Epic Games Store continues its rhythm of weekly giveaways with another double drop, this time pairing an indie automation puzzler with a collectible card battler themed around the DC universe. It’s a combination that doesn’t overlap much but gives players two very different experiences to mess with.
One focuses on production logic and system building. The other throws you into turn-based combat with a roster of iconic superheroes. Neither asks for payment. Both are available for a limited time.
Shapez turns production lines into minimalist puzzles
Shapez is all about streamlining. You start with a basic input system and slowly build out an increasingly complex factory grid that cuts, rotates, merges, and delivers shapes to fulfill objectives. It has no enemies, no timers, and no explosions—just pure logic and scaling complexity.
Visually, it’s stripped down to basic colors and geometric designs, which fits the theme. The game’s challenge comes from planning layouts that don’t collapse under their own complexity. Think Factorio stripped of combat or Opus Magnum in 2D with more automation and less spectacle.
It’s ideal for players who enjoy optimization loops, but it also works well in short bursts. You can walk away mid-session without losing your flow, and there’s a strangely meditative quality to watching a well-built pipeline churn away in silence.
DC Heroes United mixes deckbuilding with team tactics
In contrast, DC Heroes United offers something more kinetic. It’s a card-based tactics game where you build a team from a pool of DC characters—Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and so on—and take them through a series of missions that blend RNG with turn-based planning.
Each character has unique cards and roles, and the deck construction plays into how your team handles different types of encounters. It’s not a deep strategy sim, but there’s enough room for loadout tuning and situational decision-making to give it some longevity. Think Marvel Snap meets Slay the Spire with licensed IP dressing.
Visuals are bright, comic-book inspired, and serviceable. The interface leans into mobile sensibilities, which can feel a little floaty on PC, but the structure is easy to learn and doesn’t overwhelm with options. It’s clearly designed for accessibility first.
Two genres, two moods, same price
The pairing this week is less about synergy and more about contrast. One game is about slowing down and thinking a dozen steps ahead. The other is built for fast matches and recognizable characters. But both benefit from low entry friction, which is the point of these weekly drops in the first place.
If nothing else, the range highlights how broad Epic’s free game strategy has become. It’s not just about showcasing new titles—it’s about giving players easy on-ramps into genres they might’ve ignored otherwise. Whether you stay for the gameplay or just grab and forget, it’s a model that keeps the storefront on players’ radar.
Mobile Game Addict & Casual Gaming Critic
She’s played more mobile games than most people have downloaded. TAPTAPTAP is fast, fierce, and funny — reviewing the latest hypercasual hits, idle clickers, and gacha grinds with real talk and zero fluff.
