If your group of friends is anything like mine, getting them all to both agree to and pay for a particular game is harder than herding feral cats. Maybe you're in a similar situation or maybe you're just on the prowl for some good multiplayer games to play in Steam Remote Play. Whatever the case, we've compiled a sizable list to help you out.

The good thing about Remote Play is that only one player in the group needs to own the game; the rest can try it out for free — at least in its current beta period. 

Let's choo choo on through, and hopefully, find you and your friend(s) a game you can play.

Terraria

Price: $9.99
Steam Store link

You'll see this game mentioned on just about every list of co-op games. This co-op sandbox-adventure has loads of content for any group of friends to go to town on. Terraria has stayed on the top played Steam games for 7 years for good reason.

Grim Dawn

Price: $24.99
Steam Store link

If you're looking to scratch your ARPG itch, you could do a lot worse than Grim Dawn. Even without the expansion, you can find dozens of hours of whackin' and lootin' in Grim Dawn. If you're not too keen on its darker aesthetic but do want an ARPG, the next option may be more down your alley.

Torchlight 2

Price: $19.99
Steam Store link

It may be older than Grim Dawn, but Torchlight 2 still has a lot of staying power if you've never given the game a chance. There is more content to be found in Grim Dawn but Torchlight 2 has a robust array of mods available, including content, quality of life, and classes. This is still a solid buy today in 2018, and it can be modded for up to 8-player multiplayer.

Castle Crashers

Price: $14.99
Steam Store link

Another staple co-op game sure to be on pretty much every co-op list, Castle Crashers is the poster boy for co-op beat'em ups. This is an easy one for all ages and kill levels to get into and have fun with.

BattleBlock Theater

Price: $14.99
Steam Store link

Another game from The Behemoth, the same studio behind Castle Crashers. BattleBlock Theater's campaign is completely co-op and it also features a healthy selection of hectic PvP modes, for when you want to prove your better than your friends once and for all.

Rocket League

Price: $19.99
Steam Store link

Before you say, "Ugh, no. Too mainstream," take a breath and consider Rocket League as a co-op game with a low barrier of entry and a whole lot of speed. Rocket League may not be your first choice, but it's an easy game to get a group of people to agree to hop onto for a quick round.

Risk of Rain

Price: $9.99
Steam Store link

Risk of Rain is a co-op game with an unquenchable bloodlust. Though not for everyone due to its extreme difficulty, Risk of Rain is an easy buy for roguelite fans or groups of friends who hate life. It's a hard game and it will knock you down a peg with ease, whether you've got 1 hour or 300 hours worth of gameplay logged.

Risk of Rain 2 is pretty good, too. It's currently $19.99 on Steam. 

Beat Hazard

Price: $9.99
Steam Store link

This one always seems to slip through the cracks since it's been blessing Steam with its presence for eight years now, but despite its age, Beat Hazard continues to be a recommended purchase for co-op play, providing you and your friend(s) are good at shmups. Beat Hazard lets you use your own music or one of many radio stations to generate enemies, which is what makes this one so unique.

Ultimate Chicken Horse

Price: $14.99
Steam Store link

Playing this game with a group of friends is an exercise in sadism. You and up to three other friends will be tasked with creating and completing the stages in Ultimate Chicken Horse, and you can bet at least one (or even all) of you will make them nearly impossible to beat, in the name of being the better platformer player. Ridiculously fun and honestly not as enraging as it sounds.

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes

Price: $14.99
Steam Store link

An outlier among the other games in this collection, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes only requires one person to buy the game. There's a reason for that: Only one player is allowed to see the screen at a time, so only one can directly defuse the bomb. The other players must tell the defuser what to do based on the instructions in the manual.

If it sounds a little convoluted, that's because it is by design. Can you and your friends defuse a bomb? Maybe, maybe not. But you can certainly yell at each other trying.

Don't Starve Together

Price: $14.99
Steam Store link

Don't Starve has stood as one of the more accessible survival games over the years, and the multiplayer expansion Don't Starve Together may be an even more enjoyable game than the base with the Reign of Giants expansion. Together contains both, plus the ability to die in the forest with your friends. If — as in my case — you tried the original game but didn't enjoy it much, you may still find this fun.

Left 4 Dead 2

Price: $9.99
Steam Store link

You may be dissuaded from picking Left 4 Dead 2 up based on its age. It's been out for 11 years now, it seems like everyone's been through the game. Why bother? If you haven't played it yet, this is your reminder to pick up L4D2 to play with your friends. It's still fun to this day, but it's best played with friends. Any community for a decade-old game is bound to be elitist and this game is no exception.

PAYDAY 2

Price: $9.99
Steam Store link

If you don't play PAYDAY 2, it's possible the only thing you've heard about it was the hubbub about microtransactions a few years back. It's been a long time since then though, and the game is a solid heister. You don't need to play the first game to dive right into this one and, provided your group can cooperate, there are hours upon hours of heists for you to tackle.

