The Epic Games Store's weekly giveaway continues, and this week's headliner is Foretales, a narrative card adventure developed by French studio Alkemi. Normally priced at $19.99, this is the first time Foretales has ever been offered for free on Epic. The claim window opens July 23 at 8 a.m. PDT / 11 a.m. EDT / 5 p.m. CET and runs for exactly seven days, through July 30.
- ▶Sources: OpenCritic — Epic reveals its July 23 free game · Game Rant — Foretales free on Epic · Worthplaying — Foretales next week
Key Facts at a Glance
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Game | Foretales |
| Platform | Epic Games Store (PC) |
| Normal price | $19.99 |
| Free window | July 23, 8 a.m. PDT → July 30 |
| Developer | Alkemi (France) |
| Publisher | Dear Villagers |
| Original release | September 2022 |
Once a title is added to your library through the free promotion, it stays yours permanently. So even if you don't plan to play it right away, hitting "Get" before the window closes is the move.
What Foretales Actually Is
Foretales is a narrative-first adventure built around cards — but it plays nothing like a deckbuilding roguelike. You control Volepain, an anthropomorphic shoebill stork and petty thief who, after stealing a magical lyre, begins seeing visions of an impending catastrophe. That sets up a branching journey in which you can save the world or help bring about its end.
Cards here function less as combat tools and more as choices that drive exploration and how you interact with locations. The whole experience leans closer to the spirit of choose-your-own-adventure books or tabletop RPGs than to modern card battlers. Most situations offer several solutions, and each choice reshapes the story.

Why It's Worth Grabbing — Reviews and Scores
When Foretales launched in September 2022, it drew predominantly favorable reviews. It earned a "Strong" rating on OpenCritic, with critics praising it as an inventive take on the adventure genre. The recurring criticism was that its deckbuilding mechanics lack depth.
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| OpenCritic | "Strong" — mostly favorable |
| Steam user rating | "Very Positive" (86% positive) |
| Steam reviews | ~763 |
| Strengths | Inventive narrative, multiple paths and endings |
| Weakness | Shallow deckbuilding depth |
For anyone after a focused, story-driven game to knock out in a few sittings, a $19.99 title at no cost is an easy yes.
Last Week's Free Games and the Cadence
Foretales replaces last week's giveaways, Luto and Echo Generation: Midnight Edition, both of which were free to claim through July 23. Throughout July, Epic has padded its regular weekly rotation with extra bonus titles, pushing more free games into players' hands than usual.
| Slot | Free Game |
|---|---|
| Previous | Luto · Echo Generation: Midnight Edition |
| This week | Foretales |
| Next | Rotates July 30 |
The Epic Games Store hands out a free game every week with nothing more than an account required — no subscription. That standing giveaway policy remains one of the storefront's sharpest competitive edges against Steam.
How to Claim
- 1Sign in to the Epic Games Store (PC client or web).
- 2Find Foretales in the "Free Games" section on the storefront's front page.
- 3Hit "Get" and complete the $0 checkout.
- 4Claim it before the July 30 window closes, and it's yours permanently.
Miss the window and the game reverts to full price — so grab it now regardless of whether you'll play it soon.
The GamePeak Bottom Line
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Free game | Foretales (Epic Games Store) |
| Price → cost | $19.99 → free |
| Deadline | Through July 30 |
| Genre | Narrative card adventure |
| Reception | Steam "Very Positive" (86%), OpenCritic "Strong" |
| Key advice | Claim it even without immediate plans to play |
This week's Epic freebie is Foretales, a well-reviewed narrative card adventure. The claim window runs through July 30, and once claimed it's yours for good. For players who want a tight, dense story game, there's little reason to skip it.
