Commune with the animal gods in free ritual game Stones of Solace

We could all do with a little time out to meditate each day, and while I'm doubtful one can achieve inner peace while futzing about on a computer, you might find a space for a bit of digital relaxation with the neat Stones of Solace. It's one of those games that differs each day you play it, here presenting you with an idol that changes to a different animal every day. One day it's a bird, the next it's a wee octopus, or a monkey.

Start Stones of Solace up, and the animal statue will revolve in front of you. Which is nice. If you like, you can craft it a gift, as if you're making an offering to a god. A gift you'll build by whacking flowers and nuts and so on onto a plate, in an artistic/slipshod pattern. The animal deity will then approve of your offering, and you'll go on your merry way, warm in the knowledge that, maybe, the god of monkeys or cats is looking out for you.

It might be a nice thing to do, making a little routine where you commune with a revolving animal statue every day. You'd probably get funny looks if you started doing it in the living room, but in the digital world, at least, you won't have to worry about all the plates of rotting fruit and nuts.

For more great free experiences, check out our roundup of the best free PC games.

Tom loves exploring in games, whether it’s going the wrong way in a platformer or burgling an apartment in Deus Ex. His favourite game worlds—Stalker, Dark Souls, Thief—have an atmosphere you could wallop with a blackjack. He enjoys horror, adventure, puzzle games and RPGs, and played the Japanese version of Final Fantasy VIII with a translated script he printed off from the internet. Tom has been writing about free games for PC Gamer since 2012. If he were packing for a desert island, he’d take his giant Columbo boxset and a laptop stuffed with PuzzleScript games.