Steam is one of the largest gaming storefronts on the market. Thanks to its large library of titles, it’s often the first choice of marketplace for many players.
Not only does it offer a large selection of titles, often discounted due to various events; it’s also a social hub, where players and developers can exchange opinions on gaming-related topics.
| Name | Rating | Genre | Release | Sale | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Resident Evil 8: Village | Deluxe Edition | 94.26% | Survival horror | 2021-05-07 | 64% | Read more |
 | The Henry Stickmin Collection | 96.52% | Survival horror | 2020-08-07 | 83% | Read more |
 | LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga | 93.99% | Adventure | 2009-11-12 | 76% | Read more |
 | Dying Light | Platinum Edition | 94.14% | Adventure | 2015-01-26 | 94% | Read more |
 | Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator | 93.8% | Simulation | 2021-09-21 | 37% | Read more |
 | FTL - Faster Than Ligh | 94.31% | Adventure | 2012-09-14 | 55% | Read more |
 | Risk of Rain 2 | 95.3% | Indie | 2019-03-28 | 56% | Read more |
 | The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition | 93.86% | Adventure | 2016-10-27 | 50% | Read more |
 | Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition | 94.17% | Strategy | 2019-11-14 | 62% | Read more |
 | Saints Row: The Third | 94.33% | Adventure | 2011-11-14 | 54% | Read more |
 | Batman: Arkham City | 93.8% | Adventure | 2012-09-07 | 91% | Read more |
 | Highest Rated Games on Steam | 97.4% | 2021-08-13 | 30% | Read more | |
 | The Wolf Among Us | 95.5% | Adventure | 2013-10-11 | 13% | Read more |
 | Terraria | 97.1% | Open world, Action-adventure game | 2011-05-16 | 21% | Read more |
 | The Witcher III: Wild Hunt | 97% | RPG | 2015-05-18 | 47% | Read more |
 | Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes | 98% | Indie | 2015-10-08 | 32% | Read more |
 | Psychonauts 2 | 94,5% | Adventure | 2021-08-25 | Read more | |
 | Stronghold Crusader HD | 97,5% | Simulation | 2002-07-31 | 61% | Read more |
 | Stardew Valley | 96.8% | Simulation, RPG | 2016-02-26 | Read more | |
 | RimWorld | 96.8% | Construction | 2016-07-15 | Read more | |
 | Half-Life: Alyx | 96.8% | Action-adventure | 2020-03-01 | Read more | |
 | A Hat in Time | 96% | Adventure | 2017-10-05 | 45% | Read more |
 | Portal | 96.8% | Puzzle, platform | 2007-10-10 | Read more | |
 | Factorio | 97.4% | Construction, Management, RTS | 2016-02-25 | Read more | |
 | People Playground | 96.8% | Indie, action game | 2019-07-23 | Read more | |
 | Binding of Isaac Rebirth | 96.6% | Indie roguelike | 2014-11-04 | 9% | Read more |
 | Mount & Blade: Warband | 97.7% | Adventure | 2010-03-31 | 85% | Read more |
 | Euro Truck Simulator 2 | 96.6% | Vehicle simulation | 2013-01-16 | 68% | Read more |
 | Slay the Spire | 96.3% | Roguelike, Deck-Building | 2019-01-23 | 49% | Read more |
 | Left 4 Dead 2 | 96.3% | FPS, survival horror | 2009-11-16 | Read more | |
 | Phasmophobia | 96.2% | Horror | 2020-09-18 | Read more | |
 | ULTRAKILL | 96.2% | FPS | 2020-09-03 | Read more | |
 | OMORI | 96.1% | Adventure, Indie, RPG | 2020-12-25 | Read more | |
 | Highest Rated Games on Steam | 99.2% | Adventure | 2019-07-30 | 13% | Read more |
 | A Hat in Time | 96% | Platform | Read more | ||
 | Slime Rancher | 95.9% | Life simulation | 2017-08-01 | 59% | Read more |
 | Dyson Sphere Program | 95.8% | Simulation, Strategy | 2021-01-21 | Read more | |
 | Rhythm Doctor | 98.4% | 2021-02-26 | Read more | ||
 | Celeste | 95.7% | Indie, Single-player, Platform | 2018-01-25 | Read more | |
 | Resident Evil 2 | 95.7% | Survival Horror, Third-Person Shooter | 2019-01-25 | 79% | Read more |
 | Garry’s Mod | 95.7% | Simulation | 2006-11-29 | Read more | |
 | OneShot | 95.7% | Adventure, Puzzle | 2016-12-08 | Read more | |
 | Hotline Miami | 95.6% | Top-down shooter | 2012-10-23 | 55% | Read more |
 | Hollow Knight | 95.6% | Metroidvania | 2017-02-24 | 36% | Read more |
 | Satisfactory | 97.2% | Building | 2020-06-08 | Read more | |
 | Papers, Please | 96.8% | Adventure | 2013-08-08 | Read more | |
 | Highest Rated Games on Steam | 98.1% | Arcade & Platform | 2014-03-03 | 71% | Read more |
 | Dishonored | 95.6% | Stealth, action | 2012-10-12 | 66% | Read more |
 | Bloons TD 6 | 95.6% | Strategy | 2018-12-17 | Read more | |
 | Baba Is You | 95.5% | Puzzle | 2019-03-13 | 29% | Read more |
10. People Playground
| Release year | 23 July 2019 |
| Genre | sandbox, physics puzzle |
| Developer | mestiez |
| Modes | single-player |
| Steam rating | 96,80% |
If you’ve frequented Youtube circa the early 2010s, you’re probably aware of the popular browser game called Happy Wheels, in which the goal was to move the character through the obstacle course of lethal weapons.
