I mentioned a free computer game called Space Funeral in a previous post about ten years ago. The creator of that game, thecatamites, has since released several other creations that are worth a look, such as 10 Beautiful Postcards.

But what I wanted to focus on here is something new, a series of eight horror-themed freeware games that are collectively titled Anthology of the Killer.

Although they are horror games, the style is cartoonish and the games are not particularly scary or disturbing. What violence there is is mostly implied. There’s a nice, unsettling atmosphere at times but even that is tempered by the playful writing (which includes occasional strong language).

These are all short games, each of which can easily be played in one sitting. You follow the same protagonist through them all, but it doesn’t really matter what order you play them. I’d recommend the whole series, but I think my favorites are Blood, Drool, and Ears of the Killer. Hands and Heart are up there as well.

The individual download links are on the itch.io page but I’ll also include them here:

• Voice of the Killer
• Hands of the Killer
• Drool of the Killer
• Eyes of the Killer
• Flesh of the Killer
• Blood of the Killer
• Ears of the Killer
• Heart of the Killer

Finally, if you like the music from these games you can also get the soundtrack for free.

My game developer friend Kim Okkerstrøm died in 2014. I’d found his games inspiring and I’d gotten to know him a little over the years. I’ve created a tribute page with some thoughts about his work and our interactions.

Arcane Kids have created several unusual freeware games that are worth mentioning here.

I never played any of the original Bubsy games, but apparently the 3D title for PlayStation (YouTube link) was not very good. In late 2013, Arcane Kids released an unofficial sequel, in which Bubsy visits an exhibit in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

I won’t say much about this game, except that it’s worth playing all the way through. You’ll need the Unity Web Player to play it in your browser:

• bubsy3d.com

This is a high-speed skating game that allows you to explore a colorful world and rewind your mistakes. It resembles Jet Set Radio.

You can download Zineth for PC or Mac here:

• zinethgame.tumblr.com

This is another game that I don’t want to say too much about. Like Bubsy, it’s a browser game that requires the Unity Web Player:

• arcanekids.com/snakes