Free Detective Games on Steam
Steam currently has 2,748 Detective games available to download and play. Explore our list of the best free games ranked by popularity and ratings. Data for this list is calculated from reviews and player counts reported directly by Steam and will be updated in real-time. Free Detective game rankings were last updated on 4/19/2025.
Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:
- Best detective games on Steam
- Best detective Steam Deck games
- Best detective Steam games for Mac OS
- Best detective Linux games on Steam
- Free Steam games
- Most played Steam games
- Best rated Steam games
1. Cube Escape: Paradox
The tenth Cube Escape follows the story of detective Dale Vandermeer who finds himself trapped in two different universes and needs to escape. Cube Escape: Paradox will be released together with the accompanying Paradox: A Rusty Lake Film.
Cube Escape: Paradox holds the #1 spot for "best free Detective game on Steam" with a Player Score of 94. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 10,345 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 10,060 positive reviews and 285 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Cube Escape: Paradox on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Release Date | 9/20/2018 |
| Franchise | Rusty Lake |
| Developer | Rusty Lake |
| Publisher | Rusty Lake |
| Steam App Id | 909080 |
2. Life Makeover
Explore Life Makeover: Unleash your style, dye outfits, and design freely. Dive into unlimited dress-up, build your dream home - all for free.
Life Makeover has achieved a Player Score of 80, placing it in the #2 spot for the best free Detective games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,224 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,031 positive reviews and 193 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Life Makeover on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Release Date | 11/15/2023 |
| Developer | Archosaur Games |
| Publisher | Archosaur Games |
| Steam App Id | 2626940 |
3. Contraband Police: Prologue
Take over the duties of a border guard inspector in a communist country of the 80's. Smuggling, corruption and forgery are the order of the day here. Be vigilant and earn the respect of your superiors.
Contraband Police: Prologue has achieved a Player Score of 86, placing it in the #3 spot for the best free Detective games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 7,185 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 6,396 positive reviews and 789 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Contraband Police: Prologue on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Release Date | 2/16/2021 |
| Developer | Crazy Rocks |
| Publishers | |
| Steam App Id | 1396240 |
4. Adventure Escape Mysteries
Experience the unique puzzles and critically-acclaimed stories enjoyed by millions. Investigate clues, solve puzzles, and escape the room in beautifully illustrated adventures! Choose your story. Solve a murder mystery, survive the horror, or embark on a fantasy adventure.
Adventure Escape Mysteries has achieved a Player Score of 82, placing it in the #4 spot for the best free Detective games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 918 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 798 positive reviews and 120 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Adventure Escape Mysteries on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Release Date | 5/5/2020 |
| Developer | Haiku Games Co |
| Publisher | Haiku Games Co |
| Steam App Id | 1141020 |
5. Fear Surrounds
Fear Surrounds is a horror-tinged take on the werewolf-style social subterfuge genre, where two evil spirits hide within a group of players and attempt to sabotage and murder them.
Fear Surrounds has achieved a Player Score of 84, placing it in the #5 spot for the best free Detective games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 10,738 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 9,260 positive reviews and 1,478 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, there is no confirmed information regarding Steam Deck support for this game.
| Release Date | 10/20/2021 |
| Developer | SaltyEgg Studio |
| Publisher | Yooreka Studio |
| Steam App Id | 1526490 |
6. Escape Room - Der kranke Kollege
You only wanted to make a visit to your sick colleague, but what you encounter is beyond your imagination. Discover the secrets of your colleague and find a way to escape the trap.
