Video games come in a variety of art forms, and a design style that uses darker, grittier technological traits is steampunk. The unique, rich imagery invokes the imagination with its 19th-century themes of rusted steam-powered machinery and gear-laden gadgets. Steampunk is based on steam and electrical power, and a video game based on this aesthetic traditionally takes place in a Victorian setting, but there are plenty of creative exceptions.
9 Forgotten Steampunk Sci-Fi Games You Should Revisit
Steampunk is still a rather niche subgenre, but its fans should appreciate these games that fully embrace the aesthetic.While this overlapping theme doesn't seem to garner quite as much attention outside sci-fi buffs, it's nonetheless a rich subgenre with a passionate fanbase. Naturally, this helps set the foundation for some epic, atmospheric gaming experiences. While there's not a long list to draw from compared to sci-fi novels, films, or anime, there are plenty of examples of great steampunk games.
Updated on January 10, 2024, by Kristy Ambrose: The oversized metal gears, steam-powered flying machines, and primitive electric gizmos of the steampunk genre make awesome game visuals. It's not difficult to find great steampunk games, and with the remakes and updates of older titles, classics are also becoming more popular and widely available. Updated graphics are making steampunk games that were originally designed for computers now have console-friendly versions. This includes bringing console or computer games to handheld devices and brand crossovers, giving anyone who likes the genre an array of choices.
20 Sunless Sea
Metacritic Score: 81
Steampunk games are often known for their gloomy atmosphere, and there's certainly a palpable sense of these traits when exploring the desolate waters of the Sunless Sea. The game is partly an expansion of the browser adventure title called Fallen London, fleshing out the experience with loads of readable backstories and ominous sea creatures.
This steampunk game consists of a slow-moving and simple journey for the most part, as the rich settings and somber tunes take center stage. There's a sense of wonder as players explore these sunken ruins of Victorian-era London. This roguelike survival romp for PC and PS4 is worth giving a try if players fancy the 19th-century motif.
19 Professor Layton And The Curious Village
Metacritic Score: 85
- Developer: Level-5
- Genre: Puzzle, Adventure
- Platforms: Nintendo DS, mobile, iOS, Android
One of the more endearing projects that showcase the whimsical side of steampunk games is the Professor Layton series. The eponymous character has a whole franchise with his name on it, and this one also takes place in a world based on Victorian England.
Like the others in this franchise, these are games for the Nintendo DS; however, their popularity has prompted an expansion to Andriod, so this can also be an ideal choice for a mobile game. The Curious Village is the very first game in the series, making it an ideal pick for anyone interested in exploring this universe.
18 The Room
Metacritic Score: 75
- Developer: Fireproof Games
- Genre: Mystery, Puzzle
- Platforms: Android, Windows
A steampunk game made in the spirit of classic first-person POV like the CD ROMs of a bygone time, The Room has a similar mysterious backstory. The player has to discover the secrets of the past, while also using a series of clues to escape some kind of confinement in the present.
It's a highly rated and popular game, even though it's not as widely available when it comes to different platforms. The Room works on Android devices and anything running Windows, and the graphics are an impressive use of both operating systems considering its budget and size.
17 Guns of Icarus Online
Metacritic Score: 64
Also known as Guns of Icarus: Online, this game was released in 2012 and has been online in some form ever since. Its 2018 release tweaked the title slightly, which explains why it's also known as Guns of Icarus: Alliance. The design integrates both steampunk and dieselpunk elements with its airships, which are the center of this creative first-person shooter.
The multiplayer angle comes in with the ships themselves, of which there are a variety, and each of them requires the cooperation of four players to operate. Players can choose between the classes of pilot, engineer, or gunner, with one designated as the captain who decides what weapons the ship uses.
16 Frostpunk
Metacritic Score: 84
Frostpunk is a city-building strategy steampunk survival game that takes place in an apocalyptic future in which any kind of energy source is jealously guarded. The entire planet is frozen under a volcanic winter, and the player has to build a city, gather other survivors, and get through the winter.
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It's winter and the holidays—no better time than now to sit back, relax and enjoy these incredibly cozy winter games.Players can experience several different scenarios, all of which include variations in the same setting. The game was released for Microsoft Windows first, with consoles, macOS, and Android following a year later.
15 Machinarium
Metacritic Score: (2009)
Machinarium
- Developer
- Amanita Design, XGen Studios
- Genre(s)
- Puzzle , Indie Games , Adventure
- Publisher
- Amanita Design, XGen Studios
- Released
- October 16, 2009
There's the potential for some charming, lavish art styles when running with the steampunk game look, and Amanita Design's graphic adventure by the name of Machinarium is a solid example.
