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. For those who prefer not to search, check out lists of the most played, top deals and best free to play Exploration games on Steam.
Filters & Lists
SORE
Mystical puzzle quest game in a gloomy minimalism style will tell you a story of a person who's got himself into a camera, and from which there is no way out it seems. Experimental gameplay diluted with a pinch of a philosophy, that's what SORE is.
The Norwood Suite
Explore the mysterious Hotel Norwood in this surreal first-person adventure. Curious characters, forgotten secrets, and head-nodding music await your arrival.
Vaporum
Vaporum is a grid-based dungeon crawler RPG in an original steampunk setting, inspired by old-school classics of the genre. Stranded in the middle of an ocean, in front of a gigantic tower, the hero has to find out what the place is, what happened there, and most importantly, who he is.
The Painscreek Killings
Investigate an infamous cold case in the eerie, abandoned town of Painscreek. Search for evidence, connect the dots and uncover who killed Vivian Roberts. Can you expose the truth behind this town’s dark secrets?
Figment
Figment is an action-adventure game that invites you to explore a unique surreal universe filled with music, humor and multi layered narrative. Join Dusty and his ever-optimistic friend, Piper, on an adventure through the different sides of the mind seeking to restore the courage that's been lost.
SteamWorld Dig 2
SteamWorld Dig is back! Dig deep, gain riches and unearth the terrors of the underworld in this platform mining adventure influenced by classic Metroidvania style games.
Niche - a genetics survival game
Niche - a genetics survival game is a turn-based strategy game combined with simulation and roguelike elements. Shape your own species of animals based on real genetics. Keep your species alive against all odds, such as predators, climate change and spreading sickness.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition
The critically acclaimed RPG that raised the bar, from the creators of Baldur's Gate 3. Gather your party. Master deep, tactical combat. Venture as a party of up to four - but know that only one of you will have the chance to become a God.
HIVESWAP: ACT 1
A hand-drawn tribute to hilarious '90s adventure games (with none of the accompanying frustration). Play as Joey Claire, a puzzle-solving teen snatched out of her time (1994) and place (Earth) and stranded on a hostile alien planet on the brink of rebellion.
The First Tree
A beautiful, 3rd-person exploration game centered around two parallel stories: a fox trying to find her missing family, and a son reconnecting with his estranged father in Alaska. Uncover artifacts from the son's life as he becomes intertwined in the fox’s journey towards The First Tree.
3030 Deathwar Redux - A Space Odyssey
3030 Deathwar is a unique mix of Adventure and Space Sim. Explore star systems, mine and hunt pirates in top-down mode. Leave your ship and switch into classic Adventuring mode, where you explore derelicts, talk to shady characters or head over to the space bar for a drink.
The Land of Pain
The Land of Pain is a Lovecraftian horror adventure. After something strange appears in the woods, you'll have to learn how to survive as you fend off a dark and disturbing evil. Flee from an unrelenting enemy, solve puzzles, and unravel the ancient mystery that's befallen this land.
Kitten Adventures in City Park
It's hard to be a kitten when you have such a clumsy owner! Yesterday she lost a lot of things in the park and now it's up to you to find them! Memories of that day can be helpful - you should remember where you've seen these things last and search there.
Don't Knock Twice
Don't Knock Twice is a first-person horror game based on a psychologically terrifying urban legend. One knock to wake her from her bed, twice to raise her from the dead. Supports VR on HTC Vive and Oculus Rift for the ultimate horror experience!
Distrust: Polar Survival
DISTRUST is an isometric survival adventure with procedural generation on an Arctic research station lost in the endless dark of a polar night. A story-rich fiction with multiple endings that suits both singleplayer fans and co-op enthusiasts.
Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander (LIGHTSPEED EDITION)
A retro space strategy RPG with base building, deep tactical combat, crew management and emergent storytelling. Halcyon 6: Lightspeed Edition is a massively enhanced version of the Award Winning indie strategy RPG, Halcyon 6.
Slime Rancher
Slime Rancher is the tale of Beatrix LeBeau, a plucky, young rancher who sets out for a life a thousand light years away from Earth on the ‘Far, Far Range’ where she tries her hand at making a living wrangling slimes.
Tacoma
Tacoma is a sci-fi narrative adventure from the creators of Gone Home. Set aboard a high-tech space station in the year 2088, explore every detail of how the station’s crew lived and worked, finding the clues that add up to a gripping story of trust, fear, and resolve in the face of disaster.
The Long Dark
THE LONG DARK is a thoughtful, exploration-survival experience that challenges solo players to think for themselves as they explore an expansive frozen wilderness in the aftermath of a geomagnetic disaster. There are no zombies -- only you, the cold, and all the threats Mother Nature can muster.
Secret World Legends
Secret World Legends is a story-driven, shared-world action RPG that plunges players into a shadowy war against the supernatural, where ancient myths and legends cross over into the modern day.
Sundered®: Eldritch Edition
Sundered is a chaotic hand-drawn metroidvania where you resist or embrace ancient eldritch powers, a challenging and unique take on a classic genre from the creators of Jotun, now with local co-op!