Dungeon of The Endless

Price: $11.99
Steam Store link

How about something a little different? Amplitude's Endless universe has expanded this way and that, with "that" being Dungeon of the Endless, a pseudo-tower defense roguelike. In this, players must hoard resources and expand based on the ever-increasing threats of the depth of the dungeon. A single round in this game can take several hours and it is very hard, but if your group's into roguelikes you could do a lot worse.

Borderlands 2

Price: $19.99
Steam Store link

Borderlands 2 is another old staple that still holds up today, especially multiplayer. Pushing through this game with friends is satisfying as firefights are intense and the weapon system is a ARPG-style lootfest. Not many games age as well as this one -- you can come back years later and still have a ton of fun.

Golf With Your Friends

Price: $7.99
Steam Store link

If you just want a game to pay a little attention to while chatting, this is an easy choice. Golf With Your Friends isn't exactly rolling in content variety and only contains 7 levels with 18 holes, but things are kept fresh through golf ball shapes and game modes. A very easy game to just sit back and play while having a couple beers and a laugh.

Human: Fall Flat

Price: $14.99
Steam Store link

How about something a little less-in-your-face about its silliness? We've got some pretty quirky games listed here, but they're all a bit more obvious about it than the cooperative physics-based puzzle solving found in Human: Fall Flat. The one downside here is that there are not a lot of stages, but it's a good deal at this price. 

Project Zomboid

Price: $14.99
Steam Store link

Don't let this game's graphics and the year it entered Steam Early Access fool you: Project Zomboid is a fleshed-out survival sandbox with hundreds of potential hours of gameplay, with continued support from its developer as it slowly shambles toward full release. If you and your group can accept the high learning curve, you can have a great time with this game.

Portal 2

Price: $9.99
Steam Store link

The Portal games are famous for a lot of reasons and one of those reasons is (Spoilers!) the stellar co-op campaign. If you haven't played Portal 2 and you want a game to play with a friend, you may as well throw the $2 at Valve and see what all the hubbub is about.

Barony

Price: $14.99
Steam Store link

An other roguelike to add to the pile, Barony is the closest to a traditional roguelike of any of the games listed here. It looks old, it feels old, and it plays like an old game. That's perfectly fine: You'll be hard-pressed to find another game that takes the classic roguelike formula, turns it 3D and realtime, and allows for online co-op. This one's pretty niche but you're in for a good time if you're comfortable with classic roguelikes.

Endless Legend

Price: $29.99
Steam Store link

Though Endless Space is currently also on sale, I would recommend Endless Legend over it for its similarities to the Civilization series and its overall fun factor. This is a more traditional-style 4X game. Expand, form alliances, wage wars -- it's up to you. A worthy strategy addition to most gaming groups on a budget.

Resident Evil 5

Price: $19.99
Steam Store link

You don't hear much about Resident Evil 5 or 6 for a few reasons, but none of those reasons equate to them not being fun with friends. Resident Evil 5 is often overlooked in favor of 6 for co-op play because it retains the semi-tank controls found in its predecessor, but if you and a friend can adjust to that control style this is an intense and worthwhile co-op action game.

Resident Evil 6

Price: $29.99
Steam Store link

Like its predecessor, Resident Evil 6 is best played with a friend. Unlike its predecessor, it's got more modern, fluid controls and a whole lot of QTEs. This one is over-the-top in about every regard, to the extent I can't help but find it silly each playthrough. If you like classic Resi games, go with 5. If you can't deal with the antiquated controls, go with 6. The decision is as simple as that.

7 Days to Die

Price: $24.99
Steam Store link

One of the first titles in the survival game wave that paved the way for games such as Rust and ARK: Survival Evolved, 7 Days to Die still stands as one of the most played games on Steam and is just as fun now as when it came out. As with the two mentioned, 7 Days to Die allows you a great deal of freedom in your efforts to survive. Break, use, and do whatever you want to ensure your survival in a world overrun by over 50 types of zombies.

Orcs Must Die! 2

Price: $14.99
Steam Store link

The original Orcs Must Die! set off a chain reaction of action-tower defense clones, some good and some bad, but none really hold up to the sequel. Orcs Must Die! 2 is an improvement over the first game in almost every way, and has the added bonus of online multiplayer. It's easy to get into, easy to wrap your head around, and easy to spend too many hours in.

Tabletop Simulator

Price: $19.99
Steam Store link

This is a bit of a strange one since Tabletop Simulator itself isn't a game, but a mini-platform for tabletop gaming. The amount of games available via Tabletop Simulator are nearly endless, making this a fantastic purchase for any static group of friends who have trouble deciding on what to play or want to play board games without having to pick up after themselves.

