Top 5 Most Popular Free To Play Games On Steam In 2022

Steam is one of the largest digital gaming marketplaces in the world, with more than 30,000 games in its catalog. However, the most popular games on the platform are all free to play - they can provide players with hours of entertainment for literally no cost. If you are looking for some competitive multiplayer experience, these 5 titles fit the bill to a T.

In this article, Gurugamer is going to showcase the top 5 most popular free to play games on Steam in 2022.

1. Apex Legends

Apex Legends is one of the best ‘feeling’ fps games on the market, everything is tight from the looting, to movement, the gunplay, and so much more. Being one of the few games standing after the battle royal craze, Apex Legends proves it is here to stay.

Gunplay in Apex Legends is near perfect for any FPS game period. With 24 weapons available to choose from, each feeling as great to use as the last. Every gun in Apex is deadly if wielded correctly, this is because each gun feels skillful and is a joy to shoot. There is just a feeling of having the shooting in this game just ‘click’, and once it does you’ll never look at another FPS the same. The variety of recoil patterns, enjoyable to master bullet drop, etc. all combine to provide the core of Apex’s masterfully crafted gunplay. When you lose a fight in this game it doesn’t feel cheap, it feels warranted you know the mistakes you made. If there is one word to describe the feeling of gunplay in Apex Legends it is skill.

Arguably one of the most popular aspects of Apex Legends is its movement system, and how fluid it feels to traverse the map. Mastering the gunplay is only one half of the battle, the best players are able to zip through the map in tandem with near perfect aim. The default sprinting being relatively quick to begin with, with sliding down slopes to gain momentum, being able to climb walls for a couple seconds, are the basis of the movement system. Using all these aspects together have you looking at that boring street with a couple buildings and instead seeing a jungle gym of speed. Just line in the gunplay, after hours of experience it just ‘clicks’ and traversing the map turns into a sort of dance.

2. Dota 2

This review is for new players who are considering installing this game. From a player who has played this game for 5820 hrs, Dota2 is the number one free-to-play online game for me until now and I hope it always be.

Starting with the pros, anybody could be good at this game without spending any money as there is no cost for buying heroes, only some of them, which require more complex skills, will be unlocked when you reach the number of games played required(last checked 25 games of any heroes). Speaking of free to play, you might have questions about Dotaplus. Does having it make you play better than other players? Overall, it is like a shortcut for new players because it provides guides for picking heroes and building items. However, players could alternatively learn these things by experience or other free platforms. There are a lot of youtube channels or websites that provide FREE educational knowledge for this game. Hence, I disagree as the only Dotaplus function which is really useful for me is the option to avoid players.

Moreover, all heroes are well-designed to be played in various ways, making this game flexible. One hero could be played in 2-3 different roles depending on the trend of the current patch. In terms of item building, there is no fixed pattern for buying items. You will learn to analyze the game and build items according to the situation and your strategy. By experimenting with them, anyone could be the innovator of the meta(most effective tactics available).

3. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

CSGO is a near-perfect multiplayer shooter. Unlike the previous versions, which were often difficult to get in to, this one offers a variety of modes that will appeal to all skill levels. It has a large community and a well supported workshop, ensuring that this discount-priced game will be around for years to come.

In short, you either play as the good or bad guys and must either kill the other team or complete objectives to win the round, which will earn you more money to do the same thing again but faster. It's been around for years and has spawned many imitators.

The game isn't much of a looker as it is based on the same engine as the original Half Life 2 was. However, Valve has polished it as much as they can and the community consists of lots of awesome mappers who have been churning out brilliantly imaginative and beautiful maps almost on a daily basis.

4. Lost Ark

Lost Ark is a very pretty game. The graphics are appealing, even if not stunning. We have to remember that this game is not a new game. It has been out in other countries for years. At the time of its true release though, it was top-notch.

The maps are easy to play and navigate. It reminds me of a browser game in that it walks you through each quest and a very "hand-holding" kind of way. You get big map markers that tell you right where to go. You don't even need to read the dialogue of NPCs if you don't want to.

The gameplay is deeper than it seems. Although it plays like a simple browser game. Lost Ark has plenty of systems to keep a player occupied. There are skills, crafting and even a type of reputation system that allows the player to get more advanced items and stats. There is a lot to sink your teeth into here. I could see spending more time playing with these systems than actually hacking and slashing in some circumstances.

Overall, Lost Ark is a true free-to-play game. A player can play all the way through Lost Ark without spending a dime. It may take longer and not be as individualized (you will be playing a cookie-cutter version of each character), but it can be done. There are also ways to earn in-game currency if a person really wants to do some customization of their character's looks. There are some features that make the game a "Pay to Progress" game, but nothing locks you out of content so you can play it all if you have the patience.

5. Team Fortress 2

Staying relevant even a year after release is rare for a competitive shooter, and yet, here's Team Fortress 2, still lively after 13 years in the business.

At times it feels like the same game you could have played back then, and at other times it feels like no one will ever quite nail class-based shooter competition the way TF2 does. The experience has evolved over the years without compromising what made it so great in the first place, so though your free-to-play options may have increased considerably in the past few years, there are few that do it as well as Team Fortress 2.

There are a lot of things to try out: from fun and casual multiplayer FPS with multiple official game modes to custom game modes by the Team Fortress 2 community. The game has some of the best and most iconic maps in gaming history and most of its maps are well made and work well with classes and their strength and weaknesses.

Gameplay mostly depends on players' personal play style and the classes they choose while playing. Matches are mainly broken down into casual and competitive modes, with additional options for Mann vs. Machine, community servers, and training exercises. Core game modes include all the classics you might expect, such as Attack/Defense, Capture the Flag, Control Points, King of the Hill, Payload, Payload race, Misc, Mannpower and Time pass.