Free Experimental Games on Steam

Steam currently has 1,531 Experimental 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 Experimental game rankings were last updated on 7/28/2025.

Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:

1. Eternal Return

Eternal Return is a free-to-play, 2.5D perspective Battle Royale game. Search, Craft, Hunt, and Fight using a variety of characters. Plan your strategy and become the last survivor on this eternal experiment.

Eternal Return banner

Eternal Return holds the #1 spot for "best free Experimental game on Steam" with a Player Score of 77. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 67,035 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 51,987 positive reviews and 15,048 negative reviews — making it "Mostly Positive" on Steam.

It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Eternal Return on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

2. Idle Slayer

Idle Slayer is an incremental game with idle and active playstyle mechanics, medieval pixel art visuals and retro 8-bit sounds and music.

Idle Slayer banner

Idle Slayer has achieved a Player Score of 83, placing it in the #2 spot for the best free Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 9,016 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 7,706 positive reviews and 1,310 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.

It can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Release Date 12/22/2020
Developer Pablo Leban
Publisher Pablo Leban
Steam App Id 1353300

3. Animaze by FaceRig

Livestream, chat, or create videos as world-class 2D and 3D avatars. Use one of the over 60 avatars provided or import your own 2D, 3D, VRM, or Ready Player Me model. Animaze is powering PuffPuff, one of the top real-time mocap virtual beings on TikTok with 4.7 million followers.

Animaze by FaceRig banner

Animaze by FaceRig has achieved a Player Score of 68, placing it in the #3 spot for the best free Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 3,356 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 2,332 positive reviews and 1,024 negative reviews — making it "Mixed" on Steam.

It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run Animaze by FaceRig on the Steam Deck.

Release Date 11/17/2021
Developer Holotech Studios Inc.
Publisher Holotech Studios Inc.
Steam App Id 1364390

4. 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.

Virtual Cottage banner

Virtual Cottage has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #4 spot for the best free Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 10,513 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 10,278 positive reviews and 235 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It 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

5. Magic Archery

Train a commoner to become the greatest archer in this short incremental game! Increase your stats, gather wealth from quests, buy upgrades, and infuse your arrows with magic.

Magic Archery banner

Magic Archery has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #5 spot for the best free Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 6,231 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 6,147 positive reviews and 84 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Magic Archery on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Release Date 10/4/2024
Developers
Publishers
Steam App Id 2905170

6. Yume Nikki

This is a game in which you traverse the extremely dark world inside a dream.

Yume Nikki banner

Yume Nikki has achieved a Player Score of 91, placing it in the #6 spot for the best free Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 8,870 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 8,350 positive reviews and 520 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 Yume Nikki on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Release Date 1/10/2018
Developer kikiyama
Publisher PLAYISM
Steam App Id 650700

7. BABBDI

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

BABBDI banner

BABBDI has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #7 spot for the best free Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 6,721 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 6,572 positive reviews and 149 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It 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

8. Simplode Suite

Simplode Suite is a toolset which does all kinds of things. You can dynamically balance microphone and speaker volume, force borderless fullscreen, optimize your CPU power settings, take partial screenshots, create click through borderless/windowed mode overlays, and so much more.

Simplode Suite banner

Simplode Suite has achieved a Player Score of 61, placing it in the #8 spot for the best free Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 50 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 33 positive reviews and 17 negative reviews — making it "Mixed" on Steam.

It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run Simplode Suite on the Steam Deck.

Release Date 9/17/2020
Developer Simplode LLC
Publisher Simplode LLC
Steam App Id 1242710

9. TELEFORUM

TELEFORUM is a found-footage-styled horror game exploring the unknown side of media. You’re visiting a widow’s apartment to conduct an interview about her husband's death. But that’s not the main reason why you’re here. It’s all about the tape, isn’t it?

TELEFORUM banner

TELEFORUM has achieved a Player Score of 88, placing it in the #9 spot for the best free Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 3,029 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 2,783 positive reviews and 246 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.

It 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.

Release Date 10/19/2023
Franchise CRITICAL REFLEX
Developer Monumental Collab
Publishers
Steam App Id 2186570

10. PacaPomo

PacaPomo is a cozy, Free to Play productivity app where you raise alpacas and cultivate a farm, all driven by the Pomodoro Technique!

PacaPomo banner

PacaPomo has achieved a Player Score of 74, placing it in the #10 spot for the best free Experimental games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 35 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 30 positive reviews and 5 negative reviews — making it "Positive" on Steam.

It can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run PacaPomo on the Steam Deck.

Release Date 8/31/2024
Developers
Publishers
Steam App Id 2921870

More Free Experimental Games

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

ImageName
Actions
Eternal Return steam charts
3,784
7/20/2023
77
Free
Steam Charts
Idle Slayer steam charts
1,233
12/22/2020
83
Free
Steam Charts
Animaze by FaceRig steam charts
344
11/17/2021
68
Free
Steam Charts
Virtual Cottage steam charts
247
10/7/2020
95
Free
Steam Charts
Magic Archery steam charts
51
10/4/2024
95
Free
Steam Charts
Yume Nikki steam charts
51
1/10/2018
91
Free
Steam Charts
BABBDI steam charts
14
12/22/2022
94
Free
Steam Charts
Simplode Suite steam charts
7
9/17/2020
61
Free
Steam Charts
TELEFORUM steam charts
6
10/19/2023
88
Free
Steam Charts
PacaPomo steam charts
5
8/31/2024
74
Free
Steam Charts
MineSweeper Tetris steam charts
5
12/15/2022
86
Free
Steam Charts
Minds Eyes steam charts
5
8/31/2016
68
Free
Steam Charts
Robo Maestro steam charts
4
1/20/2023
85
Free
Steam Charts
Monkey Split steam charts
4
3/5/2021
70
Free
Steam Charts
INSERT GAME HERE steam charts
4
7/23/2025
77
Free
Steam Charts
Hammerfight steam charts
4
10/28/2009
70
Free
Steam Charts
Port of Call steam charts
4
8/28/2015
84
Free
Steam Charts
Color Symphony steam charts
3
9/15/2014
70
Free
Steam Charts
Black Screen steam charts
3
5/15/2024
78
Free
Steam Charts
Welcome to Emba steam charts
2
12/23/2020
74
Free
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. 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, July 28). Steam Store. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, July 28). Eternal Return on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, July 25). Idle Slayer on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, July 3). Animaze by FaceRig on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, July 2). Virtual Cottage on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, July 21). Magic Archery on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, July 21). Yume Nikki on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, July 24). BABBDI on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, May 30). Simplode Suite on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, June 25). TELEFORUM on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, June 30). PacaPomo on Steam. Steam Store.

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