Insurgency: Sandstorm is free for the weekend on Steam

Insurgency: Sandstorm, the eerily realistic military shooter, is hosting a free weekend on Steam, and it starts today. It's not the most relaxing way to spend your weekend, but Sandstorm's one of the best multiplayer shooters around, especially in co-op.

Sandstorm creates lots of explosions of drama without relying on scripted sequences. The AI, if you're playing in PvE, is more than competent, and you'll often find yourself holed up near an objective, nervously peering out of windows as you wait for the assault. Then everything goes to Hell and there's shouting and screaming and dying soldiers trying to crawl to safety.

The sound design is a high point, with allies and enemies chatting and barking away, and gunfire and explosions echoing down city streets. The dramatic shift from a deserted alley to a fire-drenched warzone is more than a bit jarring—just what you want for a lazy weekend inside.

Insurgency: Sandstorm is free on Steam until 10 am PT on June 24.

Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.