Some of the best PC games out there have been released in the past decade, to the point of putting PC gaming on par with the latest consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X. And thanks to services like Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, it can be cheaper than ever to get access to some of the best games.
In some cases, PC gaming can even be preferable to consoles due to the technical advantages that the best graphics card can offer. Some of these enhancements include higher framerates, resolutions, features such as ray-tracing, DLSS and HDR. Strategy games fans and those who love to get their hands on weird smaller titles are well served here too as the PC has a wider selection available than any other platform.
Let’s be honest, if you know your way around a mouse, it’s the best place to play shooters too. Sorry, but it’s true.
So whether you have a tricked-out PC gaming setup or looking for games to play on your productivity laptop, we’ve put together a list of the best PC games you can find right now. Of course, not every game is for every person, but there are definitely at least one or two titles on there for you.
Best PC games
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1. Elden Ring
Elden Ring is all anyone can really talk about these days, and for good reason. FromSoftware’s latest punishment-simulator has all the familiar touchstones of a Souls-like, but expanded out into an open world with a story crafted by Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin, so you know it’s not going to pull any punches.
The PC version of the game has had some performance issues that FromSoftware is working on patching. Still, even with these issues, it’s unquestionably one of the best games, if not the best, that the studio has ever put out.
As devoted fans of the studio’s work since the original Demons’ Souls on the PS3, we don’t offer that kind of praise lightly, but like the Souls-like genre itself, you gotta earn it, and FromSoftware unquestionable does with Elden Ring.
Read our full Elden Ring review
2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is aging like fine wine. Even several years after it hit the streets, it’s still one of the most impressive open world games that’s ever existed – mixing Skyrim’s unapologetic scale with Grand Theft Auto V’s incredible depth. It’s such a jam-packed game, which is why it’s still near the top of the best PC games in 2022.
Staggering, beautiful and an absolute time sink – in a good way – The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt isn’t just one of the best PC games of 2022 or among the best open world games on PC. It might just be one of the best video games of all time.
3. Ghostrunner
Ultra-violence and constant motion meet in this post-apocalyptic dystopian game. This FPP is not for the faint of heart – it’s tense, exhilarating, and you’ll probably die repeatedly trying to beat it. If you ever wanted a game that came in equal parts Doom Eternal and Mirror’s Edge, you found it in Ghostrunner.
The game is set in Dharma Tower, a sort-of last refuge for humanity, where you ascend the tower through platforming and katana-induced carnage to take revenge on a ruthless ruler. You do so by slicing up your enemies, dodging bullets, and using a number of unique abilities to continue making your way to the top. This is the kind of game that will leave you out of breath just playing it. If that sounds like your kind of game, then you’re in for a treat.
4. Dead Island 2
Open-world zombie games may seem a little clichè these days but Dead Island 2 has managed to keep things fresh with buckets of over the top gore and some pretty meaty first-person melee combat.
The parody version of Los Angeles you’ll explore is fresh and interesting and features a lot of satirical nods to modern culture – something you would expect when the US is being skewered by a bunch of people working in an office in Nottingham. Solid combat, an interesting world and the ability to dropkick zombies through plate glass windows? This might just be a winner, and that’s before you get your hands on an electrified combat knife. Don’t get us started on the swimming pool full of acid, either…
Read our full Dead Island 2 review
5. Hades
Supergiant Games made a name for itself thanks to the great reception that Pyre, Transistor, and Bastion received. Now, fans of the studio have a new entry to add to the studio’s pantheon of great games: Hades. Hades uses the same isometric view of the other games and tells the story of Hades’ son, Zagreus, trying to escape the underworld.
This roguelike dungeon crawler has a few new features up its sleeve. Not only can you romance some characters for extra bonuses, but dying in the game doesn’t start you at the last checkpoint. When you die, you might start at the beginning but you’re not starting over. You’re able to upgrade your character and weapons to improve your chances of escaping with each subsequent death. This leads to a sense of progression that makes for a very addictive game.
6. God of War
God of War as a series has been around since 2005. And, though it’s had many entries over the years, the one from 2018 has reinvigorated the series, whether that’s due to a new setting – you’re not exploring some hellscape version of Greece anymore – or the fact that Kratos now has a companion on his journey.
