PC gaming has played host to almost all of the best games ever made down the decades, so there are basically now countless titles that you could pick to play on your gaming PC.
However, we’ve narrowed things down hugely to a list of just a few total highlights, our favourite PC games across a few genres to give you a few brilliant options to pick from if you’re looking for a new PC game right now.
Larian Studios
Baldur’s Gate 3
1. Best PC game overall
A new benchmark
One of the best RPGs ever, with tactical combat and a brilliant branching story that will shape itself around your decisions at every turn.
- Amazing storytelling
- So many decisions
- Fun D&D combat
- Fairly tough at lower levels
Right now this is the purest PC game we can think of – Baldur’s Gate 3 is a stunning achievement that you can play it on a console, but it’s clearly best with a mouse and keyboard.
It offers unparalleled player freedom, offering you the chance to make countless decisions and choices, and it’ll accommodate some truly unbelievable options to tailor its campaign to exactly your own whims and desires. It’s cinematic and brilliant, and a must-play on PC.
Alan Wake 2
2. Best survival horror
A bleeding-edge game
Games rarely look as striking at this – Alan Wake 2 is a brilliant way to check out just what your PC is actually capable of.
- Unbelievable visuals
- Crazy storytelling
- Memorable moments
It took a long time to arrive, but the second full Alan Wake game is a bit of a visual masterpiece, pushing your PC build to the very limit and offering up some truly groundbreaking technical options. Its lighting is second to none, and this might just be the best-looking mainstream game that you can play right now.
Handily, it’s also a riveting survival horror story that takes some really fun and unexpected twists, making Alan Wake 2 an easy one to recommend for PC gamers.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
3. Best action-RPG
The game that keeps giving
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One of the best open-world RPGs ever crafted, with so much to do.
- Superb storyline
- Stunning visuals on PC
- Hours and hours of gameplay
- Steep learning curve initially
No list of best PC games would be complete without The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, It’s been around for a while now, but continues to be one of our favourite games thanks to its lore, quality of visuals, gameplay mechanics and a whole lot more.
It also recently had a next-gen overhaul to make it look even better on PC so it still pushes the visual boundaries as well.
Warhorse Studios
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
4. Another epic RPG
Beautifully crafted medieval world
This is a great medieval RPG which puts you in the shoes of a normal person thrust into a harsh world.
- Realistic design
- Engaging story
- Staggering setting
- Combat can be hard to master
We love Kingdom Come: Deliverance because of how it does things differently from other RPGs. You play an average medieval peasant who’s thrust into a war-ravaged time and needs to learn to survive. This makes combat tough and gameplay challenging but really thrilling. We also love the setting and the graphics of this one as well.
PC gamers will also enjoy the fact that this game is challenging for your system. Try running it on ultra settings and you’ll be warned those visuals are only intended for future hardware. It’s like Crysis but for the new age.
Battlestate Games
Escape from Tarkov
5. Best hardcore shooter
Intense looter shooter
Escape from Tarkov is an intense and unforgiving FPS like no other.
- Intense gameplay that keeps you coming back
- Stunning graphics
- Hardcore PVP battles
- Unforgiving for beginners
If you prefer a bit of FPS action then we’d highly recommend Escape From Tarkov. This game is certainly not for everyone as it can be highly punishing, especially for casual players. That said it’s also one of the best thrills we’ve had playing an online PVP shooter. The risk-to-reward experience makes it an utter thrill to play. When you lose it’s terrible but when you win it’s amazing.
This is a looter shooter, so with each game, your goal is to collect loot and get out of the map without being killed and that’s where the thrill comes in because if you die you lose it all.
Coffee Stain Publishing
Satisfactory
6. Super satisfying building
Super satisfying building mechanics and intrigue
Satisfactory gives you plenty to do with both survival and building mechanics on a distant alien world.
- Brilliant fun on your own or with friends
- Stunning alien worlds to explore
- Building like no other
If you prefer your games with more building and less shooting then Satisfactory is the one to buy. This game puts you on a distant planet mining for resources and creating all sorts of machinery while avoiding being food for the local wildlife.
It’s great fun to play with friends or on your own, while challenging yourself to see what magnificent structures you can create.
Red Dead Redemption 2
7. Best for cowboys
A classic cowboy experience
Incredible depth and attention to detail are present in this sequel.
- Stunning visuals and atmospherics
- Massive world to explore
- Thoroughly engaging story
RDR 2 is glorious on PC, especially in 4K with HDR visuals. There’s also a lot to be said for aiming your six-shooter with a mouse and keyboard or more accurately hunting wildlife while taking careful aim with your bow.
We loved Red Dead Redemption 2 when it first appeared on console and we love it even more on PC. It still looks great now and how many other games let you get lost in the wild west?
In conclusion
So, our top pick goes to Baldur’s Gate 3 – it’s a quintessential PC game, but one that feels thoroughly new and modern thanks to its inclusive writing. It’s also classic in scale and scope, offering a huge playground to explore and few limits on what weird and wacky decisions you can make without breaking its logic.
Larian Studios
Baldur’s Gate 3
Our top pick
Baldur’s Gate 3 is the best game you can play on your PC right now, although it’s far from the only option.
How we picked the best PC games right now
Picking out our lists of the best games in a given genre or on a platform like the PC is quite a straightforward process – we play them! While we aren’t able to play every game under the sun, across the team we put a lot of hours in to check out and judge the best games that hit the market, making us ideally placed to recommend great options for you.
For this list, we’ve tried to keep things pretty brief, so you won’t find every genre represented, but the games do showcase the breadth of PC gaming nonetheless. They’re also all great lookers, so if you’ve got a fancy GPU and want to flex it, you’re in the right place.
What makes a PC game great?
One thing we’ve focussed on in this list is picking games that feel great to play on PC – meaning primarily with a mouse and keyboard. While you can obviously play games on your PC by connecting a controller (and that’s a great way to go), we want to make sure the the games we pick also play really smoothly and comfortably on keyboard and mouse, since this is really the heart of the PC gaming experience.
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