A bit of a different one this week as this is technically a subscription service with a free-to-play option, but put down your pitchforks and hear me out!

BGA is a platform for playing board games online, and about half of the games I'm aware of IRL are available, from simple classics like Carcassonne and Yahtzee to multi-day slogs like Unconditional Surrender and Scythe. Some games are free for anyone to play, "premium" ones require that the person who starts the game is a paying member (but that means that one enthusiast can pay a few quid a month and invite their friends to play for free). There are rankings and tournaments if you want to take it seriously, or you can exclusively play solo or with friends.

Not everyone's cup of tea, but still quite a cool site you can enjoy without paying.

Hack-and-slash indie for Windows, pay-what-you-want on itch.io until 4th November

Cenk The Chopper is a fast paced hack-and-slash game inspired by titles such as Warframe, Devil May Cry, and ULTRAKILL. Chain together slides and dashes to maneuver your way around danger, using various weapons to rip your way through hostiles at blindingly fast speeds.

City builder for Windows, free on the Microsoft Store until 4th November

Build your own city and make heaps of money in this casual simulation game.

Construct beautiful and functional city zones with plenty of modern blocks and keep your residents happy by providing all services they need, and they will reward you with a tidy profit. It’s up to you how to play - you can work your way to the top in the comprehensive campaign mode or you can create and play your own custom scenarios. Build dozens of houses, structures and other buildings. Trophies and awards available for the meticulous gamer!

Fantasy RPG for Windows, free again on the Microsoft Store until 4th November

Embark on a dangerous quest to save the city from the dragon threat. In your travels around the world, you come to a city that has just experienced a dragon attack. No one knows where the terrible beast came from. While people live in fear, a little boy, an orphan named Brent, dreams of courageous acts that will bring him recognition. The desire for justice brings you to a joint quest with Brent. You have to go into the dangerous wilderness, find the dragon and fight the greatest struggle of your life. Your heroic courage and your skills will save the city from evil.

A bunch of indie horror games to spook yourself with this evening, pay-what-you-want in Itch.io until 4th November

• Threads of Madness, Linux, Mac, and Windows
• Don't Shit Alone 2, Linux, Mac, and Windows
• The Grave Guard, Windows
• The Goatman, Linux, Mac, and Windows
• Sea Town Shopping Mall, Linux, Mac, and Windows
• Devyard, Windows
• Stomagron, Linux and Windows (until 8th November)
• The Parking (appeared as a sale but might now be free forever?)

Fast-paced cat-based mini-games for Windows, pay-what-you-want on itch.io until 4th November

Indie platformer for Windows, pay-what-you-want on itch.io until 1st November

Rise Above is a gravity-defying platformer that takes players on an endless journey through space and time, where the only way forward is up. In this cosmic adventure, players climb through surreal and shifting landscapes, each one representing a different era in history or a fantastical future. With each new level, you unlock a new realm, and with it, new challenges, and mysteries.

In Rise Above, time and space blend together, challenging you with obstacles from ancient ruins and futuristic cities to alien landscapes and timeless voids. Ascend through each layer of reality, where the rules change and platforms come to life, shifting in response to your actions. The higher you go, the more precise your timing and skill must become to reach new realms and avoid falling back to lower levels.

Retro platformer for Windows, free for Amazon Prime subscribers until 27th November

Gargoyles Remastered is an artfully crafted revival of the '90s classic 16-bit side-scrolling platform adventure. Relive the epic journey of Goliath and the Gargoyles featuring enhanced visuals, animations, and SFX, all inspired by the acclaimed animated series. The world of Gargoyles comes to life with a level of detail that will thrill fans of the animated series and retro gaming enthusiasts alike. Experience classic gameplay that stays authentic to its predecessor while including new features such as achievements, gameplay rewind, and more!

Surreal FPS adventure for Windows, free on GOG for Amazon Prime subscribers until 27th November

Embark on a gripping journey in INDUSTRIA, an atmospheric FPS set in Cold War-era East Berlin. Unravel the secrets of a mysterious parallel dimension while searching for a missing colleague. Explore a haunting reality where the truth awaits. Discover the dark past that lies beyond.

