Claim both. Havendock is the main event — a cozy ocean colony sim with 1,439 Very Positive reviews on Steam, a full 1.0 release in April 2025 after two years of Early Access polish, and a PC Gamer write-up during Early Access that said they were “instantly hooked.” Hyper Echelon is a respectable vertical shmup for people who already like the genre. Together they’d cost you about $33. This week they cost nothing.
Both go live March 26 at 11 a.m. ET on the Epic Games Store and stay free through April 2 at the same time. Claim once, keep forever.
Havendock: The One You’re Actually Here For
Havendock came out of Early Access on April 22, 2025 — two years after its 2023 EA launch, two years of the developer (Pretty Soon) doing something unusual: one-on-one interviews with players to find out what was and wasn’t working. You can feel that in the final product. The rough edges got sanded.
The premise: you’re stranded somewhere on the ocean, building a floating dock town from scratch. Resources drift past on the water — you grab what you can reach, then build outward toward the rest. Fish. Farm. Dive below the surface for materials. Settlers wash up needing housing, food, and work. Your town grows. You get weirdly invested in it.
PC Gamer: “Havendock is oozing with quirky charm, fun management systems, and (mostly) helpful little NPCs.” Splattercat, who covers cozy games obsessively, called it “utterly fantastic” after a hands-on session. The 82% Very Positive rating across 1,439 Steam reviews isn’t launch-week hype — it’s held for over two years.
The ocean setting isn’t just a visual gimmick. Resources float by and you can only reach what you’ve built toward — you can’t just mine everything in a radius. It forces you to think spatially about expansion in a way most colony sims don’t bother with. The NPCs have actual personalities and will talk to you. Farming, fishing, and crafting layer together without collapsing into spreadsheet management.
Honest weaknesses: late-game food logistics get messy. The NPC AI struggles to manage food production independently once your colony scales up, and you’ll find yourself micromanaging meals in the endgame. The UI has improved since Early Access but Steam Deck players and r/CozyGamers threads flagged it as still a little clunky around the 1.0 launch. Not dealbreakers — just real things worth knowing before you sink four hours in.
If you like Stardew Valley but wish it was on the water and more colony-builder than RPG, this is your game. Claim it immediately.
Hyper Echelon: For Shmup Fans, Yes — For Everyone Else, Still Worth Grabbing
Hyper Echelon (GangoGames LLC, November 2021) is a vertical-scrolling shoot-em-up that wears its arcade influences on its sleeve. You’re in a single-seat starfighter called the Titan, blasting through an alien invasion across 10 distinct worlds. You start with a single-shot cannon and upgrade toward spread shots, laser beams, and rockets. Wingmen fight alongside you. Between missions, a mobile carrier called the Starhulk serves as your upgrade base.
Normally $19.99 on Steam, currently 40% off at $11.99. This week it’s $0.
Steam rating: 88% Positive across ~50 reviews — small sample, but the shmup community is niche and the scores are consistent. A top Steam reviewer nailed it: “It’s not necessarily a groundbreaking hidden gem, but it certainly is a very faithful, well-made, and enjoyable homage to top-down shoot-em-up hitting all the right notes.”
The catch with Hyper Echelon is that it doesn’t try to convert non-fans. If you’ve never played a vertical shmup and don’t have any nostalgia for Raiden or 1943, this probably won’t be a revelation. It’s a great game for people who already know they like the genre. The small review count means community depth is thin — if you get stuck or want to compare builds, you’re mostly on your own.
But at zero dollars? Claim it. If you try it and the genre clicks, you just saved $20.
How to Claim Both Games
- Open the Epic Games Store (browser or desktop app)
- Search for Havendock and Hyper Echelon
- Add both to your account — free from March 26 at 11 a.m. ET through April 2 at 11 a.m. ET
- You don’t need to install right away — once claimed, they’re yours permanently
You have until April 2. Don’t miss the window.
The Rest of Epic’s March Freebies (If You’re Catching Up)
March on Epic has been a solid month. Ghostrunner 2 ($39.99 normally) was the standout pickup earlier in the month. The previous week’s free games were Isonzo and Cozy Grove — worth checking out if you missed them (they’re gone now, but the article has the breakdown). Electrician Simulator was the week before — more of a pass unless the genre interests you specifically.
Havendock closing out March is a genuinely good get. Add it to the library.