Escape Room - Der kranke Kollege has achieved a Player Score of 80, placing it in the #6 spot for the best free Detective games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 12,041 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 9,839 positive reviews and 2,202 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Escape Room - Der kranke Kollege on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Release Date | 9/5/2020 |
| Developer | Bitbeast Games |
| Publisher | Bitbeast Games |
| Steam App Id | 1301720 |
7. 湖中天空 ：CAELUM IN LACU
《湖中天空 ：CAELUM IN LACU》是以RPGMaker引擎制作的解谜冒险向角色扮演类像素俯视角RPG游戏。 玩家将在游戏开始时以“林间浦叶”这一角色的视角进行探索，并在学院内的不断探索中结识几位性格各异的女性，与一部手机中的神秘联系人“赞丹的风车”一起逐步揭开这所学院内发生的秘辛往事。
湖中天空 ：CAELUM IN LACU has achieved a Player Score of 62, placing it in the #7 spot for the best free Detective games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 11 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 8 positive reviews and 3 negative reviews — making it "Mostly Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, there is no confirmed information regarding Steam Deck support for this game.
| Release Date | 3/31/2025 |
| Developer | Hikari Games |
| Publisher | Hikari Games |
| Steam App Id | 3548060 |
8. Crime Scene Cleaner: Prologue
When there’s a call, you are the man to clean up after your client’s dirty job. Siding with the mafia is a dangerous game, but they pay well, and you need money, right? So take your mop and better remove those bloodstains quickly before the police come.
Crime Scene Cleaner: Prologue has achieved a Player Score of 92, placing it in the #8 spot for the best free Detective games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 5,151 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 4,912 positive reviews and 239 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run Crime Scene Cleaner: Prologue on the Steam Deck.
| Release Date | 4/4/2024 |
| Developers | |
| Publishers | |
| Steam App Id | 2540100 |
9. The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog...was murdered!? Get to the bottom of the mystery in this brand-new adventure!
The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #9 spot for the best free Detective games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 23,452 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 22,800 positive reviews and 652 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. At the moment, it is possible to play The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
10. Escape Memoirs: Mini Stories
"Escape Memoirs: Mini Stories" is a series of co-operative escape-room style puzzle scenarios. Each one is sure to test your wits as you try to overcome the challenges that stand in the way of your escape.
Escape Memoirs: Mini Stories has achieved a Player Score of 82, placing it in the #10 spot for the best free Detective games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 5,348 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 4,533 positive reviews and 815 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Escape Memoirs: Mini Stories on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Release Date | 9/30/2022 |
| Franchise | 0 Deer Soft |
| Developer | 0 Deer Soft |
| Publishers | |
| Steam App Id | 2098350 |
More Free Detective Games
Explore even more rankings for the 100 best free Detective games available on Steam.
| Image | Name | Actions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 225 | 9/20/2018 | 94 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 178 | 11/15/2023 | 80 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 111 | 2/16/2021 | 86 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 105 | 5/5/2020 | 82 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 69 | 10/20/2021 | 84 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 52 | 9/5/2020 | 80 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 50 | 3/31/2025 | 62 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 32 | 4/4/2024 | 92 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 27 | 3/31/2023 | 95 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 27 | 9/30/2022 | 82 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 26 | 2/6/2025 | 93 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 26 | 11/24/2022 | 86 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 21 | 1/31/2023 | 86 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 16 | 4/27/2016 | 56 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 16 | 1/12/2023 | 68 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 14 | 1/31/2025 | 73 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 13 | 10/12/2019 | 89 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 13 | 9/23/2022 | 77 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 13 | 4/30/2025 | 89 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 11 | 10/15/2024 | 44 | Free | Steam Charts |
Soures & References
Steambase has best-in-class data powered directly by Steam, our data partners, and in-house experts. Player counts 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. (2025, April 19). Steam Store. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, April 19). Cube Escape: Paradox on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, April 27). Life Makeover on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, May 6). Contraband Police: Prologue on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, April 29). Adventure Escape Mysteries on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, March 18). Fear Surrounds on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, March 24). Escape Room - Der kranke Kollege on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, April 26). 湖中天空 ：CAELUM IN LACU on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, April 9). Crime Scene Cleaner: Prologue on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, April 12). The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, March 13). Escape Memoirs: Mini Stories on Steam. Steam Store.