Best Early Access Games on Steam
Steam currently has 12,565 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 11/3/2025.
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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. Be the bullet hell!
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 254,928 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 250,891 positive reviews and 4,037 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $3.49 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 933,838 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 915,474 positive reviews and 18,364 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:10/30/2025
- Steam App Id:431960
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 243,843 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 238,882 positive reviews and 4,961 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 145,222 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 142,281 positive reviews and 2,941 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).
- Price:$19.99
- Release Date:8/1/2017
- Franchise:Monomi Park
- Developer:Monomi Park
- Publisher:Monomi Park
- Last Updated:10/16/2025
- 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 189,522 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 185,003 positive reviews and 4,519 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. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
- Price:$24.99
- Release Date:9/3/2020
- Franchise:New Blood Interactive
- Developer:Arsi "Hakita" Patala
- Publisher:New Blood Interactive
- Last Updated:10/14/2025
- 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 349,150 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 340,010 positive reviews and 9,140 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 495,500 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 481,151 positive reviews and 14,349 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $6.49 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 247,856 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 240,902 positive reviews and 6,954 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:11/3/2025
- 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 87,273 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 85,166 positive reviews and 2,107 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:1/21/2021
- Developer:Youthcat Studio
- Publishers:
- Last Updated:10/27/2025
- 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 21,779 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 21,434 positive reviews and 345 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.
- Price:$15.99
- Release Date:2/26/2021
- Franchise:7th Beat Games
- Developer:7th Beat Games
- Publishers:
- Last Updated:11/2/2025
- 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 3). Steam Store. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com
- Valve Corporation. (2025, November 3). Vampire Survivors on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1794680
- Valve Corporation. (2025, October 30). Wallpaper Engine on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/431960
- Valve Corporation. (2025, November 2). Schedule I on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/3164500
- Valve Corporation. (2025, October 16). Slime Rancher on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/433340
- Valve Corporation. (2025, October 14). ULTRAKILL on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1229490
- Valve Corporation. (2025, November 2). BeamNG.drive on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/284160
- Valve Corporation. (2025, October 30). Lethal Company on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1966720
- Valve Corporation. (2025, November 3). Satisfactory on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/526870
- Valve Corporation. (2025, October 27). Dyson Sphere Program on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1366540
- Valve Corporation. (2025, November 2). Rhythm Doctor on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/774181