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Top 7 survival games on Steam

Add these games to your download list.

No one here gets out alive.

Ever since Minecraft, survival games have been a popular genre for gamers of all ages. These games test your skills in completely different areas than what you’re probably used to when it comes to your gaming experience. No two games in the genre are alike, and that’s part of what draws people toward them.

Here are some of the best survival games you can find.

7 best survival games on Steam

Don’t Starve & Don’t Starve Together

In Don’t Starve and Don’t Starve Together, you travel through a dark and desolate landscape. You must try to survive illness, starvation, panic, and a bunch of supernatural creatures trying to kill you. The games are a challenging but rewarding set of roguelike survival games. You can play as a variety of characters with unique abilities that can help or hinder you in your quest to survive in the wilderness.

Don't Starve Together Download ►

7 Days to Die

Where zombies meet Minecraft. 7 Days to Die is a unique survival builder game. You have to combat zombies as you build a defensive stronghold. Every so often, the zombies become enraged and you’ll have to face hordes of them at a time. Fans of Minecraft and other builder games will love this intense survival version of the genre.

7 Days to Die Download ►

Rust

Picture a survival builder game like 7 Days to Die, but with less Minecraft-feel and zombies. Rust follows a more traditional survival gameplay. You have to stay fed, healthy, and safe from the natural threats of the wilderness. You’ll also have to protect yourself from other players, as the PVP of this game can be an intense part of your attempts to survive. Creating alliances can be an interesting and important thing to help you survive.

Rust Download ►

Oxygen Not Included

Instead of just keeping yourself alive, Oxygen Not Included asks you to keep an entire space colony alive and thriving. Each character in the colony can develop attributes and jobs to help with the survival of your colony.

Each of them has different needs, however, so you’ll have to multitask quite a bit to keep them all alive and healthy. While the game is still in early access, the developers are well-known for developing highly successful games at this stage. These are the same guys that made Don’t Starve, after all.

Oxygen Not Included Download ►

Scum

In Scum, a group of prisoners has been brought to a large island where they have to fight to survive. Instead of being purely based on physical survival skills like most games, Scum lets you try a large variety of strategies using their various attributes.

These attributes include mental ones, so you’ll have to balance your physical needs with the mental strain that the prison is taking on you. This game is still in early access, but it’s already worth checking out.

Scum Download ►

Pathologic

There are surprisingly few survival games that are actually based in horror. Most of them are about post-apocalyptic settings and learning to survive in the wilderness. “Pathologic” takes an entirely different approach, by being a cross between horror, survival and roleplaying.

You play as one of three characters trying to uncover the truth about a plague that is killing a village. You only have 12 days to find a cure, as well as trying to survive the other possible harms that the game throws at you.

Pathologic Classic HD Download ►

ARK: Survival Evolved

A Pokémon-like survival game where you train dinosaurs to help you survive: need we say more? These massive pets can be used for anything from helping you create your own village, to providing a mount that will carry you across dangerous terrain. Outside of dinosaur taming, this game is very similar to other large 3D survival games like Rust and 7 Days to Die. Your main goal is to stay healthy, fed, and hydrated while you traverse the wilderness.

Ark: Survival Evolved Download ►

Beyond survival

If you’re looking for survival games for your phone as an alternative to Steam, you’ll definitely want to check out our Softonic Solutions page where our community shared some great phone survival games to try. Add your own if we’ve missed any!

Valve launches new tool to fight review bombs

See how one game company is fighting against fake negative reviews.

The announcement of the much-anticipated Borderlands 3 has been met with quite a bit of hype in the gaming scene. It’s also garnered more than its fair share of controversy, largely based on publisher 2K’s decision to make the PC versions of the game exclusive to the newly launched Epic Games Store. Fans of the game and users of Valve’s popular Steam store have responded with a practice known as “review bombing,” but Valve is fighting back with new tools that could make a huge difference in the PC game store environment.

Valve launches new tool to fight review bombs

borderlands 3 twins villains — Image courtesy Gearbox Software

Though the Borderlands 3 controversy is only the latest incidence, the practice of “review bombing” has been around for some time. Essentially, users will intentionally leave bad reviews for a publisher’s game as a form of protest. The goal is to systematically bring down a game’s aggregate score on a particular digital storefront. As many online storefronts rely heavily on reviews, large quantities of bad reviews can have a major adverse effect on a game’s success or failure.

