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’s even easier to play some of the most popular and viral games without using valuable hard drive space or demanding expensive hardware.
In some cases, PC gaming can even be preferable to consoles due to the technical advantages that the best graphics card and best PC processor can offer. Some of these enhancements include higher framerates, resolutions, features such as ray-tracing and HDR, the best gaming monitor that can create incredible immersive experiences, and more. For those among you who prefer using a gamepad, we highly recommend the Xbox controller. Black Friday is the best time to get one, and this year, the deals start around November 25. Keep an eye on our Black Friday Xbox Controller Deals page to be in the know when the best deals drop. Wanna sit comfortably even during long gaming sessions? Then consider picking up a gaming chair during Black Friday. Our Black Friday gaming chair deals page can help you find the best options.
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
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.
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. Dying Light 2
Open-world zombie games may seem a little clichè these days but the Dying Light series has managed to keep things fresh with its parkour-style gameplay and day-night cycle, where the zombies go from slow and lumbering and extremely aggressive and much more dangerous.
In Dying Light 2, not only do you get to explore a map that’s four times larger than in the original game, you’ll be able to make decisions that fundamentally change the in-game world. That even opens up certain sections of the map depending on what you choose to do. And, like the original Dying Light, coop play allows you to tackle the game with up to three other players.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
10. Death Stranding
If the name Norman Reedus is what got your attention when someone mentioned Death Stranding, well then you’re in for a treat. However, this game is getting a lot of attention for more than just the big names attached to it, which incidentally include Mads Mikkelsen and Léa Seydoux.
As porter Sam Bridges, you bravely traverse an apocalyptic United States to deliver valuable cargo, navigating lands overrun by terrorists, bandits and these invisible creatures called Beached Things. This award-winning action game is a treat to all the senses as well, thanks to its great storyline, which may be reminiscent of the current pandemic, good gameplay, fun quests, and impressive sound and visuals.
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