It seems that Epic Games Store users might need to get used to a slow period for its weekly free games promotion. There is only one title as part of the giveaway this week, and only one game is planned to follow it on July 24. Civilization 6: Platinum Edition offers tons of content at no extra cost, and the freebie set to replace it in less than a week might give fans of a specific genre a similar amount of hours for free. Both games seem to deliver a sense of quality versus quantity in that players can get a vast amount of playtime on these titles.
These two Epic Games Store giveaway games also highlight unsung genres that have been around for some time, with Civ‘s turn-based strategy being derived from tabletop experiences. July 24 sees a genre that’s been around since 1980s arcade games, especially if one considers Space Invaders a precursor to tower defense games. Rampart is seen as the undisputed start of tower defense games; many mechanics introduced in the castle destruction game have become staples in similar titles. The genre grew considerably in 2007 and 2008, and now it’s better known through prominent IPs like Plants vs Zombies. Whether players are familiar with tower defense games or completely new to them, Epic Games is giving its users a chance to experience Legion TD 2 for free next Thursday.
Steam’s selection of tower defense games is great for players looking to try something new in the genre.
Epic Games Store Free Game Legion TD 2 Explained
Why Legion TD 2 Marks a Grand Return for Tower Defense Games on the Epic Games Store
Outside the history of the tower defense genre itself, Legion TD 2 has an impressive story behind it on its own. The original Legion TD was a mod for Warcraft 3 and Starcraft 2 as Squadron TD. Legion TD 2 is the mod’s independent sequel, still gaining content and steady players long after it was launched out of early access in 2021. It’s praised for its careful balancing yet steep learning curve that tests players every step of the way. Fans of the genre certainly love it, as noted by its very positive rating on Steam.
Legion TD 2‘s content seems to be never-ending as even the Epic Games Store giveaway is being celebrated with a 1v1 event, paid tournament cups, Twitch stream drops and more. This includes major updates and balancing to preexisting features, and the patch is said to go live on July 21, meaning Epic Games Store users can jump in to all the new content right on July 24. These events begin as close to when the game is up for grabs as possible, so old and new Legion TD 2 fans are in for quite a celebration up until everything wraps up around July 27. Some events will keep going into August, which means this one tower defense game can keep players busy for quite a while.
This tower defense game may be new to Epic’s free games promotion, but Legion TD 2 can also be found in a bundle on Steam with Bloons TD 6, interestingly enough. Bloons has been given away two times in the past, and the two share no relation beyond genre despite their naming conventions. The TD with the numbers attached may come from how the words “tower defense” in capital letters were trademarked by COM2US Corporation in 2007, leading to games pulling the words from their titles.
Legion TD 2
Systems
Released
October 1, 2021
Developer(s)
AutoAttack Games
Publisher(s)
AutoAttack Games
Multiplayer
Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
Number of Players
1-8
If players are seeking a tower defense game that they can enjoy with other players with a strong sense of community and developer support, then Legion TD 2 may very well be the game they’re looking for. As a result, fans of the genre should take advantage of the offer while they can, because Bloons TD 6‘s two-time appearance in four years suggests it might be a while before they get a second chance, if at all.
