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Finding the best Steam games in 2026 isn't easy, and that's why we've decided to highlight all the standouts that you should play today.
Let's face it, Valve's platform is massive, and while I personally love all the Steam Sales and themed 'Fest' events that are constantly taking over the storefront (just read my list of the best Steam Spring Sale games for more on those), it's very easy to get overwhelmed with titles. So, the rest of the GamesRadar+ team and I have put our heads and very extensive Steam libraries together to help you find your next gaming obsession, taking all the wide variety of genres into account.
The very best Steam games ever, starting with...
25. Split Fiction
Developer: Hazelight Studios
Release date: March 6, 2025
Split Fiction is the best co-op game currently on Steam and is also probably the best game for couples ever made. That's right, Hazelight Studios, the minds behind the mega-hit It Takes Two, have outdone themselves again, creating an experience that prioritizes collaboration along with snappy gameplay that makes sure you never get bored with its mechanics.
Following the story of two writers (one specializing in fantasy, while the other in sci-fi) who get trapped in a machine trying to steal all their ideas, you'll have to jump into numerous worlds to find glitches to free yourselves and save creativity from greedy corporations. There are shooting sections, dragon-riding, and even flying pigs to play around with here. Each level is unique, and soon, you'll realize that time has flown by every time you and your player two pick up your controllers. It's a marvel and already one of the best games of 2025. Read our Split Fiction review for more information!
24. Cities Skylines
Developer: Colossal Order Ltd.
Release date: March 10, 2015
The city-building genre is one of the original pillars of PC gaming, next to CRPGs and real-time strategy, but many of its past franchises have seen better days. But then Paradox Interactive made an attempt at a city-builder in the style of classics like Sim City, to great success – the formula of whiling away your time building a sprawling metropolis holds true.
By now, there is likely no bigger game in this genre than Cities: Skylines, and we mean 'big' literally – several DLCs allow you to build even more stuff and enjoy different seasons. If you like to simply build and maintain a city without having to worry about managing people (ew!), Cities: Skylines remains the best game in that category. For more, check out our pick of the best city building games.
23. Metaphor: ReFantazio
Developer: Atlus
Release date: October 11, 2024
Metaphor: ReFantazio was one of the best RPGs of 2024, and if you are a fan of fantasy worlds and the Persona games, then this is a must-have addition to your Steam Library. Set in a world where the king has been assassinated, and a power struggle for the throne has begun, you play as the cursed crown prince's best friend who must steal power away from the evil Louis Guiabern before it's too late.
As you navigate fun dungeons, complete quests, and interact with your companions, you'll unlock and level up Archetypes that each grant you special skills and powers to take down your enemies. Metaphor: ReFantazio is a classic JRPG, but even if you aren't the biggest fan of turn-based combat, its amazing story and sleek art direction will have you hooked. Truly a PC stand out. Read our Metaphor ReFantazio review for more insights!
Get Metaphor: ReFantazio here.
22. Death Stranding
Developer: Kojima Productions
Release date: March 30, 2022
There is no game like Death Stranding, and that's what makes it so enticing – essentially, Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima went all out on a game about hiking. While there is the occasional combat sequence, Death Stranding is really more about a guy who delivers items, all by himself, on his back.
This way, it teaches you not only that walking with a lot of equipment to carry can be as meditative as it can be treacherous, but it also tells the story of a different kind of post-apocalypse, one that isn't about zombies or marauding gangs. It's a unique game that really needs to be experienced to understand its draw. Check out our Death Stranding review to get our verdict.
21. Crusader Kings 3
Developer: Paradox
Release date: September 1, 2020
Winning territory and becoming a ruler are the themes of many strategy games, but Crusader Kings 3 comes with a unique social layer that's really all about your character holding it together. Diplomacy turns into a soap opera, and you'll love exchanging stories about how both your empire and your family developed in unexpected ways.
Crusader Kings 3 is a lot like life in medieval times must have been – war, intrigue, and scheming were part and parcel to the life of the nobility, and while you can be quite goofy with designing your own alternate history, this is a credit to how deep the game's simulation truly runs. For more recommendations, check out our pick of the best strategy games.
20. Vampire Survivors
Developer: Poncle
Release date: October 20, 2022
If pixel games and roguelites are your bag, Vampire Survivors deserves a mention. It's an oddly relaxing shoot-'em-up where you move around your character to lay waste to your enemies - all of whom, oddly enough, are not actually vampires.