The game was mostly interested in shock value, presenting gore-y executions of the player character. The number 10 game on our list, People Playground, is very similar to that title.
The key gameplay feature of PP is massacring ragdoll characters using various lethal tools. The game allows the player to shoot, stab, burn, drown, vaporize, and otherwise mutilate the motionless character. The game doesn’t aspire to be anything more than what you can see in the short trailer presenting various ways of killing the subject of your torture, but a 96,80% rating on Steam means people must dig that kind of stuff.
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9. Portal
| Release year | 10 October 2007 |
| Genre | puzzle, platformer |
| Developer | Valve |
| Modes | single-player |
| Steam rating | 96,80% |
Portal is a puzzle-platforming title in which the player controls a young woman named Chell, a subject in the lab run by Aperture Science.
Her task is to escape captivity using the portal gun – a device capable of opening passages on any flat surface. Using the portal gun and with the help of Wheatley, a friendly robot, Chell will have to pass all the nefarious traps set for her by GLaDOS, Aperture’s A.I. gone rogue.
Set in the same universe as the classic Half-Life series, Portal was a highly popular title in its day. The portal gun gameplay was nothing short of revolutionary. How it was used to solve various spatial puzzles brought to mind the classic physics-based puzzles of Valves opus magnum. Seeing how 14 years after release the game is still popular is a testament to how much fun it provides.
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8. Half-Life: Alyx
| Release year | 23 March 2020 |
| Genre | first-person shooter, VR |
| Developer | Valve |
| Modes | single-player |
| Steam rating | 96,83% |
Speaking of Valve’s classic series – the long-awaited continuation to Half-Life 2 has finally arrived.
And while it isn’t the numbered sequel featuring the fan-favorite protagonist, dr. Gordon Freeman, the adventures of Alyx on the alien-infested Earth will definitely satisfy the fans of the series in particular and FPS enthusiasts in general. Oh, and did we mention that the game is fully VR?
Yes, Valve experiments again, this time investing in the virtual reality-based title. Half-Life: Alyx is a competent first-person shooter with great graphics, elevated by the application of VR goggles. The player is transported to the conquered earth and gets the first-hand experience of fighting against the invading aliens. The game also features elements of survival-horror, giving the player little ammo and putting them against the overwhelming alien forces.
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7. Rimworld
| Release year | 17 October 2018 |
| Genre | construction and management simulation |
| Developer | Ludeon Studios |
| Modes | single-player |
| Steam rating | 96,84% |
RimWorld allows the player to feel the weight of running a space colony.
The game is set in a distant corner of the universe where the making has set one of its outposts – the titular RimWorld. As the outpost leader, your job will be to manage its operation, gather resources necessary to expand it, and make sure that the settlers are well taken care of.
RimWorld is a representative of a popular genre of games focusing on construction and management. Players who like titles like SimCity or Cities: Skylines will definitely enjoy the intricacies of running the space colony. The game features elements of combat, offering various scenarios in which the colony falls under attack, and the player must respond by building defenses or drafting the colonists to fight. This combination of management and strategy will definitely satisfy the players looking for a more thought-out gameplay experience.
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6. Stardew Valley
| Release year | 26 February 2016 |
| Genre | simulation, RPG |
| Developer | ConcernedApe |
| Modes | single-player, multiplayer |
| Steam rating | 96,86% |
After spending some time in space, fighting alien invaders, or sneaking through mad science labs, it’s good to heal your soul by unwinding with one of the most calming games in history.
Stardew Valley offers the player a chance to try their hand in farming, and nothing cleanses the palate after a high-octane action than tending to a plot of land and seeing it flourish.
Stardew Valley’s gameplay draws some inspiration from Harvest Moon, another game focusing on farming. In the beginning, the player of SV receives a plot of land which they must tend to. The produce of the land can be sold in the market, bonds with the neighbors can turn into marital propositions, and nearby caves are filled with creatures to slay and ore to mine. Each activity in Stardew Valley, be it farming, cooking, fishing, etc., aims at putting the player at ease – something that we sorely need these days.
