Steam’s library is full of amazing free games, but upon closer look, you’ll realize that the vast majority of the most popular games on the platform are multiplayer, which leaves us lone wolves in a bit of a bind.
It’s no easy to find single-player games that are free. That’s because one of the reasons many games can be free in the first place is because they are multiplayer, which allows for a growing community of returning players playing the same game with their friends for years on end. In contrast, single-player games are more of a one-time thing, so it makes more sense to just slap the base price to that in order to make a profit.
It is not impossible to find them, though. The indie market has blown up since Steam released back in black, which has allowed for very talented and creative minds to be able to put their work out there without having to charge a penny, with the solace on the fact that people are enjoying their games.
Since free single-player games on Steam are so far in between, there’s going to be a mix-and-match of genres. The best ones are in a range from 2D games to platformers, first-person shooters, horror games, and even visual novels.
Hopefully, a few of these games will have something to entice you, and who knows, maybe you can try a game that’s different from what you’re used to only to find love in a brand new genre.
We Went Back
Starting with my favorite genre, horror, we have this short but sweet gem. In We Went Back, you’re an astronaut trapped in an abandoned space station, the exit is locked, and there’s something lurking in the shadows, looking for you.
Find clues and solve puzzles in an environment that’s constantly changing, forcing you to confront your fears as the clock ticks.
In your frantic search for answers, you’ll wonder why you’re here, and affirm to yourself that we shouldn’t have gone back to the moon.
Shadow Warrior Classic (1997)
For all of the Doom enthusiasts comes Shadow Warrior Classic with a wave of nostalgia. This first-person shooter comes at you with hordes of hellish creatures and demons for your psychotic pleasure.
With an arsenal of weapons at your disposal to kill, slaughter, and blow up enemies charging at you, it brings the best of classic Doom games with the style to match.
Sockventure: Prologue
Superhero games are known for their over the top action, visuals, and larger than life characters, yet never in my life did I imagine that I’d be playing as a hero named Supersock, yet here we are.
This frenetic 2D platformer is a challenging endeavor where you’ll be unlocking new skills as you traverse a deadly washing machine that wants you dead more than anything else, with spikes, acid, flames, you name it. And not only are you going to die a lot, but you’re gonna love it.
Help the kid that summoned you to find his missing socks in this crazy, over the top adventure that will drive you crazy to finish all the 50 levels. Be warned: this is a game only for the skilled and those with a lot of patience. As the game’s tagline says: Have fun dying!
Gravitas
Gravitas is a first-person puzzle platforming game akin to Portal. As the name implies, you’re able to manipulate gravity around you to solve the riddles and make your way through the Gallery of Refined Gravity. Be mindful, though, because the exhibits get increasingly dangerous the more you advance.
You won’t be completely alone in your endeavor, as you have a floating robotic companion of uncertain alliance called the Curator, the personality of this game, and what makes it ten times more enjoyable.
Cry of Fear
Another game part of the most underrated genre of all time, Cry of Fear is a Half-Life mod with an original story that puts you on the shoes of Simon, a teenager whose sole objective is to get home safely. Everybody is gone, and instead, the city is infested by nightmarish creatures that will have you on your toes throughout all of the game.
Make no mistake, while this game might be a mod, it feels like a fully fleshed out triple-A game in the way the story is presented to you and how well crafted the level design is. This psychological horror will bring back memories of games such as Silent Hill, while still managing to have its own identity with an experience that will haunt you for years.
Transmissions: Element 120
Transmissions: Element 120 is another Half-Life mod with horror-like elements, the main differences with Cry of Fear being that this not only takes place in the Half-Life Universe but is more of an action shooter in the same being of Half-Life.
Here, you count with an augmented gravity gun that allows you to jump great heights and sustain little to no damage in your fall. It is amazingly designed, with a thick atmosphere and stunning visuals that will have you wishing that the team behind this can create more in the future.
Helltaker
Whereas most other video game protagonists dive into the depths of hell for glory, love, or to rid the world of otherworldly evils, here, you open the portal to create your own harem of demon girls.
Helltaker is a short but incredibly fun game reminiscent of some of the best mobile games out there. You go through the hellish landscape while fighting skeletons, solving puzzles, and conquer the dark hearts of demon girls.
Serena
Serena is more of an interactive tale rather than a game. It takes roughly an hour to complete, yet you’ll think about it for hours after you finish it. It takes place in a cabin in the woods, where you’ll uncover the story with scattered objects and clues. Its haunting and depressing story will keep you engaged every single minute.
As you walk around and explore the cabin, reminiscing of the time you used to live there with your wife, you’ll slowly realize that maybe you shouldn’t have gone there. A simple yet beautifully crafted game that shows that you don’t need a multimillion-dollar budget to make art out of a video game.
The Expendabros
If the title is not obvious enough, the Expendabros is an action game with a tongue-in-cheek nod to the movie The Expendables. This explosive 2D platformer has you playing as one of several macho badass members of the Broforce, a paramilitary filled with all the testosterone a game can fill in one place.
Your mission in this free single-player game is to shoot people, blow stuff up and ask questions later as you jump around and massacre your way around the forests of Eastern Europe in search of arms dealer Conrad Stonebanks. Run ‘n’ gun dozens of terrorists with a vast arsenal of weapons that would make any badass action movie hero proud.
Just remember not to look at the explosions.
Grimm’s Hollow
Grimm’s Hollow is a cute spooky top-down RPG that has you exploring the afterlife in search of your brother. Like many others on this list, this game is short and sweet but not any less enjoyable because of it. You’ll be reaping ghosts, eat treats, and traverse through haunted caves.
You can tell that this is a passion project, and a lot of heart has gone into making it, which makes it all the more enjoyable of a journey. There’s also replayability value as the game has multiple endings, and it’s worth going through all of them.
Doki Doki Literature Club!
What’s a better single-player game that you can get for absolutely free than a romantic anime visual novel? In Doki Doki, you play as a student that has recently joined the literary club. As a member, you can chat and play fun minigames with the other members Sayori, Natsuki, Yuri, and Monika!
With such an innocent little game, you can sit back and relax while making friends along the way! What can possibly go wrong?
All I’m gonna say is that this game is categorized as psychological horror, and it’s not for those easily disturbed…
Life is Strange – Episode 1
Life is Strange is an episodic game that has won awards for its compelling narrative. The developers have gone as far as to let people experience it as to have the first episode for free on Steam.
You play as a photography student with the ability to rewind time. As you might expect, this game has a compelling story to the likes of Heavy Rain and The Walking Dead, where each choice matters regardless of time-bending abilities.
And similar to games of the genre, replayability is integral to it where different paths will lead to multiple different endings. An indie masterpiece that deserves to be played by as many people as possible.
The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit
As a bonus entry for this list, we have The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit, a short and endearing adventure that takes place in the Life is Strange universe. Just like in Life is Strange, this tale will warm the heart of whoever plays it, with fleshed-out characters that you’ll easily sympathize with.
In this story, you play as Chris, a nine-year-old with a wild imagination who often escapes reality to go on fantastical adventures as his alter ego, Captain Spirit. While the premise might sound family-friendly, the truth is that it isn’t.
Just like Life is Strange, this game contains mature themes mixed with a charming narrative. Best of all is that it is completely free to play.
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