there's no real incentive to play again.”
    • “The game lacks replayability, making it feel like a one-time experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

6hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
4-7hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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