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| Pictured: The Deed: Dynasty's cover thumbnail, with the Steam logo overlaid on top of it. |
If you’re looking for a dark, narrative twist on your holiday gaming, Steam has a compelling offer: a free game where your goal isn't to solve a murder, but to commit one and successfully frame someone else. For a limited time, you can add The Deed: Dynasty to your Steam library at no cost, a unique crime adventure that challenges your morals and your cunning.
This standalone follow-up to 2015's The Deed is free to keep if you claim it before December 25 at 10:00 AM (UTC). After that, it returns to its regular price. While it has been bundled and discounted before, this marks its first-ever 100% discount on its standard price, making it a notable freebie for fans of choice-driven narratives.
The Premise: You Are the Killer
In a stark reversal of classic adventure game tropes, The Deed: Dynasty casts you as the perpetrator. Developed by Pilgrim Adventures, the game consists of three self-contained scenarios where you play as different members of the vengeful Bruce family across history.
Your objective is methodical: plan a murder, manipulate conversations, and plant evidence to not only prove your innocence but also convincingly pin the crime on another character. Every choice, from the questions you ask to the items you hide, directly impacts the outcome, leading to numerous possible endings. It’s a game less about action and more about the psychological tension of planning and covering up a crime.
A Journey Through Three Historical Crimes
The "Dynasty" in the title comes from the game's structure, which explores the dark legacy of one family across five centuries. Each scenario is a distinct period piece with its own setting, cast, and atmosphere.
The table below breaks down what you can expect in each chapter:
What Makes It Different: The Mechanics of a Frame Job
Gameplay follows a consistent loop in each story: exploration, evidence gathering, social manipulation, the act itself, and the final interrogation by authorities. Success relies on your attention to detail.
- Choice & Consequence: The expanded conversation system is central. What you learn about others gives you the material to frame them, and your answers during the final interrogation must be consistent with the story you've built.
- Tools of the Trade: You must choose a period-appropriate murder weapon, from a medieval greatsword to a six-shooter. Then, you select a piece of evidence to plant on your chosen scapegoat.
- High Stakes: The consequences of failure are period-authentic and brutal, whether it's the headsman's block, the gallows, or life in prison.
What Players Are Saying: "Very Positive" Reviews
On Steam, The Deed: Dynasty holds a "Very Positive" aggregate rating, with approximately 86% of hundreds of user reviews being positive. Players praise its clever twist on narrative and the satisfaction of perfectly executing a frame job.
- The Good: Reviewers call it "an interesting twist on crime narratives," enjoying the power to craft evidence and guide dialogue paths. Many appreciate the high replayability, driven by the desire to experiment with different weapons and frame every possible character.
- The Caveats: Some notes from players and critics highlight the game's limitations. As an RPGMaker title, its presentation is simple, and the mechanics can feel repetitive once you've mastered the puzzle. One review noted that after successfully completing each scenario, continued play largely becomes an exercise in achievement hunting. The first historical scenario is also noted for being particularly unforgiving for newcomers.
Ready to test your conscience and your cunning? You can add The Deed: Dynasty to your Steam library for free right here before the offer expires.
Is It For You? A Compact, Story-Driven Experience
The Deed: Dynasty is not a sprawling RPG. It’s a compact, story-driven experience that you can complete in a few hours, but whose branching choices invite replay. The main challenge lies in careful planning and attention to narrative detail.
If you enjoy narrative games where your choices genuinely matter, have an appetite for dark historical fiction, and don't mind a bit of trial and error, this free offering is well worth your time. It's a unique experiment in gameplay that makes you the architect of the mystery, not its solver.
Remember, the clock is ticking. This free-to-keep promotion ends on Christmas Day at 10:00 AM UTC. Whether it becomes a hidden gem in your library or a fascinating afternoon distraction, it’s an offer that’s hard to beat for the price of free.