Get Civilization VI, a $60 game, free from Epic - CNET

If you're a gamer -- or just visit the Cheapskate pages occasionally -- you probably know that Epic Games gives away one or more free games each week. This week, Epic has really outdone itself. The freebie is Sid Meier's Civilization VI, the latest game in the long-running series (Sid Meier's Civilization debuted in 1991).

This is a franchise with staying power, thanks to both strong gameplay and a dedicated fanbase. Civ 6 was released in 2016, and is still a fan favorite -- in GameSpot's review of the game, reviewer Scott Butterworth said, "Civ 6 has a few rough edges, but they're pushed far into the periphery by spectacular strategic depth and intricate interlocking nuances. Any frustrations I experienced were immediately eclipsed by my desire to continue playing. Just one more turn, every turn, forever." It earned a solid 9 on a 10-point scale. And while the game still routinely sells for $60, you can get Sid Meier's Civilization VI for free anytime between now and next Thursday, May 28, when it's replaced by a new free game.

There's a huge amount of gameplay in Civ 6, both as a single-player and multiplayer game. It is a deep, well-rounded strategy game with multiple ways to evolve your empire, whether it's through culture, religion, science or conquest. And this game is still being expanded; you can grab expansions like the Maya & Gran Columbia Pack, for example, for $9 at the same time that you pick up your free core game (or upgrade later).

Oh, one other thing: Epic appears to now require your account to have two-factor authentication enabled to get these free games. If your account isn't set up with 2FA, Epic will prompt you to do that before you can download Civilization VI. It's a good idea anyway and takes just a few minutes to do.

Bonus game: Chex Quest HD is here

If you're a child of the '90s, you might remember the marketing campaign so crazy it was genius: Chex Quest was a nonviolent video game that was included as prizes in cereal boxes. In fact, for some kids, it was their introduction to the first-person shooter genre of video games before even playing Doom, the game it was based on.

This week, General Mills has released Chex Quest HD, an update to the venerable title, enhancing the visuals and adding a local split-screen multiplayer mode. You can get Chex Quest HD for free at Steam.

After you get the game, you can unlock playable Chex Mix characters by getting codes on the Chex Mix Instagram account, on specially marked bags of Chex Mix and at ChexQuest.com.

Read more: Best gaming laptops for 2020

This article is updated regularly with the current week's free games.

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