The 10 Best Games To Use A Steam Gift Card On Right Now

It's that time of the year again: time for giving and receiving gifts. Some people are easy to buy for. Some are not. Thankfully, many retail chains and digital storefronts offer gift cards that take the stress out of the gift-purchasing process. This might sound like a cop-out, but thanks to an increasingly all-digital video game landscape, it's your best option when buying for computer gamers.

If you own a modern PC, you probably use Steam for most of your gaming needs. Nowadays, the PC gaming scene is drowning in digital storefronts, including GOG Galaxy, Battle.net, and the Epic Games Store. However, Steam remains the most popular because it was one of the earliest digital storefronts available. If a game releases on PC, you can usually find it on Steam, and this virtual gaming marketplace is one of the few to offer gift cards. If you know anyone who loves PC gaming, but you don't have access to their wishlist, just buy them a gift card and let them do the rest. And now is probably the best time of the year to do so since many games are on sale.

If you are lucky enough to receive a Steam gift card and can't make up your mind, you have come to the right place. Here are 10 games in no particular order that you should purchase with your free cash.

Let's start off with what is probably the most obvious suggestion of the bunch. If you're looking for the best game to buy with a Steam gift card, why not purchase the best game of 2023?

"Baldur's Gate 3" has raised numerous bars, from CRPG game design to properly translating a tabletop game into digital form. First off, "Baldur's Gate 3" is an immersive RPG that lets players create almost any character they want using "Dungeons & Dragons" Fifth Edition rules. Most, if not all, customization options come into play during the game's numerous combat and dialogue moments. On top of that, "Baldur's Gate 3" encourages lateral thinking — players are still discovering new and creative ways around obstacles.

Perhaps most impressive of all, "Baldur's Gate 3" features a beautifully written narrative with pitch-perfect acting and multiple choices and endings. The game offers more content than almost every other RPG on the market, and unlike similar titles, "Baldur's Gate 3" is complete right out of the box, no DLC or season passes necessary. Players can journey through "Baldur's Gate 3" several times, make different decisions each run, and still won't see everything the game has to offer. "Baldur's Gate 3" is so big that gamers haven't discovered all of the scenarios and dialogue segments.

"Baldur's Gate 3" might only have a paltry discount of 10%, giving it a price of $54, but for what you get, even purchasing the game at full price is a bargain.

Once upon a time, the "God of War" franchise was a PlayStation exclusive. The closest PC players could ever get to helping Kratos commit digital deicide was by playing "Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death" which, while fun, was no "God of War." However, now Sony is finally porting the series to PC, starting with the soft reboot.

2018's "God of War" is an excellent game that takes the franchise in several new directions. The story is a well-woven tapestry of Kratos learning to be a good father and his son growing up amidst the backdrop of Norse mythology. As for gameplay, "God of War" might be slower than prior entries and feature a different camera angle, but combat is no less brutal, challenging, or satisfying. It's no wonder "God of War" won numerous awards, including "Game of the Year" and "Best Game Direction" at The Game Awards 2018.

While "God of War" is still a looker on the PlayStation 4 and 5, it is even more visually impressive on PC. The presentation of its gargantuan scale, hidden loading screens, and continuous-take camera direction is already a masterclass of game design, but the power of PC gaming launches "God of War" far beyond the capabilities of its original launch consoles. Fog, shadows, and lighting make the game look less like a digital recreation of the magical realm of Midgard and more like how Midgard was supposed to look in Norse epics. This port sets the standard for how ex-PlayStation exclusives would look going forward when ported to PC.

Normally, "God of War" retails for $50 on Steam, but right now, you can buy it at 50% off for only $25.

The first-person shooter genre has gone through several evolutions. Many modern shooters are slower, more streamlined affairs that regenerate player health and limit characters to two weapons at a time. However, the rise of boomer shooters demonstrates that the appeal of shooting games with fast action and arsenals of weapons will remain eternal (pun definitely intended).

