PC is the most versatile platform within the gaming ecosystem. The best gaming PCs and gaming laptops can deliver exceptional performance that bests even the latest consoles in some scenarios, and the variety of titles on the platform is mindblowing. And thanks to new portable devices like the Valve Steam Deck, you can even take your favorite PC titles on the go.
With that in mind, we’ve rounded up some of the best PC games you can play now, from the latest triple-A blockbusters to innovative indie experiences that’ll work on just about any machine.
Baldur’s Gate 3
$60 at Steam
You wake up on an alien-like warship with a strange parasite in your eye before it crashes. What do you do next? Baldur’s Gate 3 asks that direct question while providing dozens of hours of various quests with some of the most fascinating characters you’ll encounter in gaming. Meanwhile, the turn-based tactical combat leaves the opportunity for dozens of options in how you approach battle, while the level of character customization is standard-setting. Then there’s the online play and Twitch streaming integration, which sets the stage for many RPGs to eventually follow. It’s obvious as to why Baldur’s Gate 3 snatched up so many awards in 2023.
Alan Wake 2
$50 at Epic Games
When the original Alan Wake launched on the Xbox 360 in 2010, it became a cult classic that saw ports and remasters console generations later. The David Lynch-inspired setting and supernatural mystery was offset by fantastic combat and puzzle solving. Its sequel released a decade and some change later takes a unique approach as a survival horror game. Not only does the titular hero make a return but the game introduces a new playable character through FBI agent Saga Anderson. Beyond being one of the most beautiful games ever released, the same tense and methodical combat returns with some incredibly clever puzzle solving.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
$30 at Steam
Cyberpunk 2077 will undoubtedly have video game historians calling it the greatest comeback story in the industry’s history. Adding to that legacy is its latest downloadable content, titled Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty. Available to play within the story of Cyberpunk 2077 or by itself, the one and only expansion to the controversial game proved the potential many thought CD Projekt Red would have when the initial game launched in 2020. Hollywood star Idris Elba joins Keanu Reeves in this spy thriller centered around a new area in Night City. Still a visual standout in PC gaming, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty also introduces a welcome 2.0 upgrade to the combat and driving mechanics.
Diablo IV
From $70 at Steam
Diablo IV is an essential experience for PC gamers, brilliantly reinvigorating one of the top action role-playing franchises. It’s perfectly tailored for both series veterans and newcomers, complete with comprehensive accessibility features. The game shines with its stunning presentation, exhilarating combat, compelling loot and character progression, and a vast, engaging storyline. Innovative features like an open world and real-time cutscenes bring the world of Sanctuary vividly to life. While some aspects, like side quests and solo end-game battles, can feel repetitive, the rich, dark fantasy world offers over 100 hours of exploration and content. With anticipated downloadable content and frequent live events, Diablo IV offers exceptional value and a captivating experience that’s hard to put down, even after reaching the level cap.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns
From $60 at Steam
Marvel’s Midnight Suns is essential for PC gamers, expanding Marvel’s universe into tactical role-playing. Developed by Firaxis Games of XCOM fame, it uniquely blends action and strategy. Players create their superhero, “The Hunter,” and ally with icons like Wolverine and Ghost Rider. The game isn’t just about battling villains; it’s also about building relationships with these heroes, adding a personal touch to the strategic gameplay. With its tactical complexity, character engagement and rich Marvel lore, Midnight Suns offers a deeply immersive experience, making it a standout choice for gamers seeking depth and variety in their play.
Red Dead Redemption 2
$60 at GameStop
Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the highest-rated and most-acclaimed games of the last console generation. It’s a prequel to 2010’s Red Dead Redemption and follows Arthur Morgan as he and the Van Der Linde Gang survive the decline of the Wild West. It’s an action-packed game complete with fantastic characters and an emotional storyline that will have players remembering this title for years to come.
Elden Ring
$60 at GameStop
Elden Ring iterates on the classic “Dark Souls” formula, adding an open world filled with mysteries to discover. It’s a brutally difficult game, but a very rewarding one too. Whenever you can’t take down a boss, there’s always the option to go and venture out in the Lands Between to get stronger, whether by fighting more enemies to level up or finding a brand new weapon. Elden Ring has so much content that it can take upwards of 100 hours to simply explore everywhere while going through the main campaign. It’s certainly worth your money.
