Best Early Access Games on Steam
Steam currently has 9,196 Early Access 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. Early Access game rankings were last updated on 5/8/2024.
Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:
- Free early access games on Steam
- Best early access Steam Deck games
- Best early access Linux games on Steam
- Best early access Steam games for Mac OS
- Free Steam games
- Most played Steam games
- Best rated Steam games
1. Vampire Survivors
Mow down thousands of night creatures and survive until dawn! Vampire Survivors is a gothic horror casual game with rogue-lite elements, where your choices can allow you to quickly snowball against the hundreds of monsters that get thrown at you.
Vampire Survivors holds the #1 spot for "best Early Access game on Steam" with a Player Score of 97. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 228,629 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 225,321 positive reviews and 3,308 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $4.99 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.
2. Wallpaper Engine
Use stunning live wallpapers on your desktop. Animate your own images to create new wallpapers or import videos/websites and share them on the Steam Workshop!
Wallpaper Engine has achieved a Player Score of 97, placing it in the #2 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 774,578 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 759,474 positive reviews and 15,104 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $3.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run Wallpaper Engine on the Steam Deck.
| Steam Price | $3.99 |
| Release Date | 11/16/2018 |
| Developer | Wallpaper Engine Team |
| Publisher | Wallpaper Engine Team |
| Steam App Id | 431960 |
3. Lethal Company
A co-op horror about scavenging at abandoned moons to sell scrap to the Company.
Lethal Company has achieved a Player Score of 97, placing it in the #3 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 391,828 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 382,037 positive reviews and 9,791 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $9.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Lethal Company on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
4. Slime Rancher
Slime Rancher is the tale of Beatrix LeBeau, a plucky, young rancher who sets out for a life a thousand light years away from Earth on the ‘Far, Far Range’ where she tries her hand at making a living wrangling slimes.
Slime Rancher has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #4 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 119,595 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 117,106 positive reviews and 2,489 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 Slime Rancher on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Steam Price | $19.99 |
| Release Date | 8/1/2017 |
| Franchise | Monomi Park |
| Developer | Monomi Park |
| Publisher | Monomi Park |
| Steam App Id | 433340 |
5. BeamNG.drive
A dynamic soft-body physics vehicle simulator capable of doing just about anything.
BeamNG.drive has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #5 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 245,828 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 239,154 positive reviews and 6,674 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $24.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play BeamNG.drive on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
6. Dyson Sphere Program
Build the most efficient intergalactic factory in space simulation strategy game Dyson Sphere Program! Harness the power of stars, collect resources, plan and design production lines and develop your interstellar factory from a small space workshop to a galaxy-wide industrial empire.
Dyson Sphere Program has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #6 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 78,655 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 76,844 positive reviews and 1,811 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $19.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Dyson Sphere Program on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Steam Price | $19.99 |
| Release Date | 1/20/2021 |
| Developer | Youthcat Studio |
| Publisher | Gamera Games |
| Steam App Id | 1366540 |
7. Rhythm Doctor
Save patients with your rhythm mastery! Rhythm Doctor is a rhythm game where you heal patients by defibrillating in time to their heartbeats. Learn each patient's unique heartbeat and defeat boss viruses trying to sabotage your rhythm, all set to heart-pumping, soul-soothing music.
Rhythm Doctor has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #7 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 19,519 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 19,220 positive reviews and 299 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $15.99 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 | $15.99 |
| Release Date | 2/26/2021 |
| Franchise | 7th Beat Games |
| Developer | 7th Beat Games |
| Publishers | |
| Steam App Id | 774181 |
8. DAVE THE DIVER
DAVE THE DIVER is a casual, singleplayer adventure RPG featuring deep-sea exploration and fishing during the day and sushi restaurant management at night. Join Dave and his quirky friends as they seek to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Blue Hole.
DAVE THE DIVER has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #8 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 95,992 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 93,479 positive reviews and 2,513 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly 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 | 6/28/2023 |
| Developer | MINTROCKET |
| Publisher | MINTROCKET |
| Steam App Id | 1868140 |
9. Subnautica
Descend into the depths of an alien underwater world filled with wonder and peril. Craft equipment, pilot submarines and out-smart wildlife to explore lush coral reefs, volcanoes, cave systems, and more - all while trying to survive.
Subnautica has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #9 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 268,310 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 259,779 positive reviews and 8,531 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $29.99 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 | $29.99 |
| Release Date | 1/24/2018 |
| Franchise | Unknown Worlds |
| Developer | Unknown Worlds Entertainment |
| Publisher | Unknown Worlds Entertainment |
| Steam App Id | 264710 |
10. Satisfactory
Satisfactory is a first-person open-world factory building game with a dash of exploration and combat. Play alone or with friends, explore an alien planet, create multi-story factories, and enter conveyor belt heaven!
Satisfactory has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #10 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 159,111 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 154,300 positive reviews and 4,811 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $29.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Satisfactory on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Steam Price | $29.99 |
| Release Date | 6/8/2020 |
| Franchise | Coffee Stain |
| Developer | Coffee Stain Studios |
| Publisher | Coffee Stain Publishing |
| Steam App Id | 526870 |
More Early Access Games
Explore even more rankings for the 100 best Early Access games available on Steam.
| Image | Name | Actions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 4,054 | 10/20/2022 | 97 | $4.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 46,868 | 11/16/2018 | 97 | $3.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 18,120 | 10/23/2023 | 97 | $9.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 829 | 8/1/2017 | 96 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 18,289 | 5/29/2015 | 96 | $24.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 2,711 | 1/20/2021 | 96 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 37 | 2/26/2021 | 96 | $15.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 2,037 | 6/28/2023 | 96 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 3,606 | 1/24/2018 | 96 | $29.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 10,512 | 6/8/2020 | 96 | $29.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 742 | 4/1/2023 | 96 | $9.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 105 | 11/9/2023 | 95 | $14.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 712 | 5/18/2017 | 95 | $17.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 6,307 | 8/11/2020 | 95 | $24.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 58 | 3/15/2022 | 95 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 16,517 | 9/18/2020 | 95 | $13.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 107 | 10/13/2023 | 95 | $9.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 670 | 12/11/2018 | 95 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 3,769 | 4/30/2018 | 95 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 143 | 4/5/2016 | 95 | $19.99 | 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, May 8). Steam Store. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 8). Vampire Survivors on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 8). Wallpaper Engine on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, April 16). Lethal Company on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, April 4). Slime Rancher on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 7). BeamNG.drive on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, April 25). Dyson Sphere Program on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 5). Rhythm Doctor on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 3). DAVE THE DIVER on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 7). Subnautica on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 8). Satisfactory on Steam. Steam Store.