There are so many great free Steam games nowadays that it can be easy to get lost in the shuffle. Taking cues from the dwarves of Warcraft, the raucous co-op chaos of Deep Rock Galactic, and the high-octane restaurant management of Overcooked, Bronzebeard’s Tavern is one that’s managed to stand out. As we close in on one year since its launch, developer The Mermaid MenZ announces that more than half a million people have already given it a try.
Bronzebeard’s Tavern is simple but extremely effective, with just enough moving parts to ensure you’re constantly kept right on the edge of your seat. The best co-op games demand some team coordination but also allow, or even encourage, you to stay on the move rather than locking you into a single role the whole time, and this is no exception. You’ll need to seat guests, take orders, wash dishes, cook the food, pour the drinks… oh, and did anyone remember to pop downstairs and stock up the furnace with coal to keep the lights on?
Perhaps best of all, as a free Steam game it’s not too difficult to get a group of friends on board for a game or two, and once you’ve started you probably won’t want to stop. Your simple starting tavern can quickly grow into a more fancy, expanded establishment, with additional upgrades such as extra blenders and stoves available to help you handle the increased demand. As long as you and your teammates are up to the task, that is.
Since launch, The Mermaid MenZ has continued to deliver further features. You can now lighten your load with a hired hand to seat new customers, or use snacks or musical acts to improve the patience of your patrons. Upgrades introduce countertops, advanced cleaning tools, and even special Dwarf Holes that let you quickly warp across the building. There are also cosmetic options to decorate both your dwarf and your tavern, alongside quality-of-life improvements including remappable keybinds, an auto-save system, and support for up to eight-player co-op.
All that hard work seems to have paid off. “We’ve officially passed half a million unique players in Bronzebeard’s Tavern,” the developer announces in a new post on its Steam page. “It’s been a dream come true to see so many of you enjoying the game since our days as students – it’s hard to believe that our little gem of a game has come this far. We’re incredibly grateful for each of you in the tavern with us. We’re just getting started, and we’ll keep bringing fresh content to make Bronzebeard’s Tavern even more exciting and fun.”
Bronzebeard’s Tavern is out now on Steam – you can play it for free, with additional cosmetic item packs available to buy as DLC if you’re looking to support the developer further. Simply download it here, and encourage a few pals to do the same for the best possible experience.
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