Major game companies don't hesitate to charge an arm and a leg for new releases, with most launching around $60 these days. As much as you enjoy lining up outside the local GameStop at 3AM to embrace the latest shooter, parting with 60 big ones hurts a little inside. It doesn't help that many developers rub salt in the wound by lacing titles with DRM mechanisms -- but let's not go there.

Alternatively, there are tons of free games online, but very few are worth playing (yeah, we're looking at you Obama Alien Defense). What you may not be aware of however, is the wealth of older commercial titles freely available, just waiting to be discovered.

Dozens of old school favorites like Doom and GTA can be had at no cost. We've compiled a brief list of popular titles from yesteryear that you can download absolutely free of charge -- and that's something to appreciate in an age of hidden fees and fine print.