Austin Carroll is a writer and web designer from Eugene, Oregon. He's been at HGG for five years and maintains an active role designing and develop... Read more
Good news, gamers! For the next few months, Google Stadia is completely free to play. If you’ve been considering checking out the game streaming service and its growing library of games, now’s your chance.
What kind of games can you play on Stadia? The platform boasts dozens of unique titles, ranging from industry juggernauts like Destiny 2 to charming indies like Spitlings. All you need is a consistent 10 Mbps internet connection and a compatible device (even your smartphone!), and you’re ready to play at your leisure.
To jumpstart your journey, we’ve curated 10 of the best Stadia games on the platform. These titles embody the Stadia experience and provide hours of easy-to-access fun and immersion, ready to experience at home or on the go. Let’s check ’em out.
Top 10 Best Stadia Games
Starting with #10, let’s jump right into the list of best Google Stadia games.
10. Destiny 2
The best competitive game for Stadia
- Genre: MMOFPS
- Developer: Bungie
- Release Date: September 2017
Earth has fallen. You’re the galaxy’s final line of defense and humankind’s last hope. Now, Guardian, pick up your weapon and fight!
From the creators of the esteemed Halo franchise comes Bungie’s most ambitious project to date. Destiny 2 is a massively multiplayer FPS that incorporates elements from various genres in one online adventure. Assume the role of Guardian, protector of Earth, and travel across the solar system to wipe out alien threats. Use familiar weapons like snipers and shotguns along with your RPG-inspired magical abilities to obliterate every foe that stands in your way.
As for PvP? When you’re ready, you can put your skills to the test in the Crucible, where you’ll face off against other Guardians in team deathmatch glory. Are you ready to face your Destiny?
9. DOOM Eternal
The best FPS for stadia
- Genre: FPS
- Developer: id Software
- Release Date: March 2020
Introducing DOOM Eternal, the latest (5th) iteration of the first-person shooter series from id Software.
In DOOM Eternal, players once again assume control of the Doom Slayer as he wages war against the demonic scourge from Hell. Pick up your weapons and push forward through torrents of foes as you overcome one hellishly challenging obstacle after another. This time around, you’ll navigate an immersive storyline that takes you through Doom Slayers’s past, all while journeying towards one final showdown in the Crucible.
Can you stop the forces of evil hellbent on destroying Earth, and put an end to their terror once and for all? Find out in Doom Eternal.
8. Gylt
The best horror game for Stadia
- Genre: Horror
- Developer: Tequila Works
- Release Date: November 2019
What happens when your worst nightmares twist and transform themselves into reality? Too terrifying to consider? Welcome to the world of Gylt.
Assume control of Sally, a young girl who’s been thrown into a Stranger Things inspired ‘Upside Down’ version of reality. You must navigate this alternate dimension as you search for your missing cousin, Emily. But be wary. You are not alone, and horrors lurk behind every turn!
Gylt is the only Google Stadia exclusive title released thus far, and it’s received mostly positive reviews from fans and critics. If you’re a fan of the horror genre, you’re sure to love the hauntingly charming audiovisuals and spooky storyline of Gylt.
7. Mortal Kombat 11
The best fighting game for Stadia
- Genre: Fighting
- Developer: NetherRealm Studios
- Release Date: March 2019
Finish him!
Mortal Kombat is back with a vengeance. The latest edition of the mega-popular fighting game franchise remains true to its core mechanics – including Fatalities and Brutalities – and throws in some gruesome new mechanics to boot. Because why not?
Overcome waves of enemies as you progress through the campaign, or match up against other players to put your fighting (or button mashing) skills to the test. There are over 20 different characters to check out, and loads of different moves, special abilities, and finishers. The power is in your hands.
If you’re a Mortal Kombat fan, the 11th installment is one you don’t want to miss.
6. Darksiders Genesis
The best RPG for Stadia
- Genre: Hack ‘n Slash
- Developer: Airship Syndicate
- Release Date: February 2019
If you can’t get enough of hack-n-slash RPGs like Diablo and Torchlight, Darksiders is right up your alley.
The Darksiders series is known for its excellent combat, and Genesis is no different. Choose between Strife (the pistol sharpshooter) and War (swordmaster), and take down enemies using various movesets combined with tactical maneuvering. Charge your ability bar by tearing through opponents, then unleash your burst abilities to obliterate any remaining forces. Throw in the game’s exceptional puzzles and progression mechanics, and you’ll find yourself hooked throughout the 15-hour campaign.
