"Neurodeck," to me, sounds like something Anthony Hopkins would use to take control of Emilio Estevez's body after he was kidnapped by Mick Jagger, and if you have no idea what I'm talking about then I can only recommend that you set aside some time to watch the 1992 sci-fi action classic Freejack. Before you do that, though, you should probably pop around to GOG, where Neurodeck: Psychological Deckbuilder is currently free for the taking as part of the GOG Spring Sale.
The Neurodeck in this case is not a conduit through which you can achieve immortality at the cost of your humanity: Instead, it's a deckbuilder inspired by games like Slay the Spire and Monster Train that challenges players to face their fears "by answering personality tests, visiting rooms or meditating," the Neurodeck website says. "Face your phobia and defeat them through the power of life-inspired cards."
The game will take you through a "subconscious maze" in which you'll collect cards and character improvements that will help you defeat the enemies you encounter. "Light RPG mechanics" enable a range of character customization options, while characters and places from your past will tell stories and facts about mental health.
I can't say it sounds like the most light-hearted fun ever, and some of the monsters in the trailer (particularly that giant spider) are definitely not going to go over with some players. Which is intentional: Developer Taxrox Games said the enemies in the game are "inspired by real-life phobias."
Neurodeck holds a 3.3/5 rating on GOG, which is pretty middle-of-the-road, but until March 27 you can make it yours for the low cost of absolutely nothing. That's free, baby, and I can say with real confidence that nobody ever went wrong adding a free game to their library.
The Neurodeck giveaway is happening as part of GOG's ongoing Spring Sale, which has rotating daily deals and discounts of up to 90% on more than 4,500 games. To pick one of those deep deals at random, you can grab FEAR Platinum for $2—yes, it's old (almost 20 years, believe it or not) but it remains one of the best, most wildly action-packed and creepy-ass shooters of all time (and it still looks pretty good, too). If you haven't played it yet, it might literally be the best two bucks you spend all month.
GOG's Spring Sale runs until April 3, but the free Neurodeck, as mentioned, is only up until March 27.
