The Best Early Access Games that Actually Came Out

Early Access games are a particular sort. While the concept of an alpha or beta release has been well established from the very onset of the video game industry, and underlined further by games such as Project Zomboid and Dwarf Fortress, it wasn't until Steam's official Early Access programme that the concept would be nudged into the limelight. While the feature has often been used for nefarious financial purposes, it has also been a wildly successful experiment.

That, in fact, is what today's article is all about: showing off the very best games that actually did fully launch from their Early Access stints. Note that we are focusing on games that we actually feature here at 2Game, of course, which means Baldur's Gate 3 couldn't make the cut. All the merrier, we think, because virtually everyone already knows about it in the first place!

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2Game's Best Early Access Games (That Already Came Out)

My Time at Sandrock

One of the most interesting and unique farming sims on the market right now, My Time at Sandrock is a phenomenally charismatic and satisfying experience that's spent about a year and a half in its Early Access phase. During that time, devs have polished it up and added an almost ridiculous amount of content to Sandrock, including new areas, new enemies, new features, new mini-games, and oodles of other assorted goodies. The resulting product is a delight both for fans of regular progression-heavy ARPGs and farming sims, and there's lots to enjoy throughout the lengthy campaign mode.

Ready or Not

Having spent about two years' worth of time in Early Access, Ready or Not has gone through iterations upon iterations of its AI, gearing systems, mobility functions, and core gameplay loop. The final 1.0 version, then, is a delight in motion, featuring smoothened-out versions of all of these features. Granted, we will admit that the new perpetrator AI is a tad overtuned at this time, but the beauty of Ready or Not is that it is customizable and moddable. The release version of the game is the SWAT we've been waiting for since SWAT 4 kicked in the proverbial doors.

Mount & Blade: Bannerlord

One of the older releases on this list, Mount & Blade: Bannerlord has gone through a reasonably problematic development process that took some wind out of its lungs. Regardless, the final 1.0 version of Bannerlord has successfully delivered what it needed to deliver. Indeed, the game you're getting here is, at its core, the ultimate up-to-date medieval life sim. You can set yourself up with exactly the sort of character you want to play, from a mere peasant to literal royalty, and you can mod stuff to your heart's content.

Roboquest

Whereas many of the other games on this list are fairly popular in niche communities, Roboquest is even more niched-out. We're not sure why, either, because it is downright phenomenal. A quirky post-apocalyptic shooter, Roboquest's gameplay rivals that of - no joke - Destiny in the sheer moment-to-moment gunplay. Roboquest is, however, a roguelite with randomized rooms and loot, which means it lends itself to an entirely different audience. Roboquest is easy and quick to pick up, and it plays incredibly well.

Patch Quest

For fans of cutesy arcade experiences, Patch Quest really does have everything you want in one such game. It's a game where you collect patches of... stuff. Creatures, objects, houses, customizations... if you can name it, you can collect it in Patch Quest. The game's Early Access stint led to it having way more content and polish than it otherwise would've had. As a result, the developer has managed to set up a gameplay experience that's uniquely satisfying and engaging, no matter how much time you've got to play.

Lots More Coming Your Way!

You didn't think that's all we've got on the docket, did you? Steam's Early Access is nowhere close to being done, in truth, and there are so many promising new games featured on it that it's virtually impossible to keep track of them all. Games such as HYPERVIOLENT are already jotted down for release in 2024, and you can bet that 2Game will be here to cover them, too.

With that all out of the way, we hope we've helped you regain some trust in pre-1.0 game releases with the examples featured above, and that you've even found a cool new game to play. If not, though, fret not: we've already fully updated all of our evergreen content. For example, we recommend checking out our list of the 100 PC games available via 2Game, as that's bound to be a hoot no matter your preferences. Have fun!

CHECK OUT: Top 100 PC Games of All Time - Updated for 2023!