By Marley Hughes
Follow
Followed
Thread
Link copied to clipboard
Sign in to your CBR account
Steam is video gaming's Library of Alexandria. If it burns to the ground, chances are, for better or worse, that a whole swath of video games that have been made will be harder to come by. There are other online video game services like it, but Steam is more versatile.
Steam has just as many great new AAA titles to choose from as there are just as many great retro titles. Many of these great retro titles hail from the 1990s, which was indeed a paramount year for video gaming as a whole. From Valve's own offerings like Half-Life to standard 1990s fare like Doom, Steam owns much of the 1990s.
10 Sanitarium Is a Scary 1990s Horror Title
Release Date - April 28, 1998
- Steam Deck compatibility: Unknown
Sanitarium is a horror-themed point-and-click adventure game. The story follows Max, a man who falls into a coma after a near-fatal car accident. Trapped within his own mind, Max awakens in a nightmarish landscape, unable to recall much about himself. Max travels through a series of macabre locations within his psyche, with each place allowing him to regain more of his memory.
Related
The Best Super Nintendo Games You Can Play On Steam
Some of the best SNES games, like Final Fantasy VI and Earthworm Jim, are available on Steam.
Sanitarium is available on Steam for $12.99 USD, which is a generous price for an interesting horror point-and-click adventure game. While it's undeniably scary, the game's teen rating also makes it accessible for younger players, with very little blood involved. It's also a rather sentimental horror video game and has a slightly lighter tone compared to most horror video games of its caliber.
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
Sanitarium
Horror
Adventure
Systems
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, PC
- Released
- April 28, 1998
- Developer
- DreamForge Intertainment, DotEmu
- Publisher
- ASC Games, DotEmu
- Engine
- unity
- ESRB
- t
- How Long To Beat
- 9 Hours
- Steam User Rating
- 94%
9 Descent Goes Down Very Well
Release Date - March 3, 1995
- Steam Deck compatibility: Playable
Descent is a first-person shooter that stands out from its contemporaries like Doom by being fully rendered in 3D. Set in the distant year 2169, the player is sent by a corporation to clear out outer orbit mines that have been infected with computer viruses. As the title suggests, the player will have to go deep down into these mines, and it won't be easy.
Available on Steam for $9.99 USD, Descent is a reasonably priced way to explore an often-overlooked piece of gaming history. As the first FPS rendered entirely in 3D, its graphics hold up surprisingly well, especially when viewed through the lens of a fun, indie-style title that could easily fit into a modern retro-inspired lineup.
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
Descent
FPS
Systems
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS1
- Released
- March 17, 1995
- Developer
- Parallax Software
- Publisher(s)
- Interplay
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer
- Engine
- Descent
- ESRB
- e
- How Long To Beat
- 14 Hours
8 Wolfenstein 3D Wants Players to Kill Nazis
Release Date - May 5, 1992
- Steam Deck compatibility: Playable
Wolfenstein 3D is a landmark first-person shooter by id Software and a sequel to earlier titles in the Castle Wolfenstein series. At its core, the game is about one thing: killing Nazis. Players take on the role of an American spy tasked with infiltrating enemy strongholds and ultimately assassinating Adolf Hitler, cutting through waves of Nazi soldiers along the way.
While Wolfenstein 3D is a little subtle as a period piece, with only the Nazis and Adolf Hitler's appearance making it clear that it takes place during World War II, it's still a significant piece of video game history. For those wanting to experience this seminal title, Wolfenstein 3D is available on Steam for the low price of $4.99 USD.
