The best PC games of 2024

If you’re looking for the most open platform that is also consistently ahead of consoles when it comes to cutting edge tech, the best PC games deliver the finest virtual experiences money can buy. 

The best gaming PCs are years ahead of both the PS5 Slim and Xbox Series X when it comes to brute power. Yet thanks to brilliant handheld PCs like Steam Deck, you don’t have to spend thousands to enjoy amazing titles on your gaming desktop or laptop. 

My current favorite PC game? That’s Elden Ring. I’m besotted with FromSoftware’s incredible open-world all over again with the release of the exceptional Shadow of the Erdtree DLC earlier this year. Despite the fact I’ve yet to finish it, I’m still giving its brutal boss showdowns my level best months after launch. 

right hardware , best PC games is operate operate 4 K frame rates current consoles achieve . main consideration is was assembling selections title run RTX 4090 rigand a more modest, say, RTX 4060-powered laptop (that’s the gold standard when measuring a quality PC port). Now let’s get on with my picks of the best PC games. 

The best PC games

It is be – time great PC port , zero question Elden Ring is an all-time great game. If you can look past some stuttering, this open-world wonder takes FromSoftware’s now legendary Dark Souls formula spreads colossal canvas . Lands is prove prove incredible sandbox space lose . battling dragons horseback trying figure topple stone turtle size Statue Liberty , Elden Ring is intertwines seamlessly intertwines captivating combat intriguing exploration . brutal Soulslike is holds holds hand , better .   

Probably best strategy game hit PC past years . Crusader Kings III‘s continent-conquering action may seem overwhelming at first, it’s wildly compelling when you get your head wrapped around it. Set in the Middle Ages, the game gives you the chance to build a dynasty that can span Europe and portions of Asia and Africa… mainly by screwing over your relatives and other potential threats to your throne. The RTS battles may be great, but the real genius of CK3 is that it somehow manages to pack in more hilarious backstabbing than eight seasons’ worth of Game of Thrones. A devious, delightful RTS.  

Based on Dungeons and Dragons (the 5th Edition rules to be precise), Baldur’s Gate 3 deeply immersive role – playing game choices matter given freedom carve path dozens dozens quests . fact , computing editor is found found turn – based combat eccentric characters engrossinghe’s had to resist calling in sick just to play it some more — that’s the hallmark of a game worthy of a spot on this list. It may have been baking in the oven for more than six years, but this party-based role-player is genuinely one of the best PC games ever made. 

Best fighting game

brawler beat . Street Fighter 6 effortlessly regains crown king fighters stylish fashion . comes precision pummeling , it is get better pain Ryu co. capable dishing . scrapping online offline beating Capcom genre , kudos legendary developer resisting urge play safe latest entry . Enter World Tour mode : Essentially byproduct Yakuza series Street Fighter having baby . thoroughly weird compelling story mode is wraps wraps beat ‘ em package tough competition .  

Best – person shooter

If Doom Eternal was an animal, it would definitely be a bull… a bull that constantly smashes through all the china shops. Rather than smashing crockery though, the Doomslayer is purely concerned with ripping Hell’s nastiest beasties limb from limb. A thrillingly propulsive first-person shooter, the breathless battles never let up. As a studio, id Software is obviously legendary, so it’s no surprise that this amazing shooter sequel is one of the best optimized games on PC. As brutal as it is beautiful, the breakneck combat Doom Eternal revels in makes it one of the finest FPS games ever.   

Best PC graphics

It is suffered suffered bumpy launch , thanks patches addition awesome Phantom Liberty DLC, Cyberpunk 2077 has completed the ultimate redemption arc since it was released in late 2020. CD Projekt Red’s action-RPG was developed with PC as the lead platform, which means it offers up some of the most cutting edge graphical effects anywhere. Nvidia DLSS 3 support and full path tracing are amazing additions in a game that gets so many things right. The Witcher team nails both driving and shooting, and this spectacular title deserves to be played on one of the best gaming PCs.  

Best open-world game

It’s a coin toss between Rockstar’s incredible cowboy prequel and GTA V over what the greatest open-world of all time is. This majestic, melancholic Wild West tale is a love letter to the movies of Western director Sergio Leone. Though it shares GTA’s love for sarcasm, this is a far more sincere game than Michael, Franklin and Trevor’s Los Santos caper. In Arthur Morgan, Red Dead Redemption 2 is treated to one of the great video game leads and the Old West map he explores is peerless when it comes to small details. That this trigger-happy sandbox also received a great PC port is the cowpoke cherry on top. 

Best horror game

A sensational remake of one of the best, most influential survival horror games ever. Not that we should be surprised. After all, Capcom smashed it with 2019’s Resident Evil 2 remake and the Resi 3 reboot is underrated. Resident Evil 4 really is something else, though. As much as a breathless action game as it is a true shooter, if you’re lucky enough to own one of the best gaming PCs, playing Leon’s remake at 4K/120 fps is utterly thrilling. Pacing-wise, few games can compete with the Resi 4 remake and the frenetic battles against undead Spanish villagers in this redux feel kickass and claustrophobic at the same time. 