In the case of Borderlands 3, the outrage stems from fans who are upset with the decision to make the forthcoming game exclusive to the Epic Games store, bypassing the more popular Steam service. In response to the perceived slight, Steam gamers have review bombed other titles in the Borderlands franchise. Valve is responding to the review bombs by taking steps to rectify the problem.

Valve has launched a new tool designed to counter the review bombs. The tool in question automatically scans game reviews for one-sentence or off-topic reviews, and prevents those reviews from affecting the game’s overall score. Reviews are still able to be seen by other users, but won’t be able to have an adverse effect on the game’s rating.

valve review bomb borderlands 3 — Image courtesy Valve

As seen in the image above, players will be able to see the breakdown of reviews and whether or not they affect the game’s scores. The tool blocked all reviews made from April 3 to April 7, when the majority of the review bombing was occurring. This new tool could do quite a bit to help Valve fight back against the growing popularity of the Epic Games store. Though still the top PC game store, Steam has seen an increasing number of titles migrating to the Epic Store. As major titles become Epic exclusives, Steam loses out on post-release profits, and review bombs also contribute to profit loss. As pointed out by Gearbox Software’s Randy Pitchford, the review bombing practice can have the adverse effect of driving more developers to the Epic Store:

Ironically, that this misuse is possible and that Steam has no interest in correcting this misuse makes me kind of happy about 2k’s decision and makes me want to reconsider Gearbox Publishing’s current posture on the platform.

— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) April 5, 2019

Only time will tell whether Steam will retain its seat as the king of PC gaming, and taking steps such as these will doubtless help the embattled storefront retain its position.

Borderlands teaser trailer shows secret skin codes

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Steam.tv is Valve’s answer to Twitch

The internet has been buzzing after Valve registered the domain name Steam.tv, causing speculation that the company was entering the game streaming industry against Twitch and YouTube Gaming.

Later the same day the domain was registered, Steam.tv actually went live, broadcasting the Dota 2 mega-tournament The International. The annual event is one of the most-watched eSports events of the year. Valve quickly pulled Steam.tv offline that same day, saying that the website going offline was an error that resulted from an internal test. However, as of now, Steam.tv has officially gone live.

Steam.tv’s unique edge over Twitch is its full Steam integration. When you log in to your Steam account, your friends list will appear on the left side, appearing very similar to Steam’s usual “Friends and Chat” window. From this window, you can message your friends, see what they’re playing, or otherwise interact with them just as you would on Steam. You can also seamlessly hop into a live broadcast of your friend’s gameplay, allowing you to interact with and harass your friends in real-time (this feature can be turned off if you don’t feel like broadcasting your gaming session to the world).

Additionally, you can invite friends to watch broadcasts together. You can chat using the built-in voice chat client (as long as you’re using Google Chrome; browser voice chat is coming to other browsers later).

The website so far seems to be a cool way to tie Steam’s social features with a broadcasting site. While it remains to be seen if Steam.tv will become a serious competitor to Twitch, it looks promising so far.

Slap City is the hilarious Smash knockoff you need to play

Looking to tide your appetite for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate? Have you played enough Melee and Smash 4 to break your thumbs? Looking for a cheap Smash-like game on PC? Look no further than Slap City:

You can grab the game right here:

Slap City Download Now ►

Developer Ludosity has been updating the game consistently, adding free characters and stages. Currently, there are seven playable characters in the game, ranging from the musclebound fish-man Fishbujin 3000 to the fiery Goddess of Explosions. The characters all play completely differently from each other.

Unlike most other games based on Smash, the characters are not based on any popular Smash archetypes (like Melee’s Fox, Marth, or Captain Falcon). Because of this, Smash fans can pick up the game and be surprised by the characters while still being able to acclimate to the gameplay quickly. Arguably the most unique character in the game is Business Casual Man. As he attacks you with various business-y things like rolling chairs, QR codes, and water coolers, he gains money. If he gets enough money, he can use sell attacks, extremely powerful attacks that use up his money. He does this all while screaming business buzzword nonsense like “VISUALIZE MONETIZATION!”

The gameplay is a nice middle ground between the fast-paced Melee and the floatier, more accessible Smash 4. Certain advanced techniques from Melee are possible, including wavedashing and SHFFLing (short hop fast fall L-canceling). For people who aren’t nerds and don’t care about that stuff, the game is still very accessible and easy to play if you have any familiarity with Smash.

