Best Nonlinear games on Steam

Unlike generic lists, our strategy game recommendations use a rigorous analysis of Steam user reviews to identify and feature only the best, community-validated nonlinear games. For those who prefer not to search, lists of the most played, top deals nonlinear games are available at the bottom of the page.

Filters & Lists

Obduction

A new sci-fi adventure from Cyan, the creators of Myst. Abducted far across the universe, you find yourself on a broken alien landscape with odd pieces of Earth. Explore, uncover, solve, and find a way to make it home.

Price 28.99€
Rating 7.7
Release 24 Aug 2016

The Cat! Porfirio's Adventure

The best sim game about adventures of an urban cat in the village.

Price -76% 0.71€
Rating 7.7
Release 04 Aug 2016

Mad Combat Marines

Are you ready to eliminate hordes of enemies and have fun as you compete against people from all over the world? Mad Combat Marines is here for you and it delivers all of that in an incredibly action-packed challenge!

Price 0.99€
Rating 6.7
Release 13 Jul 2016

Allods Online

Allods Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, set in the fantasy space opera universe of Sarnaut. It is the fourth opus of the Rage of Mages series which started in the mid-90s, conquering the minds of millions of gamers around the world.

Price Free to play
Rating 6.9
Release 03 Jun 2016

Duskers

Pilot drones into derelict spaceships to find the means to survive and piece together how the universe became a giant graveyard.

Price 19.99€
Rating 8.7
Release 18 May 2016

The Witness

You wake up, alone, on a strange island full of puzzles that will challenge and surprise you.

Price 36.99€
Rating 8.3
Release 26 Jan 2016

The Age of Decadence

The Age of Decadence is a turn-based, hardcore role-playing game set in a low magic, post-apocalyptic fantasy world. The game features a detailed skill-based character system, multiple skill-based ways to handle quests, choices & consequences, and extensive dialogue trees.

Price 13.99€
Rating 7.9
Release 14 Oct 2015

Her Story

A woman is interviewed seven times by the police. Search the video database and explore hundreds of authentic clips to discover her story in this groundbreaking and award winning narrative game.

Price 9.75€
Rating 8.7
Release 24 Jun 2015

Super Star Path

Classic color match puzzle meets space shoot'em up action! Hop into your spaceship, open a path through huge waves of aliens and other hazards, and face intense boss battles!

Price -80% 0.99€
Rating 7.7
Release 22 Jun 2015

JumpJet Rex

Test your dinosaur jump-jet skills with a game that redefines the platformer genre, aptly renaming it "platflyer." Simply put, you're a t-rex with rocket boots trying to save earth from an incoming asteroid. Do you have what it takes to stop it?

Price -25% 7.49€
Rating 8.2
Release 21 Apr 2015

Super Win the Game

Throw on your nostalgia goggles and travel back in time with Super Win the Game, a retro-core explosion of exploration and platforming action!!

Price -35% 5.16€
Rating 8.3
Release 01 Oct 2014

Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure

Tex Murphy is the last of the hard-boiled gumshoe detectives living in dystopian post-World War III San Francisco in the 2050s. Tex is an honest and good-natured private investigator with a penchant for bourbon, cigarettes and getting himself into trouble.

Price 19.99€
Rating 8.3
Release 08 May 2014

Heroine's Quest: The Herald of Ragnarok

A retro styled adventure/RPG hybrid with atmosphere like the classics. Play as warrior, sorceress, or rogue as you travel through the rich world of Norse mythology to keep it from eternal winter. Each class has different puzzle solutions, making for good replay value. Fully free, no hidden costs.

Price Free to play
Rating 8.3
Release 20 Mar 2014

Teslagrad

A journey begins... A treacherous tower... Unravel its mysteries!Discover the secrets kept in the long abandoned Tesla Tower!Magnetism and other electromagnetic powers will help you explore a non-linear world of beautiful hand-drawn environments, in a steampunk-inspired vision of old Europe.

