Valve Software, founded in 1993 as Valve, LLC, is known for its creation of widely popular shooter titles such as Half-Life, Left 4 Dead, and Counter-Strike. With the release of Dota 2, the company dipped into the MOBA genre as well. Not only do they have a huge footprint in the gaming community, but their games are touted as some of the best titles in recent memory.
The sheer excellence Valve has shown with each one of its titles makes it clear that the company is a master of its craft when it comes to video game development. While Valve may be leaning more towards stuff like their own portable console and the incredible PC gaming client that is Steam, pretty much no one can argue against their expertise when it comes to crafting incredible video games that enamor fans to this day.
13 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (83)
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has garnered a ton of controversy because of its horrible economy and how players are consistently fleeced via its weapon skins and the like. They may be cosmetics, but the fact that players have no issues with shelling out inordinate amounts of cash for them sets a dangerous precedent for the landscape of video games.
However, the game itself is a great squad-based shooter that shouldn't be negatively affected by these controversies...much. The gameplay is as tight as ever, even if it may not be as engaging as the original title that was so revolutionary for its time.
12 Half-Life 2: Episode One (87)
Half-Life 2 was a landmark title for its time, and fans loved the ways in which it innovated the FPS genre. However, Valve was notorious for being averse to creating trilogies, and decided to further the story of Half-Life 2 by releasing two expansion packs instead.
Half-Life 2: Episode One was a welcome addition to this legendary title, featuring a great story and innovative puzzles like always. However, the short length was criticized by many fans who felt like the game ended just when things were getting good.
11 Counter-Strike: Source (88)
Counter-Strike: Source is the 2004 remake of the original game. It features improved graphics and an updated engine, but stays true to the original aside from those updates.
This game, which features a team of terrorists against a team of counter-terrorists, can be considered one of the best pure shooter games to ever have been developed. Originally, Counter-Strike was introduced as a mod to Half-Life, but popularity demanded that it get a standalone release. Source was only released for PC, but its 2011 sequel, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, would see ports to the Xbox 360 and PS3 as well.
10 Left 4 Dead (89)
While these titles might seem like typical zombie survival games, they do innovate somewhat. To start, the games hinge on set campaigns, forcing players to reach checkpoints and objectives in order to complete levels. In addition, certain game modes pit a team of players designated "Survivors" against another team which plays as "Infected." The two swap roles periodically in an attempt to have more of the Survivors complete the campaign more quickly than their opponents.
This change to the typical formula, as well as the abilities of Special Infected, makes for an enjoyable game with immense replayability which fans eagerly await a continuation of.
9 Left 4 Dead 2 (89)
This first-person survival-horror game pits four Survivors against a horde of zombies, known as Infected, to play through several campaigns which all focus on escaping the area. The formula in this installation isn’t completely different from the original title, which is likely the reason why both games share the same Metacritic score.
Aside from new categories of Special Infected, the sequel added an objective-based scavenge mode that moved away from the campaign and set players out to collect and use fuel in order to escape their area.
8 Portal (90)
The original Portal requires players to solve a series of puzzles in order to advance. The player is pressed on by an artificial intelligence named GLaDOS that — among many other things that make her such a riveting antagonist — promises cakes as a reward for completing various challenge rooms that need to be solved with the Portal gun.
The sense of humor present in Portal is quite memorable. The original Portal was beloved by critics and fans alike, with many considering it to be one of the best titles around. In 2008, it was introduced to the Xbox Live Arcade as a standalone title named Portal: Still Alive, which added new puzzles to play through.
7 Dota 2 (90)
Taking a step away from shooter titles, Dota 2 is a PC MOBA that took over the world by storm when it was released, as is the norm with most Valve games. As is the typical formula with MOBA titles, Dota 2 features two teams of five competing in various roles and controlling various characters, with the final objective being the destruction of an enemy structure.
Dota 2 is not a sequel to a standalone title — rather, it is the sequel of a mod that was created for Warcraft 3. Valve decided to retain the rights to this mod after some legal tiffs with Blizzard Entertainment, eventually creating its sequel as a standalone title.
6 Half-Life 2: Episode Two (90)
Half-Life 2: Episode Two is the second episode of events following the main story of Half-Life 2. While it is named an episode and typically referred to as an expansion, it is very much a standalone game. This FPS focuses primarily on the actions of Gordon Freeman, a Resistance fighter located near City 17.
The game is applauded for its rich environments and improved visuals. As a shorter title intended to advance the story in smaller (yet more frequent) releases, the game’s biggest drawback is the brief length of its campaign.
5 Team Fortress 2 (92)
A sequel to a popular fan-made Quake mod that was included in The Orange Box, Team Fortress 2 is an excellent multiplayer shooter that many fans still can't get enough of to this day. The praise that this title garnered was truly impressive, with its characters boasting great personalities and becoming a favorite of Machinima users who liked making videos using the many expressive models in this game.
The title became so popular that Valve had to give it the independent release it deserved in 2008. This multiplayer-only title pits players against each other in teams with nine different classes to choose from, each with individual strengths and weaknesses.
4 Half-Life: Alyx (93)
With the launch of the Valve Index, the company also decided to bundle it with a game that many players consider to be the greatest and most immersive VR title to date. Half-Life: Alyx shows what VR gaming is capable of, with the technical excellence present in this title being truly revolutionary for its time.
To this day, there aren't many titles that can boast the same level of excellence as Half-Life: Alyx, which is a must-play for any fan fortunate enough to own a virtual reality headset. VR gaming still has a long way to go, but fans are excited to see that excellent studios like Valve are pushing the boundaries already when it comes to what this medium can achieve.
3 Portal 2 (95)
Portal 2 is the perfect sequel in many ways, proving that Valve really knew its stuff when it came to developing excellent puzzle titles. Players took on the role of Chell once again as they set out to explore Aperture Science Laboratory by using their portal gun to navigate new areas in creative ways. This can be done in both cooperative or single-player modes.
The critical acclaim this title enjoyed upon launch made it clear that this title is one of the greatest games of all time. Portal 2's innovative gameplay coupled with clearly defined objectives and just the right amount of challenge makes this title a tough contender to beat.
2 Half-Life (96)
Half-Life is a revolutionary FPS that needs no introduction. It not only set an amazing precedent for Valve's games, but also spawned a franchise that would maintain that quality.
The story of Gordon Freeman as he strove to survive and get to the root of the problem that plagued Black Mesa after an experiment gone wrong is quite riveting, with the level design and art direction of this game being truly sublime. It's a testament to the incredible quality of Half-Life that it got players invested in the narrative despite lacking a single cutscene.
1 Half-Life 2 (96)
For those unfamiliar with this iconic title (which seems nigh impossible given how popular this game is), Half-Life 2 is an FPS packed with rich storytelling and tons of puzzles. One of the few sequels to surpass its predecessor, fans of dystopian titles will love the engrossing universe presented here, while the FPS mechanics involved are incredible to boot.
The physics engine introduced in this title was truly groundbreaking for its time. Many people still can't believe that many modern AAA releases still mess up so badly when it comes to integrating proper physics, given that Half-Life 2 achieved this excellence back when it was released in 2004. To this day, playing around with the Gravity Gun is a blast, and messing around with the physics makes for a great time in every way.