The game also gives each character a chargeable aerial smash, something that has never been included in Smash before, which adds many new options to start and finish combos. The game can be played using a keyboard, arcade fight stick, Xbox controller, and for Smash purists, the Gamecube controller.

While the game may look a little rough graphically, we can assure you it plays much better than it looks. And with charming music, a robust online system, and extra modes like Slap Ball, Slap City is a welcome inclusion in any Smash fan’s library.

Top 5 indie games to play right now

Indie games often have some of the most unique and original ideas out there. Some, such as Minecraft, even become popular enough to get bought by larger companies. It can be a bit difficult though to find the great indie games, considering how many there are out there. Thankfully, our Softonic Solutions community has the answer to this question, with a ranking of the best 64 indie games! Solutions is a great site to get answers for any of your gaming or tech-related questions. Here are some of their top indie game choices:

5. Darkest Dungeon

When it comes to unique indie game experiences, Darkest Dungeon really takes it to the next level. It’s hard to find a game to compare this to, other than the broad genre of roguelike RPGs. Difficult, yet incredibly rewarding, this game is great if you’re looking for something a little dark and strategic.

Darkest Dungeon Download now ►

4. The Binding of Isaac

Another dark-themed indie game, The Binding of Isaac is an enthralling roguelike. Play as Isaac as he journeys through his basement and fights his inner demons with his tears. The gameplay of this game is incredibly immersive and addicting, and you’ll soon find yourself looking for all the hidden secrets this game has to offer.

The Binding of Isaac Download now ►

3. Rust

Fans of survival games will definitely want to check Rust out. This game was partially inspired by Minecraft, and you can see some of the elements taken from there. These elements, along with the survival-based gameplay, allow for some deeper and more rewarding survival achievements than other games in the genre.

Rust Download now ►

2. Broforce

One of the best parts of indie games is their ability to parody real life in ways that games made by larger studios may be too afraid to do. Broforce parody’s the “bro” archetype in ways that even a bro himself can appreciate. This game is a perfect combination of subtle humor and run-and-gun action.

Broforce Download now ►

1. Terraria

While most people think of Minecraft first when they hear of a sandbox builder, but Terraria has a unique charm that is often overlooked. This game features is in 2D, and features a more fantasy-based setting than Minecraft does. It’s definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for something a little different and unique in the sandbox adventure genre!

Terraria Download now ►

You can find out more about these and other great indie games by checking out our Softonic Solutions page and seeing what our brilliant contributors suggest. Or share your own favorites! The Solutions community awaits your input.

We added 60+ hours of replayability to Star Wars: Jedi Academy (with these five cheats and one free mod)

Wish you could play the classic Star Wars: Jedi Academy with all-new options? Dust off that old copy and jump back into the game!

To anyone unfamiliar with Star Wars: Jedi Academy, this 2003 game developed by Raven, Vicarious Visions, and Lucasarts was the final installment of their Dark Forces franchise. Most famous for mixing shooter elements with lightsaber mechanics that were both intuitive and elegant, it was this happy unity of hack n’ slash and FPS that made the game so successful.

For those of you who are familiar with the game, you probably know that the campaign is three acts of non-linear missions separated and punctuated by story-driven multi-part missions that were a little more plot heavy. Upgradable force powers served as the RPG element while the player character (Jaden) also gradually progresses to learn different lightsaber styles, including the option to dual-wield or use the famous doublesaber like Darth Maul.

http://www.shacknews.com/game/star-wars-jedi-knight-jedi-academy/screenshots

The first playthrough of this game is a dream: It’s got the exciting combat, the logical level design, the tried and true Star Wars mythos, and even multiple endings for light side and dark side. Despite all that, there’s one modern aspect where this game falls short, and it’s an important one:

Replayability.

We’re not saying the game is short, with the average run through the main story typically taking around nine hours on average. We’re saying that once you’ve completed that story, there’s not much to do other than play the same missions over again. This game came out before the time of ‘Campaign Plus’ or other such modes that increase the difficulty but allow for a second playthrough with your endgame character and stats (something we think would have been a great addition to this game).

But we found a way to do the next best thing:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=258619752

The PC version of this game has a drop-down for console commands if you press ‘Shift + ~‘ during the game. Here’s where the fun stuff begins. Now for those of you pointing fingers and accusing us of cheating, remember that we played this game numerous times before using any of the upcoming commands, and we’d strongly encourage you to do the same. Remember, this is a way to add more hours of replayability to the game, not to cheapen your experience with what we think is a fantastic experience!