Price 9.99€
Rating 8.1
Release 13 Dec 2013

Europa Universalis IV

Rule your land and dominate the world with unparalleled freedom, depth and historical accuracy. Write a new history of the world and build an empire for the ages.

Price -83% 6.66€
Rating 8.6
Release 13 Aug 2013

Toki Tori 2+

Toki Tori 2+ may look cute, but it’s a challenging puzzle adventure game. Whistle and stomp are the only moves you need to solve increasingly complex puzzles, as you go anywhere, anytime on a lush forest island.

Price 14.79€
Rating 8.1
Release 11 Jul 2013

Antichamber

Antichamber is a mind-bending psychological exploration game where nothing can be taken for granted. Discover an Escher-like world where hallways wrap around upon each other, spaces reconfigure themselves, and accomplishing the impossible may just be the only way forward.

Price 18.99€
Rating 9.3
Release 31 Jan 2013

Most played nonlinear games on Steam

Take a look at the top nonlinear games that are currently attracting the largest player bases on the Steam platform, as of April 16th 2025.

1. Mind Over Magic

Mind Over Magic is a colony sim set at the site of a cursed magic school. Build and optimize your own magical academy, train powerful Mages, and master mighty relics in order to battle through the Underschool, a mysterious underground dungeon that holds the key to liberation from a deadly curse. Mind Over Magic is a survival, building and colony sim game developed by Sparkypants and published by Klei Publishing. Released on February 12th 2025 has received 3,298 reviews of which 2,915 were positive and 383 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.5 out of 10. The game has hit the top spot as the #1 most played nonlinear game, thanks to its 437 peak concurrent players over the last day.
8.5
2,915
383

437
players

2. Another Crab's Treasure

In a vibrant undersea kingdom on the verge of collapse, a hermit crab embarks on a treasure hunt to buy back his repossessed shell. The second game from AGGRO CRAB. Another Crab's Treasure is a souls-like, 3d platformer and funny game developed and published by Aggro Crab. Released on April 25th 2024 has received 16,185 reviews of which 15,337 were positive and 848 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. While seeing 158 players online at once in the last 24 hours, this game is currently ranked #2 among nonlinear games based on player count.
9.2
15,337
848

158
players

3. Islands of Insight

Seek out and solve 10,000+ puzzles at your own pace across this sublime puzzle game. Islands of Insight is a puzzle-platformer, nonlinear and puzzle game developed by Lunarch Studios and published by Behaviour Interactive Inc.. Released on February 13th 2024 has received 2,950 reviews of which 2,113 were positive and 837 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.0 out of 10. The game currently holds the #3 spot among the most played nonlinear games.
7.0
2,113
837

32
players

4. The Bible

A digital recreation of The Bible in Kinetic Novel form! Read through and save passages in any order with an original soundtrack, or listen through the greatest story ever told in audiobook form. Featuring an extensive Trivia section to find out how well you really know the stories of Old and New. The Bible is a singleplayer, relaxing and nonlinear game developed and published by Bible Games. Released on November 14th 2022 has received 970 reviews of which 853 were positive and 117 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.3 out of 10. The game currently holds the #4 spot among the most played nonlinear games.
8.3
853
117

17
players

5. Dreamcore

Step into the surreal with Dreamcore, a body-cam styled psychological horror game that plunges you into the eerie beauty of "liminal spaces." Unravel the mysteries of Dreamcore’s non-linear worlds and uncover its hidden secrets. Can you discover what lies beyond the edge of reality? Dreamcore is a exploration, walking simulator and psychological horror game developed by Montraluz and published by Tlön Industries. Released on January 23rd 2025 has received 641 reviews of which 562 were positive and 79 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.2 out of 10. The game currently holds the #5 spot among the most played nonlinear games.
8.2
562
79

10
players

6. Taiji

Solve puzzle panels and uncover the meaning of the symbols within. Explore a dense world where secrets are hidden in plain sight. Taiji is a puzzle, nonlinear and difficult game developed and published by Matthew VanDevander. Released on September 09th 2022 has received 1,220 reviews of which 1,114 were positive and 106 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.6 out of 10. The game currently holds the #6 spot among the most played nonlinear games.
8.6
1,114
106

