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Notebookcheck’s December 29, 2025 roundup highlighted 10 free Steam games spotted near the end of the month, spanning horror, puzzles, narrative adventures, fantasy, card games, fishing and auto-battlers. It is a selection, not a complete list of every game added to Steam during December. The review figures below are historical snapshots from that date, not current ratings.
What “free” means on Steam
Steam’s Free to Play documentation says, “Free to Play games are free for customers to download.” That describes the download, not necessarily every feature or optional item: a free-to-download game may also offer in-game purchases or paid content. Check each game’s current Steam store page for its present price model, content and availability.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Visa Virtual eGift Card | $54.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Visa Virtual eGift Card | $28.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Visa Virtual eGift Card | $105.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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$500 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery | $500.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Visa Virtual eGift Card | $206.95 | Buy on Amazon |
10 free Steam games highlighted in December 2025
The descriptions and review counts below reflect Notebookcheck’s December 29, 2025 roundup. Review totals and positive percentages can change as players submit reviews.
- The Silence After — A first-person atmospheric horror game, released December 4. Notebookcheck reported more than 45 reviews and 97% positive on December 29, 2025.
- Mahjong Realms — A matching-tile puzzle game, with about 30 reviews and 92% positive in the December 29 roundup.
- Not For You — A narrative-driven casual game, released December 3. It had 16 reviews and 100% positive in Notebookcheck’s December 29 snapshot.
- HANEHOLO! — A jump-action title described in the roundup as an action RPG. Notebookcheck listed its release as December 12 and reported 60 reviews, 75% positive, on December 29. Steam currently lists a December 11, 2025 release, labels it Free to Play and includes a Controller tag. Its current Steam page shows 102 reviews and a Mostly Positive aggregate, with 75% positive. The different review totals and aggregate labels illustrate why a rating needs an as-of date. The Steam page also lists paid upgrade DLC; controller support is noted, but a controller is not required.
- Inotia 4 — A single-player fantasy game with pixel graphics. Notebookcheck said it was released December 8 and had more than 300 reviews, 79% positive, on December 29.
- Fracctal TCG — An early-access free game inspired by games such as Pokémon. It had more than 30 reviews and 88% positive in the December 29 roundup.
- Blackthorne’s Manor — An FPS mystery thriller with logic-based puzzles, released December 10. Notebookcheck reported 16 reviews and 100% positive on December 29.
- The December Job — A first-person horror game with stealth elements, with 30 reviews and 93% positive in the December 29 snapshot.
- Tackle Box: The First Catch — A fast-paced fishing game with retro visuals. Notebookcheck listed about 20 reviews and 90% positive on December 29.
- Clockwork Cleanup — An auto-battler with roguelike elements, with more than 160 reviews and 99% positive in the roundup’s December 29 snapshot.
Which game fits what you want to play?
| If you want… | Consider | What the roundup identifies |
|---|---|---|
| Horror | The Silence After or The December Job | Atmospheric first-person horror; first-person horror with stealth elements |
| Puzzles | Mahjong Realms or Blackthorne’s Manor | Matching-tile puzzle; FPS mystery with logic-based puzzles |
| Narrative or fantasy | Not For You or Inotia 4 | Narrative-driven casual game; single-player pixel-art fantasy |
| Cards | Fracctal TCG | Early-access trading-card game inspired by titles such as Pokémon |
| Fishing | Tackle Box: The First Catch | Fast-paced fishing with retro visuals |
| Auto-battler | Clockwork Cleanup | Auto-battler with roguelike elements |
| Controller support noted | HANEHOLO! | Steam currently includes a Controller tag; a gamepad is optional |
The roundup does not establish a single best pick, and these games cover very different genres. The review snapshots are player-review counts and percentages, not independent quality tests; they should not be used as a direct ranking, especially where the totals are small.
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#1 Best Overall
Visa Virtual eGift Card
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
How to check a game before downloading
- Open the game’s current Steam store page and confirm it is still listed as free in your region.
- Review the page’s notices and content details for purchases, paid DLC or other optional content.
- Check the current review total and aggregate rather than relying on a December 2025 snapshot.
- For HANEHOLO!, look at the Controller tag if you want to play with a gamepad; the listing does not make one a requirement.
Steam’s Free to Play catalog is another place to browse, but it is dynamic and is not a month-by-month archive. Notebookcheck’s December 29, 2025 roundup is the source for the selection and dated review snapshots above; Steam store pages are the place to verify each game’s current listing.
Quick Recap
Bestseller No. 1
Bestseller No. 2
Bestseller No. 3
Bestseller No. 4
Bestseller No. 5
Best Value
Visa Virtual eGift Card
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Rank #4
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Rank #3
Visa Virtual eGift Card
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Rank #2
Visa Virtual eGift Card
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