On the evening of the fall of the Berlin wall, a young woman plunges headlong into a parallel dimension to find her missing work colleague who has disappeared under mysterious circumstances. While the checkpoints in East Berlin are still being overrun by crowds of people, Nora escapes from this world, into unknown layers of time and into an unknown fate.

Hard to tell if this is a real game or a joke

Fuzishe spends his time on a toilet reflecting on his past mistakes and his life in general. Why is he thinking about colous black? Smooth surfaces? Why are some people telling lies of this Earth? He's got used to thes soft toilet seat and the warmed floor under his feet.

It is now November, and Fuzishe unconciously invites you to think with him.

In Poopy Philosophy you will expirience a life of a man that sits on his toilet for a month straight. Help the protagonist finish all his stinky business and think upon such questions as...?

Hand-drawn musical platformer for Windows, free for Amazon Prime subscribers until 27th November

In Ynglet you jump between bubbles that float in the sky like you're a space dolphin, as you melt into a highly reactive and dynamic soundtrack created by Ynglet's custom (and needlessly complicated) music software!

Spooky object-finding mystery for Windows, free for Amazon Prime subscribers until 27th November

When a patient at the Manchester Asylum draws a huge crown covering the walls of her cell, you're sent to learn what, if anything, it has to do with your past. But when the inmates escape, there's only one way for you to regain control - find the Black Crown before they do. You'll need to gather your wits and use all your abilities to learn the identity of "Jane Doe" and solve the mystery of the Black Crown in the 20th chapter of this classic hidden-object puzzle adventure game series!

[Itch] Hypercore https://hyperforg.itch.io/hypercore

[Itch] Pseudo Haunting https://apehardware.itch.io/pseudo-haunting

[Itch] Smiley Dusty https://4dpixel.itch.io/smiley-dusty

[Itch] Small Mouse Big House https://4dpixel.itch.io/small-mouse-big-house

[Itch] Home Ownership https://flamezplays.itch.io/home-ownership

[Itch] Boklin https://the-icehouse.itch.io/boklin

First-person reactions game for Windows, pay-what-you-want on Itch.io until 30th October

Are you ready to test your aim? In Falling Houses, you'll have to move your mouse quickly and precisely to hover over falling objects and earn points. These objects, known as houses, will fall very fast creating an intense and exciting experience.

Gain experience points by earning high scores and use them to rank up. Falling Houses is a fast-paced game that will keep you on your toes and sharpen your reflexes. It's perfect for anyone who loves a challenge and wants to improve their aim and accuracy.

RPG and arcade simulator for Windows, free on GOG for Amazon Prime subscribers until 27th November

Welcome to Arcade Paradise, the 90's management sim / retro arcade game combo! From cleaning toilets to picking up gum to doing the laundry, the road to Arcade Paradise isn't easy, but the reward and coin will be worth the grind.

Return to the 90's with a story of rags to riches, literally. Featuring a soundtrack by ex-The Prodigy touring member, Kieron Pepper. Take on the role of Ashley, managing the day-to-day tasks of running the family laundromat. Rebel from pants and tube socks as you set out to create something that gives the sleepy town of Grindstone something to get excited about... the ultimate Arcade Paradise!

Featuring 35 fully playable games to unlock and order, the more you install, the more players will spend. But you don't have time to just stand and set the highest scores, the toilet won't clean itself and there's trash to take out!

No idea what this is going to be like, "story based" and "for Windows and Android" is all the page is giving me. Creator also has "winter games PC" with even less detail! Pay-what-you-want on Itch.io until 31st October.

Musical puzzle adventure (with local co-op) for Windows, free for Amazon Prime subscribers until 20th November

Figment 2: Creed Valley is an action-adventure game set in the human mind. Nightmares are spreading chaos and have overrun once-peaceful lands. Join Dusty, The Mind's courage, as you make your way through puzzles, musical boss fights and unique environments. Face your fears head-on.

Nightmares have shattered the Moral Compass, making The Mind unable to function properly. Dusty and his ever-optimistic sidekick, Piper, must travel to Creed Valley, where The Mind's ideals are formed to restore peace. A journey filled with musical showdowns and mind-bending puzzles awaits.