Best Early Access Games on Steam
Steam currently has 12,777 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 11/29/2025.
Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:
1. 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 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 940,216 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 921,733 positive reviews and 18,483 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $4.99 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.
- Price:$4.99
- Release Date:11/16/2018
- Developer:Wallpaper Engine Team
- Publisher:Wallpaper Engine Team
- Last Updated:11/29/2025
- Steam App Id:431960
2. 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. Be the bullet hell!
Vampire Survivors 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 256,983 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 252,883 positive reviews and 4,100 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.
3. Schedule I
From small-time dope pusher to kingpin - manufacture and distribute a range of drugs throughout the grungy city of Hyland Point. Expand your empire with properties, businesses, employees and more.
Schedule I 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 257,614 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 252,458 positive reviews and 5,156 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 Schedule I 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 97, placing it in the #4 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 146,319 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 143,349 positive reviews and 2,970 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).
- Price:$4.99
- Release Date:8/1/2017
- Franchise:Monomi Park
- Developer:Monomi Park
- Publisher:Monomi Park
- Last Updated:11/26/2025
- Steam App Id:433340
5. ULTRAKILL
ULTRAKILL is a fast-paced ultraviolent retro FPS combining the skill-based style scoring from character action games with unadulterated carnage inspired by the best shooters of the '90s. Rip apart your foes with varied destructive weapons and shower in their blood to regain your health.
ULTRAKILL 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 192,577 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 188,016 positive reviews and 4,561 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $18.74 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
- Price:$18.74
- Release Date:9/3/2020
- Franchise:New Blood Interactive
- Developer:Arsi "Hakita" Patala
- Publisher:New Blood Interactive
- Last Updated:11/30/2025
- Steam App Id:1229490
6. 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 #6 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 356,194 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 346,952 positive reviews and 9,242 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).
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 Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 497,896 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 483,427 positive reviews and 14,469 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).
8. 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 #8 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 252,179 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 245,173 positive reviews and 7,006 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $39.99 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).
- Price:$39.99
- Release Date:9/10/2024
- Franchise:Coffee Stain
- Developer:Coffee Stain Studios
- Publisher:Coffee Stain Publishing
- Last Updated:11/28/2025
- Steam App Id:526870
9. 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 #9 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 88,020 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 85,889 positive reviews and 2,131 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).
- Price:$19.99
- Release Date:1/20/2021
- Developer:Youthcat Studio
- Publishers:
- Last Updated:11/29/2025
- Steam App Id:1366540
10. 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 #10 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 21,901 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 21,554 positive reviews and 347 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.
- Price:$19.99
- Release Date:2/26/2021
- Franchise:7th Beat Games
- Developer:7th Beat Games
- Publishers:
- Last Updated:11/30/2025
- Steam App Id:774181
More Early Access Games
Explore even more rankings for the 100 best Early Access games available on Steam.
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. (2025, November 29). Steam Store. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com
- Valve Corporation. (2025, November 29). Wallpaper Engine on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/431960
- Valve Corporation. (2025, November 30). Vampire Survivors on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1794680
- Valve Corporation. (2025, November 29). Schedule I on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/3164500
- Valve Corporation. (2025, November 26). Slime Rancher on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/433340
- Valve Corporation. (2025, November 30). ULTRAKILL on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1229490
- Valve Corporation. (2025, November 29). BeamNG.drive on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/284160
- Valve Corporation. (2025, November 29). Lethal Company on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1966720
- Valve Corporation. (2025, November 28). Satisfactory on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/526870
- Valve Corporation. (2025, November 29). Dyson Sphere Program on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1366540
- Valve Corporation. (2025, November 30). Rhythm Doctor on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/774181