"DOOM Eternal" is, at the time of writing, the measuring stick for the FPS genre as a whole. "DOOM Eternal" emphasizes fast action and challenging crucibles that test the upper limits of a players' reflexes and ability to think and plan under pressure. In order to survive, gamers have to keep their in-game heads on a swivel, their fingers glued to the trigger, and their tempers in check, as death can come easily, especially in the DLC.

The presentation of "DOOM Eternal" is a major element behind its success. The game delivers a devilishly on-point atmosphere thanks to environmental storytelling and a rocking soundtrack. Moreover, the cutscenes of "DOOM Eternal" expertly portray the main character's personality despite his aversion to speaking. And of course, we must mention the art design. Every enemy has a distinct look, silhouette, and sound profile so players know what they are getting into and how each demon fits into the jigsaw puzzle of combat.

"DOOM Eternal" has one hell of a sale right now. At 75% off, the base game currently costs less than $10. Meanwhile, the game's two campaign DLC packs are 60% off and can be purchased for $8 each or $12 for both. If you want all that content in one package, you only need to spend $17.50. That's a devilishly good deal.

Since 2023's Game of the Year is on this list, why not include 2022's, especially since we're expecting some DLC?

"Elden Ring" is without a doubt the best entry in the soulsborne genre. This game continues the tradition of providing crushingly difficult (yet fair) combat, nuggets of lore hidden in item descriptions, and countless character build possibilities. Furthermore, "Elden Ring" places all of those design elements in an open world that is ripe for exploration and doesn't hold players' hands. And yet none of these aspects conflict with the others. If anything, they produce an experience greater than the sum of its parts, especially if players stick with it and engage in several New Game + runs.

Like most other soulsbornes and soulslikes, "Elden Ring" is playable as both a solo and multiplayer adventure. While the game world is primed for players who want to explore solo, tackling enemies with friends or having to fend off invaders every so often provides a whole new experience. While console gamers need an Xbox Live Gold or PlayStation Plus subscription to use this feature, PC players can access multiplayer without any additional charges, which makes the Steam version of "Elden Ring" a far more wallet-friendly option.

"Elden Ring" features a substantial discount of 40% off right now, pricing the game at $36 — more than reasonable. No word on when the DLC will be released or how much it will cost, though.

Rogue-likes and rogue-lites can be a tough sell. The main gameplay loop is more of a gameplay möbius strip: You start a run through semi-randomized locations, fight semi-random enemies, and pick up semi-random weapons and boons, die, and start all over again. Many gamers prefer a more structured narrative that doesn't rely on repetition, which is where "Hades" comes in.

"Hades" is a polished, isometric rogue-lite with a striking art style full of hand-drawn and hand-painted assets. This design choice helps every enemy, attack, and piece of environment stand out during the game's countless adrenaline-pumping fights. And like any good rogue-lite, "Hades" has plenty of abilities, weapons, and optional difficulty tweaks to make each run feel unique. The number of combinations could fill the Plains of Elysium several times over.

If "Hades" were only a series of beautiful, action-packed gameplay sessions topped off with semi-Sisyphean difficulty, the game would still be a work of art, but "Hades" raises the bar even further with a narrative that weaves its genre's focus on repetition into plot points. Each new victory (or defeat) opens up interactions with wonderfully realized characters. This novel approach wowed critics at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), and "Hades" went on to win several awards in 2021, including Best Game and Game Design. And Artistic Achievement, but that was obvious.

The price of "Hades" has been slashed by 50%, giving it a tag of $12.50. This is more than worth the price of admission. Plus, a sequel, "Hades II," is right around the corner.

Hand-drawn art styles are exceedingly rare in the gaming world. Most studios are more concerned with how many God Rays and raytraced shadows they can stick into a title, but a striking — and human — touch can inject a memorable personality into a game.

"Hollow Knight" is the standard by which most modern metroidvania titles are now measured. The game has probably the most fluid controls on the market. Each combat ability can be used for traversal and vice versa, which lets players weave moves together in a captivating dance. Furthermore, the game has no shortage of content. Even after players beat the final boss, "Hollow Knight" has plenty of combat trials, traversal challenges, and finaler bosses that will test reflexes and patience.

