Best Unforgiving Games on Steam

Steam currently has 205 Unforgiving 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. Unforgiving game rankings were last updated on 12/13/2024.

Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:

1. Will You Snail?

A unique platformer where an evil AI predicts your movement. Dodge AI-spawned traps, solve optional puzzles and uncover the dark secrets of the simulation. Now with a level editor and infinite community-made content!

Will You Snail? banner

Will You Snail? holds the #1 spot for "best Unforgiving game on Steam" with a Player Score of 93. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 2,679 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 2,611 positive reviews and 68 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $10.99 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 $10.99
Release Date 3/9/2022
Developer Jonas Tyroller
Publishers
Steam App Id 1115050

2. Super Meat Boy

The infamous, tough-as-nails platformer comes to Steam with a playable Head Crab character (Steam-exclusive)!

Super Meat Boy banner

Super Meat Boy has achieved a Player Score of 93, placing it in the #2 spot for the best Unforgiving games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 34,875 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 32,991 positive reviews and 1,884 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $14.99 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 $14.99
Release Date 11/30/2010
Developer Team Meat
Steam App Id 40800

3. XCOM: Enemy Unknown

The XCOM: Enemy Unknown - Slingshot Pack is Now Available!

XCOM: Enemy Unknown banner

XCOM: Enemy Unknown has achieved a Player Score of 92, placing it in the #3 spot for the best Unforgiving games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 55,228 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 51,971 positive reviews and 3,257 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $29.99 to play and can be played and ran on both Windows and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play XCOM: Enemy Unknown on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $29.99
Release Date 10/11/2012
Franchise XCOM Franchise
Developers
Publishers
Steam App Id 200510

4. X-COM: UFO Defense

You are in control of X-COM: an organization formed by the world's governments to fight the ever-increasing alien menace.

X-COM: UFO Defense banner

X-COM: UFO Defense has achieved a Player Score of 91, placing it in the #4 spot for the best Unforgiving games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 3,710 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 3,514 positive reviews and 196 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $4.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run X-COM: UFO Defense on the Steam Deck.

Steam Price $4.99
Release Date 9/4/2008
Franchise XCOM Franchise
Developer MicroProse Software, Inc
Publisher 2K
Steam App Id 7760

5. DARK SOULS™: Prepare To Die™ Edition

Dark Souls will be the most deeply challenging game you play this year. Can you live through a million deaths and earn your legacy?

DARK SOULS™: Prepare To Die™ Edition banner

DARK SOULS™: Prepare To Die™ Edition has achieved a Player Score of 90, placing it in the #5 spot for the best Unforgiving games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 77,891 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 71,235 positive reviews and 6,656 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $0.00 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run DARK SOULS™: Prepare To Die™ Edition on the Steam Deck.

Release Date 8/24/2012
Developer FromSoftware Inc.
Publisher BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment
Steam App Id 211420

6. Blasphemous 2

The Penitent One awakens as Blasphemous 2 joins him once again in an endless struggle against The Miracle. Dive into a perilous new world filled with mysteries and secrets to discover, and tear your way through monstrous foes that stand between you and your quest to end the cycle once and for all. 

Blasphemous 2 banner

Blasphemous 2 has achieved a Player Score of 90, placing it in the #6 spot for the best Unforgiving games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 12,182 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 11,245 positive reviews and 937 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $14.99 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 $14.99
Release Date 8/24/2023
Franchise Team17 Digital
Developer The Game Kitchen
Publisher Team17
Steam App Id 2114740

7. XENOTILT: HOSTILE PINBALL ACTION

LIGHTNING STRIKES AGAIN!! XENOTILT, the sequel to the cult hit, DEMON'S TILT. Get ready for another PINBALL FANTASY. XENOTILT shreds the envelope with face-melting gameplay & graphics.