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
Wolfenstein 3D
FPS
Systems
- Franchise
- Wolfenstein
- Platform(s)
- 3DO, Atari Jaguar, Game Boy Advance, PC, PS3, SNES, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Mobile
- Released
- May 5, 1992
- Developer(s)
- id Software
- Publisher
- Apogee Software, id software, BAM! Entertainment, Imagineer, Activision, Bethesda
- Engine
- id tech
- ESRB
- m
- How Long To Beat
- 7 Hours
7 Monkey Island 2 Has Little Monkeys, but It Is a Lot of Fun
Release Date - Circa Dec. 1991
- Steam Deck compatibility: Playable
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge is the sequel to The Secret of Monkey Island, both of which are classic point-and-click adventure games that remain underrated gems. Set some time after the first game, it follows the continued misadventures of Guybrush Threepwood, an aspiring pirate looking to craft a new tale of adventure. True to form, the game is filled with humor and absurd shenanigans, including one memorable escapade that involves a theme park.
Related
10 Point-and-Click Games Worth Playing in 2024
Point-and-click games have persisted for decades, and games like Disco Elysium and To the Moon are must-plays.
LeChuck's Revenge doubles down on the humor of the first Monkey Island game and offers a host of amusing puzzles, some so tricky that players might find themselves needing a hint hotline. The original version of LeChuck's Revenge is included in the Special Edition and is available on Steam for $9.99 USD. It's a perfectly updated version of the classic game.
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge
Graphic Adventure
Adventure
Systems
- Franchise
- Monkey Island
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Mobile
- Released
- December 1, 1991
- Developer(s)
- LucasArts
- Publisher(s)
- LucasArts
- Engine
- scumm, imuse
- ESRB
- e
6 Sam & Max Hit the Road Has Sam & Max Action
Release Date - Circa Nov. 1993
- Steam Deck compatibility: Unsupported
Sam & Max Hit the Road is a point-and-click adventure game based on Steve Purcell's comic book series Sam & Max. The game follows the titular duo, freelance police officers who take on seemingly minor cases for respected police institutions. One such case leads Sam and Max on a cross-country journey filled with absurd shenanigans.
The game is an unapologetically silly adventure packed with gags and a charming art style. The choice of a dog and a rabbit as protagonists adds to its offbeat humor by removing any grounded sense of humanity. Sam & Max Hit the Road is available on Steam for $5.99 USD, an accessible price for a title with a strong cult following.
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
Sam & Max Hit The Road
Point-and-click
Systems
- Franchise
- Sam & Max
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Released
- 1993-11-00
- Developer(s)
- LucasArts
- Publisher(s)
- LucasArts
- Engine
- scumm, imuse
- ESRB
- nr
5 Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis Is Fateful
Release Date - June 26, 1992
- Steam Deck compatibility: Unsupported
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis is a point-and-click adventure game set in the venerable Indiana Jones universe. The game takes place in 1939 and follows Indiana Jones on a mission to infiltrate Nazi bases. He must also thwart their plans to acquire a weapon deadlier than any nuclear device.
This title is one of the best point-and-click adventure games available on Steam. It stands out not only for its excellent use of the Indiana Jones license but also for its thought-provoking puzzles and exciting story. Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis is available on Steam for $5.99 USD, a fantastic price for such an exciting adventure.
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
Graphic Adventure
Adventure
Systems
- Franchise
- Indiana Jones
- Platform(s)
- PC, Wii
- Released
- June 26, 1992
- Developer(s)
- LucasArts
- Publisher(s)
- LucasArts
- Engine
- scumm, iengine
- ESRB
- e
4 Fallout 2 Will Not Have a Falling Out
Release Date - Oct. 29, 1998
- Steam Deck compatibility: Playable
Fallout 2, also known by its longer title Fallout 2: A Post-Nuclear Role-Playing Game, is a role-playing game set in a post-nuclear apocalypse. Taking place in the year 2241, nearly two centuries after a devastating nuclear war, it follows the Chosen One, a protagonist sent into the unknown to save their village.
Related
The 10 Best Companions In The Fallout Series, Ranked
From Piper to Dogmeat, these are the best companions in the entire Fallout series.
2
This title is a darkly humorous entry in the already morbid yet-fun Fallout series. It features a host of memorable characters, ranging from a brooding Enclave soldier to the tyrannical remnants of the United States presidency. Fallout 2 is available on Steam for $9.99 USD, a reasonable price for a Fallout classic.