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These are definitely not all of the co-op games you can get for relatively cheap on Steam, but these are some I can personally recommend. I hope you've found at least one game you find worthy of your Steam library.

You may have been caught up in certain other world events unfolding at the the same time and missed it, but Civilization VI was released last year to critical acclaim. It may have felt a little like an iterative release than anything fundamentally new and different, but it was certainly a polished and immediately immersive experience.

But when you've ploughed tens of hours into Sid Meier's latest and are in need of something -- anything -- else to scratch that strategy itch, what should you turn to?

Fear not. It's a question we've also asked ourselves, and while it may be easy to proffer the usual reliable list of sequels and strategy granddaddies, why not instead dip your toe into the indie market and see what gems nip at your toes?

We have a few suggestions which may appeal to you.

Planetbase

Colonising Mars may make a nice change to sending your legions out to take over the Earth, and Planetbase offers you exactly that. It's a world-building game, so there's a definite shift in pace and focus to the Civilization strategy you may be expecting. But your expertise in management and organization can definitely find a home on the Red Planet.

Starting off with enough resources to build a sizeable base, you need to direct your colonists to complete tasks within their fields of expertise -- biologist, engineer, and so on -- in order to expand. Resources are the order of the day, and you will need to generate these by building suitable structures as well as purchasing them from visiting traders, who will attempt to fleece you with ridiculously high prices. 

The initial graft required to get to a level of self-sufficiency may put some players off. It's sometimes a matter of luck whether you are able to create the right amount of materials to be able to expand, but once you get to a level of autonomy -- aided by your workers and robots, the latter of which you can build more -- the game develops into a satisfying blend of strategy and management.

Preparing for potential disasters such as meteor strikes or crop failures is prudent (as anyone who has seen The Martian will realize), and success will see you move beyond Mars to spread your colonization skills to neighboring celestial bodies. 

Madruga Works have crafted a more thoughtful alternative to the laser-heavy space battle strategy games on the market, and it may well scratch the itch of those Civ players who want a more gentle introduction to the galactic world-building genre. 

Endless Space

The sequel may have hit early access late last year, but with no confirmed  release date, it's the perfect time to take a look at the original 4X space strategy from French developer Amplitude Studios. 

Endless Space takes a more holistic view of the cosmos, giving you a level of macro-management over one of eight different races (or letting you build a custom tribe). If you're looking for high-octane space battles, then this won't be for you. Combat is a simplistic affair and while the cutscenes are beautifully rendered, the slightly distant approach to battles won't appeal to everyone.

Yet, if you're in the market for a tightly executed sim that allows you to colonise, produce, expand and build, you can do far worse than this one. The interface is intuitive and uncluttered, notifying you of important events and offering helpful rollover tooltips.

The systems you intend to conquer are diverse, and the decisions you need to make are fraught -- will you forsake the development of a planet because it looks more hassle than it's worth? Doing so may mean you miss out on a resource that could cost you the game...

The Escapists

If you fancy yourself as a bit of an Andy Dufresne, then The Escapists will let you play out your very own Shawshank Redemption fantasy. As an incarcerated ne'er-do-well, you'll need your nous and a little bit of luck to escape from one of six different prisons.

Coming from a game like Civilization VI to this may seem a little jarring, but in many ways the games are complementary. Switching from the macro-management of an empire to a singularly focused task like a prison break will keep your perspective fresh. Yet, the strategic elements are still in play -- you may have a narrower purpose, but juggling the different jobs that will lead to your escape is no different than balancing the numerous goals you need to achieve for a glorious victory on the field. 

The premise is straightforward enough. Explore the prison throughout the day, making a note of potential escape routes, items that might help you get out, and people you can bribe, threaten or cajole into assisting you. The beauty of the system is that there's no single solution to get out of any prison, which gives you the flexibility to be as creative as you want. Taking imprints of keys, trading with (or stealing from) inmates, or even crafting your own means of escape -- it's all possible, as long as you make sure you hide your contraband and cover your tracks.

The variety in The Escapists is what makes it a joy to play. There are a few RPG elements to help you become more proficient in fights, more able to craft complex tools, and more speedy for those times you need to hotfoot it back to your cell. But ultimately, the game is about planning. It took Andy Dufresne nineteen years to escape incarceration. These six prisons may not take quite as long, but there's a sequel on the way so you'd better start practising.

Endless Legend

Back to Amplitude again, but this time in a fantasy setting and with more of a tabletop feel. Given their small size, the studio have pumped out some genuinely excellent titles -- and this fully realised and addictive entry in their catalog is no exception. 

Consider Endless Legend to be a mish-mash between the Civilization and Age of Wonders series, and you will be on the right lines. There are differing factions which grant varying bonuses such as improved technology or better bartering skills. There is a brilliantly detailed map which allows you to immediately spot areas of tactical advantage and then watch your troops battle it out, as if the intro to Game of Thrones was an actual battlefield you could interactive with.

