Home to some of the best paid and free PvP and PvE multiplayer games in the world, Steam has something for everyone. Whether you and your friends are fans of fast-paced FPS and battle royale titles or in the mood for a night of survival horror, casual, or racing escapades, the best Steam multiplayer games will never disappoint. I’ve tried to avoid the obvious choices like GTA Online, Minecraft, Destiny 2, and It Takes Two and offer something fresh instead.
Want to play games with your non-gamer SO? Here are all the games you can try with your partner.
1. Counter-Strike 2
Genre: FPS, Competitive
Price: Free
Even non-gamers know what Counter-Strike is. One of the most-played and most-loved games of all time has now gotten a makeover. Counter-Strike 2 replaces CS:GO, retaining the same gameplay, skins, and items, but bringing a new game engine, upgraded maps, and modern physics & networking to CS.
CS2 is the perfect world to jump in with your buddies, as you’re likely already familiar with the objective-based gameplay and arcade gunplay. Despite the visual overhaul, the game isn’t demanding at all, so you don’t really need the best gaming PC parts to run it.
2. Team Fortress 2
Genre: FPS, Hero Shooter
Price: Free
If you want an FPS game with a peppy, lighthearted tone, Team Fortress 2 is just the thing for you. Class-based characters with diverse tactical abilities and multiple game modes keep the action fresh and intense. It’s also free since 2011, so you and your friends don’t need to spend a dime unless you’re splurging on skins and the like.
The maps in TF2 offer some of the most well-crafted and rewarding environments in FPS games. And the cartoonish art style only adds to the drama and mayhem as you battle it out in Capture the Flag or Payload game modes. A game 17 years old, Team Fortress 2 is still going strong.
Done with multiplayer? Try the best single-player FPS games.
3. Dota 2
Genre: MOBA, Strategy
Price: Free
Another Valve juggernaut, Dota 2 is one of the most-played games on Steam. This decade-old, top-down battle arena title offers something new in every match. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a newbie trying to master the basics, the vast roster of heroes and the deep, challenging gameplay ensure you never get bored.
Dota 2 is one of the great bastions of the genre, thanks to its vast and passionate community, million-dollar tournaments, and regular updates. It’s hard to master but you can train against bots, sharpen your skills playing as multiple heroes, and then jump into skill-based matchmaking to test your mettle. As a free-to-play PC game, it offers tremendous value and countless hours of fun.
4. Deep Rock Galactic
Genre: RPG, Action, Co-op
Price: $30
Have you ever wanted to be a cave explorer, entering subterranean crypts as a team to uncover precious minerals and fight hordes of enemies? Well, you can do just that in Deep Rock Galactic, except in space. This action RPG allows up to four players to pick classes, explore randomly generated space caves, and fight space critters before making it safely back to an escape pod.
You play as dwarves tasked with mining asteroids and maneuvering drops and climbs while you strive to survive aliens eyeing you for dinner. There are also destructible environments and fancy weapons like flamethrowers and Gatling guns to keep you hooked.
Love RPG action? Check out the best free RPG games.
5. Remnant II
Genre: RPG, Action, Adventure, Co-op, Souls-like
Price: $50
The world has ended, and the “remnants” of humanity need to save reality itself from total annihilation. This is the premise of Remnant II and the game feels every bit as pulse-pounding. You can play alone or with up to two friends, choosing from different classes and utilizing weapons and abilities to bring down tough bosses and monsters across multiple worlds.
The combat is a mix of tricky melee and frantic ranged situations. Your squad will need to prepare its loadout well for each environment and gargantuan boss. The game looks slick, plays fluidly, and is a much-improved title compared to the first one. If you prefer Souls-like combat, you’ll feel right at home.
6. Dead by Daylight
Genre: Survival horror, Co-op
Price: $20
Switching things up from shooters, Dead by Daylight tests your nerves rather than your dexterity. In a 4v1 deathmatch, your squad can play as the survivors, hiding from the killer and completing a set of tasks in order to make your escape. Or if you’re so inclined, you can play as the killer and viciously hunt down your friends.
