As the end of what can only be described as a dreadful year comes to a close, it's time to list Steam's best new free games. People all over the world have had a rough time, and there's no better way to relax for lots of people than to take a seat at their desk, turn on their computer, and lose themselves in a game. Real-world worries are put on pause as the on-screen adventure takes center stage. What's better than a good video game? A free good video game.

There has been a whole host of fantastic new free games seeing lots of success this year, including Valorant and Call of Duty: Warzone. Players have also seen more high profile games like Rocket League move from pay-to-play to free-to-play in a growing trend towards cosmetic purchases and battle passes being a game's primary sources of revenue.

Related: 2020's Best AAA Games (On All Major Platforms)

To make it onto this list of the best new free games on Steam a game had to meet just three requirements: be released on Steam on or after November 1st, be free to play, and be one of the best games meeting the first two requirements. That means there's a wide variety of game genres included.

AOD: Art Of Defense

AOD Art of Defence

AOD: Art Of Defense is a traditional tower defense game in which the goal is to defend the player's base from waves of oncoming enemies. Set on a version of Earth in the not so distant future, the planet is left destroyed following a widespread nuclear war. The game offers lots of different level locations and allows players to upgrade a wide variety of weapons as well as 6 unique heroes, meaning there's a feeling of real progression and players are able to play for countless hours without it being repetitive.

Arc Apellago

Arc Apellago steam

Arc Apellago is an open-air platformer which allows the player to embody a mysterious assassin able to wield spirit energy. The goal of the game is to restore a broken guardian statue in order to heal the planet. With beautiful animations and an art style not unlike that of Studio Ghibli, players are able to slash and dash their way through the game while admiring its elegance.

Cubiscape 2

Cubiscape 2 steam

Cubiscape 2 is a turn-based puzzle game in which players are tasked with playing as a small ball trying to escape a world of cubes. The game has over 20 puzzle elements and hundreds of levels to play through, ranging from easy to insane difficulty. If players somehow run out of puzzles to complete or just want a change of pace, the game's built-in level editor allows them to create their own levels that they can challenge their friends with!

Spellbreak

Spellbreak

Spellbreak is a fantastic fresh take on the battle royale genre, with PvP being focused around magic and spellcasting. Players are able to choose between 6 different classes, each with their own playstyles to master and talents to unlock. The game's striking art style combined with the magical elements make for a fun and exciting battle royale experience that heavily differs from the shooter-style battle royales that are in no short supply.

Ho-Ho-Home Invasion

ho ho home invasion steam

Ho-Ho-Home Invasion gives players the opportunity to fully bury themselves in the festive spirit by playing as Santa. The goal as Santa is to prepare for Christmas by stealthily delivering gifts to fake houses set up by the elves. Each house has NPCs that Santa needs to sneak past without being caught. There are 5 levels to work through, each of which is sure to have players on the edge of their seats!

Next: What 2020's Best Indie Video Games Were & Why