A Steam game that normally costs PC users $40 is currently available for free. That said, this offer is only available for a limited time or, more specifically, until May 26. After this, the Steam deal will expire and the PC game will revert back to its normal $40 price point. Unfortunately, while this offer is available to Steam Deck users, the game is not Steam Deck Verified. Rather, it is listed as Playable, which means the game is functional on Steam Deck, however issues may be present and it may require users to put extra effort into configuration.
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As for the free Steam game in question, it is Warhammer 40,000: Gladius – Relics of War, a 2018 release from developer Proxy Studios and publisher Slitherine. At the time, this was the former’s sophomore release following 2013’s Pandora: First Contact. Meanwhile, since then the developer has released Zephon, which came out back in 2024.
According to Steam user reviews, the 2018 Warhammer 40,000 game is pretty good. To date, the strategy game has amassed 14,413 user reviews, 81 percent of which are positive. This gives the PC game a “Very Positive” rating on Steam, the second highest rating a Steam game can earn.
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As for the game itself, Warhammer 40,000: Gladius – Relics of War is not just notable because it is a Warhammer 40,000 game, but it is particularly noteworthy within the world of Warhammer 40,000 because it is the first turn-based 4X strategy game set in said universe.
“Gladius Prime was known to Imperial scholars as a planet of archeological interest,” reads an official story synopsis of the game on Steam. “During its colonization ancient relics were found, revealing hints of a shrouded past. But it was more than relics. Something awakened, an unspeakable horror from an ancient past, and the citizens of Gladius found themselves trapped in a terrible war for survival. Gladius Prime was once a planet of peace. Now there is only war.”
Those that decide to check out Warhammer 40,000: Gladius – Relics of War now that it is free on Steam should bare minimum expect to dump about 10 to 11 hours into the game to complete its campaign. However, completionists will need closer to 50 to 55 hours with the strategy game. And of course, as a turn-based 4X strategy game, it had ample replayability.
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