Slime Rancher is now free on the Epic Games Store

The best things in life are free, so the saying goes, and while Slime Rancher's 65/100 review score doesn't necessarily mark is as among "the best," it's undergone numerous updates since then, has sold very well—it recently surpassed two million copies—and, finally getting to the point, it's free for the next couple of weeks on the Epic Games Store.

Slime Rancher is a first-person sandbox farming sim, but your farm is on a distant planet and your herds are slime. The title is more or less literal, you see: "Each day will present new challenges and risky opportunities as you attempt to amass a great fortune in the business of slime ranching. Collect colorful slimes, grow crops, harvest resources, and explore the untamed wilds through the mastery of your all-purpose vacpack."

It sounds innocuous enough but it probably bears mentioning that the "resources" you'll be harvesting is actually poop, although it's technically referred to as "plorts." There's a big market for the stuff out amongst the stars, and the money you earn from it will enable you to expand your operation into a true poo powerhouse. But beware! Slimes apparently find the stuff quite tasty, and if they eat the plorts from the wrong kind of species they can mutate into a potentially dangerous hybrid slime. (Reminds me of my sister's dog.)

It all sounds very weird to me, but it's awfully cute, and free until March 21. Get it from epicgames.com.

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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.