Top 10 Steam Games as of March 2014 – Exclusive and Non-Exclusive

[promo title=”#10 LEGO Marvel Super Heroes”][/promo]

 

Before I begin, I should note that the game’s quality and content is virtually identical to its console counterparts, and it is actually available on Steam for about HALF of what the PS4 or XBOX One versions go for. Great deal for a great game.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes is by far THE largest LEGO experience to date, next to LEGO LoTR of which has also incorporated open-world gameplay. The sheer size of the city of New York and the amazingly large palette of characters makes the game very full. Play as iconic characters like Spiderman, The Hulk, Thor, and more! My personal favorite is Iron Man, as his mode of transportation in the large map they put you in is flying around just as he does in the movies. LEGO Marvel Super Heroes is a LEGO game that sticks to each character’s canonical roots while still providing a new story to be told. The only personal gripe I would have with it is its slightly cheesy script; but hey, it is a LEGO game after all. It’s to be expected. Another thing that should be advised when playing this game is to not expect an incredibly complex storyline. The story was written entirely by the LEGO staff, and is not at all based on any of the films by Marvel. It is however still a fun experience, and I would recommend this game to anyone looking to save some money while getting the same quality as its PS4 or XBOX One counterparts.

[promo title=”#9 Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag”][/promo]

 

The only reason this game is not much higher on the list is because it IS, like LEGO Marvel, a console game as well. Those who know the game understand that it is spectacular on the consoles, and if this was a list outlining the best games on consoles as of today, I would put it at the top. If you have not played the game, or are looking for a good deal and graphics on-par with the next-gen systems, read on. If you’ve played the game already on a console, I do suggest skipping ahead to #8, as there really is not anything new or exclusive the Steam version has over the console versions.

Assassin’s Creed IV adds not only yet another vibrant world to explore, but brings an amazing story to the table as you pillage and plunder as pirates. The historicity is accurate, the characters are lovable, the gameplay is solid, and the sea is yours to explore. Ubisoft is notorious for allowing massive Steam price cutbacks on nearly all of their games, and at sporadic times of the year. Annually, you can expect them to have what Steam calls the “Ubisoft Sale”, and probably nab the game at a good 50% off. Additionally, the graphics with an Nvidia graphics card superceed that of its console counterpart, giving it an edge against the current next-gen systems when it has a sale.

[promo title=”#8 Garry’s Mod”][/promo]

 

Garry’s Mod. The game of many games. The king of community influence, and the champion of humor. Also, perhaps, the origin of quite a lot of ridiculous YouTube Poop videos. It still–after years of being released–finds itself on the Top Sellers list on the Steam store. The game is phenomenal. But, perhaps because it IS quite irrelevant today than it was then, it earns #8 on the list.

Garry’s Mod is a fantastic game if all you want to experience is pure, unadulterated fun. It is most definitely not played to win, nor is there any immediate incentive to play the game (aside from Trading Cards and Steam Achievements) if you don’t want to. The game teaches you, essentially, to create your own incentive. Now, for those of you who’ve never heard of Garry’s Mod (or perhaps have heard the name but not ever quite understood what is was), it is a sandbox game in essence. The game throws blank maps at you from famous Valve games (and some Gmod exclusives), to use as your canvas. The game’s community generates all of its content. Ever wanted to ride around City 17 on a Delorean as Mad Moxxi from Borderlands? Maybe play as a Portal 2 turret and protect an outpost for GLaDOS? What about run around as a Combine soldier and search for other players disguised as milk cartons and pieces of crumpled paper? Perhaps ride a rollercoaster as Sonic the Hedgehog and derail into oblivion? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this game is the one for you.

[promo title=”#7 DayZ”][/promo]

 

There’s nothing much to be said about this Steam exclusive, but if you want a fun multiplayer experience and a gritty world to run around with your friends in, this game is perfect.