Most importantly, like its space-themed sibling, there is a real sense of playability. Amplitude really do know how to design an interface. The AI was a little more passive than we'd have hoped for on release, but thanks to constant updates from the developers, this has since been improved. There's no substitute for playing against a human though, so if you prefer high fantasy to galactic warfare, grab a buddy and live out your Westerosian drama right here. Stellar stuff.

***

Do you have a particular favorite indie strategy game? Let us know in the comments! 

Strategy gamers may be used to throwing up structures, ordering troops to their certain death, or flinging balls of fire at winged contraptions. There is no shortage of weird and wonderful ways to conquer your opponent.

But whilst many games are focused on creating new and inventive units for players to utilize in order to gain superiority on the battlefield, development studios are overlooking nature’s greatest weapon: the weather.

Bizarrely, it’s ignored more often than not -- but where it’s implemented, it often becomes a game-changing force. As strategy games become more and more concerned with iterative releases (Civilization 6, Dawn of War 3, etc.), is it time to ask for something a little different?

Here are some suggestions.  

Winter is Coming

It’s not as though there isn’t a precedent for the weather altering the course of a battle, or even a war. History has shown us that the cold can have a huge impact -- look at how the Russian Winter devastated German troops in World War II.

But when it comes to games, it seems that most armies are more than happy to march nonchalantly through the snow with nary a care for frostbite. One exception to this is Endless Legend, whose seasonal arctic blast can help you turn a game around.

Not only does it affect food production (meaning if your opponent hasn’t stocked up, they’re screwed), but it hampers movement across the map. You know, like winter should do. Instead of ignoring the ice and snow, why not make it part of the game?

Do You See What I See?

Strategists are no stranger to the fog of war, but what about actual fog? If you had the option of generating fog on a battlefield to disorient your enemy, while granting your troops a way to bypass the negative effects (thermal cameras, anyone?), then you could harness nature’s cloud blanket in ingenious ways.

Warhammer: Dawn of War 2 touched on weather effects by battering you with mist and rain, but it more served an aesthetic end than any actual purpose. Not only is fog impenetrable, but it’s cold and wet. Why not investigate how that might affect mechanical units who have to march through it? There’s a good chance the water would blow a few circuits...

I’ll Huff and Puff

Some of a player's most memorable moments in gaming come from weather effects. Remember how you built up your glorious metropolis in Sim City? Remember how proud you were when everything was running as efficiently as the Singaporean MRT? Then do you recall how you felt when a hurricane came along and ripped half of your city to shreds?

Yeah, that happens in real life. So why not embrace it in gaming? The possibilities for creating a wind machine and flinging half your opponent’s army across the map are both exciting and potentially hilarious.

Brick by Brick We Shall Build This Cathedral

Why stop with using the weather solely as an offensive weapon? There are plenty of smart ways in which weather effects can be implemented to create strategic advantages. Consider buildings as an example -- the literal foundation of any 4X game, your plants, facilities, and manufacturing bases churn out units by the bucketload.

But what if they could produce different units entirely dependent on the current weather? Perhaps those solar spacecraft won’t get built if the sun has been blotted out by your opponent unleashing a thunderstorm over your base. However, maybe you can counter that by utilizing the electrical power via lightning rods and create something far superior which they weren’t expecting? 

***

There is scope for endless back-and-forth in strategy games, but too many studios seem content with tossing out yet another iteration of a tank, or armored platoon, or overpowered dreadnought. Why not look around the world we’re inhabiting for different inspiration?

Weather can be far more devastating than anything man-made. And, as we’re likely to find out over the next century, climate change is going to be our greatest enemy. Maybe gaming should reflect that. 

What kind of weather effects would you like to see in strategy games? Let us know in the comments!

After successful beta testing, Amplitude Studios has just announced that Endless Legend: Shifters — the game's first official expansion — will be available on April 7.

Endless Legend is a fantasy turn-based strategy game set in the dying world of Auriga. Since launch, the game has been met with critical acclaim for its deep unit customization, vibrant art style, and unique strategical gameplay. Its newest expansion, Shifters, intends to add one more civilization, and change the way battles and interactions unfold.

Endless Legend: Shifters will feature:

An Enhanced Winter

During winter, players will be given the chance to collect Pearls of Auriga, a resource that will give them the opportunity to gain advantages and hinder their enemies.

Players are also given the choice to spend these resources on the Altar of Auriga, a new building that provides blessings.

And lastly, the season will come with a few new — exciting — effects on the world. One example: Lakes and rivers may freeze over, allowing more movement options for land units, and stopping naval units entirely.

A New Faction

The expansion will feature a new faction, the Allayi, whose power seems augmented by the cold touch of winter.

"Shifting with the seasons from friendly neighbours to enraged raiders, in the right hands the Allayi can prove extraordinary opponents."

