10 Best PC Games
The landscape of PC gaming has changed recently, both in terms of technological developments in gaming monitors and graphics cards as well as in the composition of IGN's PC gaming staff and contributors. Because of this, save from a few true stalwarts, our list of the top PC games now is very different from lists from previous years.
It should be noted that this list does not aim to compile a list of the "best" or "most influential" PC games ever created. It's also neither a ranking of the most well-known games or an attempt to include the best titles in every category. No, this is a list of the top 25 games from the last ten years that we, the IGN editors and contributors, rate most highly as a group.
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| 10 Best PC Games |
10. Final Fantasy XIV Online
In conclusion, Final Fantasy XIV is a terrific Final Fantasy game in and of itself, not only the best MMO you can play right now. FFXIV has gradually evolved from a rather typical good-versus-evil plot into a huge, political, and fantastical drama over the course of its relaunch and subsequent four expansions. The game's most recent addition, Endwalker, brings a fitting finish to its now eight-plus-year-old plot by bringing back some familiar characters, making amends for past wrongdoings, and, of course, saving the world from the worst catastrophe yet.
Don't let the fact that it's online scare you away. Despite being an MMO, Square-Enix has simplified things to the point where you really don't have to play with other players if you don't want to. The goal of story missions is to be completed.
9. Hades
Without a doubt, Hades is the current pinnacle of the roguelite subgenre. From its thrilling combat to its amazing soundtrack to its clever and well written narrative with characters that seem to never run out of meaningful things to say, all the way to its deep and innovative post game that keeps you wanting to return for more even after defeating the final boss, this game has it all.
Despite how challenging Hades is, losing there never feels like a punishment. The game's mechanic of dying actually has its benefits, such as new conversations with its intriguing cast of characters, new chances to buy game-changing upgrades, and a chance for a fresh run with a brand-new set of divine boons that fundamentally change how you approach battle. Another illustration of how Supergiant Games never fails, Hades is a masterwork of roguelite design.
8. Outer Wilds
Everything stops for 22 minutes, then starts up again. You awaken to the sight of a mystery space object breaking apart once more as the sands that had traveled between twin planets return to their original locations. In Outer Wilds, you experience the same 22 minutes until you are able to effectively unravel the mystery of why you are caught in a time loop as well as other puzzles by investigating the ruins left by a long-dead civilisation on other planets.
One of the best instances of exploration and discovery in a video game is this beautiful, emotional space adventure. The game Outer Wilds urges you to take off in your spacecraft and go wherever you like. You can also choose to stay on your home planet and observe local events. All of your activities and progress are saved to your ship's log, which kindly notifies you when there is still more to find in an area if you get stuck or need a clue on what to do next.
Time is the one thing that can stifle your curiosity, although even time has its uses. The short expansion's puzzles are exactly as engaging as those in the rest of Outer Wilds, but Echoes of the Eye's pervading, ominous atmosphere makes each advancement in the larger mystery feel much more satisfying.
7. Hollow Knight
One of the top contemporary Metroidvania games is Hollow Knight. You can play for many hours because it is lovely, big, and full of interesting mysteries to find. Many people first avoid Hollow Knight since it doesn't ease them into the harsh reality of Hallownest's realm; nevertheless, once it does, it is incredibly difficult to put down.
No matter which path you go, there are thrilling boss battles to engage in and major power-ups to make you stronger. Its expansive caves open up and present you with numerous paths at any one time. And even though Hollow Knight was already a sizable game, it has only grown since its debut in early 2017. A number of free updates with new, harder-than-the-previous bosses and areas were published by developer Team Cherry. But Hallownest is a world worth exploring, regardless of whether your goal is to just reach the credits, discover the real resolution, or go any further.
