NowGamer has compiled a pretty good list of free PC games that should be essential for any gamer, so check it out at the source if you like. Among the entries are classics like Command & Conquer: Red Alert and Grand Theft Auto 2, but also newer entries like Pandemic's Battleforge.

Note each of the game's profiles are listed below, so just click on the platform link to find out more about each, see some screenshots, etc.

A major benefit of being a PC gamer is the glut of free games that are widely available – easily totalling more than the back catalogues of any single console. Freeware has been an established part of PC gaming culture ever since early Nineties shareware games proved to the industry that giving something away for nothing could be very lucrative. Admittedly there’s a fair amount of chaff to sift through now, but even if you take the dross out of the equation along with indie freeware (whose artistic intentions are often more honourable than corporate offerings), there’s still an impressive roster of titles; impressive enough to keep a gamer busy for the rest of their lives without ever having to shell out a single penny.

We’ve grabbed ten of our favourite free titles and listed them here for you to dip into at your convenience. These games don’t compromise on quality – if they weren’t free they’d be full-blooded retail titles (and were originally, in some cases) every bit the equal of their contemporaries.

chautemoc via nowgamer.com »