Q: Are the games really free?

"Well, yes and no.  Most of the game sites on the internet advertise "free games", but what that really means is that you are downloading a free TRIAL.  You can play the game for about 60 minutes (for most trials) and then after the time runs out the game stops working.

It's not a bad system, really.  The people who make and publish the games encourage you to download their products and try them out all day long!  These companies stay in business by making games that are so good their players feel compelled to purchase them.  Prices range from around $7.00 (for players who join special game clubs) to about $19.99."

While $19.99 sounds like a lot of money for a "free" game, it's actually a bargain when you consider that a game will usually offer ten or more hours of enjoyment.  (Think how much it costs these days to go to a two hour movie!)