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5. The Witcher III: Wild Hunt
| Release year | 19 May 2015 |
| Genre | action-RPG |
| Developer | CD Projekt RED |
| Modes | single-player |
| Steam rating | 97,08% |
CD Projekt RED’s final installment of the Witcher franchise is a culmination of the studio’s ambitions.
The story of Geralt of Rivia wraps up with an epic flair, and the players are there to see it. The game introduces a variety of new mechanics, including a semi-open world environment and expanded combat gameplay, making The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt not only the best game from the Polish studio but one of the best action-RPGs, period.
Wild Hunt follows the usual rule of sequels: make everything bigger. The world is larger and full of content to enjoy. The combat is more fluid, with a bunch of new moves and skills Geralt has in his Witcher arsenal. And the story, drawing inspiration from various plot points of Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels, grabs the player and keeps them glued to the screen for long hours. If you’re a fan of fantasy action RPGs, then The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a game just for you.
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4. Terraria
| Release year | 16 May 2011 (PC) |
| Genre | action-adventure, sandbox |
| Developer | Re-Logic |
| Modes | single-player, multiplayer |
| Steam rating | 97,11% |
No list of top 10 games is complete without at least one roguelike or roguelite title. It so happens that the fourth of the top 10 best-rated games on Steam is Terraria.
This action-adventure game takes the player to a procedurally generated environment, where they can explore and fight against random enemies. The game emphasizes chance encounters, with different types of opponents appearing depending on specific circumstances.
Defeating enemies and collecting items unlocks the areas of the game to be inhabited by NPCs. These characters provide the player with various services, like selling items, healing, etc. The game utilizes a 16-bit graphics design, similar to that of the Metroidvania games, making it an excellent game for the fans of retro titles.
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3. Hades
| Release year | 17 September 2020 |
| Genre | action-RPG, roguelike |
| Developer | Supergiant Games |
| Modes | single-player |
| Steam rating | 97,42% |
Hades has become a true phenomenon among gamers and proved that indie studios are capable of creating AAA-level games.
The story of Zagreus, the son of Hades, and his quest through various regions of the Underworld captured the imaginations of players around the globe. But it wasn’t the only reason Hades was met with such a warm welcome.
Supergiant Games’ roguelike is quite possibly one of the best titles of its genre currently available on the market. It features all the mechanics of a good roguelike and cranks them up to eleven. Throughout each run, the player will face increasingly harder enemies, including powerful bosses waiting at the end. The game highly emphasizes story and lore, which the player can discover by conversations with NPCs – hand-drawn sprites of various Greek deities aiding Zgreus on his quest to pull his father from lethargy.
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2. Factorio
| Release year | 14 August 2020 |
| Genre | factory simulation, RTS |
| Developer | Wube Software |
| Modes | single-player, multiplayer |
| Steam rating | 97,46% |
Similar to RimWorld, which tests the player’s skills in managing a space colony, Factorio tests the player in running a successful factory.
The game includes the elements of survival – the player has to start their industry from scratch, building the factory from materials they can find in the area and upgrading their skills to create better equipment.
The gameplay mechanics focus on managing the factory by researching systems to make production more efficient. Other features include combat, in which the player must build defenses against the monsters. Factorio can be played solo or in multiplayer, cooperating in running the factory or fighting against each other.
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1. Portal 2
| Release year | 18 April 2011 |
| Genre | puzzle-platform |
| Developer | Valve |
| Modes | single-player, multiplayer |
| Steam rating | 97,6% |
And finally, the number one of 10/10 Steam games.
The best rated game on Valve’s platform turns out to be the sequel to the 9th title on our list. Portal 2 features similar mechanics as the first installment of the series. However, there are some significant differences.
Portal 2 emphasizes cooperation between two players. Both control robots undergoing a series of tests prepared by GLaDOS, the ever-snarky A.I. of Aperture Science. Working together is crucial because, unlike Chell’s portal gun, the devices in Portal 2 are capable of creating only the entry or exit portals. The in-game challenges are based around that mechanic, forcing the players to work out the perfect positioning of the portal to solve the puzzle. Good luck doing that with GLaDOS ridiculing you after every failed attempt.
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The best games Steam has to offer
There you have it – the list of the highest rated games on Steam. You’ll find out that the best reviewed Steam games fall into different genres. In our list, we’ve covered action-adventure games, action-RPGs, roguelikes, strategies, and whatever People Playground was. To be quite honest, our list should serve you as an indicator of what games are the most popular on Steam.
Plenty of titles available on the marketplace are just as good, and deciding on the best Steam games by rating might not be the best choice for you. Sometimes, someone’s 10/10 title might not be up your alley. And sometimes a game many players had passed on turned out to be exactly what you were looking for. All that is to say that Steams library is full of excellent titles. From our list, you get the best rated ones. The rest of them you’ll have to find by yourselves.