Day Z is a relatively recent Steam title that has been in development for some time (and still is), and has a growing fan base by the day. Its fluid co-op/PvP multiplayer immediately attracted gamers interested in the “zombie” genre (if that is even a thing). The fact that the game does have its occasional bug due to the fact that it’s still in development places in at #7 on my list. Personally, I haven’t had enough time to sit down with the game and really put some good hours into it, but from what I have experienced, it is most definitely solid. I’d recommend this game to anyone who wants to be involved in the development of a highly ambitious game.

[promo title=”#6 HAWKEN”][/promo]

 

Now, I do feel as though I need to get the word out on this game, although that is not why I am putting it on this list. Hawken is incredibly ambitious, is still in development as of now, and is a Steam exclusive. It has been gaining considerable popularity in the past month, but because it is a fairly new title, there are not many that know much about it other than from what they might have seen on the Steam “Featured” section.

Hawken is an FPS that puts players in the cockpit of an enormous mech, allowing them to utilize all of its destructive capabilities to wipe out opponents. Great thing about it is, Hawken is actually Free-to-play. If anyone wanted, they could download the game whenever they’d like and get in on the action. The only problem with that, is that the game involves a very rigorous progression system currently that puts players in a position to want to just BUY the unlockable content instead of actually unlocking it through leveling up. Yes, like most free-to-play games on Steam, most of the content that would make the game ten times more enjoyable is extremely difficult to unlock, and costs money. The reason why I’ve put it higher than the previous games I’ve mentioned however (besides the fact that it is a PC exclusive and the others aren’t), is because the game is absolutely addicting. The gameplay is tight, and a lot of the time you win based solely on your skill level and mastering the controls of the mech you pilot. I’d seriously recommend this game to anyone wanting Titanfall (although it should be noted that the games are definitely NOT two in the same), and to whoever loves a nice spin on the FPS genre. It’s new, it’s fresh, but unfortunately it’s hard to rank it any higher due to the unfair progression system and a few balance issues. Easy to look past, but the game loses some incentive because of it.

[promo title=”#5 PlanetSide 2″][/promo]

Planetside 2 is a massive game.

People who love the FPS genre and are large fans of sci-fi shooters like Halo or Mass-Effect will adore this title. Great thing is, is that it is yet another free-to-play Steam MMO title. Difference between this and other free-to-play’s, is that this one doesn’t make you purchase everything to have fun. The game is massive, and plays like one giant continent-sized conquest match. There are 3 factions to choose from, and each one is by no means any better than the other (although there are some pretty geeky rivalries that form between them for no good reason sometimes). You and the rest of your team starts in a command post, and firstly, finds a vehicle. My personal favorite is the Mosquito, a fast aerial vehicle great for long-distance travel. The game is a great experience for those that enjoy some tight action, and a huge world to traverse with (quite literally) an army of soldiers. This game places #5 on my list only because the game lacks a diversity of modes and has the notorious Free-To-Play disease of becoming slightly boring with the starter content. All in all, a good Battlefield-esque sci-fi shooter.

Oh, and the game is coming to PS4. Not that it matters here, though.

[promo title=”#4 Counter Strike: GO”][/promo]

CS: GO rocks. If you use Steam, you know Counter Strike.

It’s a beautiful game, and to anyone who’s played the previous Counter Strike installments know how much of a fantastic improvement Global Offensive made. For those that don’t necessarily know much concerning Counter Strike, it is an FPS multiplayer title, whose main mode is Bomb Diffusion. The mode is pretty self-explanatory. Counter Strike: Global Offensive is incredibly addicting, and its fast-paced gameplay is to be appreciated. Servers do get bad at times, but there will always be some sort of lag in multiplayer. Global Offensive should be played at first with the mentality that you won’t be necessarily playing to “unlock” anything. The premise is by no means focused on progression, but more on casual play. It should be noted that some gametypes have a sort of “built-in” progression system, but it is all match-specific.

