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Here are the best Valve games we think are the best, in no particular order. Valve Corporation is most well-known these days for running Steam, which is the most popular digital distribution service for computer users. But it’s important to remember that it has made a number of well-known games that are still very popular today.
Now, it looks like Valve games will be making games again, but it’s still too early to tell if its new games will be as successful as its past ones. Most of these titles have been praised by critics, made a lot of money, and, in the end, changed the world. This post tells you about some of the best Valve games and why you should play them.
Best Valve Games
Counter-Strike: Source
Features
This list begins with something that is kind of a cult classic. This game is a remake of the first Counter-Strike, which came out in 1996. It has better graphics and an updated engine, but other than that, it stays true to the original. The Metascore for Counter-Strike: Source is 88. This game, in which one group of terrorists fights against another group of counter-terrorists, is
One of the best pure shooter games ever made. Counter-Strike started out as a mod for Half-Life, but it became so popular that it needed to be released on its own. Source was only available for PC, but Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, which came out in 2011, would also be ported to the Xbox 360 and PS3.
Pros
- Major visual upgrade
- Some fun new maps
- Retains core CS focus on skill
Cons
- Not much is new
Dota 2
Features
Dota began as a mod, like Counter-Strike. It started out as a modification of Warcraft III that put even more emphasis on hero units than the original game. Dota was so popular, though, that it not only led to Dota 2, but it also deserves most of the credit for starting the genre of “multiplayer online battle arenas.” Even so, ever since Dota 2 came out, it has been one of the most popular e-sports in the world, able to draw in millions of viewers.
Pros
- Deep and complex game
- Matches are incredibly exciting and unpredictable
- Fair free-to-play business model
Cons
- Will take over your life
- Tough to learn
Left 4 Dead
Features
On PC and Xbox 360, the first Left 4 Dead has a Metascore of 89. Even though the titles may look like typical zombie survival games, they aren’t quite the same. Start with the fact that the games have set campaigns that require players to reach checkpoints and goals in order to finish a level.
Also, in some game modes, one team of players is called “Survivors,” and the other team is called “Infected.” The “Survivors” and “Infected” teams switch roles every so often to try to get more “Survivors” to finish the campaign faster than their opponents. This change to the usual pattern, along with the abilities of Special Infected, makes for a fun game with a lot of ways to play it.
Pros
- Awesome four player action
- Cool new weapons
- New zombies are great
- Great play modes
Cons
- Much more difficult
- Seemingly constant flow of enemies
Half-Life
Features
The first Half-Life has a Metascore of 96. It’s rare for a game to get such a high score, and it’s almost unheard of for two games in the same series to get such close scores. Half-Life not only set a great standard for this licence, but it also gave birth to a franchise that would keep that standard.
If you look at the actual list on Metacritic, you’ll see that The Orange Box comes in second, not Half-Life. But Half-Life is a big reason why that collection is so high on the list.
Pros
- Incredibly detailed visual and sound design
- Excellent world interaction
- Good enemy design
Cons
- Doesn’t do much we haven’t seen in other VR games
- Some puzzles become repetitive overtime
Team Fortress 2
Features
This deserves to be in first place not only because it has great graphics and a good physics engine, but also because it has a strong sense of community. Many regular players and users of Team Fortress 2 can share their ideas and make short films using the source filmmaker. Next, the game’s style is great. It’s not too realistic, but it has a good, balanced feel.
The nine classes are a great idea because they let each player play as the class they’re most used to. Team Fortress 2 has a funny side that makes it more appealing. Each character has their own personality and can say things in the game to make it more interesting. Really, this game should be first.
Pros
- Unique
- Well-balanced classes and maps
- Team dynamic can yield immensely satisfying moments
- Appealing visual aesthetic
- Extremely facilitated gameplay and HUD system
Cons
- Strategic depth can be daunting
- Price pushes boundaries of reasonability
- Only a few shortcomings
Portal 2
Features
In Portal 2, the main character, Chell, and her new robot friend, Wheatley, have to solve more puzzles made by GLaDOS, an artificial intelligence whose only goal is to test the Portal Gun’s mechanics and get back at Chell for what happened in Portal. Chell tries again to get out of Aperture Science Labs after a few conversations and discoveries.
Pros
- Great writing and story
- Interesting characters
- Enjoyable coop mode
- Unique soundtrack
Cons
- Second part of story is slow
- Coop can get frustrating when playing with strangers
Portal: Still Alive
Features
Easily one of the best Valve Games available on the store, the Portal: Still Alive is an updated version of the first-person puzzle game that was a huge hit, with more levels and challenges. As unwilling test subjects in a creepy lab, players must use “portal” technology to break the laws of physics in order to solve puzzles and stay alive.
“Portal: Still Alive” has a darkly funny story that mixes adventure with puzzles that make you think. It also has 14 brand-new bonus puzzles that will challenge even the best test subjects. Players can also hear from the people who made “Portal: Still Alive” about how the game was made. This is one of the best Valve Games that you can download from here right now.
Pros
- Controls are simple and easy to get used to
- You get significant enjoyment out of solving a tough puzzle
- Sound and graphics are exceptional
- There has never been a funnier video game
Cons
- The story was a little too short for my liking
- The story mode is considered too long by some
Half-Life 2
Features
The fact that Half-Life 2 sold more copies and got better reviews for its story, gameplay, and physics system shows that it was better than the first game. Because of this, it’s not surprising that people still joke that Valve doesn’t want to make Half-Life 3 because they’re afraid they won’t be able to live up to their own hype. Since they started focusing on Steam instead of making games, this has only gotten bigger.
Pros
- More Half Life goodness in a nutshell
- Lots of exciting set pieces
- Tons of backstory
- Source engine looks amazing as usual
Cons
- Too short
- Some segments can get boring
- A few inconsistent and poorly executed sequences
FAQs
Who is the owner of Valve?
Gabe Newell has been in charge of Valve Corp., which makes video games, since he and Mike Harrington started it in 1998. Games like Half-Life and Portal helped the company get off to a good start. Valve Corp.
What is Valve most successful game?
- Half-Life 2
- Team Fortress 2
- Portal 2
- Half-Life
Why are Valve games so good?
Because they make great games with great stories and great characters that are often ranked as some of the best games ever made. Also, as a company, they support independent gamers through Steam, and Steam had social networking features before they were common and everyone had them.
Has Valve ever made a 3rd game?
A lot of gamers know that Valve doesn’t make third games in any of its series, but Portal co-writer Erik Wolpaw thinks he knows why.