Once you’ve opened the drop-down for console commands, the first thing you’ll need to do is type ‘helpusobi 1’ (haha) to enable the game to register codes. From that point you can enter any of the following to achieve these results:

1. addsaberstyle fast OR addsaberstyle strong –

This will allow for you to add the additional lightsaber forms that are only unlocked later in the game. Being able to switch between the given styles from square one makes the experience far more tactical without really altering the difficulty of the game.

2. sabercolor 1 ‘color’ –

While this is merely an aesthetic difference, it means you can change lightsaber colors whenever you feel like a change of pace. This includes the otherwise forbidden red lightsaber, which makes your evil playthrough exponentially more immersive. It may seem like a small change, but when you’re desperate to freshen up your eighth or eighteenth run through the campaign, size matters not.

3. setforceall 3 –

This code will give you all the Force powers at their highest level. By the time you’ve beaten this game as many times as we have, it’s sometimes more frustrating than fun to have to play the early levels without your full arsenal of force powers. While having to pick and choose carefully adds a deeper level of strategic choice, the gameplay from level to level is much more fun when you can Force choke or heal without having to spend level after level building up to it. Plus, you get to do all the neat little acrobatics and flourishes, and that stuff is cinematic no matter what level you’re on!

4. saber 1 saber 1 –

Allows you to use dual lightsabers like the player character can do late game. Usually, this is only restricted to the third act, but we think that’s a shame given the rock-paper-scissors style of combat that depends so strongly on what kind of saber style you pick. Also once you’ve made that choice you are locked in, which means that while a single saber might be better in one level, you might wish you’d chosen dual sabers later on. You can also change the colors of the blades by using the ‘sabercolor’ code above.

5. saber dual_1 –

Similar to the above code, this allows for the player to use a doule-ended lightsaber immediately (and you can change its colors, too). All the same justifications for dual sabers apply here, with the added bonus that you also unlock the option to kick with this. Considering how many pitfalls and catwalks there are early in the game, having a double-ended lightsaber early on may radically change the way you approach each encounter.

And you can find many more codes here if you’re looking to add still more.

https://www.moddb.com/mods/star-wars-movie-duels/images/engage-jango-fett41#imagebox

If all these codes still aren’t enough for you, we’ve got one more ace up the sleeve: Star Wars: Move Duels 2.

This mod takes you through the climactic fights of the prequel trilogy as well as several battles from the Force Unleashed series (including Starkiller as a playable character). So if you’ve ever wanted to play as Darth Maul against Qui-Gon on Tatooine or test your skill against Count Dooku or General Grievous, this mod makes it all happen and it uses lines directly from the films. Did we mention it’s also 100% free to download? Regardless of whether you like the story campaign of Jedi Academy, the lightsaber combat of this game makes playing these famous scenes extremely fun for any Star Wars fan.

https://www.moddb.com/mods/star-wars-movie-duels/images/duel-of-the-fates8#imagebox

If you don’t own this game, grab it here for only $3.99. Get it while the Steam summer sale is still going strong! May the Force be with you!

Steam summer sale 2018: Our top 10 picks for under $10

The Steam Summer Sale is here! These are our picks for the best 10 games under $10.

Looking to try some new games without spending a fortune? Here are our picks for the best 10 games under $10 in the Steam Summer Sale!

1. Magicka: $2.49

If you’re looking for a fun, comedic multiplayer experience with a huge amount of gameplay variation and creative spell combinations, this is the game for you. Less than three dollars, now is a great time to give this game a chance. Since it was released back in 2011, there’s a ton of content and reviews readily available online if you want to check it out beforehand.

2. Rocket League: $9.99

Immensely popular and extremely addicting, see what the hype is all about! Easy to pick up yet difficult to master, join up with a group of friends either online or via splitscreen and try your hand at this fast and furious propane-fueled take on soccer.

3. Assassin’s Creed: Titles range from $5.99 to $10.19

Practically every title in this franchise is on sale right now for under ten dollars. For veterans, this is a great time to snag any titles in this series that you haven’t gotten the chance to experience yet. For novices, there’s no time like the present to grab one or two of these games to see if it’s your cup of tea.

