Best Experimental Linux Games on Steam

Steam currently has 1,432 Experimental games, but not all of them are able to be played on Linux builds. 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. Experimental game rankings were last updated on 12/10/2024.

Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:

1. Inscryption

Inscryption is an inky black card-based odyssey that blends the deckbuilding roguelike, escape-room style puzzles, and psychological horror into a blood-laced smoothie. Darker still are the secrets inscrybed upon the cards...

Inscryption banner

Inscryption holds the #1 spot for "best Linux Experimental game on Steam" with a Player Score of 96. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 124,104 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 120,276 positive reviews and 3,828 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $19.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Inscryption on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $19.99
Release Date 10/19/2021
Franchise Daniel Mullins Games
Developer Daniel Mullins Games
Publisher Devolver Digital
Steam App Id 1092790

2. Tiny Glade

Tiny Glade is a small diorama builder where you doodle whimsical castles, cozy cottages & romantic ruins. Explore gridless building chemistry as the game adorns your glades with procedural detail. No management, combat or goals: just kick back and turn forgotten meadows into lovable dioramas.

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Tiny Glade has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #2 spot for the best Linux Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 15,831 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 15,516 positive reviews and 315 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 Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Tiny Glade on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $14.99
Release Date 9/23/2024
Developer Pounce Light
Publisher Pounce Light
Steam App Id 2198150

3. Juice Galaxy

Juice Galaxy is a happy place to fly around and smack things and drink juice. And explore things. And just, flip around doing stuff.

Juice Galaxy banner

Juice Galaxy has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #3 spot for the best Linux Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 6,903 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 6,808 positive reviews and 95 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $4.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Juice Galaxy on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $4.99
Release Date 11/22/2023
Developer Fishlicka
Publisher J4D3D LLC
Steam App Id 1708150

4. Kind Words (lo fi chill beats to write to)

A game about writing nice letters to real people. Write and receive encouraging letters in a cozy room. Trade stickers and listen to chill music. We're all in this together. Sometimes all you need are a few kind words.

Kind Words (lo fi chill beats to write to) banner

Kind Words (lo fi chill beats to write to) has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #4 spot for the best Linux Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 8,868 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 8,708 positive reviews and 160 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $4.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Kind Words (lo fi chill beats to write to) on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $4.99
Release Date 9/12/2019
Developer Popcannibal
Publisher Popcannibal
Steam App Id 1070710

5. Buckshot Roulette

Play Russian roulette with a 12-gauge shotgun. Four enter. One leaves. Roll the dice with your life. Good luck!

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Buckshot Roulette has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #5 spot for the best Linux Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 76,464 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 73,821 positive reviews and 2,643 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $2.99 to play and can be played and ran on both Windows and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Buckshot Roulette on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $2.99
Release Date 4/4/2024
Franchise CRITICAL REFLEX
Developer Mike Klubnika
Publisher CRITICAL REFLEX
Steam App Id 2835570

6. Virtual Cottage

Virtual Cottage gives you a comfy place to rest and be productive without any distractions. Open the game, set yourself a goal and enjoy the atmosphere.

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Virtual Cottage has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #6 spot for the best Linux Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 9,865 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 9,653 positive reviews and 212 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. At the moment, it is possible to play Virtual Cottage on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Release Date 10/7/2020
Franchise DU&I
Developer DU&I
Publisher DU&I
Steam App Id 1369320

7. Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk

A short story about what sort of challenges everyday little things can be. Help the girl buy milk, be the first not to disappoint her.

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Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #7 spot for the best Linux Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 27,183 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 26,324 positive reviews and 859 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $0.74 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $0.74
Release Date 8/26/2020
Developer Nikita Kryukov
Publisher Missing Calm
Steam App Id 1392820

8. BABBDI

Find your way out of BABBDI. A short, first person exploration experience.

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BABBDI has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #8 spot for the best Linux Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 5,617 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 5,490 positive reviews and 127 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. At the moment, it is possible to play BABBDI on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Release Date 12/22/2022
Developers
Publisher Lemaitre Bros
Steam App Id 2240530

9. South Scrimshaw, Part One

South Scrimshaw is the story of a newborn whale in a vast alien ocean. It is a richly illustrated experimental visual novel, written in the style of a nature documentary.

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South Scrimshaw, Part One has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #9 spot for the best Linux Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,244 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,235 positive reviews and 9 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is completely free to play and can be played and ran on both Windows and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play South Scrimshaw, Part One on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Release Date 6/9/2023
Developer Nathan O. Marsh
Publisher Nathan O. Marsh
Steam App Id 2443110

10. Pony Island

Pony Island is a suspense puzzle game in disguise. You are in limbo, trapped in a malevolent and malfunctioning arcade machine devised by the devil himself. It is not a game about ponies.

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Pony Island has achieved a Player Score of 93, placing it in the #10 spot for the best Linux Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 16,646 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 15,841 positive reviews and 805 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $0.74 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.

Steam Price $0.74
Release Date 1/4/2016
Franchise Daniel Mullins Games
Developer Daniel Mullins Games
Publisher Daniel Mullins Games
Steam App Id 405640

More Experimental Linux Games on Steam

Explore even more rankings for the 10 best Experimental games available on Steam.

ImageName
Actions
Inscryption steam charts
1,147
10/19/2021
96
$19.99
Steam Charts
Tiny Glade steam charts
346
9/23/2024
95
$14.99
Steam Charts
Juice Galaxy steam charts
31
11/22/2023
95
$4.99
Steam Charts
Kind Words (lo fi chill beats to write to) steam charts
8
9/12/2019
95
$4.99
Steam Charts
Buckshot Roulette steam charts
2,171
4/4/2024
95
$2.99
Steam Charts
Virtual Cottage steam charts
308
10/7/2020
95
Free
Steam Charts
Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk steam charts
15
8/26/2020
95
$0.74
Steam Charts
BABBDI steam charts
4
12/22/2022
94
Free
Steam Charts
South Scrimshaw, Part One steam charts
1
6/9/2023
94
Free
Steam Charts
Pony Island steam charts
19
1/4/2016
93
$0.74
Steam Charts

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, December 10). Steam Store. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 10). Inscryption on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 11). Tiny Glade on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 9). Juice Galaxy on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, October 30). Kind Words (lo fi chill beats to write to) on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 10). Buckshot Roulette on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 9). Virtual Cottage on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 11). Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 11). BABBDI on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, October 25). South Scrimshaw, Part One on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, November 27). Pony Island on Steam. Steam Store.

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