Having a LAN (Local Area Network) party soon? Or just inviting some buddies over? Blow their minds with some of the best multi-player, LAN shooting games available. This article takes a look at four of the best, free LAN games out on the web.
Freeware Games
When looking for freeware games, it is important to make sure that the game is entirely free. Make sure that it’s not just a free download with a 30-day trial or something to that extent. If the game is free, they will advertise it, and you shouldn’t have to create any account to get it. Also, it may be advertised as an open source game, which is one kind of characteristic of a totally free game. Free games are always a hit at LAN parites.
OPEN ARENA
One of my personal favorites, Open Arena is an open source first person shooting game that is modeled exactly after the Quake III: Arena game. It has a quick install and very fast gameplay. You can customize your character and kill your way through many maps.
Open Arena does have a single player mode as well as free online play on servers hosted by other gamers. The player can also set up his own LAN server and play just with his buddies around him. The LAN game is easy to setup and works very well.
Open Arena is available for Windows (32 bit only), Mac, and Linux operating systems, and can be found at www.openarena.ws
SOLDAT
With 64 maps and 18 unique weapons, Soldat has been a favorite among gamers, despite the primitive graphics. The game is somewhere between Worms and Quake, but can provide hours of entertainment and fun for a group. This is the sort of game that you have to play with friends.
Soldat is unique in that it utilizes a side view, 2D view for its multiplayer gameplay, which is different from the 3D shooting games that most of us are used to. This game may not be for everyone, but it is worth checking out for your upcoming LAN party.
Soldat works with Windows and Linux + Win, and is available at www.soldat.pl
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