Resident Evil 4
$60 at Steam
Capcom’s 2023 remake of Resident Evil 4 manages to do the seemingly impossible: rebuilding one of the best games of all time for modern audiences while retaining what made the original so special. All the key ingredients of the defining 2005 survival horror game are here — you’re still wading through a spooky Spanish village as special agent Leon Kennedy, using firearms, spin kicks and suplexes to fight your way through crazed townsfolk and mutated monsters alike. But much like the recent Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes, the game’s visuals, voice acting and gameplay have been completely rebuilt from the ground up, resulting in a modern action experience that’s oozing with eerie atmosphere. Whether you’ve beaten the original countless times or you’re jumping into the franchise for the first time, Resident Evil 4 is a must-play.
Dead Space
$60 at GameStop
It sure is a good time to be a horror fan on PC. Like Resident Evil 4, Dead Space completely rebuilds the 2008 original from the ground up while retaining the creepy sci-fi atmosphere and unique, dismemberment-focused gunplay that made it such a hit. The isolated adventures of Isaac Clark are even scarier this time around, thanks to brilliant use of lighting and shadows, disturbingly detailed gore and frighteningly good audio work that’ll have you jumping at every big moment. The Dead Space remake also makes some welcome changes to the original’s foundation, transforming Clark from a silent protagonist who actually interacts with his team and reacts to the horrors around him.
Horizon Zero Dawn
$50 at Steam
PlayStation has been bringing some of its biggest titles to PC and Horizon Zero Dawn was one of the first. The game follows Aloy, a young woman who is outcast from her own society. In a lush post-apocalyptic filled with robot dinosaurs, Aloy uses her bow and arrow to take them down. On her journey, she’ll discover her own destiny and the role she must play to save the planet. Horizon Zero Dawn has incredibly enticing worldbuilding as well as exciting action gameplay. It’s worth playing before you get to its sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, which was just released on PS4 and PS5.
Persona 4 Golden
$20 at Newegg
Persona 4 Golden was one of the premier titles on Sony’s PlayStation Vita handheld and was eventually ported over to PC. The small town of Inaba has been struck with a serial murder case, and it involves a mysterious shadow world hidden inside a TV. The player must balance going to school and maintaining relationships with classmates, while also venturing out into the Shadow World to fight creatures, hopefully finding clues about the culprit behind the murders along the way. The mix of dungeon crawling and social simulation gameplay elements contrasts in a way that never makes the game feel stale.
Hades
$25 at Steam
In this roguelike game, Zagreus must fight his way out of the underworld in order to reach his mother. Throughout the journey, players will come across many types of weapons and abilities to help Zagreus. Each time he dies, Zagreus must start from the beginning of the underworld again. Every run has a series of randomized rooms filled with a variety of enemies and rewards for beating them. The characters are incredibly charming and well-acted. While players will die many times, there’s always a sense of progression with its permanent unlocks that will leave them satisfied.
Halo Infinite
Available on Xbox Game Pass for PC
One of our picks for the best games of 2021, Halo Infinite takes everything great about the long-running Halo franchise and makes it bigger and better than ever. Now capitalizing on an open-world structure, Infinite gives Master Chief a grappling hook that makes exploring the world of Zeta Halo incredibly fun. The first-person shooter tells an emotional story about trust and the ability to move on from the past. With a robust multiplayer portion too — which you can play for free — Halo Infinite will keep players coming back for more.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd
$30 at Steam
Taking place half a year after Trails in the Sky Second Chapter, Trails in the Sky the 3rd features Father Kevin Graham as he ventures into a mysterious realm with its own set of paranormal rules. The game has an in-depth turn-based battle system with fantastic worldbuilding. The first two games in the Trails in the Sky subseries are also on PC as well, for players who want to catch up with the events of this third game.
Star Wars: Jedi Survivor?
