Skul: the Hero Slayer is the Epic Games Store freebie of the week

• Skul: The Hero Slayer is the newest Epic Games Freebie and the first of 2026
• It offers fast-paced roguelike action as the titular Skul, a minion-turned-avenger
• Take on the forces of the Imperial Army, Adventurers and so-called heroes

The more things change, the more they stay the same, eh? We're back in for 2026, and already we have the first Epic Games Store freebie to talk about. Specifically, this week, it's none other than Skul: The Hero Slayer. Meaning you're in for quite the anti-heroic ride as you take on the role of minion-turned-avenger.

As Skul, you're one of many lowly minions serving the Demon King. But when the Demon King's stronghold is destroyed and your allies taken prisoner, it's up to you to defeat the unruly Adventurers, the Imperial Army and the so-called Hero of Caerleon.

Of course, that's just the story. In terms of gameplay, Skul offers the same fast-paced roguelike action that you would expect from something like Dead Cells. But it also adds in the fast-paced horde-slaying action of something like Vampire Survivors, all with luscious pixel graphics to enjoy too.

Dead and buried

Skul is definitely one of those that I'm going to be picking up (hopefully it plays better with my controller than Dead Cells did), not even necessarily because I know I'm going to play it soon. But like on PC, you'd be a fool not to grab some of these deals while they're there.

As for the quality of Skul itself? Well, it's got fast-paced action gameplay, plenty of roguelike progression to sink your teeth into and even an official Dead Cells collab. So, whether it's depth of content or solid gameplay you're looking for, I don't think that you're going to end up disappointed.

In the meantime, though, you may have your eyes peeled for something else to play this week. In which case, it's time for the debut edition of our five best new mobile games to play this week, as Catherine digs into 2026's debut launches!