4. Tomb Raider: $2.99

If you’re a fan of the Tomb Raider license (or even if you’re not), for under three dollars, this is an unforgettable experience. Play as Lara Croft as she goes on her first adventure to a mysterious island rife with danger and intrigue. Released in 2013, this game holds up surprisingly well in the gameplay and graphics departments, and features a great mix of combat, exploration, and puzzle-solving.

5. Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2005): $3.99

While EA’s Battlefront 2 had an infamously mixed response, the original Battlefront 2 from 2005 remains a gem of a shooter game. We should know. We’ve sunk well over 300 hours into this game. With its online capability recently restored, highly intuitive gameplay, multiple game modes, and full campaign, it’s a fantastic $4 investment. Did we mention it has mod support too?

6. Shadow of Mordor: $9.99

With last year’s release of Shadow of War, anybody looking to get their feet wet before grabbing the game might consider buying Shadow of Mordor first. Though Shadow of War boasts many notable improvements to the formula, Shadow of Mordor introduces the nemesis system and open world gameplay that its sequel improves upon. For the price, this sale is a very economical way to test the waters of this popular series.

7. Injustice: $4.99

With Netherrealm and WB Games releasing their most recent additions to its Injustice 2 roster a few months back, players who are unfamiliar with the series might consider grabbing the prequel while it’s on sale. For less than the cost of lunch at McDonald’s, the Ultimate Edition of Injustice is a highly replayable game featuring a solid story, a large number of playable characters, and all the DLC costumes and characters. A must-have for any fan of Mortal Kombat and/or the DC universe.

8. Sid Meier’s Civilization V: $7.49

Sid Meier’s Civ series is known for two things: addicting “one more turn” gameplay, and long matches. Those two elements combine to make Civ 5 one of the most engaging and in-depth real-time strategy games on the market, and it’s a title we keep coming back to when we want to really sink our teeth into a game. While the most recent Civ 6 is not priced quite so low yet, for under $8, Civ 5 should sate you and then some if you’re on a budget.

9. Metal Gear Solid V: $9.99

If you’re looking for hours of an excellent narrative story, solid stealth gameplay, tactical espionage, and player freedom that’s through the roof, it’s all here for less than ten dollars. Even if you are unfamiliar with the Metal Gear license, Hideo Kojima’s farewell to the franchise features some of his best work to date. Grab it now while it’s on sale!

10. The Orange Box: $1.99

It’s summer of 2018 and none of these games are fresh out of the oven by this point. But we can’t overstate the replayability or the charm of ANY title in this bundle. Featuring some of Valve’s best work, grabbing this while it’s a mere $2 is a STEAL, particularly if you haven’t experienced Portal’s excellent puzzles or Half-life’s superb level design and story-telling. Even if you have played them before, the Team Fortress 2 community is still going quite strong, and we guarantee hours of highly entertaining online competitive play. Just boot it up. We promise you’ll have fun.

How to avoid getting random invites on Xbox One

After telling you how not to get random invites on PlayStation Network and then on Steam, now it’s time to talk about the Microsoft console: Xbox One. With its latest update, this entertainment system from the Redmond boys has changed a little regarding its interface. However, the changes have been for the better, since everything is a little more organized, clear and direct (unlike the previous design, which was a little more chaotic and confusing when installing the console for the first time).

In this quick guide, we’ll teach you how to disable notifications for Xbox One so they don’t bug you while you’re playing. Are you ready? Here we go!

$256

Xbox One S 500GB Console

From: Amazon

Add to Cart

Bye-bye invites

After we’ve turned on the console, the first thing to do is log into our account with username and password. That takes you to the home screen. Next, we’ll click the central command button (on the Xbox) so it opens the task menu, which is now much prettier with the new redesign.

We have to go to the icon to the right of everything in the shape of a gear, called “System,” and within this screen, click on the “Settings” field. (Careful not to click “Turn off console” or “Restart console,” which are just below.)

From the options that appear within “Settings,” the one we want is “Preferences.” After selecting that, you’ll see the screen below. Navigate to “Notifications.” Press A to enter it.

For Xbox, like PlayStation Network, you can manage every invitation you get. However, there’s a twist: the system gives you the chance to disable all notifications by default. In other words, if you don’t want any notifications, uncheck the “Notifications on” box on the screen below and you’ll be all set (a drastic measure, but good for accomplishing our mission).