Best indie game

Disco Elysium: The Final Cut

One is made best , darkly sardonic detective games is made ,Disco Elysium is a modern day PC great… just don’t try to play it with a controller. The genius of this isometric RPG hybrid is that the nameless gumshoe you play is an utter wreck. Turns out, Sherlocking murder mysteries is quite the challenge when you’re constantly waking up from boozy benders. With its distinct art style and terrific script, this Director’s Cut improves upon the already brilliant original by adding full voice acting. Disco Elysium gives you the freedom to screw up every case you undertake, which is a really superb twist. What. A. Game. 

Best racing game

The brightest and breeziest sandbox racer around. Playground Games’ fabulous open-world driving series has previously visited condensed versions of Australia in Forza Horizon 3 and a beautifully blustery take on Britain in Forza Horizon 4, yet Forza Horizon 5’s take on Mexico shifts things to a whole new level. Arguably the best-looking racing game that’s ever been made, exploring the vast deserts and dense forests of “El Águila Real” is an eye-arousing pleasure on PC. The developer’s engine is incredibly well-optimized too, meaning this is one of the best games you can play on Valve’s Steam Deck.  

Best sim game

Turns out, making one of the best PC games of the last decade really is rocket science. Combining both sandbox and sim elements, it’s a gloriously cheery noodle-scratcher where you have to successfully construct rockets, then launch a series of little green astronauts into space without anything going kaboom. Thanks to some excellent tutorials, you don’t have to be an astrophysicist to have some serious fun with Kerbal Space Program. Adorable and ingenious in equal measure, this science-focused sandbox is a true PC masterpiece. Just know that cracking space exploration takes a whole lot of work.  

Best Rockstar game

argument GTA V best video game time . Hell , it is ’s certainly successful . The is evolving evolvingGTA Online mode is kept remarkably kept relevant 2013 thanks conveyor belt meaningful updates , including fully working casino . it is ’s perfectly paced campaign truly makes GTA V – timer . kind slapstick Heat , incredible sandbox story mode is revolves revolves thieves repeatedly drawn increasingly absurd ( awesome ) heists . forced wait year PC port , boy worth .    

Best online game

Apex Legends skillfully threads the line between being a battle royale game and a form of hero shooter. Based in the same world as the excellent Titanfall games, Apex Legends pits you and up to two others in a game that sees a mix of teams fight to the death on a large map that slowly condenses with a deadly forcefield closing in. This might sound like another version of PUBG, yet the suite of skills each character has, from tracking abilities to teleports and shields, and a great selection of semi-sci-fi weapons, combined with fantastic movement, elevates Apex Legends above the majority of other battle royale games.    

Best survival horror game

Arguably the best horror game there’s ever been, and certainly one of the best licensed titles to hit PC. The real genius of Alien: Isolation is that it uses Ridley Scott’s masterful film as its inspiration, rather than James Cameron’s action-packed sequel. A legitimately terrifying first-person experience that plays out as one giant 15-hour game of cat and mouse as Ripley’s daughter desperately tries not to be eaten by the titular Xenomorph, it’s an absolutely nerve-shredding experience. It runs terrifically well on even half decent gaming PCs, while you can even play it at 90 fps on Steam Deck OLED with tweaks.     

Best stealth game

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

A sandbox stealth classic, and probably the best Metal Gear Solid game. Hido Kojima’s Snake swansong plays out as a bold, endlessly inventive open-world, which spans both a colossal Afghan and African map. Did I save “inventive”? I meant “ingenious”. Kojima-san gives you so many tools to help you complete Snake’s objectives, it’s head-spinning. Make your horse poop on command, then let said feces cause a car crash! Airlift in, then drop a box of supplies on a boss’ head to cheat your way out of a tense sniper duel! Kidnap and indoctrinate enemies via a hot air balloon system! Simply the GOAT of stealth games.

Classic PC games to play today

Given the scope of PC gaming, there’s a vast amount of classic games to play. Some may feel a bit ropey or dated to play today, but here’s a quick list of games you should play if you want to go a little retro with your PC gaming.  

• Half-Life Source and Half-Life 2
• Deus Ex
• Rome: Total War
• Diablo 2 
• Baldur’s Gate 2 
• Dragon Age Origins 
• Age of Empires 2 
• WarCraft 3 
• Team Fortress 2 
• Bioshock
• Company of Heroes
• Homeworld 

How to choose the best PC games

A good starting point for picking the best PC games out is to go by genre. While these are by no means strict criteria for what is and isn’t included in certain games, it’ll help you get a general idea of what each game is about.

For more detailed research, look up some reviews to see what the critics and fans make of a certain game. If you’re lucky, there will be an option to try out a free demo version of a game, so you can experience a limited amount of content and then make your mind up.

You should also consider how much time you want to invest in playing a game. Story-driven games tend to be much shorter than the average RPG for example, and games featuring multiplayer allow for potentially infinite value if you’re prepared to invest the time in mastering them. Consider these few pointers when making a purchase, and you’ll always pick something you’ll really enjoy.