This former Playstation exclusive finds you playing as Kratos, the demigod that’s taken down just about the entire Greek pantheon in the previous games, as he and his son travel to the top of the mountain to scatter his dead wife’s ashes in a Norse-inspired mythological setting. Of course, being a God of War game, you’ll have to fight your way through all sorts of creatures and gods on the way.
Read our God of War review here
7. Deathloop
If you ever wondered what Groundhog Day would look like in-game form, wonder no more. Deathloop, from the makers of the Dishonored series, gives the first-person shooter a fun little twist with some added strategy.
In this stylish game, you play as Colt, who’s stuck on an island in a time loop with a rival assassin. To break the loop, you have to kill eight targets before the day ends; otherwise, you start over. However, as each day resets, you’ll learn what works and what doesn’t, changing playstyles and learning the terrain until you find the best way to break the loop.
Read our full Deathloop review
8. Microsoft Flight Simulator
Beyond its impeccable graphics and its excellent peripheral support, it won’t take you long to realize that Microsoft Flight Simulator is a labor of love. There’s a great attention to detail here, as well as a level of realism and immersion you won’t find elsewhere.
So much so that if you’re not a fan of flight simulations, you’ll want to start getting on the bandwagon. Though that also means this game won’t be for everyone. Still, if you’re a flight sim fanatic or you love planes and flying, you’ll relish the chance to fly iconic vehicles in some of the most beautiful yet dangerous locations and conditions in the world.
Read our full Microsoft Flight Simulator review
9. Hitman 3
Hitman 3 closes out the rebooted trilogy with another gorgeous entry that shows what makes these games so unique. It doesn’t redefine the gameplay, yet it does introduce six new maps and wraps up the story started in 2016’s Hitman. Just like the previous games, Hitman 3’s maps will take you worldwide, between Dubai, England, China, and more.
If you’re not familiar with Hitman’s gameplay, you’re in for a treat. As Agent 47, you play a calm and calculating hitman whose job is to move around large maps like an English manor, finding and eliminate your targets quietly and undetected. On top of that, you can play the same map multiple times to find fresh ways or new story paths to take out your targets, giving this entry, alongside the previous ones, the kind of replayability you don’t see in most games.
Read our full Hitman 3 review
10. Doom: Eternal
Doom Eternal takes everything from the remastered Doom (2016) and turns it up to 11. The game is intense, visually and sonically overwhelming, and is exactly what you would expect a fever dream inspired by Doom would feel like.
The gameplay is a seamless first-person shooter where you trek into hell to battle an assortment of never-ending demons and reclaim an overrun earth. Refilling your health sometimes requires quite literally tearing monsters apart, and there is some need to be creative with your weapon choice, depending on what demon you’re facing. However, this game is all about creating havoc and rushing into battle as loud and as brash as possible.
Not only is Doom: Eternal a hell of a ride (pun intended), it’s also a gorgeous looking game that takes advantage of the newest hardware. And, it’s a 2v1 multiplayer mode where one player takes control of the “slayer” and faces off against two more player-controlled demons.
Read our full Doom Eternal review
11. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
From Software is a household name when it comes to designing the best PC games. The minds behind the critically praised Dark Souls series have transported PC gamers to some of the most forsaken landscapes and through some of the most challenging yet rewarding gameplay. From Software is back at it once more, with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
Sekiro places you in the shoes of the Young Wolf, a shinobi tasked with rescuing his young master. The game will take you through 16th-century Japan, but things will get eerie and supernatural: this is From Software we’re talking about.
Don’t expect an easy time of it, however. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is an awfully difficult game to master, and you’ll need quick reflexes to deflect enemy attacks, as well as to master stealth. You won’t be able to hide behind a shield all day, like you were able to in Dark Souls III.
Read our full Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice review
12. Diablo 4
Diablo 4 is the latest entry in Blizzard’s iconic action RPG series. With its distinctive gothic art style and modern open world layout, Diablo 4 offers a co-op-friendly dark fantasy experience. Join up with friends or play solo as you attempt to save the world of Sanctuary from the dark machinations of the nefarious Lilith.
Customize your character with dozens of different abilities and hundreds of different gear options as you craft your own bespoke adventurer. Choose from five distinctive classes, each with its own unique mechanics and ability combinations. Diablo 4 also offers a seamless multiplayer experience, allowing you to enlist the help of friends as you delve into the game’s foreboding dungeons.
Read the full Diablo 4 review here
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