The best part? Unlike many of today’s popular console games, Darksiders Genesis boasts full support for local co-op mode! So what are you waiting for? Download Darksiders Genesis, grab a friend, and clear out some dungeons in classic hack ‘n slash style.
5. Red Dead Redemption 2
The best open-world game for Stadia
- Genre: Action / Adventure
- Developer: Rockstar Games
- Release Date: October 2018
Red Dead Redemption 2 is the second installment in the action-adventure old-west-themed series from Rockstar Games.
Hop back in the saddle as you assume control of Arthur Morgan, a fictional Wild Westerner from way back in the 1800s. Complete missions, explore the large open-world map, and pay close attention to your Honor meter. The choices you make impact your play – for better, or worse.
Use whatever weapons you can find to protect yourself from outlaws, bandits, wildlife, and other chaotic forces that roamed the 1800s-era Southern USA, and remain vigilant. The Wild West is not a place you want to let your guard down.
Reckon you can make it through alive? Check out Red Dead 2 on Stadia today.
4. Thumper
The best rhythm game for Stadia
- Genre: Rhythm
- Developer: Drool
- Release Date: October 2016
Rhythm games continue to proliferate across the gaming industry, and Stadia is no different. What is different is Thumper.
Dubbed a “rhythm violence” game, Thumper has players take control of a space beetle stuck on a lightspeed roller coaster. This insanely fast, never-ending coaster spans several different terrifying worlds that threaten to tear your little beetle apart. Your job? Sync your gameplay with the background music by pressing the lit-up musical notes (associated with different controller buttons) along the track. Miss a beat, and you face total annihilation.
Sound bizarre? There’s no doubt about it. But Thumper is one helluva ride, and it’s a Stadia game you don’t want to miss.
3. Borderlands 3
The best multiplayer game for Stadia
- Genre: RPG / FPS
- Developer: Gearbox Software
- Release Date: September 2019
After seven long years without a new installment, Borderlands is finally back. And boy, was it worth the wait.
Journey back to the beautiful, comic-book-esque world of Pandora, and team up with the ‘ol gang, including the likes of Clap Trap, Brick, and Maya.
Become familiar with a whole new set of characters, and choose between four new playable classes, each with their own special abilities and skill trees. Then, venture out into the open world to eliminate alien scum. Complete the main quest or embark on side missions as you see fit – Pandora is your oyster.
As always, there’s plenty of epic loot and upgrades to collect along the way. But never get too comfortable with any one setup. Borderlands 3 features an ever-evolving landscape, and you never know what’s gonna happen next!
2. The Elder Scrolls Online
The best MMO for Stadia
- Genre: MMORPG
- Developer: ZeniMax Online Studios
- Release Date: April 2014
What happens when you combine the incredible world-building featured in Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls series with online multiplayer functionality? Why, you get The Elder Scrolls Online, of course!
Staying true to the Elder Scroll’s history of innovation, ESO is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Head back to Tamriel, and view the familiar world with a fresh new set of eyes. Choose from 10 different races, ranging from High Elf to Redguard, and embark on a journey as you see fit. Go on quests, slay monsters, level your skills, craft new goodies, and seek out the world’s profusion of hidden secrets.
In Elder Scrolls Online, it’s your path to choose.
1. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
The best action game for Stadia
- Genre: Action / Adventure
- Developer: Ubisoft
- Release Date: October 2018
Since its inception in 2007, there have been countless (nearly two dozen) Assassin’s Creed games to hit the market. Some suspected that Ubisoft had lost its way. That is, until Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.
Thanks to its greater emphasis on role-playing, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey breaks the mold with innovative new mechanics and elevated immersion. In ACO, you are in complete control right from the start.
Choose between two player characters – Alexios or Kassandra – who are Greek mercenaries on a mission to bring balance to the world. Then, embark on your quest, using your… unique assassin’s skillset to your advantage. Every move you make changes the course of history, and Odyssey boasts multiple endings and branching storylines that put you in the driver’s seat like never before.
Think you’re ready for that kind of responsibility? Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is one of the best Stadia games in 2021, and we highly recommend checking it out!
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