You don't need to do much more than that, since your character will auto-attack all enemies in its path on your quest to clear each round under timed constraints. Vampire Survivors doesn't have the realistic graphics and rich open worlds of many other games on this list, but as far as the best Steam games go, its raging popularity has to count for something. Check out our pick of the best roguelike games you can play right now.
19. GTA 5
Developer: Rockstar North
Release date: April 14, 2015
GTA 5 is a game that has shaped PC gaming with its open-world design and storytelling, which is often as vapid but simultaneously enjoyable as a movie blockbuster. While the story alone makes it worth a play - as exaggerated and trippy as it can get - GTA 5's eternal charm lies in how you'll inevitably get distracted by side missions, or beautiful cars to steal, or simply seeing what’s around the next bend.
Everything in GTA 5, from its online multiplayer to its heists, lives from its tight, open world, an exceptionally well-designed place you simply want to get to know – not a lot of games have offered such a good open-world since, especially not in a metropolitan setting. For more, head on over to our GTA 5 review.
18. Dispatch
Developer: AdHoc Studio
Release date: October 22, 2025
Dispatch is a narrative-driven superhero comedy brought to life by the writers behind Wolf Among Us and Tales from the Borderlands. Taking on the role of Robert Robertson aka Mecha Man, you hang up your mecha suit after it gets destroyed to become a hero dispatcher for a ragtag group of former supervillains.
With management elements, you have to send out the wannabe heroes to solve different problems in the city and attempt to play their strengths to progress your career and level up your team. With a punchy storyline, choices to make that have consequences, and memorable characters, AdHoc Studio brings to life a brilliant, story-rich episodic experience packed with style and humor. Oh, and it features a very good dog called Beef. For more, check out our Dispatch review.
17. Deep Rock Galactic
Developer: Ghost Ship Games
Release date: May 13, 2020
If you're calling for another fantastic game to play with pals, Deep Rock Galactic to here to answer. With 1-4 player co-op support, the FPS sees you take on the role of a space dwarf who can team up to dig, explore, and fight through procedurally-generated caves. With four different classes to choose from, each dwarf has a useful ability that will help you navigate the cave networks.
And with various objectives and mission types to set out on, from working together to acquire rare resources, to mending pipelines, and much more more, there's plenty of new skills and equipment to unlock. Plus, nothing beats sharing a drink and a dance back at your homebase after a successful outing. Rock and stone!
16. Stardew Valley
Developer: ConcernedApe
Release date: February 26, 2016
Created by a single developer, Stardew Valley brought the farming sim craze back in a big way. It's easy to see why - updated and enhanced to this day, years after its initial release, Stardew is a labor of love. Day after virtual day, you work on your small farm, growing fruits and vegetables, taking care of animals, and weeding your land, but you can also unearth the secrets of the town's old mine or get to know the villager's stories, each of them memorable enough that the whole community will grow on you.
Stardew Valley understands that seeing the (literal) fruits of your labor is an extremely satisfying process, and it's always a joy to plan out a new farm and try something different. Check out our pick of the best farming games.
15. Disco Elysium
Developer: ZA/UM
Release date: October 15, 2019
Disco Elysium is a detective mystery with an RPG twist. Branching storylines stem from the decisions you make as you pick your way through the city, allowing you to either welcome the darkness as a crooked cop or become a true paragon of law and order. We don't want to give too much away here, but this is an amazing story to experience and has one of the best characters ever written in it, too: Kim Kitsuragi.
Disco Elysium is the perfect choice for any fan of narrative-driven or visual novel-style gameplay, and it's more than deserving of its spot on our list of the best Steam games out there. It's also a great title to replay, so it's worth the investment of adding it to your Steam library. See why it was one of the best games of 2019.
14. Final Fantasy 14
Developer: Square Enix
Release date: February 18, 2014
Final Fantasy 14 is an MMO for people who don't like MMOs. This incredible comeback kid, which began its life as a series of repetitive fetch quests, has grown into an online game with one of the best stories. Best of all – you can play a large chunk of it completely free before you start paying the monthly subscription.
If you do decide to play with others, you will meet a large and friendly community. Out of current Final Fantasy releases, this is simply the best one you can play. So, if you like your RPGs with a large world and a bit more fantasy than futuristic technology, similar to the direction Final Fantasy 12 took, this is the best option right now. For more, check out our Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail review.