Like the other civilizations, the Allayi will have their own distinctive play-style. They'll also be given access to exclusive blessings, allowing them to take full advantage over the cold season.

Endless Legend: Shifters is going to arrive this week, and more information is expected to come before then. Keep your eyes peeled — winter is coming.

Endless Legend

Standard price: $29.99
Genre: 4X turn-based strategy
Demo: No
Steam Store link

It's hard to say this one is a "hidden gem" considering how often it goes on sale, but when Civilization V is still the top 4X game on Steam, I can't help but bring this baby up in this list. It's fantastic.

Endless Legend is exactly the type of evolution I, as a regular 4X strategy player, would like to see in ground-based entries (as opposed to space titles like Sins of a Solar Empire) to the genre. Instead of taking pages from popular staple Civilization V, developer Amplitude Studios went in their own direction and created a basically triple-A quality 4X with more of a focus on unit management over city management.

The game's Hero system, which has players customize Hero units' skills and equipment to better lead their squads to battle or oversee their cities, is fresh, fun, and adds an additional layer of strategy,

The gameplay variety between factions (and your ability to customize your own faction) means you can play pretty much the way you want -- within reason.

If you like 4X games, there's pretty much no reason to not pick up Endless Legend. Except maybe the $29.99 price tag with additional paid content DLC. But you expect to put that sort of investment in a high quality strategy game.

Cook, Serve, Delicious!

Standard price: $9.99
Genre: Cooking sim
Demo: Yes
Steam Store link

I'd be willing to guess you probably haven't played a cooking simulation game before.

Okay, you might have. They're not the rarest genre these days, but they are certainly not common.

Cook, Serve, Delicious! is a particularly charming brand of cooking sim, with a heaping helping of muscle memory and stress with a side of nice-looking renders of food and a refreshingly appropriate (cheesy) music.

While the sequel is on the horizon, the original game has more than enough content to keep the virtual cook busy for now.

Climbing the restaurant ranks is quite the feat in the standard campaign mode -- don't let the "casual" tag on Steam fool you. You have to memorize dozens of recipes, rotate out menu items based on your recent menu choices and challenges, and excel at your craft when catering and when appearing on famous cooking shows.

Did I mention there's a ton of muscle memory involved here? Remembering each recipe isn't easy, and every customer wants something different.

The Battle Kitchen update released in 2014 brought new challenges, leaderboards, and a New Game+ mode for veteran chefs. It's a lot easier than actually running a restaurant, that's for sure.

Wings of Vi

Standard price: $14.99
Genre: Precision action platformer
Demo: Yes (On Steam Store page)
Steam Store link

You may as well move onto the next slide if you don't like ramming yourself into one set of obstacles dozens of times -- Wings of Vi probably isn't for you even on Easy Mode.

But hey, if you're cool with that you're in for one of the best precision platformers in a long time. Plus you get to play dress up, what's not to love?

Don't let the angel protagonist fool you: Wings of Vi is an absolutely brutal platformer both in terms of combat and the platforming itself, and it is not about to let you finish the game without pulling your own hair out or breaking a few keyboards/controllers in the process.

There's a lot of care put into the game's music and visuals, and it plays exactly the way you'd want -- except weapon swapping is sometimes a hindrance.  There are plenty of secrets to be found, specifically new weapons and cosmetic items for Vi. It's just a joy to play if precision platformers are your type of game.

If you make it through Wings of Vi, you get some serious bragging rights. But good luck with that, grasshopper.

SanctuaryRPG: Black Edition

Standard price: $7.99
Genre: ASCII turn-based RPG roguelite
Demo: Yes (On the Steam Store link)
Steam Store link

Stop, don't go! ASCII games need love too, even in this day and age. And SantuaryRPG: Black Edition may just be the one that fits perfectly in your Steam library.

SanctuaryRPG is a curious game. Despite sticking to some seriously classic RPG traditions and visuals, it's a peculiarly modern game with an addictive battle system that requires the player to pay close attention to enemy states and chain ability usage.

While it seems a serious, slow game, it couldn't be more the opposite. What we have here is a fairly silly procedurally-generated RPG with more charm and secrets than you can shake a stick at, not to mention combat is pretty quick once you've got it down. And let's not get into its great soundtrack.

This is one ASCII game that any PC RPG player can chow down on, even if they're unfamiliar with ASCII graphics. Definitely try the demo if you're even remotely curious.

Vagante

Early Access price: $14.99
Genre: Action RPG roguelite
Demo: Yes
Steam Store link

Wary of Early Access games? Me, too. But this is definitely not one to worry about. It's been in Early Access since late 2014, but developer Nuke Nine has packed to the brim with content and quality of life updates since the beginning.