8
players

7. Turbo Kid

A nostalgic metroidvania adventure with insane weapons, skills, and pixel gore. Ride your BMX and blast your enemies as you discover the secrets of the Wasteland. Turbo Kid is a gore, action and narration game developed and published by Outerminds Inc.. Released on April 09th 2024 has received 421 reviews of which 402 were positive and 19 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.8 out of 10. The game currently holds the #7 spot among the most played nonlinear games.
8.8
402
19

6
players

8. The Mobius Machine

Discover a vast alien world. Fight the ferocious local fauna and killer machines. Reveal its secrets and find a way to escape. The Mobius Machine is a side-scroller action adventure, with an emphasis on free-form exploration and intense combat. The Mobius Machine is a metroidvania, exploration and side scroller game developed and published by Madruga Works. Released on March 01st 2024 has received 341 reviews of which 293 were positive and 48 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.0 out of 10. The game currently holds the #8 spot among the most played nonlinear games.
8.0
293
48

5
players

9. Majotori

How many lives will your ignorance ruin? Majotori is a trivia, multiple endings and nonlinear game developed and published by Majorariatto. Released on March 28th 2017 has received 1,892 reviews of which 1,829 were positive and 63 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. The game currently holds the #9 spot among the most played nonlinear games.
9.2
1,829
63

2
players

10. Myths of Rules

This is a text-based adventure puzzle game, where you must struggle to survive in a world filled with ghosts and urban legends. While collecting clues, you'll uncover the truth behind the world and find the way out. The game features a wealth of levels, unconventional rules, and a touch of horror. Myths of Rules is a word game, psychological horror and nonlinear game developed and published by Sugarcane Games. Released on August 30th 2023 has received 972 reviews of which 868 were positive and 104 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.4 out of 10. The game currently holds the #10 spot among the most played nonlinear games.
8.4
868
104

1
players

Best deals on nonlinear games on Steam

Discover fantastic savings with the best discounts on a variety of nonlinear games available on Steam right now, updated on April 16th 2025. Looking for even more deals? Use the search filters to explore a wider range of discounted nonlinear games.

1. Another Crab's Treasure

In a vibrant undersea kingdom on the verge of collapse, a hermit crab embarks on a treasure hunt to buy back his repossessed shell. The second game from AGGRO CRAB. Another Crab's Treasure is a souls-like, 3d platformer and funny game developed and published by Aggro Crab. Released on April 25th 2024 has received 16,185 reviews of which 15,337 were positive and 848 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. Featuring a massive 53% discount, this game currently holds the #1 spot in the best deals for nonlinear category.
9.2
15,337
848

-53% 29.77€ 13.99€

2. Turbo Kid

A nostalgic metroidvania adventure with insane weapons, skills, and pixel gore. Ride your BMX and blast your enemies as you discover the secrets of the Wasteland. Turbo Kid is a gore, action and narration game developed and published by Outerminds Inc.. Released on April 09th 2024 has received 421 reviews of which 402 were positive and 19 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.8 out of 10. Thanks to its 25% discount, this game is now the #2 best deal in nonlinear games.
8.8
402
19

-25% 19.52€ 14.64€

3. Mind Over Magic

Mind Over Magic is a colony sim set at the site of a cursed magic school. Build and optimize your own magical academy, train powerful Mages, and master mighty relics in order to battle through the Underschool, a mysterious underground dungeon that holds the key to liberation from a deadly curse. Mind Over Magic is a survival, building and colony sim game developed by Sparkypants and published by Klei Publishing. Released on February 12th 2025 has received 3,298 reviews of which 2,915 were positive and 383 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.5 out of 10. Thanks to its 25% discount, this game is now the #3 best deal in nonlinear games.
8.5
2,915
383

-25% 22.99€ 17.24€