$70 at GameStop
Star Wars: Jedi Survivor takes everything we love about its predecessor, Fallen Order — precise lightsaber combat, satisfying traversal, vast explorable worlds and a lovable cast of characters — and force-pushes it to the next level. Series star Cal Kestis has even more lightsaber stances and force abilities to play with this time around, making wiping out hordes of Stormtroopers and engaging in tense Jedi duels more satisfying than ever. On top of being a great action game that blends the best of Dark Souls, Metroid and Uncharted, Jedi Survivor is simply great Star Wars — with a memorable cast you’ll want to hang out with between big missions, and a compelling post-Episode III story that dives deeper into the complicated history of the Jedi Order.
Destiny 2: The Witch Queen
$30 at Steam
This is Bungie’s latest expansion for the massively popular shooter Destiny 2, which is now free to play in the form of Destiny 2: New Light. While it is a barebones experience without the expansion packs, its first two major ones, Shadowkeep and Beyond Light, are definitely worth your money. The Witch Queen features Savathun, who is the sister of Oryx (from the original Destiny). There’s a lot of new content in The Witch Queen, including gear, raids and story. Bungie is one of the best in the video game industry when it comes to the feel of first-person shooter gameplay, and Destiny 2 is no different. With four more planned seasons of content for The Witch Queen, players will find plenty to love with this new expansion.
Lost Ark
Free to play
This South Korean massively multiplayer online (MMO) game was released back in 2019, but Amazon Games more recently brought it over to American and European regions. Now it’s one of the most played games on PC. Players can create and customize their own characters while completing the game’s storyline. Once players hit level 50, they get access to a wide range of endgame content, including dungeons and raids. To many players, Lost Ark has a sense of longevity that many MMOs are lacking, and that’s exactly how the game stands out amongst its competition.
Opus: Echo of Starsong
$25 at Steam
Did you play Oregon Trail when you were a kid? That’s what Echo of Starsong is like, except in space. The game switches between different kinds of gameplay like puzzles, exploring planets and resource management. The emotional and heartwrenching narrative of Echo of Starsong is its true strength. It follows a young man named Jun Lee and a woman named Eda. Together, they traverse through the planetary system, Thousand Peaks, in order to find Eda’s long-lost mentor. Players must manage their fuel while traveling through space between different planets and checkpoints. Each visit offers tidbits about the game’s overall universe and every detail is fascinating.
God of War
$50 at Steam
God of War is one of Sony’s most critically acclaimed games, and it’s not hard to see why. The story between Kratos and his son, Atreus, is a heartfelt one. After the death of Kratos’s wife, her final wish is to have her ashes scattered at the highest peak of the nine realms, so both Kratos and Atreus set out on a journey to do that. The game has blistering action gameplay, with Kratos throwing his Leviathan Axe at enemies and finishing them off with gory, cinematic moves. The way that Kratos calls his axe back into his hand like a boomerang invokes some of the most satisfying feelings ever in a game.
Stardew Valley
$15 at Steam
Stardew Valley is a farming simulation game inspired by the likes of Harvest Moon. The player inherits their grandfather’s farm and from there, can start growing crops, raising animals and interacting with various folks within the area. While the Joja Corporation has come into Stardew Valley and destroyed its once-vibrant atmosphere, there’s a new opportunity for the player to restore it back to its former glory. It’s a very open-ended game where players can progress at their own pace, and it’s one of the most relaxing PC titles out there.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
$70 at Steam
After a string of mediocre installments, 2022’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 brings the iconic first-person shooter series back on track. The solo campaign features all of the blockbuster bombast you’d expect from a Call of Duty story, with a healthy mix of massive set pieces and tense stealth sequences that give you the option to be a bit more tactical with your combat. If multiplayer is more your thing, MW2 delivers it in spades, with a massive suite of online options that includes staples like Team Deathmatch and Domination alongside fun new additions like Prisoner Rescue (not to mention a staggering amount of player customization). If you’re looking for a shooter that will keep you occupied for months on end, Modern Warfare 2 delivers.
The Last of Us Part 1
$60 at GameStop
The Last of Us Part 1 not only refreshes Sony’s defining PlayStation action-survival game for modern platforms, but it brings it to PC for the first time. You’ll get the same gut-wrenching, post-apocalyptic story that served as the basis for the recent hit HBO show, but with even more cinematic visuals and tightened gameplay to make Joel and Ellie’s trek across a ravaged, infected-filled America even more engrossing. The PC port of The Last of Us Part 1 had some issues at launch, but recent patches have put it in much better shape.
