Best Exploration Games on Steam
Steam currently has 16,113 Exploration 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. Exploration game rankings were last updated on 12/12/2024.
Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:
- Free exploration games on Steam
- Best exploration Steam Deck games
- Best exploration Linux games on Steam
- Best exploration Steam games for Mac OS
- Free Steam games
- Most played Steam games
- Best rated Steam games
1. Terraria
Dig, fight, explore, build! Nothing is impossible in this action-packed adventure game. Four Pack also available!
Terraria holds the #1 spot for "best Exploration game on Steam" with a Player Score of 97. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,354,900 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,321,228 positive reviews and 33,672 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $9.99 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.
2. Euro Truck Simulator 2
Travel across Europe as king of the road, a trucker who delivers important cargo across impressive distances! With dozens of cities to explore, your endurance, skill and speed will all be pushed to their limits.
Euro Truck Simulator 2 has achieved a Player Score of 97, placing it in the #2 spot for the best Exploration games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 786,009 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 766,775 positive reviews and 19,234 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. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
| Steam Price | $19.99 |
| Release Date | 10/12/2012 |
| Franchise | SCS Software |
| Developer | SCS Software |
| Publisher | SCS Software |
| Steam App Id | 227300 |
3. A Short Hike
Hike, climb, and soar through the peaceful mountainside landscapes of Hawk Peak Provincial Park as you make your way to the summit.
A Short Hike has achieved a Player Score of 97, placing it in the #3 spot for the best Exploration games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 17,686 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 17,545 positive reviews and 141 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $7.99 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.
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 97, placing it in the #4 spot for the best Exploration games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 130,312 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 127,610 positive reviews and 2,702 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $4.99 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 | $4.99 |
| Release Date | 8/1/2017 |
| Franchise | Monomi Park |
| Developer | Monomi Park |
| Publisher | Monomi Park |
| Steam App Id | 433340 |
6. OneShot
OneShot is a surreal top down Puzzle/Adventure game with unique gameplay capabilities. You are to guide a child through a mysterious world on a mission to restore its long-dead sun. The world knows you exist.
OneShot has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #6 spot for the best Exploration games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 48,900 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 48,057 positive reviews and 843 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $5.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run OneShot on the Steam Deck.
| Steam Price | $5.99 |
| Release Date | 12/9/2016 |
| Developer | Future Cat LLC |
| Publisher | KOMODO |
| Steam App Id | 420530 |
7. 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 96, placing it in the #7 spot for the best Exploration games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 456,828 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 444,545 positive reviews and 12,283 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).
9. 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 #9 spot for the best Exploration games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 290,136 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 282,612 positive reviews and 7,524 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).
10. Deep Rock Galactic
Deep Rock Galactic is a 1-4 player co-op FPS featuring badass space Dwarves, 100% destructible environments, procedurally-generated caves, and endless hordes of alien monsters.
Deep Rock Galactic has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #10 spot for the best Exploration games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 326,100 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 317,153 positive reviews and 8,947 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $9.89 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Deep Rock Galactic on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Steam Price | $9.89 |
| Release Date | 5/13/2020 |
| Franchise | Coffee Stain |
| Developer | Ghost Ship Games |
| Publisher | Coffee Stain Publishing |
| Steam App Id | 548430 |
More Exploration Games
Explore even more rankings for the 100 best Exploration games available on Steam.
| Image | Name | Actions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30,846 | 5/16/2011 | 97 | $9.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 58,062 | 10/12/2012 | 97 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 31 | 7/30/2019 | 97 | $7.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 4,327 | 8/1/2017 | 97 | $4.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 11 | 12/1/2023 | 96 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 119 | 12/9/2016 | 96 | $5.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 15,679 | 10/23/2023 | 96 | $9.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 7 | 7/17/2023 | 96 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 26,416 | 5/29/2015 | 96 | $24.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 11,525 | 5/13/2020 | 96 | $9.89 | Steam Charts | |
 | 7,280 | 2/24/2017 | 96 | $14.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 29,628 | 11/29/2006 | 96 | $9.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 106 | 10/5/2017 | 96 | $29.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 1,981 | 1/25/2018 | 96 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 1,206 | 7/19/2022 | 96 | $17.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 36,015 | 9/10/2024 | 96 | $31.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 6,317 | 1/23/2018 | 96 | $29.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 68 | 2/11/2021 | 96 | $3.59 | Steam Charts | |
 | 113 | 12/10/2021 | 96 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 260 | 9/5/2023 | 96 | $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, December 12). Steam Store. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 12). Terraria on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 14). Euro Truck Simulator 2 on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 7). A Short Hike on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 15). Slime Rancher on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 6). Cats Hidden in Jingle Jam on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 12). OneShot on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 14). Lethal Company on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 29). Cats Hidden in Paris on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 14). BeamNG.drive on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 15). Deep Rock Galactic on Steam. Steam Store.