Alright, so today I’m gonna walk you through my experience of exploring apps that are similar to Steam. You know, like alternatives for getting your game on. I was curious, so I decided to dive in and see what’s out there.
First off, I started by just listing out the things I like about Steam. It’s got a huge library, easy purchasing, automatic updates, and a pretty decent community thing going on. So, any alternative would need to hit at least some of those marks.
Then, I began my search. Just Googled “Steam alternatives” and started clicking through the results. There were a bunch of articles and lists, which gave me a starting point. I wrote down the names of the platforms that seemed interesting: GOG Galaxy, *, Epic Games Store, and a couple of smaller ones like GameJolt.
I decided to start with GOG Galaxy. I’d heard good things about it. Downloaded the client, made an account, and browsed their selection. What I liked right away was the DRM-free thing. No always-online checks, just download and play. Their library is smaller than Steam’s, but they have some cool older titles and a growing selection of newer indie games. The client itself felt pretty clean and easy to use.
Next up was *. Man, this one’s a different beast. It’s like the Wild West of indie games. So many experimental and weird projects. I dug that. It felt like a place where developers could really push the boundaries. Navigating the site was a bit clunky at first, but once I got the hang of it, I found some real gems. Bought a couple of super-cheap indie games just to support the devs.
After that, I gave the Epic Games Store a shot. Now, I know some people have strong feelings about this one, but I wanted to see for myself. The client is simple enough. Their big draw is the free games they give away every week. I claimed a few, even though I probably won’t play most of them. The selection of games is growing, but it still feels a bit curated compared to Steam or *.
I also briefly checked out GameJolt. It felt similar to *, but with a slightly younger vibe. Lots of free games and indie projects, but not quite as polished overall.
So, what’s my takeaway? Well, Steam is still the king for a reason. It’s got the biggest library and the most features. But GOG Galaxy is a solid alternative if you care about DRM-free games. * is where you go to find the weird and wonderful indie stuff. And the Epic Games Store is…well, it’s there if you want free games and don’t mind another launcher on your PC.
In the end, I think it’s cool to have options. I’m not ditching Steam entirely, but I’ll definitely be checking out these other platforms from time to time to see what they have to offer.