Best Emotional Games on Steam

Steam currently has 3,456 Emotional games available to download and play. Explore our list of the best picks ranked by Player Score. Our Player Score rankings are calculated directly from reviews left on the Steam store and will be updated in real-time as more players leave their feedback. Emotional game rankings were last updated on 7/25/2024.

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1. ATRI -My Dear Moments-

"As the world sank, I found you." In the near future, a sudden and unexplained sea rise has left much of human civilization underwater. In a little town slowly being enveloped by the ocean, an unforgettable summer is about to begin for a boy and a mysterious robot girl...

ATRI -My Dear Moments- banner

ATRI -My Dear Moments- holds the #1 spot for "best Emotional game on Steam" with a Player Score of 96. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 17,393 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 17,176 positive reviews and 217 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $20.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $20.99
Release Date 6/18/2020
Franchise ANIPLEX.EXE
Developers
Publishers
Steam App Id 1230140

2. Grimm's Hollow

A spooky, freeware RPG where you search the afterlife for your brother. Reap ghosts with your scythe, explore haunted caves, and eat ghostly treats on your journey through death.

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Grimm's Hollow has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #2 spot for the best Emotional games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 13,183 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 13,006 positive reviews and 177 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is completely free to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Grimm's Hollow on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Release Date 10/30/2019
Developer ghosthunter
Publisher ghosthunter
Steam App Id 1170880

3. Pineapple on pizza

Can a video game convey a flavor?

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Pineapple on pizza has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #3 spot for the best Emotional games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 22,446 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 21,982 positive reviews and 464 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is completely free to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Release Date 3/28/2023
Developer Majorariatto
Publisher Majorariatto
Steam App Id 2263010

4. The Walking Dead

A five-part adventure horror series set in the same universe as Robert Kirkman’s award-winning comic book series.

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The Walking Dead has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #4 spot for the best Emotional games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 68,009 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 66,104 positive reviews and 1,905 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $14.99 to play and can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $14.99
Release Date 4/24/2012
Developer Telltale Games
Publisher Skybound Games
Steam App Id 207610

5. Persona 4 Golden

A coming of age story that sets the protagonist and his friends on a journey kickstarted by a chain of serial murders.

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Persona 4 Golden has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #5 spot for the best Emotional games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 70,601 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 68,532 positive reviews and 2,069 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $19.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $19.99
Release Date 6/13/2020
Franchise ATLUS
Developer ATLUS
Publisher SEGA
Steam App Id 1113000

6. CLANNAD

From the world renowned visual novel studio Key, the highly rated story of CLANNAD is now available on Steam! Improved visuals, achievement integration, and Dangopedia make this the best version of CLANNAD to date.

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CLANNAD has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #6 spot for the best Emotional games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 8,885 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 8,756 positive reviews and 129 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $44.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run CLANNAD on the Steam Deck.

Steam Price $44.99
Release Date 11/23/2015
Franchise VISUAL ARTS
Developer VisualArts/Key
Publisher Sekai Project
Steam App Id 324160

7. Finding Paradise

A story-driven experience about two doctors traversing backwards through a dying man's memories to fulfill his last wish.

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Finding Paradise has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #7 spot for the best Emotional games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 17,333 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 16,964 positive reviews and 369 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $9.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Finding Paradise on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $9.99
Release Date 12/14/2017
Franchise Freebird Games
Developer Freebird Games
Publisher Freebird Games
Steam App Id 337340

8. Persona 5 Royal

Don the mask and join the Phantom Thieves of Hearts as they stage grand heists, infiltrate the minds of the corrupt, and make them change their ways!

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Persona 5 Royal has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #8 spot for the best Emotional games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 73,523 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 71,217 positive reviews and 2,306 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $59.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $59.99
Release Date 10/20/2022
Franchise ATLUS
Developer ATLUS
Publisher SEGA
Steam App Id 1687950

9. Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Play the critically acclaimed masterpiece. Embark on a new journey in a vast, exotic world where you’ll encounter towering enemies and challenging puzzles on your quest to unravel Ori’s destiny.

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Ori and the Will of the Wisps has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #9 spot for the best Emotional games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 129,020 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 124,639 positive reviews and 4,381 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $29.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Ori and the Will of the Wisps on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $29.99
Release Date 3/11/2020
Franchise Ori Franchise
Developer Moon Studios GmbH
Publisher Xbox Game Studios
Steam App Id 1057090

10. Before Your Eyes

Embark on an emotional first-person narrative adventure where you control the story—and affect its outcomes—with your real-life blinks. With this innovative technique you will fully immerse yourself in a world of memories, both joyous and heartbreaking, as your whole life flashes before your eyes.

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Before Your Eyes has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #10 spot for the best Emotional games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 14,225 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 13,918 positive reviews and 307 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $9.99 to play and can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Before Your Eyes on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $9.99
Release Date 4/8/2021
Franchise Skybound Games
Developer GoodbyeWorld Games
Publisher Skybound Games
Steam App Id 1082430

More Emotional Games

Explore even more rankings for the 100 best Emotional games available on Steam.

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Soures & References

Steambase has best-in-class data powered directly by Steam, our data partners, and in-house experts. Reviews and rankings are enriched, analyzed, and updated in real-time to ensure we surface the most up-to-date insights. Learn more about the Steambase approach to data collection and our review methodology.

  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 25). Steam Store. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 25). ATRI -My Dear Moments- on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, May 26). Grimm's Hollow on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 16). Pineapple on pizza on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 25). The Walking Dead on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 24). Persona 4 Golden on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 24). CLANNAD on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 24). Finding Paradise on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 24). Persona 5 Royal on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 26). Ori and the Will of the Wisps on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 24). Before Your Eyes on Steam. Steam Store.

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