XENOTILT: HOSTILE PINBALL ACTION banner

XENOTILT: HOSTILE PINBALL ACTION has achieved a Player Score of 90, placing it in the #7 spot for the best Unforgiving games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 515 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 499 positive reviews and 16 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $12.74 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 $12.74
Release Date 11/12/2024
Developers
Publisher FLARB LLC
Steam App Id 2008980

8. WORLD OF HORROR

Experience the quiet terror of this 1-bit love letter to Junji Ito and H.P. Lovecraft. Navigate a hellish roguelite reality with turn-based combat and unforgiving choices. Experiment with your deck of event cards to discover new forms of cosmic horror in every playthrough. The inevitable awaits...

WORLD OF HORROR banner

WORLD OF HORROR has achieved a Player Score of 90, placing it in the #8 spot for the best Unforgiving games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 9,161 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 8,456 positive reviews and 705 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $19.99 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 $19.99
Release Date 10/19/2023
Franchise PLAYISM
Developer panstasz
Publishers
Steam App Id 913740

9. DEMON'S TILT

TURBO CHARGED PINBALL RETURNS! Now with bigger sprites, more baddies, more secrets & MORE BULLETS! Demon's Tilt pushes the limits of the Video Pinball genre with SHMUP & Hack N' Slash elements.

DEMON'S TILT banner

DEMON'S TILT has achieved a Player Score of 89, placing it in the #9 spot for the best Unforgiving games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 874 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 825 positive reviews and 49 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $9.99 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 $9.99
Release Date 12/13/2019
Developers
Publisher FLARB LLC
Steam App Id 422510

10. Boson X

Boson X is a fast-paced rotational runner set in a particle accelerator.

Boson X banner

Boson X has achieved a Player Score of 88, placing it in the #10 spot for the best Unforgiving games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,558 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,442 positive reviews and 116 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $2.49 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Boson X on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $2.49
Release Date 9/15/2014
Developers
Publisher Shape Shop
Steam App Id 302610

More Unforgiving Games

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

ImageName
Actions
Will You Snail? steam charts
4
3/9/2022
93
$10.99
Steam Charts
Super Meat Boy steam charts
83
11/30/2010
93
$14.99
Steam Charts
XCOM: Enemy Unknown steam charts
647
10/11/2012
92
$29.99
Steam Charts
X-COM: UFO Defense steam charts
57
9/4/2008
91
$4.99
Steam Charts
DARK SOULS™: Prepare To Die™ Edition steam charts
176
8/24/2012
90
???
Steam Charts
Blasphemous 2 steam charts
456
8/24/2023
90
$14.99
Steam Charts
XENOTILT: HOSTILE PINBALL ACTION steam charts
11
11/12/2024
90
$12.74
Steam Charts
WORLD OF HORROR steam charts
28
10/19/2023
90
$19.99
Steam Charts
DEMON'S TILT steam charts
2
12/13/2019
89
$9.99
Steam Charts
Boson X steam charts
8
9/15/2014
88
$2.49
Steam Charts
Red Comrades Save the Galaxy: Reloaded steam charts
2
2/18/2016
87
$3.99
Steam Charts
DARK SOULS™ II steam charts
287
4/25/2014
87
$39.99
Steam Charts
The Last Plague: Blight steam charts
170
10/3/2024
86
$16.99
Steam Charts
The Pale Beyond steam charts
18
2/24/2023
85
$7.99
Steam Charts
Ingression steam charts
1
5/3/2024
84
$9.99
Steam Charts
Last Train Home steam charts
291
11/28/2023
84
$39.99
Steam Charts
Knight And Mourning steam charts
1
4/11/2023
84
$3.99
Steam Charts
Sunblaze steam charts
1
6/3/2021
84
$14.99
Steam Charts
Exophobia steam charts
2
7/23/2024
83
$14.99
Steam Charts
Dead steam charts
1
4/6/2018
83
$4.99
Steam Charts
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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, December 13). Steam Store. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 13). Will You Snail? on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 5). Super Meat Boy on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 4). XCOM: Enemy Unknown on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 4). X-COM: UFO Defense on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 22). DARK SOULS™: Prepare To Die™ Edition on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 12). Blasphemous 2 on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 11). XENOTILT: HOSTILE PINBALL ACTION on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 5). WORLD OF HORROR on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 10). DEMON'S TILT on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 11). Boson X on Steam. Steam Store.

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