Phone Detective

Team Fortress 2; Sweatshop; Fotonica; dead cyborg; Don 't take it personally Babe, It Just Ain' t Your Story, Monster Mayhem, quiz Climber; Magnetic Billiards: Blueprint

The games industry is in the throes of its traditional summer drought, with new versions slowing to a trickle, so many players returning previously played tracks, or - God forbid - venture outside. But to save money this winter for the summer slump One could do worse than look at the wealth of free titles available.

There can be no better way to avoid the sun 's rays to play than sit in a darkened room Valve' s tactical shooter Team Fortress 2, relaunched as a free-to-play title on PC and Mac. It's hard to imagine a more charming and well-balanced multiplayer game. Its appealing art style - not a million miles from Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles - Is a breath of fresh air in an arena full of weapons and ultra-realistic blood.

Other independently developed gems include