Vagante is like Spelunky with far more RPG elements, action, and sheer ruthlessness in design. It's slower than Spelunky, more complicated than Spelunky, and may just be the better game for you if you'd like a more serious RPG tint to your dungeon and cave-diving.

This game is not even remotely for the casual gamer.

Of all the roguelites on this list, Vagante is the one that took me the longest to get the hang of and progress in, thanks to the random unidentified drops (thanks cursed equipment) and RPG stat/skill leveling. It's worth it, though: Just about everything in this game is stellar, and at the current rate of updates the full release version is shaping up to be amazing.

If you like roguelites and are comfortable with being even worse at the start than usual in these types of games, you have nothing to lose but hours of your life with Vagante. Especially once online multiplayer is released.

LISA

Standard price: $9.99
Genre: Side-scrolling turn-based RPG
Demo: No
Steam Store link

I know, RPG Maker games don't have the best reputation and LISA certainly was an RPG Maker game, as you can see in the trailer -- though developer Dingaling did port it out of the engine not too long after release.

What a boring way to start a description of what may be one of the strangest RPGs to see release, and what is certainly one of my favorite games of all time.

LISA puts you in the shoes of Brad Armstrong, and you're out to save the last girl in the world -- whether it's the right thing to do or not.

It's difficult to describe this game even as someone who has played it several times. It's dark and uncomfortable, a stark contrast to a certain other indie RPG (you know what it is). The music is catchy and weird, sometimes grating. The battle system is basic but has its merits.

The story and characters are where it's at in LISA, but the game is not for everyone. It's not for the sensitive or squeamish, but it is for the adventurous gamer with a twisted streak. And if you want a game that utterly confounds you and ultimately makes you feel like trash, this is the way to go.

Spoilers: You do want a game that utterly confounds you and ultimately makes you feel like trash, you just don't know it yet.

Risk of Rain

Standard price: $9.99
Genre: Action platformer roguelite
Demo: Yes
Steam Store link

I don't think I could put into words how great Risk of Rain is if you're the type who prefers games that are tough as nails.

I also don't think I could put into words how upset I am the PC version's netcode is so awful while the upcoming PS4 and Vita version is getting dedicated servers. My butthurt on that point is very real. But that isn't what this article is for.

Risk of Rain is still an amazing game on Steam if you don't have a PlayStation 4/Vita, even if you have to jump through portforwarding hoops to make online multiplayer work.

Things start out soft in a Risk of Rain run, but don't worry: there's plenty waiting to kill even the most seasoned player. Pushing through, your enemies become more wall than beast or machine -- and you, with luck, will become more weapon than man and escape the planet.

The controls are tight, the music is amazing, and the variations between characters and their synergies with particular items is a delight.

I can't think of a single bad thing about Risk of Rain outside of its janky multiplayer, and that is something I'm going to complain about until I'm on my deathbed trying to get in one more round with Acrid with Spite, Enigma, Glass, and Spirit activated.

Road Not Taken

Standard price: $14.99
Genre: Turn-based puzzle roguelite
Demo: No
Steam Store link

The trailer in the header may not make Road Not Taken seem like a stellar puzzle game, but there's so much potential gameplay here for puzzle fans it's hard not to recommend.

Road Not Taken has you wander into the cold, unforgiving wilderness to save lost children -- which, as you may expect, is not as simple as it seems.

Players must pick up items they come across and toss them to open doors or combine them to make new items. Saving children is done much in the same way, as you unceremoniously toss them at their parents.

As Road Not Taken is a roguelite, it has infinite replayability and there really is no getting tired of befriending or wooing townsfolk, especially since things often do not turn out the way you expect.

Truly a fantastic puzzler from Spry Fox and worth every penny.

Valdis Story: Abyssal City

Standard price: $14.99
Genre: Metroidvania action platformer
Demo: Yes
Steam Store link

Like Metroid? Castlevania? Devil May Cry? Why the hell haven't you played Valdis Story yet?

This little gem was a surprise Greenlight in 2013, and despite the late release of the third and fourth characters last year, it remains one of the best games of the genre on Steam at the time of writing.

Valdis Story: Abyssal City's plagued with absolutely awful things like:

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• Great music
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• Beautiful semi-3D visuals
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• Responsive and flexible combat
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• Secret areas and items
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• Cool bosses
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• Weapons, armor, and skill points to fit most playstyles
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...All right, so those things are actually pretty great and so is Valdis Story.

The controls definitely take some getting used to, and wall-jumping can be pretty awful at times. But if you can get over those points, you're in for one fun ride no matter the character you choose. A great buy for any action platformer or Metroidvania fan.

Desktop Dungeons

Standard price: $14.99
Genre: Turn-based roguelike
Demo: No, but you can try a prototype from 2010
Steam Store link

Do you like math? No? Me neither, but man I love me some Desktop Dungeons.