While "Hollow Knight" is a masterpiece of gameplay and level design, these pale in comparison to the presentation. The game sports lovely hand-drawn characters, enemies, and areas that look cute while also portraying a dark and dismal world. You can almost feel the game's numerous caverns crumble around you while you're playing. And the art style isn't just a means to inject personality and a visible history into every enemy and boss; the clean lines make every attack pop, so players know what to expect and what to avoid. Thanks to the hand-drawn graphics, each time a player gets hit with an attack, they know it's their fault and not the result of bad balancing — the true mark of a quality game.

"Hollow Knight" currently has a neat little 50% discount and is only $7.50. Even at full price, the game is a steal for all the content it provides. And a sequel, "Hollow Knight: Silksong," is hopefully releasing next year.

There's a chance the "Final Fantasy" many gamers grew up with is dead. Don't take that the wrong way. "Final Fantasy XVI" is a great game, but it is basically "Devil May Cry: Game of Thrones Edition," completely divorced from the turn-based battle systems of past "Final Fantasy" games. Thankfully, Square Enix has another amazing turn-based JRPG franchise that is still running strong.

"Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age" is the best "Dragon Quest" game since "Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King." Like every other numbered entry in the franchise, "Dragon Quest XI" sticks to a simple turn-based battle system that is easy to learn but difficult to master. And, as is "Dragon Quest" tradition, the game keeps players invested with whimsical characters, engrossing stories, and art that is peak Akira Toriyama.

While "Dragon Quest XI" originally released on PC in 2018, that version was eventually replaced with the superior "Dragon Quest XI S." While graphical fidelity took a hit so the game could run on the Nintendo Switch, this definitive version added more than what it removed, including an orchestral soundtrack, new story beats, and an optional mode that recreated the entire game in 16-bit graphics. And with hundreds of hours' worth of gameplay on offer, "Dragon Quest XI S" provides more bang for your buck than most JRPGs, which are known to be long.

"Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age" is currently available at 40% off an already discounted $40, which brings it down to $24. If you are on the fence, the game offers a hefty demo that is 10 hours long. That should be more than enough time to decide if "Dragon Quest XI" is right for you.

PlayStation fans have wanted a remake of "Final Fantasy VII" ever since Sony shared a concept trailer meant to demonstrate the power of the PlayStation 3. Square Enix eventually fulfilled audience wishes and produced a bona fide remake for the PlayStation 4. And then ported it to PC.

"Final Fantasy VII REMAKE INTERGRADE" is less of a remake and more of a retelling, but don't let that discrepancy scare you off. The game mostly sticks to the first chapter of "Final Fantasy VII," and while the remake diverges at several key points, the story is well told and cleverly ties these alterations into a metanarrative about destiny and fate.

Even though "Final Fantasy VII REMAKE INTERGRADE" ditches the turn-based ATB system that the original was known for, its action-based alternative is no slouch and provides plenty of tense, flashy battles. Moreover, the PC version looks better than the PlayStation original and isn't subject to slowdowns. As an added bonus, "Final Fantasy VII REMAKE INTERGRADE" includes DLC. Anyone who plans on purchasing the next game, "Final Fantasy VII REBIRTH," and has yet to buy or even play "Final Fantasy VII REMAKE" should do so, especially if they can spend a Steam gift card on the game.

"Final Fantasy VII REMAKE INTERGRADE" is currently on sale for 50% off its normal price. You can buy the game for $35.

The "Monster Hunter" franchise was, for a long time, a fantastic, if underappreciated franchise. However, that all changed with the release of "Monster Hunter World." The "underappreciated" part, not the "fantastic" part.

