The Best of Steam: 5 February Favourites

With well over 10,000 great games being inducted into the Steam roster, it's becoming quite the task to try and keep a marker on what's coming and going. Luckily for us, Steam's well-equipped interface makes finding games that tick all of our boxes less of a burden. With an insider view as to what's currently trending on the carousel, we're able to get a feel for our next big adventure.

February is drifting into its second half, and already we're starting to notice new games beginning to ascend the best-selling charts. Though, for now, we're pretty sure the following five will be clutching their positions until March at the very least. But we'll be keeping track of what's worth checking out and what's likely to go under the radar over the coming weeks. Until then, be sure to tuck into these February favourites.

5. Rust

The goal is simple: survive. Honestly, that's really all there is to it. Only, through Rust, survival isn't an easy task — especially when enclosed in a dog-eat-dog world where death lurks around every corner. With upwards of a hundred or more players all scrounging for the essential tools to breathe another day, these living conditions can become one heck of a burden and, ultimately lead to your downfall. So, you'd best prepare for the worst — because you aren't alone.

Rust does a remarkable job of refusing to hold your hand as you rummage through the auto-generated map in search of the bare necessities. Craft, build, and expand as you push through each day with the mindset that it could very well be your last. But be sure to keep an eye on your fellow travellers, because when it comes to survival — everybody can be desperate and deceiving. The drums of war echo in the distance for your signal. Are you ready?

Tackle the harshest conditions with Rust on Steam.

4. Phasmophobia

Assemble a cast of ghost hunters and immerse yourself in the jaw-dropping Phasmophobia, where paranormal activity lurks between every nook and cranny of every room. With a barrel of equipment aiding your explore, you and three friends must submerge into the shadows and capture as much evidence of the afterlife as humanly possible. But, eh — just keep an eye out for those demons, alright? They don't take too well to a bundle of flashlights bouncing around like wildfire.

Phasmophobia explores some of the deepest roots of fear as one of the most anticipated survival horror games on the market. Although only published as an early access game at present, players are still celebrating the multiplayer game for its innovative design and horrifying ambience. So, scaredy-cat or not — we suggest you experience this one for yourself. Just don't forget to switch off the lights before entering the spirit realm. Trust us on that.

Explore the shadows in Phasmophobia here.

3. No Man's Sky

Rather than fading into the backlight of a once-tarnished name, developer Hello Games made the ultimate decision to rebuild from the ashes of their underwhelming debut. And, well  — they made a comeback, alright. And then some. As a completely rebranded exploration game, No Man's Sky has been able to take all of the previous elements that were somewhat mediocre — and evolve them into visually-stunning jigsaw pieces. Now, that's how you make a comeback, people.

No Man's Sky still boasts its infinite catalogue of generated worlds where no two details are the same. Only now, with the addition of a few major tweaks, players can immerse like never before with the ability to establish a home wherever they see fit. With enhanced planets fleshed-out with overpowering structures and diverse lifeforms beckoning to be discovered, this nonlinear showstopper has undeniably served redemption on a silver platter for 2021.

Return to the skies with No Man's Sky on Steam.

2. Football Manager 2021

Dominate the football monopoly in the latest thread to the Football Manager timeline. As an up and coming manager on the brink of success, you must take your team and flesh-out both skills and strategies in order to crush the opposition. However, it'll take a lot more than the odd social media post and interview question to levitate your team to the apex of the leaderboards. In fact, you might just come to learn that navigating a talented team to global success might just be one of the toughest jobs out there.

With an enhanced dashboard that provides you with every spec of information regarding your squad, you are faced with tweaking the system in order to max out your success rate. Of course, that's much easier said than done. It is, however, beautifully mapped out and capable of holding your hand for the earlier stages of your career. Yes — even from the sidelines.

Pick up Football Manager 2021 right here on Steam.

1. Valheim

With the amount of media coverage Valheim has been getting these past few weeks, it's no wonder it ranks the highest on our list. Even after only a few short weeks on the shelves, the Viking-inspired phenomenon has garnered an overwhelming response on both single and multiplayer fronts.

So, what is Valheim — and why has it amassed such a mind-blowing reception? Well, to put it short — Valheim is a masterfully crafted combination of sandbox elements and nonlinear gameplay. As one of the many lost souls abandoned in the shadowy pits of Valheim, it is up to you to venture through the death-defying underworld and return order to the forsaken kingdom. However, how that is accomplished is entirely up to you. Will you turn the tides and reclaim the tenth realm? Or will you craft the materials needed to survive and idle by? It's entirely your choice.

Pick up Valheim (Early Access) here on Steam.