This title is simply a must-have for diehard PC gamers. Fun as hell, and will keep you occupied for a while.

[promo title=”#3 The Walking Dead”][/promo]

We’re getting into the big dogs of Steam games now, aren’t we?

Yes, The Walking Dead most indubitably has to be on this list, as the story that this magnificent series tells is heart-wrenching, at times heart-warming, and most of the time horrifically depressing. With the coming of The Walking Dead season 2, gamers may rejoice to now find that this new entry is just as well-made as its predecessors. It is by no means a Steam exclusive, but it is a darn good game. If it was an exclusive (which would never happen), it’d rank among the top two. The characters, the environment, the story — all of it is so true to the original comic series and portrays a living, breathing parallel to the original stories. Telltale Games knows how to make a fantastic point-and-click, and The Walking Dead is their masterpiece. Steam as well as other platforms just came out with Season 2 as mentioned before, so go check that out if you haven’t!

[promo title=”#2 Starbound”][/promo]

 

Starbound is a moderately new addition to Steam, not too old to the point where it isn’t relevant, though. Starbound, if anything, is very relevant right now, as the game is growing a massive following and is under some serious construction by its team of dedicated developers. Chucklefish, the small indie team of devs that made the game, are currently working hard to add more and more content to the game. It is a Steam exclusive, and there is currently no mention of it moving to consoles.

Starbound is easiest explained as “Terraria in Space”. It is however, by no means extremely similar, as the two games share some very distinct differences. Starbound is a massive game, and is built upon the idea of exploration. It involves a procedurally-generated universe that players can explore freely, if their ship has the fuel for the voyage. Really, the game reminds me a lot of Stark Trek in the sense that you never will encounter the same monster twice, nor the same combination of world features. There are certain biomes in the game, and they each have recognizable features. There is a crafting system in the game, and can be a bit of a grind at times, and at other times, seem too easy to progress in. The game is by no means finished, but it does show some amazing playability already. At its current stage it is incredibly addicting, and can be played and enjoyed for hours upon hours on end. Starbound’s soundtrack is magnificent, the visuals are stunning, the guns, armor and tools are incredibly fun, the mechanics are solid, and the idea is so far ahead of its time. There are a lot of balance issues at its current state, and it does suffer from a content cap that leaves the players wondering what to do once they reach it. It isn’t a finished game yet, but the sheer fact that it is already so fun to experience, and fantastic to play with friends makes it very likable. It deserves, to me, a spot as #2 of the list.

Now, read on, as perhaps its “cousin” may be the star of the show…

[promo title=”#1 Terraria”][/promo]

Yes, the known cousin of Starbound, and the King of 2D sandbox games.

Terraria once was a Steam exclusive, and this did make us “PC Steam Nazi Master Race” gamers pretty freaking happy to have this gem on our side, as did we with Minecraft. What makes this title so great, is not anything you’d really think about. I believe it is the love and careful attention that the developers put into every detail of it. The game is simple. You start a new world, you look for resources, you build a house, you get new armor, you build a town, NPCs move in, you level yourself up, get better weapons, fight your first boss, and the rest is history. There are about 13 bosses in the game, each one more fierce than the next, and requires you to beat the previous one in order to challenge it. The game’s currency system is incredibly straight-forward, and the RPG mechanics are stunningly good. It continues to be updated with huge chunks of new content, and at an alarmingly fast rate. It’s very easy to say that it is a complete title, but Andrew “Redigit” Spinks, the main developer, will continue adding more content until the game is absolutely perfect. It has continued to rank as one of the best games on Steam and still remains on the Top Sellers list on the online store.

Terraria will continue to surprise you, even after 250 hours of playing the game. Heck, I still play the game, have about 400 hours put into it, and am still finding new things to do. This beautiful game absolutely deserves the #1 spot on the list, and completely personifies the idea that “simple is better”, and doesn’t need a thousand or so features to stay one of the most played games on Steam to date.