There are far too many free Steam games and demos for you to play them all, never mind sift through them and find the cream of the crop. With new free downloads added to Steam every day, I’ve taken a look at some of the recent additions in the form of demos and free-to-play games you need to try.
Below you’ll find some of the best free Steam games recently added to the platform, but there are some details you’ll want to keep in mind. A handful of these entries are demos and others are only on Steam for a limited time, so we’ve broken down what’s what and given you the timeframes you have to play the games when applicable.
The Finals playtest
The Finals beta is only running for around another week or so, meaning if you want to get in on this new multiplayer FPS you’ll need to play it while you still can. From former Battlefield developers, The Finals focuses on destructible environments and tight shooting, with player counts soaring to around a quarter of a million already.
If you want something new to play with friends, and are an avid Call of Duty and Battlefield FPS fan, The Finals is exactly what you’ve been searching for. There’s no word on a full release date yet, but who can argue with a few free quality gaming evenings with your mates? You can learn more here.
Teleforum free Steam horror game
Next up is the free Steam horror game Teleforum; it was released earlier this month and is the perfect adventure for the spooky season. With a ‘very positive rating’ from almost 500 Steam reviews, it tasks you with going to a widow’s apartment to interview them about their husband’s death, with undertones of found footage and an examination of what we do for fame. Teleforum is making the rounds on YouTube too, so if you’ve seen it already you can find it here.
Half Sword demo
We’ve talked about the Half Sword demo before, but here’s the rundown: Chivalry meets QWOP in a physics-driven medieval combat sim that’s as gruesome as it is silly. While the demo is mainly a combat test, you can have a lot of fun with the mechanics and see for yourself if it’s a game you’d like to wishlist for the full release at some point in the future.
Mad King Prologue
If you like card games like Hearthstone, Mad King Prologue is for you. It’s an easy-to-learn card game where the hero you select going into battle massively dictates how you play, and it has a really delightful Saturday morning cartoon vibe to it. With the full Mad King game still in the works, I’m sure heroes and rules will change before a full launch, but even now Mad King Prologue shows a lot of promise. You can learn more about the card game over on Steam right now.
Sky Children of the Light demo
Originally released as a mobile MMO with adventure game leanings, Sky: Children of the Light comes from Journey developer thatgamecompany. With an incredibly heavy focus on social mechanics, and peaceful collaborative play the aim of the game. If you liked the broad controls and visuals of Journey, you’ll certainly find something to love in Sky: Children of the Light. You can check the game out now.
Backpack Battles demo
The Backpack Battles demo is actually the most played demo on Steam right now by quite a wide margin, and while the game isn’t fully out until April 2024 you can enjoy a lot of what’s on offer for free. The game is a strategy battler all about what you put in your backpack and where you place it. You’ll be playing against the builds of other players, combining items into new wares for your backpack, and a whole lot more.
Backpack Battles is a really unique idea for a game, taking the inventory management of games like Resident Evil to a whole new level. I can’t wait to see what the team does with it, and you can try it for yourself here.
So, these are six new free Steam games and demos you should try for yourself. The Finals appears to be the only free download going away any time soon, so make sure you give it a go and get your friends in on the action while you still can.
In the meantime, we’ve put together the very best free PC games and upcoming PC games you’ll want to keep an eye on, as there’s a lot to add to your backlog and jump into at no starting cost.