5Images
5Images
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
Fallout 2
RPG
Systems
- Franchise
- Fallout
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Released
- October 29, 1998
- Developer(s)
- Black Isle Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Interplay
- Engine
- proprietary engine
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Strong Language
- How Long To Beat
- 30 Hours
- Metascore
- 86
3 Duke Nukem 3D Shoots up Steam
Release Date - Jan. 29, 1996
- Steam Deck compatibility: Verified
Duke Nukem 3D is the third entry in the Duke Nukem action series, a fact often overlooked. The game picks up where its predecessor left off, with Duke’s aircraft shot down by aliens. Upon discovering that Los Angeles has been overrun by aliens who are kidnapping the city’s women, Duke sets out to save both the city and its inhabitants.
The game is a bold step into 3D for the already acclaimed series. Featuring an open-ended world rare for first-person shooters of its time and a humorous tone that complements its intense action, Duke Nukem 3D is selling on Steam for $19.99 USD. While this is actually a fairly steep price, it's worth it to experience such a revolutionary game.
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
Duke Nukem 3D
FPS
Systems
-
- Top Critic Rating: 76/100 Critics Recommend: 51%
- Franchise
- Duke Nukem
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, PC, Nintendo 64, PS1, PS3, PS Vita, Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
- Released
- January 29, 1996
- Developer
- 3D Realms
- Publisher
- FormGen
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Engine
- Build
- ESRB
- m
- How Long To Beat
- 9 hours
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
2 Doom Is Not Doomed At All
Release Date - Dec. 10, 1993
- Steam Deck compatibility: Verified
Doom is not just a seminal entry in the first-person shooter genre—it's often regarded as the definitive first-person shooter. The game follows a marine known as Doomguy, who ventures into Hell to battle a horde of macabre enemies, including zombie soldiers, imps, and a variety of monstrous creatures. Doomguy must fight his way through these foes to escape Hell.
Building on the foundation of Wolfenstein 3D, another groundbreaking FPS, Doom set the standard for future games in the genre. Its edgy soundtrack, cutting-edge graphics for its time, and thrilling gunplay make it a must-play even today. Doom is available on Steam for $9.99 USD, and this edition also includes Doom II, making the game more like Ultimate Doom instead of just Doom itself.
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
Doom (1993)
First-Person Shooter
Systems
-
- Top Critic Rating: 86/100 Critics Recommend: 92%
- Franchise
- DOOM
- Platform(s)
- PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, Stadia, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox (Original), PS1, Sega Saturn, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Android, iOS
- Released
- December 10, 1993
- Developer(s)
- id Software
- Publisher(s)
- id Software
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer
- Engine
- Doom engine
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- How Long To Beat
- 5 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- No
- File Size Xbox Series
- 527 MB (November 2023)
- PS Plus Availability
- Premium
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
1 Half-Life Is Full of Life
Release Date - Nov. 19, 1998
- Steam Deck compatibility: Verified
Half-Life is the debut entry in Valve's iconic Half-Life franchise. It takes place sometime in the futuristic early twenty-first century, with Dr. Gordon Freeman experimenting on a sample of a strange, unknown origin. During this experiment, the sample goes haywire, unleashing all sorts of creatures into Dr. Freeman's workplace. It's up to him to battle these creatures and stop the outbreak.
Related
10 Best Valve Games That Aren't Half-Life, Ranked
Half-Life is Valve's most iconic video game franchise, but the publisher's other games like Portal and Counter-Strike are also superb.
Half-Life is easily one of the most worthwhile 1990s video games available on Steam. It almost seems like cheating, given Valve developed this title, but there's something timeless about Half-Life despite its age. Half-Life is just $9.99 USD on Steam, which is surprisingly affordable for such a seminal game.
Your changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
Half-Life
Shooter
Systems
- Franchise
- Half-Life
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS2, Linux, macOS
- Released
- November 19, 1998
- Developer(s)
- Valve
- Publisher(s)
- Sierra Studios
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer
- Engine
- goldsrc, source
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
- Games
- steam
- Video Games
Follow
Followed