The game may seem like your typical roguelike at first glance, but it quickly becomes apparent it's not like its brutal brethren in one key way: it requires the player scope out a floor, check out enemy numbers and available resources. Once you've done so, you plan your strategy based on your level and enemy levels, your HP, MP,  and spells.

Desktop Dungeons is definitely one of the more planning-intensive roguelikes I've delved into over the years and I'm not ashamed to say I've whipped out a calculator on multiple occasions to plan my strategy.

If you like roguelikes and want something a little different, this may be one of the best options out there. The gameplay depth paired with unlockable races, classes, and other goodies makes it a well-rounded and excellent addition to any roguelike library.

It's basically raining indie games on Steam, all the time. You can't go a day without looking at the New Releases section of the Steam Store and seeing a list of indie games. They're everywhere! But if you've dipped your feet into the indie pool before, you know they can be a gamble without some research.

What's the best way to find indie games on Steam you'd like? Well, going to a game's Store page, checking out the similar titles at the bottom of the listing, and checking their reviews and discussion forums are technically the best way.

But man, that takes effort.

More often than not, I just buy my indie games based off recommendations from other similarly-minded individuals. Most of my friends also make their purchases based off word of mouth. You can make a bad purchase even when going off recommendations -- but that's what refunds are for. Sweet, sweet refunds.

There's a lot out there to wade through, and you mostly base your indie buys off word of mouth anyway. Don't lie, I know you do. Why not take a look at some of mu suggestions? You (probably) won't be disappointed. I think. Maybe.

Only one of these games is an early access title, and many have demos. What's there to lose? Aside from your future.

If you've never played Endless Legend or Dungeon of the Endless, now you have a chance to try it before you buy - both games are free to play through the weekend on Steam.

French developer Amplitude Studios is offering this free Steam weekend to promote their growing community, GAMES2GETHER. By playing each of the games at least once this weekend, players contribute towards a series of stretch goals offered by Amplitude. By sharing the news of the free weekend with others who then play the game, players can work towards unlocking more and more of those goals, including item packs for both games, a special event for Dungeon of the Endless, a Hero Pack of Team Fortress 2 characters for Dungeon, and more.

If that's not enough, as part of the free weekend promotion, all Amplitude games in the Steam catalog are on sale - Endless Legend and Dungeon are 50% off, and Endless Space is 80% off.

If you're looking for new games to play, free Steam weekends are a great way to go, but hurry - the free play and the sale only last until Monday, April 20. 

Tales from the Borderlands/The Walking Dead Season 2. Really, I can't pick between these two. It's amazing what Telltale pulled off in both an entire season with Clementine and a single episode in Borderlands. The storytelling was top notch, and the ending of The Walking Dead Season 2 still blows me away. You did good this year, Telltale. You did damn good.

Telltale's games can be found on anything electronic. Your PC? Telltale. Your console? Telltale? Your toaster? Telltale! Buy it on one of them.

I know, I know. One of my most popular articles on this site is about how Titanfall failed to meet the challenge. But hey, at least by the end of the year, it finally did. It took way too long, but with the addition of co-op, an in-game store (with only in-game currency, no real world money), and optimized matchmaking, the game is finally worth noting.

The soundtrack is amazing, the game design is some of the slickest in the industry. It remains one of the best PC games I can think of. I usually forget about it for weeks at a time, but whenever I play it, I am satisfied in a way few multiplayer games can satisfy me. Titanfall isn't a great leap into the future of multiplayer gaming, but it is a fitting bridge between the games of old and the new games on the horizon. 

There's a free 48-hour trial on Origin, and it's on sale for chump change right now. The Complete Edition is available as well, but it only contains the three DLC map packs, which almost no one is playing on PC. You may have better luck on 360 and Xbox One, but it's best just to get the core game. The new modes and all other content are free - and with twenty maps, you won't miss the nine new ones.

My review for this one is nearly finished, but I just can't keep it off this list. As flawed and gritty as its protagonist, WET is an action game I just cannot put down. The mix of flowing gun-ballet, brutal sword-slashing, and gonzo moments keeps me coming back. WET may not objectively be the best game on this list, but it tops as one of my favorite experiences this year.

The story is wonky, the graphics are badly aged for the year it released, and there certainly are some rough spots. But with a core as solid as WET's combat, I just can't help but come back every now and then. The added bonus of a score-hunting mode for every level in the game helps put a little spice in each replay as well. For more of my thoughts, keep an eye out for my review.

WET is available on PS3 and Xbox 360. It's cheap enough to look past the flaws, and strong enough at its core to show you why it's yet another cult-classic of the seventh console generation.

There's a free demo of Gunpoint on Steam right now. GO! Download it! Play it! Do it now!

Okay, back? So you see why Gunpoint is awesome, yes?! This puzzle-platformer defies indie conventions by being more like an elaborate set of dominos you must manipulate until you achieve your objective - with hilarious dialogue trees and a deep unlock system to boot. Plus there's user-generated levels now. It hardly can get better than this!