13. Peak
Developer: Team Peak
Release date: June 16, 2025
Peak landed in 2025 to bring us an endlessly entertaining co-op climbing adventure. Playing as a customizable goofy little scout, you have to set out to try and reach the top of a mountain at the center of a mysterious island.
With proximity chat adding to hilarity factor, you can try to attempt it solo, but it really shines when you're working with pals to scale every steep incline and perilous jump. Of course, you'll likely stumble, and maybe even fall along the way, but Peak proves it's just as much about the journey to reach your destination. If you're looking for a multiplayer game to try out on Steam, Peak is a great option.
12. Hollow Knight
Developer: Team Cherry
Release date: February 24, 2017
Possibly the most alluring thing about this stellar Metroidvana - other than the gameplay challenge the boss encounters pose - is its sense of exploration. Hollow Knight has that feeling down pat. As a small bug knight, you explore an atmospheric underground kingdom, take on a large number of fellow bugs, and develop your skills to reach even the last nooks and crannies.
Hollow Knight is an intriguing mix of difficult and relaxing, beautifully animated and mysterious enough to make you want to keep going even when the boss standing between you and the next section may make you want to tear your hair out – learning their move sets and eventually overcoming even the toughest foe is all part of the fun, after all. And once you're done, you can follow it up with the sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong. For more, check out our pick of the best Metroidvania games.
11. Dishonored 2
Developer: Arkane
Release date: November 11, 2016
When people talk about the freedom to play a game their way, Dishonored 2 is still the most common example. As assassin Corvo or Emily Attano, you sneak your way through the city of Karnaca, in order to learn the identity of a mysterious killer.
Dishonored isn't only an achievement in stealth; it also manages to give you compelling reasons to approach situations non-violently while still making sure you end up with your back to the wall often enough that sticking to one playstyle isn't all too easy. Renowned for its level design, Dishonored gives you many different approaches, and to pull off a particularly daring play is a joy all of its own. Check out our verdict in our Dishonored 2 review.
10. Return of the Obra Dinn
Developer: Warp Digital Limited
Release date: October 18, 2018
Detective games don't get much better than Return of the Obra Dinn. Gruesome murders and other mysteries took place on a merchant ship, and it's up to you to figure out what exactly took place, simply by gathering clues and coming to your own conclusions. It's fascinating how hands-off the game is, too, simply asking you to pay attention to small things many other detective games regularly forget. You need a good eye and patience, but working a mystery out is immensely satisfying.
Return of the Obra Dinn shows that detective mysteries can be so much more than reading text-based clues and doing random puzzles – this is the full sleuthing experience. For more, see our pick of the best mystery games.
Get Return of the Obra Dinn here.
9. Hades 2
Developer: Supergiant Games
Release date: September 25, 2025
Hades 2 is out of Early Access, so there really has never been a better time to take on the role of the immortal Princess of the Underworld. With impeccably polished combat that builds on the first game, the sequel manages to top the godly heights of its predecessor.
With a cast of memorable characters, so much attention to detail, and lots of post-game progression to get stuck into when you eventually accomplish your first successful run as Melinoë, you won't regret stepping into Supergiant's roguelike, which houses so much depth. For more, be sure to check out our Hades 2 review.
8. Cyberpunk 2077
Developer: CD Projekt Red
Release date: December 10, 2020
There's never been a better time to dive into Cyberpunk 2077. Thanks to host of fantastic, substantial updates and the engrossing Phantom Liberty expansion, CD Projekt Red delivers an immersive RPG in the darkly dangerous neon-tinted streets of Night City.
Taking on the role of V, you'll be joined by a Johnny Silverhand played Keanu Reeves as you set out to try and save your own life and deal with the engram lodged in your head. With plenty of characters to meet and to know along the way, a wealth of memorable questlines, and a city that's yours to discover, Cyberpunk 2077 is an RPG that's well worth stepping into. Check out our Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty review for more.
7. XCOM 2
Developer: Firaxis Games
Release date: February 4, 2016
The XCOM reboot revived the landscape of round-based tactics, but while its gameplay has often been copied, there is nothing quite like the original. It's one of those "just one more round" games where getting your squad through an encounter takes good planning (and a few lucky surprises). Even though your home base grows and your soldiers become stronger over time, XCOM 2 is enjoyably tense because none of that ever means you're safe – you’re simply gaining more gameplay options.