"Monster Hunter World" asks the question of what a "Monster Hunter" game would be like if players could hunt monsters in large open areas instead of cordoned-off zones. The answer is a game full of tense battles, emergent set pieces, movement-boosting grappling hooks — and the new bane of every hunter's existence: Bazelgeuse. While "Monster Hunter World" can be played solo, its best hunts are saved for multiplayer. Unlike Xbox and PlayStation owners, PC players don't need to shell out any extra cash for a subscription. Just buy "Monster Hunter World" on Steam and start playing with friends.

Even after you finish the main campaign of "Monster Hunter World," the hunt still isn't over. The game was updated with plenty of extra hunts and content, including the DLC "Iceborne" that adds a ton of new monsters. If you want a "Monster Hunter" game that's more Japanese-flavored, though, you could always try "Monster Hunter Rise" instead. Oh, and "Monster Hunter Rise" also has its own DLC, "Sunbreak," as well as free post-release content hunts. Whichever you spend your Steam gift card on, you can't go wrong.

RIght now, "Monster Hunter World" has never been cheaper. At 67% off an already discounted $30, you can buy the game for less than $10. Moreover, "Iceborne" is 63% off $40, placing the DLC at just under $15, but if you buy both in the "Master Edition," you will only need to spend $20. Meanwhile, "Monster Hunter Rise" is a bit more expensive at $16 for the base game, $24 for its DLC, and $30 for both of them.

As previously stated, "Final Fantasy VII REMAKE INTERGRADE" is a misnomer since "remake" implies the game sticks to the core design principles of the original while addressing criticisms and adding modern quality-of-life improvements. The "Resident Evil 4" remake is a better example of what a remake is. And it's a good game, too.

The "Resident Evil 4" remake follows in the footsteps of the "Resident Evil 2" and "3" remakes, which are likewise fashioned after the original "Resident Evil 4" but with better controls. The "Resident Evil 4" remake benefits from these improvements, as its controls are in line with action-packed third-person shooters (i.e., Leon can actually move while aiming his gun now). Yet the game still retains all the hallmarks of a survival horror title.

While much of the charm of the original "Resident Evil 4" lies in its B-movie vibe that fuses tense set pieces with slasher film camp, the remake instead channels pure horror, not unlike the other "Resident Evil" remakes. The end result is a frighteningly effective experience that follows all the major story beats that "Resident Evil 4" veterans know by heart, while also keeping them on edge and trimming some of the fat. Once players finish the main story, the "Resident Evil 4" remake includes two pieces of DLC, including a remake of the fan-favorite "Separate Ways" story, which may or may not set up a "Resident Evil 5" remake.

The "Resident Evil 4" remake is currently on sale at 50% off, giving it a price tag of $30. While "Separate Ways" isn't on sale, it is still fairly cheap at only $10. The third piece of essential DLC, the score attack Mercenaries mode, is free, so you might as well pick that up while you're at it.

Tens of thousands of games are available on Steam, not including the DLC, expansions, bundles, and extra versions. How could anyone determine the best games to purchase with a gift card? For this article, we looked at things quite literally.

As already stated, virtually every game on this list is a highly rated title that amassed a ton of praise, and in some cases, won awards. "Elden Ring" won Game of the Year 2022. "Baldur's Gate 3" won Game of the Year 2023. "Hades" took Best Indie at The Game Awards 2020, and it also won several BAFTAs. With that kind of recognition, these titles needed to be on this list.

But why these games? Why not include "Disco Elysium" alongside "Baldur's Gate 3"? If "Elden Ring" is on this list, why isn't "Red Dead Redemption 2"? We decided to cast as wide a genre net as possible — one game per genre. Also, no games with subscriptions attached to them, so while "Final Fantasy XIV" is currently the champion of MMORPGs, to get the most out of this game, you would need to buy it and pay for permission to play it one month at a time. You can purchase the base experience and its expansions with a Steam gift card, but the subscription would come out of your own wallet.

However, this list is not definitive. Some people would probably prefer "DUSK" over "DOOM Eternal" or would rather play "Control" instead of "Resident Evil 4." If those games are more your speed, by all means, buy them with your gift card. They are great titles in their own right and worth the money, but at the end of the day, we think games like the ones on our list are superior experiences.