January is an interesting month; a tale of two halves, you might say. Itâs a hopeful time of year, with many of us finding inspiration to chase new goals when it comes to our health, relationships, and careers.
On the flip side though, it can be a tricky month financially after the monetary burden of the festive period.
I should stress, that doesnât mean you have to skip gaming for the month; there are plenty of free games out there waiting to be discovered.
In fact, a further four have just joined PC storefront Steam with one game having already secured a 10/10 rating from players.
Retro, Cosy, Puzzle, and Platforming Fans Will Find Something In This Line-Up
We may as well start with the best.
Developed by IsaacVoie, The Whittled Horse is a puzzle exploration game that centres around a young boy called Thomas whoâs tasked with delivering a package alongside his friend Evey.
âLittle do they know there is a force stalking them, and what they carry will decide the future,â the synopsis teases.
Players will need to gather items, complete favours, and dodge obstacles atop a bike with the game including several different endings.
The Whittled Horse boasts a perfect Steam score of 10/10 at the time of writing. Players praise the âfun and charmingâ game, emphasising how âfunnyâ it is.
Moving on, Pingorile is available for those of you who prefer platforming.
Developed by John B, this is a retro-inspired 2D platforming adventure where youâll play as a penguin collecting yellow budgies to âfulfill his dream of flyingâ.
Youâll jump your way to success with this one most definitely appealing to fans of classic Super Mario entries. Pingorile currently holds a âPositiveâ score of 87%, so it also sounds like itâs well worth a go.
Developers Emma Fagerström, Elsa Ekberg, David Söderström bring us a charming point and click game by the name of Campoca.
âImmerse yourself in an interactive wonderland where every element is designed to bring a smile to your face. This game brings happiness right into your heart with very simple controls – just bring your mouse or trackpad,â it teases.
Players can explore a campsite, engage in âfeel goodâ activities, and decorate their own cosy space.
It all sounds incredibly wholesome. There arenât yet enough reviews for a consensus but players seem to be enjoying the âcuteâ game with âadorable photo oppsâ.
Finally, Cube Dodger 3D rounds out this latest batch of free games. Developed by Darren Keathley, this oneâs a neon arcade runner.
Youâll âslide along a glowing highway, dodge smarter and faster cubes, charge your shield, unlock ships, roads and enemy skins, and chase brutal score-based Steam achievementsâ.
Itâs definitely one for the retro fans amongst you. Thereâs no reviews for this one at the time of writing, so Iâm afraid youâll have to go in blind.
Iâm sure 2026 will bring us copious amounts of free offerings, but this isnât a bad line-up to kick things off.
