Start by installing 9 Steam games on your gaming PC

Main points

• Steam is the ultimate place to find PC games, with a huge library to suit all tastes and interests.
• First-time PC gamers can easily try out games like Portal, Hades, and Disco Elysium.
• Genres such as the farming simulation game in “Stardew Valley” and the role-playing adventure game in “Baldur’s Gate 3” provide a diverse gaming experience for beginners.

Whether you’re new to gaming, making the jump from consoles, or just adding PC gaming to your life, you know Steam is the place to be. There are other PC storefronts to choose from, but unless you’re looking for a specific game that’s exclusive to one of them, Steam is your one-stop shop for all the games you could want. In fact, hundreds of games are now added every week. If you’re just joining the party now, there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of games at your fingertips vying for your attention.

Computer games can be a little intimidating, especially for newbies. There are so many games that you could spend hours browsing the list trying to decide which ones you should invest in. Beyond that, there are some free games that only require your time. As an experienced PC gamer, let me guide you in picking some of the first games you should play on Steam for the best experience.

1 Web portals

First-person perspective

For new players, mastering playing the game from a first-person perspective and using a mouse and keyboard can be difficult. There’s definitely a learning curve and process of “getting ahead” that those of us who’ve been playing the game for decades can easily forget. This is a big reason why many people reject fast-paced shooters so vehemently when they first see them.

Portal is the perfect introduction to all first-person games. There are virtually no dangers that require quick reactions on your part, and all puzzles challenge you to develop your special awareness and sense of place in the 3D environment. It won’t make you an nFPS pro, but if you click on it it will put you on the right path to start tackling more action-packed shooters in the future.

2 Hades

Demonic Roguelike

The roguelike and roguelite genres are almost as notorious for their difficulty as the Souls games. Whether this is true depends on the game, and Hades is by no means a simple game, but it’s one of the most engaging and worth the time investment. Instead of being sent back to the starting point every time with next to nothing to show, Hades is constantly giving you ways to improve and new story moments in between attempts.

You play as the son of Hades, trying to escape Hell in a stunning art style that’s reason enough to try. However, unlike most other roguelikes, Hades is packed with story and voice acting, so with each run you’ll slowly get further and further to learn about all the various gods, monsters, and myth. Not reaching the end is never disappointing, as you’ll always get something new, whether it’s a weapon, buffs for future runs, currency for decorations, or new dialogue.

3 Disco Elysium

Put on your detective hat

The best way to introduce yourself to a game or a game on a new platform has to be to combine it with a genre that already interests you. Mysteries are inherently fascinating, but it’s only through the game that you can actually participate in solving them. Disco Elysium is a mystery adventure game in which a fictional world feels like it’s on the verge of collapse.

Your character is a detective who wakes up with amnesia to adjust your perspective so you understand the world as the character does. The game is all about talking to people, asking questions, and developing your detective as you see fit. It’s one of the most flexible and adaptable games ever created – so it’s almost impossible to get stuck even if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing. Then, once you beat it, you’ll be in a perfect position to play it again for a completely different experience.

4 slay the tower

card heart

Deck-building games and trading card games (CCGs) are another pair of game genres that are often considered hardcore. So when I recommend Slay The Spire, a roguelike deck-building game, I know it sounds like the exact opposite type of game to recommend as one of your first Steam games. Unless you’re staunchly opposed to card games as a whole, hear me out about this one.

Being a roguelike, each run resets your deck to a standard base for each character, so you don’t have to dig into the weeds of collecting and building the perfect deck. All you need to do is decide which cards to add and remove each time you play the game. I admit it’s a very difficult game, but since it’s completely turn-based, you’ll never be rushed into making any decisions. If you think carefully and understand how the cards and enemies behave, you’ll become addicted to going through each level and seeing what cards appear.

5 Stardew Valley

Farming happiness

One of the first gaming genres to enter the mainstream was farming sims, specifically Harvest Moon. Not only can everyone understand the concept of building and running their own farm, but those not interested in action games finally have a game that allows them to express their creativity and gain satisfaction from completing daily tasks.

“Stardew Valley” is the spiritual successor of “Harvest Moon”, with special emphasis on the word “successor”. You’re whisked away to a new town to get the farm back up and running while getting to know the town’s residents over the course of a year’s calendar. Plant and harvest crops, raise animals, explore mines, and even date villagers. The chill atmosphere and simple satisfaction make this game one of the most addictive games on Steam.

6 Baldur’s Gate 3

Bonus role play

Ignoring the stereotype of Dungeons & Dragons players being stuck in dank, smelly basements filled with dice and rules tombs, I think the real barrier to getting into pen-and-paper games is how slow they seem. It feels like every action a character makes has some formula that can be memorized and modified through dice rolls and mathematical equations. Through the magic of video games, Baldur’s Gate 3 gets rid of all the boring stuff and lets you go on the adventure of your imagination.

The possibilities in Baldur’s Gate 3 are mind-boggling. Any idea you think should work probably will, or at least do something meaningful. Throwing torches at the house? It will be burned. Throwing a locked treasure chest off a cliff? If it’s high enough, it may break. If you can think of it, you can probably do it in Baldur’s Gate 3, making it easily the best RPG on Steam.

7 Persona 4 Gold Edition

Childhood memories

Whether you enjoyed your high school years or not (assuming you’re past that age), I think we can all agree that it’s a very pivotal time in our lives. Persona 4 Golden explores this period of uncertainty, personal growth, and coming to terms with your identity, all while immersing yourself in supernatural mysteries that will keep you playing for nearly 100 hours.

The real beauty of this JRPG is the cast. Nearly everyone you meet, whether they’re your party members, townsfolk, or others you can form a bond with, has a unique and compelling story to learn and watch. This all fits into the overall story of exploring an alternate world where people represent the shadows of their repressed emotions that form and attack them. This is a game that you don’t want to say goodbye to until the end, despite its length.

8 final fantasy 14

The ultimate MMO

We’ve moved beyond the MMO’s heyday, and can now crown Final Fantasy XIV the definitive king of the genre. But it wasn’t, it was in poor shape when it launched, but over the years it’s been patched, expanded, and fixed to become not just the best MMO, but the best Final Fantasy game ever. As with all other numbered entries in this series, no previous experience with the series is required.

If it weren’t for Final Fantasy XIV, I probably wouldn’t include an MMO in a list like this at all. It’s just because this game has such a great story and quality of life features that it appeals to people who don’t normally play the genre. In fact, if you don’t want to interact with other players, you can play almost anything with an AI companion if you want. Of course, playing with friends and meeting new people in the community is a big part of the fun here.

9 Destiny 2

best co-op shooting

I’d play Destiny 2 on the sly here if you’re at least somewhat familiar with shooters. This isn’t a Call of Duty or Counter-Strike where stray bullets can kill you, in fact it’s more focused on teams fighting AI enemies than others. Of course, there’s a PvP mode, but the bulk of the game is going on missions with friends to get better gear.

Destiny 2, made by Bungie after handing off Halo to 343i, has the smoothest, most satisfying gunplay on the market. Every weapon feels right when shooting, so the overwhelmingness of the story almost doesn’t matter. Simply team up with your friends for some missions, or if you really want to push yourself, go on raids, and get loot drops, and it’s enough to make it a regular part of your gaming routine.