If you want to personalize invite commands, the option you must select is “Xbox Notifications.” Here you’ll have all the possibilities: “Friends and broadcasts,” “Activity feed,” “New followers,” “Messages,” “Party & game,” “Achievements,” “Game DVR,” “System,” “Incoming calls,” “Looking for Group,” “Clubs,” “Arena” and “Xbox Assist.”

What do we recommend disabling? Well, it depends on what’s useful to you on your Xbox One. For example, if you often use Skype on the console, the “Incoming calls” becomes key, so it’s better to leave it activated. Now, if you don’t regularly pick up calls, then you can remove it. Likewise, the “Xbox Assist” isn’t worth it if you’re a platform expert, and you can turn off “Looking for Group” if you don’t play online.

A beginner’s guide to Steam

Long gone are the days of PC gamers waiting in line for the latest releases, desperately hoping that the store will have enough copies to go around. Now, with the invention of the Steam platform, gamers can simply log on to a virtual marketplace, select the title they want, and voila! They can enjoy a brand new game without leaving the comfort of their swivel chair.

Running the games on the platform, users also have the added benefit of having round-the-clock assistance if they encounter any problems. There’s a highly social element, too, which means that Steam users can interact and compete with their friends. And with Steam, you won’t have all of the tedious physical parts – things like manuals, fold-out posters, and the occasional soundtrack CD – so you can speed up the process of getting a new game to play.

What’s more, there’s a huge back catalog available on Steam, so you can look forward to throwing yourself back into some classics with complete ease. To help you get started, we’ve put together the ultimate beginner’s guide to Steam.

Get started with Steam

To start with, let’s look at how you can get signed up and in a position to start shopping.

How to download Steam

Download Steam for PC or Mac. Once you’ve downloaded the file, the installer will guide you through all of the steps necessary to get Steam up and running on your computer.
You’ll be invited to join the Steam community by signing up for an account. Fortunately, doing so is friendly and straightforward and has many benefits. As a member of the growing and passionate community, users can interact and discover new games that they may not have heard of before.
Once you have created an account, you’ll be able to browse the catalog that is available on the platform.

How to use Steam

Now that you’re up and running with Steam and you’ve created your profile, you’ll need to find some games that will run on your PC or Mac. Of course, while developers aim to make games as compatible as possible, some games are exclusive to specific operating systems. What this means, of course, is that you’ll need to pay careful attention to the requirements section in the description of each title.

If you’re a bit of a novice and are at all unsure if your device will run a particular game, it’s well worth doing a little searching on Google to figure out the best course of action. It’s always best to be 100% sure before parting with any money.

buying a game on Steam

After finding a game on the Steam store, simply click the Add to Cart button, which is located beneath its description. Just like any other online store, you’ll then need to click through to your cart to evaluate your selection and choose which payment method you’d like to use.
If you want to keep things entirely digital, you can pay for your game using PayPal – or, if you’re a little more traditional, you can pay with any major debit or credit card. Bitcoin was recently removed as an option, but it may return in the future.

And just like that, you’ve bought your first game via Steam. You’ll receive an email notification that serves as a receipt should anything go wrong in the next few steps leading up to your gaming.

Downloading a game on Steam

Once you’ve purchased a game, you’ll need to download it to your device so that you can get playing. Again, this is a pretty straightforward process:

Click the Library tab.
You’ll see your recent purchase and the button download next to it. Click this, sit back, and wait for the game to download onto your computer.
Once the game has finished downloading, you’ll need to open the file and select the Install option to complete the final stage of the process.

Playing a game on Steam

Now that you’ve installed a game from the Steam store, you’re probably wondering how you can start gaming! All you need to do is return to your library, select the game, and launch it from there.

You might also be wondering why you have to play the game on the Steam platform, rather than as a stand-alone program as though you had installed it from a disk. Though it is possible to play your games in this way, there are many benefits to remaining inside of Steam. Indeed, there are some Steam-exclusive trophies that are awarded to players who complete certain tasks. These can be shared with other users of the platform to show off your prowess.

It’s also worth noting that you can select Offline Mode in the top right-hand corner if you want to play a single player game that does not require network connectivity. As your progress is stored locally, you don’t need to worry about losing data.

How to use the Steam controller

While you might be a seasoned PC gamer who enjoys using a keyboard and mouse, it’s a fact that some titles on Steam are more enjoyable when played with a controller.

