Steampowered.com, Steam’s official website, describes it as the “nexus of online gaming.” It is a free program designed for PC Gamers that want to get more out of their online experience. It is noted for its feature that allows players to download big-label games right to their computer without a CD or Key to keep track of.

Once you have an account, all your games are saved to it and you can download them to any computer. Another feature that attracts many users is the “friends” system. The Steam Community feature not only has an overlay system in which players can chat during game play, but it also has a voice chat system that is almost exactly like talking on the phone- for free!

Why Does it Rock?

I have been a Steam user for years, and it has made my life a lot simpler. It is a great way to keep track of your games and cool people to play with. The game selection is huge and sales and discounts are offered regularly in the online store.

The program itself runs in a tabbed window, but you can close it and choose which features to keep open, such as your friends list or a chat box. Another great facet is that Steam automatically updates your games, so you won’t need to worry about whether a patch download is the newest version or if it has a virus. Steam also keeps you updated on gaming news and upcoming events.

What’s the Catch?

As great as Steam sounds, though, it has flaws just like any other program. It is constantly running in the background of your computer, even if you close it. Some people find that just exiting is not enough; that they need to end the Steam.exe process.

This issue will only truly affect players with slower computers. Another issue is that occasionally Steam malfunctions in ways that can inconvenience you, such as a friends list not working or a game refusing to start. Usually, these are problems that have quick fixes which can be found anywhere except the Steampowered.com technical support section (all hail google). Thankfully, though, these issues are few and far between.

Overall

Overall It’s a great program and a lifesaver. Like anything, it has its flaws but the hardworking folks at Steam are always working hard and releasing Automatic Updates that fix the newest issues. I love it and give it a 9/10.