Return of the Phantom, which is basically The Phantom of the Opera but with time travel, is free on GOG

Return of the Phantom Trailer - YouTube

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I won't lie: I dug up some seriously good deals yesterday when GOG's 2024 Halloween Sale went live, but I was just a wee smidge disappointed that there was no free game. Free games are kind of a hallmark of GOG sales, after all. A day later, that disappointment (which I may be overstating somewhat for dramatic effect) is gone, because for the next three days Return of the Phantom is free for the taking.

Originally released in 1993 (this is definitely a good old game) and updated for Windows by Ziggurat Interactive in 2020, Return of the Phantom is a point-and-click adventure based on the story of the Phantom of the Opera, but with a little bit of time travel involved—which I will be vague about to avoid spoilers.

It was quite well received at the time: Computer Gaming World, which I cite because that's what I was reading back in those days, took some issue with its linearity and length ("Only 12 to 18 hours of gaming for the average player," and my how things have changed) but ultimately came away with a positive assessment, praising its graphics, "interesting dialog," and "a plot with a twist, one that comes full circle without being predictable."

"Phantom is worth a look," CGW's Chuck Miller wrote at the time. "Even more so with a discount price tag." And you know what? You're not going to get a bigger discount than 100% off. That is literally as low as it goes.

Return of the Phantom is free on GOG until November 3. GOG's Halloween Sale, with those aforementioned sweet, sweet deals (FEAR, one of the best shooters of the 2000s, is only $1!), runs until November 4.

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