The excellent XCOM 2: War of the Chosen DLC adds a lot of flair to the game, thanks to its warring factions. What before was little more than just an assortment of missions about humanity surviving hostile takeover by aliens that way even eventually got an exciting conflict. For more, check out our XCOM 2 review.
6. Helldivers 2
Developer: Arrowhead Game Studios
Release date: February 8, 2024
Helldivers 2 is one of those games people will be talking about for ages, and for good reason. The squad-based online shooter balances the realms of comedy and action with bombastic '80s infomercial cheese to create a third-person shooter experience that's fast become one of the best Steam games ever (not to mention the most popular).
The fact that friendly fire is always on means that it's all too easy to accidentally dust your teammates, of course, but that just makes the action all the more chaotic – which is kind of why we're here. For more, see our Helldivers 2 review.
5. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Developer: Sandfall Interactive
Release date: April 24, 2025
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is turn-based RPG that succeeds at drawing you into its fantastical setting, tugging at your emotions, and delivering a satisfying action with its blend of real-time mechanics and party-based battles. In it, you follow Expedition 33 as they set out to destroy the Paintress, a figure who decides what age people in the world should die.
With plenty of surprises, a rich world to explore, and a cast of characters you'll undoubtedly come to care for, Clair Obscur feels like a true love letter to classic JRPGs, while also carving out an identity of its own. See what we made of the adventure in our Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review.
Get Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 here.
4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Developer: CD Projekt RED
Release date: May 18, 2015
More than anything else, it's the world of The Witcher 3 that fascinates me because it's so large, beautiful, and stuffed with history. The Witcher 3 is a lot less clunky than Skyrim, which it often gets compared to, and it shares its adult tone with some of the best high-fantasy RPG franchises out there.
Gruff Witcher Geralt will grow on you with each crotchety response, and the story paints a delicious, slowly unraveling mystery you will want to see through to the end. There's a reason this game tops so many best gaming lists. For more, check out our Witcher 3 review.
Get The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt here.
3. Elden Ring
Developer: FromSoftware
Release date: February 24, 2022
The developer is known for its punishing bosses and immense fantasy worlds, but Elden Ring shows what FromSoft is capable of in its absolute prime. Exploring and fighting your way across the Lands Between is a treacherous expedition, even for a Soulslike, but the rewards you reap when snatching victory from the crushing jaws of defeat makes it entirely worth the challenge.
Elden Ring's fantastic PC performance means it's already cemented its place as one of the best Steam games out there, and with the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC to round out the experience, there's never been a better time to become Tarnished. See what we thought of the game at release in our Elden Ring review.
2. Red Dead Redemption 2
Developer: Rockstar Games
Release date: December 5, 2019
For most genres, you have multiple games to choose from, but when it comes to spending time in the Wild West, the buck stops at Red Dead Redemption 2. This game encompasses every facet of what you thought being a cowboy would be like – senseless mass carnage, mucking around at a saloon, enjoying the quiet of nature – and connecting to those who have it hard out in the West.
On the technical front, it's beautiful, the performances are top-notch, and, like with almost every one of the best open-world games, you will frequently turn away on the road to your next objective, simply because you happened across an interesting encounter first. Red Dead Redemption 2 feels like an adventure in best sense – it can be dramatic and quiet, moving and brutal. It's fulfilling one of the biggest gaming fantasies from our youth, next to being a knight and a ninja. Check out our Red Dead Redemption 2 review to see what we thought of the RPG at launch.
Get Red Dead Redemption 2 here.
1. Baldur's Gate 3
Developer: Larian Studios
Release date: August 3, 2023
The result of decades of experience with its acclaimed Divinity series, Baldur's Gate 3 feels a little bit impossible. The breadth, depth, and density of its world is unmatched, as is the reactivity of its story.
So endlessly re-playable that you could play an entire 100-hour campaign and still barely scratch the surface of all it has to offer, this is a marvel up there with the best that its D&D background has ever produced. A new gold standard for Dungeons & Dragons, the RPG genre, and potentially the industry as a whole. Read our Baldur's Gate 3 review, which describes this as a once-in-a-generation experience.
Into VR gaming? Check out our list of upcoming PSVR 2 games to get lost in the experience, or see what else awaits us with our roundup of upcoming PC games.
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