Gunpoint is on PC, Mac, and Linux. So unless you have absolutely no personal computer (in which case, how on earth are you reading this?), play Gunpoint now! If I had to rank these for GOTY, this would be in the top three at least.

You know, the first review I ever wrote for GameSkinny was for the Tomb Raider reboot. Man, I did not like that. So when I booted up Tomb Raider: Anniversary, I did NOT expect how much better it would be. It boasted platforming that required thought, with large open-ended levels that further enticed you to explore and figure things out on your own. Lara's journal does not tell you the exact answer you need; it only gives vague hints. Combat is not at the forefront, but it keeps the pacing fresh.

I haven't finished Anniversary yet, but I don't care. Any game fun enough to keep me going for five hours, without a break or much complaint, gets the seal of approval regardless. I also had the added benefit of playing it on PC, where the graphics are incredibly crisp compared to its Wii and PS2 versions. 

Not since Portal has an adventure game treated me with so much respect as a gamer, and trusted me to handle playing without a constant guiding hand. I may never know how Crystal Dynamics got from this to the Tomb Raider reboot, but I sincerely hope they bring the more realistic Lara back to her roots soon. This is the action-adventure game I've been waiting years for.

It's available on PC, PS2, PS3 (via Tomb Raider Collection), Xbox 360, Wii, and PSP. Whatever platform you can play it on, get it. Even if you never touch Legend or Underworld, you should play Anniversary.

Yes, one of the best games I played in 2014 was a mobile game. Badland is an amazing, almost spellbinding remix of Jetpack Joyride's "one press to do everything" mentality. Except instead of being about a crazed scientist or a flappy bird, this is about you guiding a species of flying animals through hell and back in one of the most beautiful and dark mobile games out there.

It's available on iOS/Android, with the first campaign now available for free. Play it, and experience one of the best mobile games out there that isn't an Infinity Blade clone.

Normally I sigh at Ubisoft for their frustrating development practices and questionable DRM choices. Then there are moments when I remember why I enjoy their games. Assassin's Creed: Rogue was one of those times. It received almost no fanfare, and most people acted as if it never existed. Very few, if any, review copies were sent out. Yet somehow, I had a hunch, this was going to be the real next step in the series. Equal parts a fitting conclusion to the America Saga and a step forward into the realm of Unity's new storyline, AC: Rogue is an all-around solid sandbox game.

It cuts out a lot of the fluff in AC3-4, and combines almost all the best ideas of AC4 into an AC3 framework. I'm not sure if this is the largest world Ubisoft has ever made, but it is the most content-rich one that I've experienced. Reconstructing a Viking sword, intercepting Assassins, and capturing all manner of fortresses makes this one of the most enjoyable games in the series. I truly wish we'd seen some invasion-style multiplayer a la Dark Souls, but even without any kind of multiplayer, this title is well-worth the asking price. I can hardly say that of most AAA 2014 releases. It seems protagonist Shay managed to defy the odds in the real world, just as much as in his fictional realm.

It's available on Xbox 360 and PS3 right now, but it's coming to Steam, PS4, and Xbox One later this year. Wait for the price to drop around $40 or less, and you're in for a treat.

Whenever you want to know what I think a linear shooter should be like, just look at Wolfenstein: The New Order. The developer, Machinegames, is primarily made up of developers from Starbreeze, who made the under-appreciated gem that is the Syndicate reboot, so I already knew to expect good things. This is better than anything I'd anticipated.

Wolfenstein: The New Order one of those rare games that can satisfy you with answers to all your questions, but still leave you wanting more. A fantastic mix of camp, seriousness, and retro sci-fi charm, this alternative-history 1960s world is a one worth fighting for. Few single-player games are created with as much competence as Wolfenstein, and other developers (looking at you, Naughty Dog) should take note.

It's available on PC via Steam, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. I played it on 360, and so long as you don't mind low-res textures and 30 FPS, there's absolutely no reason for you to not get it now on whatever console you have.

Endless Legend is the first strategy game to grab my attention in years. It's not since Civilization 3 that I've been this interested in a strategy game. When I reviewed it, it felt like I was experiencing a perfect blend of Tolkien and George R.R. Martin, purely through mechanics and the game's dynamic design. Endless Legend is deceptively simple, but so deep that I fear it'll be years before I truly have a handle on it. That's fine with me though, that should keep me busy until the next big strategy game comes to scratch that itch.

It's available on PC/Mac on Steam, and the developers have both mod support and work with the community through their GAMES2GETHER initiative. Seriously, give it a look.

So, a little late to the pitcher's mound, but here's a list for ALL the games I played in 2014 (not just the ones released in 2014). In no particular order, these are the best, most enjoyable, and most enriching games I played in 2014.