Fortunately, the killer has some limitations that allow the survivors to use their brains and evade capture (and impaling!). If you love playing as the killer, there’s a who’s who of horror film and game characters to choose from — Michael Myers, Freddie Kreuger, Sadako (The Ring), Demogorgon (Stranger Things), Ghost Face (Scream), Nemesis (Resident Evil), the Xenomorph (Alien), and more.
Need more horror? Here are the top free horror games on Steam.
7. Valheim
Genre: Survival, Open World, Co-op
Price: $20
Valheim is still in early access, but this Viking-themed, open-word survival game is still an excellent way to go exploring with friends and slay some storied monsters. Thanks to steady updates, Valheim gives you plenty of stuff to do — manage Viking settlements, go game hunting, build longhouses & weapons, and gather materials.
The co-op nature of the game is extremely rewarding since it allows up to 10 players to team up and sail through multiple immersive locations. While it’s not one of the best story-driven games, the combat has weight and rewards skills and well-crafted weapons. The boss fights tend to be epic, but the rewards are worth it. Being a survival game, the health, stamina, and food system is designed expertly, and the game doesn’t feel overly punishing.
8. THE FINALS
Genre: FPS, Battle Royale
Price: Free
Gamers have a weird relationship with battle royale games. They seem to love and hate them with equal passion. The latest entrant in this space is THE FINALS — a reality show–style, spectacle-filled PvP shooter filled with destructible environments and multiple game modes.
THE FINALS is vastly popular and differentiates itself from games like Warzone and PUBG by prioritizing vertical traversal and fast-paced movement. There are light, medium, and heavy build classes to choose from. You can team up in squads of three to compete for the most amount of cash, while a running commentary roasts your abysmal teamwork.
9. Stardew Valley
Genre: Casual, Farming Simulator
Price: $15
Stardew Valley is hugely popular among farming sim and casual gaming fans. So if you haven’t played it till now, chances are that you won’t. But I still want to sway you toward giving this pixel-style farming sim a try. It won’t be inaccurate to call it a life sim considering you can marry, start a family, be part of the community, and choose from a variety of professions.
You can even invite up to three players to join you in growing your farm, selling the produce, cooking delicious recipes, and improving your skills in farming, mining, combat, fishing, and foraging. Stardew Valley is the perfect place to be when all you want is to disappear from the trials of surviving killers and monsters, and do some fishing and farming instead.
Do you love Minecraft? You’ll like our recommendations of the best world-building games.
10. Regular Human Basketball
Genre: Party Game, Sports, Funny
Price: $5
If the name didn’t make it clear, Regular Human Basketball is a hilarious take on basketball and, well, the arduous task of playing with friends. You and your team need to pilot a mech with everyone handling different controls inside the robot and trying to somehow score baskets amid all the chaos.
When it comes to underrated PC games, RHB is the perfect party game and great to play when you’re able to bring your squad together on Discord. Online lobbies are desolate, so don’t count on easily finding matches online. There are multiple maps and engaging commentary to keep things interesting, though.
11. Team Sonic Racing
Genre: Racing, Co-op, Casual
Price: $40
You can always go for some racing with friends, right? Team Sonic Racing takes the kart racing formula and spices it up with beloved characters, customization, varied modes, and a bunch of items to create some explosive moments with friends.
Whether you prefer online multiplayer or local co-op with 4-player split screen, the game has it all. The co-op modes let you compete as a team, knocking out opponents and assisting your team to victory. If you know how to play PC games on TV, the split-screen feature can elevate the fun to new heights.
The best Steam multiplayer games allow countless ways to create and cherish gaming moments with friends. If you’re looking for on-the-go gaming, give the best games for Steam Deck a shot. Or you can just use Steam Remote Play to play high-end PC games on your travel laptop. You should also check out the best Linux games if Windows isn’t your thing.
Featured image credit: Steam. All screenshots by Tanveer Singh.
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