Marvel Puzzle Quest: Dark Reign is free on Steam — but its DLC is villainously priced

Marvel Puzzle Quest: Dark Reign is now free to play on Steam.

The match-3 puzzle game launched in early October on the App Store and Google Play, and it's received highly positive reviews. Marvel is planning to tell the full story over a series of episodes. Demiurge Studios developed the first installment, Dark Reign, which introduces team-based play to D3 Publisher's Puzzle Quest franchise.

Downloadable content is available for the PC version — the equivalent of in-app purchases — and each is pricier than the last. The S.H.I.E.L.D. New Recruit Pack costs $10 and offers 600 Hero Points with which to recruit and train characters and purchase health packs. It also includes 1,500 Iso-8 to purchase boosts and increase your characters' levels.

The Avengers' Battle Kit and Nick Fury's Doomsday Plan simply provide more — for a whopping $40 and $100, respectively. It's not necessary content, but — POW!