Deal | From $9.99 to $0: Investigative-adventure game set in 1737 is now free to claim on Steam for a limited time

A small indie adventure game has quietly joined Steam’s list of temporary free-to-keep giveaways. Crowalt: Traces of the Lost Colony is currently available at a 100% discount. You can add it to your Steam library permanently if you claim it before March 9 at around 10:00 AM PT. The game normally sells for $9.99.

The title originally launched on Steam in January 2022, developed by Madcraft Studios and published by GrabTheGames. It’s a story-driven indie adventure that features classic point-and-click mechanics and pixel art visuals. The game follows Hugh Radcliff, who's an explorer investigating the disappearance of an early American settlement known as the Lost Colony. The story takes place in 1737, decades after the colony vanished. The protagonist has to travel to the island of Crowalt to uncover what really happened. Along the way, players interact with pirates, local inhabitants, and historical artifacts while piecing together the story.

Gameplay-wise, there are no surprises - Crowalt follows the traditional point-and-click formula. Players collect items, combine objects, talk to characters, and solve puzzles to move the story forward. A journal system keeps track of discoveries and clues, and dialogue choices occasionally allow players to lie or tell the truth, affecting how certain interactions play out.

Feedback has been generally positive, especially among fans of slower narrative adventures. On Steam, the game holds a "Very Positive" rating with around 80% approval from dozens of user reviews, which puts it in the second-highest review tier on the platform. Crowalt is also a relatively short experience. Most players finish the story in about three to five hours, so it's more of a compact narrative than a lengthy RPG-style story.

The game sits within a pretty familiar niche alongside titles such as Thimbleweed Park, Darkside Detective, and other puzzle adventures that rely on dialogue and exploration instead of combat. At its regular $10 price the game has stayed relatively small on Steam, but with a permanent free claim available for a few days, Crowalt: Traces of the Lost Colony should be a no-brainer for any adventure fan’s library.

Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.