Divinity: Original Sin 2
$45 at Steam
This game is often called one of the best role-playing games of all time. Utilizing an isometric perspective, Divinity: Original Sin has incredible complexity with its gameplay, story and characters. It’s hard to overstate just how much content is actually in this game. Players can customize their characters’ origins, background, skills, abilities, dialogue and much, much more.
Disco Elysium
From $40 $10 at Steam
Disco Elysium is an incredibly unique game. There’s no combat, but rather the game focuses on using words and dialogue to go through the many conflicts throughout the game. Your player character wakes up in a dirty hotel room and doesn’t recall any memories. So players are free to shape their own character’s personality through the different dialogue choices. You can just be a bumbling idiot, or you can discuss the deep political complexity behind the poverty surrounding the district.
The Forgotten City
From $25 at Steam
This game takes place during the time of the Roman Empire and sees its modern day protagonist traveling back in time to a city under control by the “Golden Rule.” It states that any sin committed by the city’s residents would turn them all into gold. It’s unclear what constitutes as a sin, but players are able to reenter the portal from where they came in order to reset the time loop. It’s a fascinating story about laws and gods, and the mysteries behind the city start to unravel one by one with each loop.
Final Fantasy XIV
Free to try or $60 at GameStop
This is one of the most critically acclaimed massively multiplayer online games of all time. It has incredible narratives and worldbuilding, as Square Enix has supported the game long-term with numerous expansions. Its latest expansion, Endwalker, adds even more content to the game. Final Fantasy XIV’s free trial is equally enormous as well — players can go through the base game, A Realm Reborn and the Heavensward expansion up to level 60 with absolutely no restrictions on playtime. There’s a ton of?different jobs that players can choose from to fit their playstyle. For example, there’s the long-range jobs like the Black Mage, close-range ones like Samurai and support roles like the Healer. Playing with a group of friends is incredibly fun as you tackle raids and dungeons, with each person’s specialized role contributing to the overall synergy of the team.?That’s a lot of game time and if you managed to stay hooked at that point, the other expansions are definitely worth your time.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
$60 at GameStop (also on Xbox Game Pass for PC)
This is less of a traditional game and more of what the title implies: a flight simulator. Players are able to learn how to fly, going from takeoff all the way to landing. What’s impressive here is that the game utilizes Bing Maps to simulate Earth’s entire topography. Additionally, Microsoft’s Azure AI allows the game to simulate real-world events, such as natural disasters, as they happen. It’s an absolutely gorgeous game and allows players to travel anywhere they want from the safety of their own homes.
Valheim
$20 $12 at Steam
Valheim was a surprise early hit last year and quickly grabbed players in with its enticing open-world survival gameplay. In this game, players assume the role of a fallen Viking and they must prove themselves worthy to be allowed access to Valhalla. The main goal of Valheim is to defeat the five bosses in the game. But along the journey, players also need to gather materials around the world to build shelter, equipment and weapons. The game has a charming low-resolution 3D art style, which is reminiscent of games from the original PlayStation era.
Observation
$25 at Steam
Observation takes place on a space station that suddenly loses power. Players control an AI called SAM, who has the ability to open doors and turn security systems around the station. By doing so, SAM allows Dr. Emma Fisher to navigate the station in order to look for her colleagues and find out what happened. Throughout the game, players will solve paranormal puzzles, as well as be able to expand SAM’s reach into areas outside of the space station. Observation is a haunting yet thrilling adventure that’s sure to send chills down your spine.
Paradise Killer
$20 $8 at Steam
Paradise Killer is an enticing murder mystery game that involves an overarching group, the Syndicate, that wants to create a perfect society. However, one day, the entire Syndicate is killed, and it’s up to detective Lady Love Dies to solve the mystery of whodunit. The game is filled with ecstatic characters with vibrant personalities, but they all have dark secrets that can make any of them the culprit. Paradise Killer boasts an amazing soundtrack and vaporwave aesthetics, making the game an enjoyable adventure despite its gruesome setting.
