Best Exploration Games on Steam
Unlike generic lists, our strategy game recommendations use a rigorous analysis of Steam user reviews to identify and feature only the best, community-validated exploration games.
Filters & Lists
Assassin's Creed® Odyssey
In this action-adventure game, set sail for Ancient Greece to alter its fate. Fight in visceral battles on land and sea, shape your destiny from outcast to legend, and uncover secrets of your past.
Wandersong
A musical platforming adventure with an emotional story. Play as a silly bard and use music to interact with everything on a journey around the world. Along the way you'll explore, solve puzzles, and meet a huge cast of characters!
Niffelheim
Your avatar is a brave warrior who has fallen in battle. But instead of well-deserved peace in Asgard, his soul is trapped in the harsh world of Niffelheim. Survive in this hostile world, ransack the neighbor lands, explore dangerous dungeons and find your way to Valhalla
Timespinner
Travel back in time to change fate itself, in this beautifully crafted story-driven adventure, inspired by classic 90s action-platformers. Join timekeeper Lunais on her quest for revenge against the empire that killed her family, using time-bending powers to explore a vast, connected world.
Myst III: Exile
The story of Myst continues in this third entry of the series, originally released in 2001. Return to this strange and wondrous universe, where books become portals into worlds, and where the lessons of the past may yet hold meaning for today...
Star Control®: Origins
Star Control is a space role-playing game in which you command Earth's first interstellar starship on a mission to save the Earth from hostile alien empires.
60 Parsecs!
60 Parsecs! is an Atomic Space Age adventure of scavenge and survival. Keep your crew alive and ready for action. Make difficult choices, face soup shortages and other horrors of outer space. And maybe reach your destination. Or not.
The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep
The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep is the triumphant return of one of the most iconic RPG series of all-time. Delve into a tactically rich combat system that rewards creativity, solve puzzles to gain treasure and advantages, and discover a beautifully crafted world.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition
As Lara Croft races to save the world from a Maya apocalypse, she must become the Tomb Raider she is destined to be.
Liftoff®: FPV Drone Racing
Liftoff® is a drone simulator that translates the rush of first-person view drone flight to the digital world. Join the biggest community for virtual FPV racing and freestyle!
PLANET ALPHA
PLANET ALPHA, a beautiful alien world filled with mystery and danger. Pursued by relentless enemies, you must harness the power of night and day as you struggle to survive.
Witch Hunt
Witch Hunt is a challenging horror themed hunting game that takes place in the 18th century. Main focus of the game is on exploration, non-linearity, and atmosphere.
303 Squadron: Battle of Britain
The enemies are close, would you dare to join the Squadron? Tweak planes in a 1st person mechanic mode, set the clouds on fire in aerial fights sim and discover extra missions in an open world of RAF Base. Enjoy a gameplay based on a real history and become the Ace of Sky.
Ultimate Fishing® Simulator
Bored of waiting for a bite? Would you like to catch some fish? You're lucky - in Ultimate Fishing Simulator, fish bite like crazy! Spinning, float fishing, ground fishing, and more! Comprehensive fishing simulator that allows using various techniques, in different places around the world!
Runes of Magic
Start your heroic saga today in a world full of magic and excitement: Choose your race, build a home and discover the fantastic world of Taborea in the classic free-to-play MMO!
Guacamelee! 2
Head back to the Mexiverse in this long-awaited sequel to the smash hit Guacamelee! Uppercut your way to victory across stunning new hand-crafted levels. Featuring a dense and colorful world, new luchador moves, sassy new bosses, twice the enemies, and 300% more chickens!
Evergarden
You have just arrived in a magical forest world with a hexagon board at its center, a mysterious creature nearby, and secrets lurking in the shadows. Why are you here, and what will you do next? A deceptively simple puzzle game, wrapped in a magical adventure.
State of Mind
State of Mind is a futuristic thriller game delving into transhumanism. The game explores themes of separation, disjuncture and reunification, in a world that is torn between a dystopian material reality and a utopian virtual future.
We Happy Few
From the independent studio that brought you Contrast, We Happy Few is an action/adventure game set in a drug-fuelled, retrofuturistic city in an alternative 1960s England. Hide, fight and conform your way out of this delusional, Joy-obsessed world.
TerraTech
TerraTech is an open-world, sandbox adventure game, where you design and build your own creations through a mix of crafting, combat and discovery. Design vehicles from a huge library of blocks. Scavenge, craft and buy new parts to survive and become the ultimate planetary prospector.
Monster Hunter: World
Welcome to a new world! In Monster Hunter: World, the latest installment in the series, you can enjoy the ultimate hunting experience, using everything at your disposal to hunt monsters in a new world teeming with surprises and excitement.
La-Mulana 2
The long-awaited sequel to La-Mulana, La-Mulana 2 follows Lumisa Kosugi as she explores the ancient ruins of La-Mulana. Desperate to find the cause of the recent slew of monsters appearing from the ruins, Lumisa discovers the "other" La-Mulana: the ruins known as Eg-Lana.
Enlightenment
In Enlightenment, you play in a roguelike action-shooter with a fast-paced challenging journey deep into a underground complex called "the Ark". Players will be tested by large varieties of enemies in a procedurally-generated dungeon, and become stronger by learning from the inevitable deaths.
Mary Skelter: Nightmares
The "Jail" suddenly appeared a number of years ago, sinking the city deep into the ground. There, this impenetrable living prison 666 metres beneath the surface, held power over eerie creatures called "Marchens." Within the prison was a boy named Jack - living a life of suffering...
Escape From Tethys
You're trapped, alone and cold on a distant planet. Pursued by a droid with only one purpose: killing everything. You must find an escape. Explore the hostile environment, find secret upgrades and new weapons, and finally make your escape from this dark, hostile planet...
Suicide Guy: Sleepin' Deeply
In this new chapter of "Suicide Guy" you'll be challenged with even more insane puzzles, generated by the surreal dreams of the Guy. You'll encounter the weirdest of the living beings as you go deeper and deeper into his subconscious. This time to wake him up you'll need all your skills.
Hakoniwa Explorer Plus
Get ready for a voxel art action game featuring an unprecedented level of freedom! A whole range of cute girl monsters are waiting to punch, kick, wrap you up, suck your blood, and eat you right up.
Shape of the World
A serene first person exploration game in a surreal, organic world that reacts to your presence. Journey through a psychedelically colorful ecosystem of flourishing flora, rambling waterfalls, burgeoning mountains, glowing monoliths and graceful creatures. A 1-3 hour escape from work, anxiety and stress.
Moonlighter
Moonlighter is an Action RPG with rogue-lite elements that demonstrates two sides of the coin – revealing everyday routines of Will, an adventurous shopkeeper that secretly dreams of becoming a hero.
Yoku's Island Express
Meet Yoku, the pint-sized postman protagonist of Yoku's Island Express! Use a unique blend of pinball mechanics, platforming and open world exploration to unlock the secrets of Mokumana Island, help the locals, awaken ancient deities and much more in this amazing new tropical adventure!
Catmaze
Catmaze is a fairy metroidvania inspired by Slavic myths. Age-old tales will come to life in the unforgettable adventure of Alesta, a sorceress whose courage guides her through mysterious paths and dark forests in search of the lost road to Nav, the world of the dead.