This game utilizes an intuitive point-and-click mechanic and dresses it up with some authentically gritty, detailed wastelands and run-down machinery. The steampunk-style assets prove a suitable fit, given that it features an array of puzzles that will have players tinkering with various buttons, knobs, and other gadgetry. This is a cool little artistic adventure that's worth the time.
14 Professor Layton And The Unwound Future
Metacritic Score: 84
- Developer: Level-5
- Genre: Puzzle Adventure
- Platforms: Nintendo DS, iOS, Android
This delightful steampunk game adventure feels like a virtual cartoon show mixed with a fantastical storybook. Fans of the Professor Layton puzzle series often point to this third iteration as the peak in the franchise. There's also a prequel series of four games and a spinoff series called Layton Brothers: Mystery Room.
5 Great Underrated Steampunk Sci-Fi Movies
Steampunk is more of a niche science fiction subgenre, but any sci-fi fan should check out these films.The creative point-and-drag puzzles have drawn a slew of fans over the years, as have the entertaining animated cutscenes that further paint the scene. The rich English settings are laced with cool set pieces and steampunk-themed gadgets, namely the time machine, which Layton and Luke are called upon to check out during the game's introduction.
13 The Legend Of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Metacritic Score: 87
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EAD
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo DS
- Released
- December 7, 2009
Nintendo's beloved Legend of Zelda series has been a staple in fantasy-based adventures which tend to stress magic over machinery. Yet, this unique journey for young Link largely revolves around the use of traveling by train. Much like Skyward Sword's usage of flying, and Wind Waker's adherence to sailing, the means of transport here is a 19th-century-style train, which officially makes this a steampunk game.
Players still get the familiar fantasy tropes and thrilling sword-based combat fans have come to love, but DS' Spirit Tracks injects a bit of its retro-technical flair that allows it to stand out. It's easy to get roped in when chugging along in this 25-hour odyssey.
12 Steamworld Dig 2
Metacritic Score: 88
This charmingly colorful romp is oozing with a steampunk atmosphere and exploration-based gameplay that Minecraft and Terraria fans will love. Indeed, the Steamworld Dig games play like a somewhat smaller version of Re-Logic's epic; but one that's similarly rife with fun content.
It's tough to get more prototypically "steampunk" than a clanky robotic protagonist powered by steam. In addition to steampunk, players likely be getting some Indiana Jones vibes too, as they spend their time exploring vast caverns and mining for various goods. Unlock new steam-powered mechanisms and weapons like pressure bombs for more efficient bots, making for an increasingly rewarding journey.
11 The Misadventures Of P.B. Winterbottom
Metacritic Score: 83
- Developer: The Odd Gentlemen, 2K China
- Genre: Puzzle platformer
- Platforms: Xbox 360 (XBLA), Windows
A puzzle platformer that curious gamers can find on the Xbox Live Arcade and Microsoft Windows, The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom has been compared to games like Portal but with a quirky and often rude wit.
The titular main character of this steampunk game has two main abilities, collecting pies and making clones of himself. The design of the game is unmistakenly steampunk, including a variety of gears and cranes on a monochrome background reminiscent of Victorian-era rotoscope movies.
10 Grandia
Metacritic Score: 89
While the PlayStation was taking off with its renowned Final Fantasy games, Game Arts had quietly crafted an underrated RPG epic with Grandia for the rival Saturn. The game did receive a PS port soon after, along with an eventual HD Switch remaster.
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Although the Final Fantasy series is primarily known for its singleplayer stories, there are a few entries notable for their multiplayer.Grandia balances colorful fantasy worlds and magic with technological elements, adding a sense of "grandiosity." Fans are often drawn to the appealing system of combat, which balances turn-based concepts with free-flowing action. While the strictly "steampunk" elements are light, there's certainly a mechanical and industrial vibe to many of the areas throughout this 40-plus hour journey.
9 Dishonored
Metacritic Score: 88
There has been a trend in modern gaming to decorate scenes with profoundly grey, gritty hues. This action-stealth romp by Arkane Studios manages to feel distinct in its heavy use of grimy industrial themes. The setting, the city of Dunwall, exudes a dismal feel with its run-down and rusted decor.
While the mechanisms of Dishonored's harsh landscapes run on oil rather than steam, there's plenty of that familiar steampunk style that blends dystopian sci-fi with retro themes. Fans have found much to love with this PS4 and Xbox One franchise; not just with its atmosphere, but also with its satisfying, complex stealth gameplay.
8 Skies Of Arcadia
Metacritic Score: 84
Oldtime airships are an emblematic feature in much steampunk-themed content, and Skies of Arcadia utilizes this element overtly and terrifically. Sailing the vast skies with an airship as players travel the floating continents creates a sense of wonder and majesty that fans of this motif tend to love.