6. Crusader Kings 3
Historical strategy games aren't just about the mind-bogglingly intricate systems that are so dense they're almost impossible to understand; they're also about the human stories that emerge when famous figures intersect. You have a variety of ways in Crusader Kings 3 to convey these tales, like using overwhelming military force, the diplomatic skill of a well-timed betrothal, or eliminating your adversaries via a covert operative scheme.\
With a strong nested tooltip system that enables even strategy novices to enjoy the game's intricacy, CK3 also succeeds in making these complicated systems as understandable as they have ever been. With the most recent add-on, Royal Court, your monarch can now look their subjects in the eye and pass judgment on them individually in addition to issuing orders that affect the entire realm. Additionally, the expansion incorporates a complex, updated culture system across the entire game, allowing you additional chances to give your empire a distinctive flair with all the advantages and disadvantages that involves.
5. Elden Ring
Elden Ring's reputation has only gotten better in the few months since it was first published, which is absurd to even imagine given that it had one of the best reviews of any game ever at the time of its release. Elden Ring is a truly gigantic success in the open world genre, thus all of the accolades is well-deserved.
There are memorable encounters, worthwhile rewards, and intimidating boss battles on practically every square inch of its enormously large terrain, making it a wonder to explore. The fact that it still has some performance issues on the PC is the only thing keeping it off of this list. However, that doesn't prevent it from being one of our picks for the top five PC games of all time.
4. Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium used traditional CRPG mechanics to create something wholly new. It offers completely unique ways to play, such as debating against 24 different sections of your own brain, each representative of a different skill or trait, in addition to transplanting the dice-rolls and deep dialogue options from Dungeons and Dragons into a less common noir-detective setting.
Disco Elysium is a PC game that feels completely new and unlike anything else you've played in any period, let alone this one.
3. XCOM 2
The superb, high-stakes tactical action of XCOM: Enemy Unknown served as the foundation for XCOM 2, and its War of the Chosen expansion improved it even further. It has the same tension of evolving from a technologically backward underdog to a potent war machine, with the persistent worry that your specialized men will perish permanently hanging over every choice.
However, it boldly recasts XCOM as a guerilla army attempting to rescue the planet from alien occupation, turning the formula for defending Earth from alien invaders on its head and making the situation appear even more hopeless than before. This larger, more in-depth sequel has a strong emphasis on replayability in addition to adding complexity in the form of new and more potent army classes, equipment, and aliens. In tactical missions, procedurally created maps prevent you from slipping into a repeating pattern. On the strategic map, many random events disrupt your build and research orders.
2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Few PC games have advanced a higher portion of sophisticated content than The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has, despite the fact that long, in-depth RPGs are a staple of the genre. Its expansive sandbox open-world settings are impressive in both scale and density; they are liberally peppered with formidable enemies to slaughter, intriguing mysteries to unravel, and private narratives to unfold.
With reams of superbly written dialogue delivered by an outstanding voice cast, an amazing original music, and graphics that qualify as both a technical and artistic triumph, it's also one of the most spectacular overall productions in gaming history.
1. Half-Life: Alyx
The first Half-Life game from Valve in 13 years served as a reminder of the series' defining innovation and the reasons its return was so eagerly awaited. Half-Life: Alyx set a new standard for polish in virtual reality shooters and is a truly unique experience, just as the original Half-Life demonstrated that a compelling story could be told in a first-person game without taking control of the camera, and Half-Life 2 invented physics-based puzzles and combat. It's actually so impressive that, if you haven't already, we think it absolutely justifies purchasing a VR headset for your PC (especially now that a Meta Quest 2 can be purchased for $300 and connects to your PC wirelessly via Air Link).
In Alyx's full-length campaign, reloading your weapon turns into a desperate life-or-death struggle as headcrabs jump toward your actual face, setting the stage for an epic and horrific battle against aliens and zombies. Even more than a year later, nothing has yet to equal Valve's degree of detail, despite other VR games having excellent shooting. The action is broken up by clever three-dimensional puzzles, superb and frequently humorous performances from its cast, and a great climax that made the more than ten years we had to wait for the third Half-Life nearly feel worth it.
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