Available to purchase from the Steam website, the flagship controller was designed especially for PC games. As such, its touchpad allows for a great deal of flexibility when it comes to using it with more traditional games. There are other hardware accessories available for use with Steam, and it’s worth taking a look at those for sale on the site.

Providing family access to your Steam account

In the old days, it was possible for an entire family to enjoy playing the same game. Of course, that meant each had to install it on his or her computer with the disk. Steam also makes this kind of sharing possible; up to five computers can be authorized to share the same library.

To do this, you’ll need to download and log in to your Steam account on the computer you wish to share with. Then you’ll have to head to settings and then select the Family tab and the Authorize this computer button at the bottom. This can be repeated up to five times, so everyone will be able to enjoy the benefits of the games library.

How to buy a game for a friend on Steam

Totally forgot it was your friend’s birthday? Need a last-minute present for the person who has everything? Steam has you covered, thanks to its gift-giving service.

To buy a game for someone else on your Steam account, you’ll need to follow all of the steps we’ve outlined above, but hit the Purchase as a gift option when it comes to payment.

Making things even better, the recipient doesn’t even need to have a Steam account of their own for you to do this. All they will need is an email address to which the link can be delivered. Once in their inbox, they will be taken to the Steam site to download the software for themselves.

A few hints and tricks before you go

Now that you’re up and running with Steam, we’ve compiled a few hints and tricks that help make your experience even more enjoyable. Of course, more enjoyable often means less expensive, and the best way to sport a bargain on Steam is to download the Chrome extension Enhanced Steam.
Flagging all of the genuine steals to be enjoyed on the platform (and not just the ones that have a 75% sign next to them), this is a handy way of getting some of the best games at prices you’d never get to enjoy in-store.

Another good tip is to consider getting the Steam app on either your iPhone or Android, as this will allow you to make purchases and manage your library while you’re on the move.

Equipped with all of this knowledge, you’ll now be able to get the most out of Steam and all of the services it provides.

How to avoid getting random invites on Steam

Today we’ll continue our guides on the main digital gaming platforms. Here we told you how to disable random notifications that usually pop up on the PlayStation Network (with PlayStation 4 as the system of reference, of course), and now it’s time to discuss the most popular platform in the world. Yes, we’re obviously talking about the famous Steam.

Steam Get Steam Now

Steam is a platform for online games that lets you download the latest from the world of video games as they are released – an indispensable tool adopted by many publishers.The Steam client also maintains a social dimension, allowing you to share a lot of information and content with a very active community. The forums can help you find interest groups or partners for casual gaming. You can also connect with friends to discuss or start a game.

If you play on your PC, you already have an account created. Moreover, we predict that you have a huge amount of titles in your library. As you know, every game has its own notifications and you have to personalize them to your liking. However, there are general invites or messages that are from Stream, and they can be removed if need be.

Inside Steam

The first thing you must do is open Steam (elementary, my dear Watson). Once you’re at the main page, head to the upper section where it says View and click on that tab. Of all the fields that come up, the one we’re interested in is the last, which is called Settings. Go ahead and click on it so it opens a new tab.

Once here, you’ve got all the Steam platform options at your fingertips. What interests you? Well the first thing we recommend is that you start with the subtitle Friends. There you can see several fields related to notifications and we recommend removing them to enjoy a pleasant gaming experience: When any friend joins a game, When any friend comes online, For group events and announcements, When you receive a message and Flash window when you receive a message. Mostly, beyond the text messages, the Play a sound may be the most annoying of all, so don’t hesitate for a second to remove it from your Steam settings (it’s even unpleasant, let’s not kid ourselves).

The next subtitle you should check out is In-Game. Here you won’t find many fields for notifications, just When a screenshot is taken. Do we recommend disabling it? Well, it all depends on whether you use that feature a lot or not. In our case, and given that we take a lot of screenshots, we’ll leave it activated for both message and sound. But we repeat: you always have the last word here, so don’t forget it.

The last subtitle within Parameters is Interface. Here you can remove Display Steam URL address bar when available and Notify me about additions or changes to my games, new releases and upcoming releases. Also, and this is advice from the Softonic team, take away this option: Run Steam when my computers starts. All programs that are loaded when turning on your PC slow down the process. Steam, specifically, consumes lots of resources, so uncheck this option as quickly as possible.

Now that you’ve got all these little tricks, we recommend that you take a look at the rest of the subtitles that appear within “Parameters.” Making the most of the platform is always in your hands.