Free Narrative Games on Steam
Steam currently has 496 Narrative 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 Narrative game rankings were last updated on 11/2/2024.
Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:
- Best narrative games on Steam
- Best narrative Steam Deck games
- Best narrative Steam games for Mac OS
- Best narrative Linux games on Steam
- Free Steam games
- Most played Steam games
- Best rated Steam games
1. Katawa Shoujo
Katawa Shoujo is a romantic visual novel set in the fictional Japanese Yamaku High School for disabled children. Hisao's congenital heart defect forces him to move to a new school. Despite his difficulties, Hisao is able to find friends—and perhaps love, if he plays his cards right.
Katawa Shoujo holds the #1 spot for "best free Narrative game on Steam" with a Player Score of 94. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 2,050 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 2,020 positive reviews and 30 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It 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 | 8/15/2024 |
| Developer | Four Leaf Studios |
| Publisher | Four Leaf Studios |
| Steam App Id | 3068300 |
2. Strongblade - Puzzle Quest and Match-3 Adventure
Strongblade is a match-3 puzzle game where you play as Sean the Mouse. Travel through a captivating world filled with puzzles, outsmart cunning villains, befriend charming animals, and build unique camps.
Strongblade - Puzzle Quest and Match-3 Adventure has achieved a Player Score of 78, placing it in the #2 spot for the best free Narrative games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 528 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 440 positive reviews and 88 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run Strongblade - Puzzle Quest and Match-3 Adventure on the Steam Deck.
| Release Date | 9/14/2023 |
| Franchise | MatryoshkaGames |
| Developer | Dekovir |
| Publisher | Matryoshka |
| Steam App Id | 2430830 |
3. How Fish Is Made
Are sardines trustworthy? Are you? Do you want to be? How Fish is Made is a janky little jaunt through the world of surrealist storytelling. Now featuring a Katamari-like DLC!
How Fish Is Made has achieved a Player Score of 92, placing it in the #3 spot for the best free Narrative games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 3,758 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 3,602 positive reviews and 156 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly 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 | 1/14/2022 |
| Developers | |
| Publishers | |
| Steam App Id | 1854430 |
4. If On A Winter's Night, Four Travelers
If On A Winter's Night, Four Travelers is a narrative-driven point-and-click adventure with horror elements that explores the stories of four characters in a masked ball taking place aboard a train in the late 1920s.
If On A Winter's Night, Four Travelers has achieved a Player Score of 92, placing it in the #4 spot for the best free Narrative games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 2,195 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 2,114 positive reviews and 81 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on both Windows and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
| Release Date | 9/21/2021 |
| Developer | Dead Idle Games |
| Publisher | Dead Idle Games |
| Steam App Id | 1603980 |
5. Descent: Legends of the Dark
To play the Descent: Legends of the Dark board game, one player must download the free Descent: Legends of the Dark app on a compatible device. This companion app determines the setup of each quest, tracks your party’s inventory, skills, progress, and resolves combat while telling a narrative story.
Descent: Legends of the Dark has achieved a Player Score of 83, placing it in the #5 spot for the best free Narrative games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 224 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 204 positive reviews and 20 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 not possible to play or run Descent: Legends of the Dark on the Steam Deck.
| Release Date | 8/6/2021 |
| Developer | Fantasy Flight Games |
| Publisher | Fantasy Flight Games |
| Steam App Id | 1611070 |
6. TRY AGAIN
You're Benny, a test character trapped in an unfinished game by a figure called The Designer. She's up against a deadline for her publisher which means it's your last day as a test character. Navigate the facility, dodge game-dev chaos and defy expectations to become the main character.
TRY AGAIN has achieved a Player Score of 91, placing it in the #6 spot for the best free Narrative games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,074 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,033 positive reviews and 41 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly 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 | 7/14/2023 |
| Developer | the Rejects |
| Publisher | the Rejects |
| Steam App Id | 2448340 |
7. Ignited Entry
Ignited Entry is a full length narrative driven psychological horror game with voice acting, dreamish visuals, and horror elements that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Some doors should never be opened. But you must go in.
Ignited Entry has achieved a Player Score of 82, placing it in the #7 spot for the best free Narrative games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 38 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 37 positive reviews and 1 negative reviews — making it "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.
8. VHS Collection: Goodnight Me
VHS Collection: Goodnight Me is a short horror game where reality blurs with nightmares over five eerie days. Experience strange events, unsettling dreams, and unravel a chilling mystery in a remote house. Can you survive the madness, or will the nightmare consume you?
VHS Collection: Goodnight Me has achieved a Player Score of 69, placing it in the #8 spot for the best free Narrative games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 41 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 32 positive reviews and 9 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.
9. Vagrus - The Riven Realms: Demo (Prologue)
Embark on a perilous journey across a realm forsaken by the gods and devastated by an arcane cataclysm. Accompanied by a hardy crew, you must trade, fight, and explore your way to success as the leader of a traveling company in Vagrus, an award-winning turn-based post-apocalyptic fantasy RPG.
Vagrus - The Riven Realms: Demo (Prologue) has achieved a Player Score of 68, placing it in the #9 spot for the best free Narrative games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 197 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 144 positive reviews and 53 negative reviews — making it "Mostly Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Vagrus - The Riven Realms: Demo (Prologue) on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Release Date | 7/10/2020 |
| Developer | Lost Pilgrims Studio |
| Publishers | |
| Steam App Id | 1304660 |
10. The Mind of Marlo
Uniquely presented as an hour long documentary film, The Mind of Marlo is a narrative driven adventure game focusing on love, loss and silly heads. Laugh and cry with Marlo as he gets to the bottom of his life changing condition, known as Spontaneous Silly Head Syndrome.
The Mind of Marlo has achieved a Player Score of 85, placing it in the #10 spot for the best free Narrative games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 241 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 226 positive reviews and 15 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on both Windows and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play The Mind of Marlo on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Release Date | 10/19/2017 |
| Developer | Point Bleep Studios |
| Publisher | Baffled Crab |
| Steam App Id | 722870 |
More Free Narrative Games
Explore even more rankings for the 70 best free Narrative games available on Steam.
| Image | Name | Actions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91 | 8/15/2024 | 94 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 35 | 9/14/2023 | 78 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 32 | 1/14/2022 | 92 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 22 | 9/21/2021 | 92 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 16 | 8/6/2021 | 83 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 3 | 7/14/2023 | 91 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 3 | 11/11/2024 | 82 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 3 | 10/18/2024 | 69 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 2 | 7/10/2020 | 68 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 1 | 10/19/2017 | 85 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 1 | 6/23/2021 | 74 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 1 | 11/2/2022 | 60 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 1 | 2/1/2023 | 68 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 1 | 3/24/2022 | 85 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 1 | 5/4/2023 | 84 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 1 | 5/27/2020 | 72 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 1 | 4/16/2024 | 72 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 1 | 9/19/2022 | 79 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 1 | 6/23/2022 | 87 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 1 | 12/18/2023 | 88 | 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. (2024, November 2). Steam Store. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 2). Katawa Shoujo on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, September 19). Strongblade - Puzzle Quest and Match-3 Adventure on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 15). How Fish Is Made on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 6). If On A Winter's Night, Four Travelers on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, October 30). Descent: Legends of the Dark on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, September 23). TRY AGAIN on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 19). Ignited Entry on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 21). VHS Collection: Goodnight Me on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 3). Vagrus - The Riven Realms: Demo (Prologue) on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, July 29). The Mind of Marlo on Steam. Steam Store.