AI has come a long way over the years, and computer opponents can now pose a genuine threat to players, outsmarting and outmaneuvering them if they aren’t careful. Even with these advances, there’s still something special about knowing that there’s another human being making decisions on the other side of the screen or across the couch.
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For many players, PvP is one of the most appealing parts of video games, a chance toflex one’s skills and strategies against similarly equipped opponentsand see who comes out on top.Steamhas tons of PvP offerings, and some of the best inevitably get overlooked in the shuffle. Only older games with fewer than 5,000 reviews and newer games with fewer than 500 reviews are considered here. Here are some Steam PvP games that deserve more attention than they’re getting.
7Impact Point
Yes, the graphics ofImpact Pointare minimalist. That doesn’t mean the game is bad. It’s a 2-4 player, top-down arena shooter, and the focus here is on the quality of the action, not pretty textures and lighting.
Inspired by retro and vaporwave games,Impact Pointkeeps its display simple and its action intense. Things happen fast and violently, though the gore featured here isn’t exactly going to givethe best splatterpunk moviesa run for their money. What makesImpact Pointgreat? Character customization, plenty of weapons, and no respawns, forcing players to think smart and move fast if they don’t want to die.
6Temperia: Soul Of Majestic
PvP can mean a lot of things, and though many players' minds will go straight to shootouts with machine guns and sniper rifles, card games are an integral part of the genre as well.Temperia: Soul of Majestictries to define itself against the flood of other card games on the market in several ways.
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Perhaps the most important is that the game is open-handed, meaning all cards are face-up,allowing players to strategize not only around what the opponent is holding but also the fact that the enemy knows just as much. Abilities, equipment, and elemental spaces keep the game interesting from round to round, and the focus here is on skill rather than randomness.Temperiais not a game in which players will be carried to victory by RNG, giving strategy a true chance to shine.
5Fight Of Steel: Infinity Warrior
One of the biggest concerns with any fighting game is how moves are handled. Will they be too simple and give players nothing to master? Will they be too difficult and make it impossible for new players to get into the game? Will they be satisfying, encouraging players to stick with the game because every hit, block, and throw just feels right?
Likethe best fighting games,Fight of Steel: Infinity Warriorstrikes a fantastic balance, making the game easy to pick up but difficult to master. The game’s biggest selling point is the overwhelming amount of customization allowed. Players combine Combat Stances and Martial Art Chips to give their robot fighters exactly the move set they want. Fighters' appearances can also be customized to add yet another layer of personalization. For fighting game fans looking to put their own unique mark on a fighter,Fight of Steel: Infinity Warriorhas a lot to offer.
4Inner Little Monsters - Card Game
Most card games are satisfied with creating some cool monsters and letting players smash them together until one emerges victorious. There’s nothing wrong with those games, but there isn’t exactly thematic depth to them either.Inner Little Monsters - Card Gamebuilds upon a clear and interesting theme: the feelings that people experience on a daily basis. Each of the game’s monsters represents an emotion, and just as real feelings can produce different effects when mixed, so can the monsters in this game.
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Each of the game’s six arenas represents a different emotional environment: Happy, Sad, Calm, Tumultuous, Heavenly, and Dark.If the game isn’t going in the player’s favor, they can press the Panic button to spin a roulette wheelin the hopes that something good will happen to help them win.Inner Little Monsters - Card Gamehas things in common with CCGs and traditional card games alike, but ultimately it carves a path all its own.
3Sea Of Craft
A fusion ofSea of Thievesand a great Lego kit,Sea of Craftis a sandbox vehicle-building game that emphasizes realistic physics and a massive selection of materials to build with.Sea of Craftis still in early access, and interested players should proceed with that caveat in mind.
With the potential to build vehicles for sea, land, and air travel, there are few restrictions when it comes to construction, letting players create their ownimpressive pirate ships.The system can be intimidating for new players to learn, but those that take the time to learn the game will be rewarded witha deep and rewarding construction sim as well as the opportunity to test their creations in battle against other players.The game also has an open sea roguelike mode, and with further improvements could become one of the best in the genre.
2West Hunt
A PvP social deduction game for fans ofAmong Usand similar games,West Huntpits outlaws who perform a variety of crimes against the sheriffs tasked with hunting them down. The outlaws can do things like rob the bank, poison the local water supply, and even bribe the barman. The sheriffs must gather information on the outlaws in the hopes of finding and killing them, butif they accidentally kill a villager instead they lose the game.
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West Hunt,like most other games in the genre, is a party game, best experienced with a group of friends who are there to have a laugh and shout at one another when they get sniped two seconds before completing their last objective. With voice chat to support players' antics, things are sure to get funny and loud.
1Burg
It’s hard to go wrong with a childhood favorite like Hide and Seek.Burgis a first-person digital spin on that classic game, pitting Seekers against Hiders, and whenever a Hider is found they join the Seekers' team. Both teams have abilities they can use to accomplish their mission, andthe further into the match it gets, the more frantic things become.
Fans ofCrab Gameand similar party games will feel right at home inBurg.Though the game’s visuals are on the simple side, the environments are interesting and provide plenty of good hiding spots, leading to fun strategies and panic-inducing chases.
