Steam is the defacto marketplace for games on PC and atreasure trove of wonderful titlesyou can enjoy alone or with friends.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of dreadful garbage on Steam, but there are also top-tier games that never left the storefront. And that’s what this list is all about.
Here’s a great selection of games that areexclusive to PC, but we wish were available on console. I’ve tried to include a decent mix of genres, including competitive multiplayer titles and co-op indie sensations.
10Viscera Cleanup Detail
It’s Time To Get Your Hands Dirty
Key Information
Release Date
October 2015
One of the most fascinating anomalies in gaming is how decent ‘Simulator’ titles are. Many haveaddictive gameplay loopsand are far more fun and well-built than they have any right to be.
Viscera Cleanup Detailmay not have ‘simulator’ in the name, but it puts you in the shoes of a cleaner. The catch is that you’refirst on site after grisly crimesand must make the place look like nothing ever happened.
You must mop up blood, incinerate bullet casings, and dispose of all kinds of remains. Some levels are even based on recognizable locations, like theEvent Horizon spacecraft.
I enjoyPower Wash Simulatoras much as anyone, butin my opinion, no sim game has toppedViscera Cleanup Detail, and it’sa blast to playwith a light-hearted group.
If you’re a fan ofPower Wash Simulator, you may be pleased to learn asequel is in the works.
9Content Warning
It Can’t Be This Hard, Right?
Co-Op Horror
April 2024
While we’re on the topic of games that shine with a group, we have to talk aboutContent Warning.
Content Warningwas released last year and is ahilarious co-op gamewith a generous sprinkle of horror. You and your mates are trying tostart a viral YouTube channel, and you have the greatest tool at your disposal: a hole at the end of the garden filled with monsters!
Your group must descend into the depths to capture the best footage possible. Once you have it, the gamecreatesclips of your endeavorsand even includes your voice communications.
You canspend your hard-earned YT moneyon better gear to make even better content for your fans.
8Tokyo Xtreme Racer
Unleash Your Inner Street Racer
Tokyo Xtreme Racer
Tokyo Xtreme Raceris a brilliantstreet racinggame withold-school PS2 vibes.
The series waspreviously available on the PS2 and Dreamcastbefore being releasedon Steam Early Access this year. If you enjoy retro racers and tuning your car to perfection,TXR 25is a no-brainer. Races are typically 1v1 affairs, which makes them feelmuch more personal.
There are also several awesome races against bosses, and you can even buy their snazzy rides afterward.
Many fans expected the game to end up on consoles after the Early Access period. However, a recent FAQ revealed that the likelihood wasa resounding “maybe.”
7Half-Life Alyx
The Strong Silent Type
Half-Life: Alyx
TheHalf-Lifegames arelegendary first-person shootersby Valve.HL2was technically released in the superbOrange Boxcollection a while back, butAlyx remains a Steam exclusive.
Half-Life Alyxis easily one ofthe best VRshooters on the market, showcasingimmersive hardwarelike few others can. I’m never fully convinced of Sony’s commitment to VR, butAlyxwould be an incredible addition to thePSVR2 library.
Melee combat and puzzles are incredibleinAlyx, and shooting is silky, smooth, and satisfying. It was a beefy game when it came out in 2020, but I’m sure the PS5 or PS5 Pro could handle the pressure.
6The Witcher
Humble Beginnings
The Witcher
The Witcher 3is one of thefinest fantasy games around, with some fantastic DLC to go with it inBlood and Wine. TheWitcher 1&2are notablymore dated and clunkierthan the latest entry, but did you know that the original was never on console?
Honestly, I’ve played the originalWitcherand struggled to get used to it. That said, I find it baffling that playing through Geralts' first adventure isimpossible unless you own a PC.
The title is not without merit, and it’s a treat to see staples of the series in theirrawest form. The industry adores remakes and remasters at the time of writing, so why not give the series some love?
10 Best Games That Don’t Spoon-Feed Narrative
Putting the pieces of the puzzle together for yourself is very rewarding.
5Satisfactory
Let The Busy Work Complete Itself
Satisfactory
I’ve tried to keep the list free from titles that may not translate well to a controller.Satisfactorydoesn’t have support for the peripheral, althoughit would work with the proper configuration.
The developers ofSatisfactoryabsolutely knew what they were doing when they came up with the title. The game isan ‘automation’ simulator, for lack of a better term. The gameplay is extraordinarily ‘satisfying’ and offers a delightful mix ofexploration and meticulous base building.
I’m honestly a smooth-brained gamer in this genre, butSatisfactoryisadmirably accessiblein that regard. Don’t worry; there’s complexity for those who crave it, and it’s not hard to see how many players sink hundreds of hours into the game.
4Last Epoch
Another ARPG Heavy Hitter
Last Epoch
Last Epochis a superbARPGthat occupiesa comfy nichein the market betweenDiablo IVandPath of Exile. Both those games are already on console.
Last Epochis notably more difficult and punishing than Blizzard’s offering, but more forgiving thanPath of Exile. Therewarding gameplay loopof an accomplished loot grinder is here, and there are five base Classes to experiment with and 15 Mastery Classes.
Like the best games in the genre, there’sroom for min-maxing, and there are plenty of chase items to spice up your sessions.
3Counter-Strike 2
Valve’s Classic FPS
Counter-Strike 2
Counter-Strike 2is thelatest iteration of Valve’s tactical shooter. The game is brutally unforgiving and rewards skill, patience, and map knowledge.
Consoles are definitely lacking in this genre, except for notable exceptions, such asRainbow Six: Siege. The gameplay loop is straightforward, with teamsrotating between attack and defenseroles.
First-person shooters work great on a controller, so it’s a shameCS2isn’t available.EvenValorant, a competitor to CS2, isnow on consoleafter a stint of PC exclusivity.
Making the game feel good on the thumbsticks would take work, but there’s no hardware-related reason it’s unavailable.
2FTL: Faster Than Light
There Are No Rules In Space
FTL: Faster Than Light
When you think aboutRogueliteroyalty, many fans' minds will wander toThe Binding of Isaac,Slay the Spire, orEnter the Gungeon. Another all-time genre classic isFaster Than Light, which hasbafflingly never had a console port.
FTLtasks players withoverseeing a spaceshipas they travel across the galaxy. You must assemble a crew as your adventure unfolds, and if you make a couple of mistakes, your vessel will be lost to theabyss of space.
There are plenty of inspired mechanics inFTL, like the ability topause timeso you can plan your actions. You can also suffocate fires by denying them oxygen with clever airlock usage.FTLisin-depth but accessible, and it’s a shame that such a heavy hitter is only available on PC and iOS.
1Schedule 1
Time To Cook Some Chilli P
Schedule I
Schedule 1isthe new hot propertyat the time of writing, and with good reason. The game is basically a drug lord /Breaking Bad simulator, but it’s also a cozy experience with an appealing art style andplenty of goofy mechanics.
The best thing aboutSchedule 1is that it caters to so many playstyles. You can automate everything with dealers and workers. Alternatively, you might prefer the personal touch, make your mixes by hand, and deliver them in person.
Schedule 1is inEarly Accessat the time of writing, so who knows what’s in store for this exceptional solo-effort indie game in the future?