The game features an array of unique elemental powers and vibrant fantasy themes, combined with a more technological edge, giving Skies a distinct sense of atmosphere. Fans of this Dreamcast classic have praised the game for its rich world-building, fun exploration, and rewarding turn-based combat.
7 Myst
Metacritic Score: 78
Myst
- Developer(s)
- Cyan Worlds Inc
- Genre(s)
- Puzzle
- Platform(s)
- macOS , PC , PS1 , PSP , Sega Saturn , Nintendo DS , 3DS , Switch , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- September 24, 1993
Myst is such a beautiful game that it's easy to forget the power of each mystical age based on steampunk technology. Although the game is more than 20 years old, its appeal is timeless, and it's available on virtually every modern platform, including VR.
The main character, Atrus, had built some elaborate machinery and puzzles throughout several worlds, and the main source of power appears to be steampunk, although we never learn the deeper secrets behind it until later games. Gears are a common detail in the game in various places, and the technology sounds like steam power even when it's not visible.
6 Thief: The Dark Project
Metacritic Score: 92
Anyone with an interest in gaming history, stealth games, or the early days of 3D development needs to check out Thief: The Dark Project. It was developed for Windows in 1998 and got a lot of love from both gamers and critics for its stealth elements, complex story, and likable main character, master thief Garrett.
The steampunk setting, which mixes several different kinds of architectural styles and designs from the time of the Industrial Revolution, is simply known as the City. Three factions control this vast metropolis and Garrett comes in contact with all of them throughout the story, which begins when he's a child and follows him through his life.
5 The Order: 1886
Metacritic Score: 63
The Order: 1886
- Developer(s)
- Ready at Dawn
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
- Platform(s)
- PS4
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Released
- February 20, 2015
Released for the PlayStation 4 in 2015, The Order: 1886 is set in an alternate timeline that includes the tech and design of steampunk. The storyline puts the Arthurian Round Table in a modern version of London, and the player takes on the character of Sir Galahad in their quest to defend the city against various monsters.
19 Games That Take Place In The Victorian Era
The Victorian Era can make for a great setting for a game, but not many titles utilize its setting. These are some games that do.According to the game's lore, certain human beings turned half-animal in the 7th or 8th century, and also about the same time knightly orders were rising in power. The modern incarnation is the Order of Knights and the variety of weapons and other items used in the game mix medieval and steampunk technology.
4 Dishonored 2
Metacritic Score: 88
The much-anticipated sequel to Dishonored also uses a similar steampunk aesthetic and stealth features. Dishonored 2 continues with the same characters and storyline in the 1850s, but this time in the fictional city of Karnaca. In addition to playing Corvo Attano, the protagonist from the first installment in the franchise, Empress Emily Kaldwin is also available as a playable character and takes players through the prologue section.
The player can use side-missions to unlock the non-lethal and stealth options, making the game based more on strategy as opposed to melee or ranged combat. NPCs are labeled in different ways, as either sympathetic, murderous, or guilty, and the progress of each mission depends on whom the player kills and how.
3 Steam Lands
Metacritic Score: TBD
- Developer: Nitrome
- Genre: Puzzle platformer, Real-time Strategy
- Platforms: Samsung SM-T515, HTML5
An older steampunk game with a limited audience because of the platform limitations, it's possible to find this game on the Nitrome website that runs on HTML now that most browsers no longer run Java. The animation is reminiscent of comic books and uses the same basic rules and 2D design as a lot of other mobile games.
The premise of the game starts with a tank, which is controlled by the player, as they fight their way through the Pirates that are invading the realm of New Britannia. The weapons, vehicles, settings, and other details are given a cartoony steampunk theme that gives it a fun, unique look.
2 BioShock
Metacritic Score: 96
Along with epics like The Elder Scrolls series, the breakout hit BioShock helped pave the way for a new era of dynamic open-world games in a 3D space. The amount of freedom allotted in this makes for an exhilarating experience, which is enhanced further by the dark, gloomy underwater setting of Rapture.
The game and the series as a whole draw heavily on steampunk for its visual influences, and it certainly shows. This eerie shooter blends intense action with exploration and light RPG traits. The result is an immersive experience and mechanical marvel that draws players in and doesn't let go.
1 Final Fantasy 6
Metacritic Score: 92
In a departure from the more stock Medieval settings that made up Square's prior Final Fantasy games, this renowned 6th rendition goes full-throttle into steampunk game territory. Much like FF7's distinctly cyberpunk influences, this SNES gem shines with its darker themes, strengthened by a gritty steampunk overlay.
While the game's gothic atmosphere and moving narrative take center stage, there's no shortage of enjoyable gameplay. Fans have praised the detailed battle system featuring many unique abilities, spells, and party member options.