36 best PC games: the must-play titles you can’t afford to miss

Introduction

Update: Number 33 on our list marks the return of Epic Games’ classic third-person shooter franchise.

With the gap widening every day between console and PC capabilities, there’s never been a better place to play than on your own custom rig.

Unlike the Xbox One or PS4, a PC lets you configure your system however you want it, complete with the processor and graphics card that suits your exact needs. Moreover, with the advent of the Steam Machine, PC gaming is more accessible than ever too.

Whether you’re on Windows 10 or Linux, there’s bound to be a sufficient library of triple-A, indie and virtual reality games to keep your attention. Thanks to the popularity of Valve’s Steam platform and the inevitable success of the Xbox-infused Windows 10 Store, finding and downloading the best PC games is easier than ever before.

Regardless of if you’re on mouse and keyboard muttering “boom, headshot!” in your sleep or breaking combos with a gamepad, PC gaming is all about a personalized experience on a machine that’s built-to-order, DIY or otherwise.

So if you have a PC and you’re ready to start playing, boot up Steam and ready your wallet, as we’ve prepared a list of the best games on the platform, available to play right now.

Disagree with any of our picks? Sound off in the comments below!

Gabe Carey has also contributed to this article

PC games on our radar

Titanfall 2

Even if you didn’t like the first Titanfall, don’t pass on its multiplatform sequel just yet. While the original Titanfall was received well, it quickly fell off the face of the Earth no thanks to its lack of a single-player campaign. Fortunately, Titanfall 2 rectifies the series with a handful of unique twists, including – but not limited to – a single-player story component. Developed by some of the key figures behind the first two Call of Duty: Modern Warfare titles, e.g., Jason West and Vince Zampella, Titanfall 2 introduces a plethora of improvements over the first. Pilots, for example, will be equipped with grappling hooks which will assuredly help balance out the human/Titan dynamic in the game. We’ll find out for sure when it hits Origin this fall.

Expected: October 28, 2016

There’s nothing quite like a sequel to a 90s classic to really get our juices flowing. Released in 1998, System Shock 2 was one of the defining survival horror games on the PC that decade. The main antagonist from that game, the psychopathic AI SHODAN, is returning for System Shock 3. Little else is known about the third game in the series, which is being developed by Otherside Entertainment, other than it could feature VR support. As if System Shock 2 wasn’t scary enough without it…

Expected: TBA

Cuphead

Few games are unique these days, but Studio MDHR’s charming run and gun title Cuphead just might be deserving of the label. Featuring a visual art style borrowed from 1930s Disney cartoons (think Mickey Mouse in Steamboat Willie), it’s a romantic blend of old and new-era entertainment. Adorable and even a bit disturbing due to its screen-filling bosses (most of which are drawn with deranged facial expressions), Cuphead has us thirsty for more.

Expected: 2016

No Man’s Sky

A procedurally generated space exploration game with over 18 quintillion planets might seem ambitious, but a group of 15 developers at Hello Games believes this is possible with fully 3D graphics and a vibrant universe to boot. When it arrives in August, you can expect to explore endlessly, limited only by the amount of fuel in your spacecraft as well as how far it can travel before you need to start saving up for a new ship. By investigating planets and gathering information for a galactic database called The Atlas, you’ll accumulate an in-game currency called ‘units’ which can then be used to acquire new swag.

Expected: August 2016

1. Cities: Skylines

Cities: Skylines is SimCity updated for the modern era, proving a breath of fresh air for would-be mayors. Its core gameplay lets you dig deep into the various aspects of running a sprawling virtual city – from economics to macro and micro management and land planning. But Cities: Skylines really shines when it comes to mods, which allow you to create custom maps, assets and tools to share with other online players.

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2. Dragon Age: Inquisition

Dragon Age: Inquisition places you in the heart of a huge, vibrant world on a far greater scale than its predecessors, and it does an excellent job of making you feel in command. Packing in a huge 90 hours (and the rest) of gameplay into its storyline, Inquisition’s smart dialogue, compelling plot, savvy progression system and massive sandbox world will have you engrossed for months on end. Think the Elder Scrolls games meets the Diablo franchise and you’re halfway there.

3. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft

A card game from the makers of World of Warcraft, Hearthstone is easy to learn, but hard to master. Like Blizzard’s famous MMO, Hearthstone combines classes, characters and a bit of tactical luck when throwing you into battle against computerised or online opponents. Stick with it and you’ll be rewarded by its tactical, deep gameplay. Though available on iOS and Android, its low system requirements, excellent presentation and great sound effects mean it’s best experienced on the PC.

4. Dark Souls 3

Though it’s arguably not as difficult as previous entries in the series, From Software’s Dark Souls 3 takes everything you like about the Souls series and combines it with elements found in Bloodborne, the developer’s more recent game for PS4.

Don’t get us wrong — Dark Souls 3 is no walk in the park. It still takes skill to master its complex combat system, but it plays fair too, inviting more casual gamers to take part in its bleak, fantastical world. Plus, on the bright side, it brings remarkably better PC optimization than that of the first game.

5. Pillars of Eternity

Pillars of Eternity is a sprawling RPG in the vein of Baldaur’s Gate or Icewind Dale that combines highly detailed technical combat with hundreds of hours of gameplay. It has refreshingly low system requirements on the PC but still looks incredible thanks to its simple but effective art style, which harks back to those aforementioned isometric fantasy RPGs of the 2000s. But it’s not all about nostalgia: Pillars of Eternity has enough interesting characters, baddies and clever writing to make it a modern classic of its own.

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6. Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V is one of the most anticipated console ports to ever hit the PC. You probably didn’t need telling twice to head back into Los Santos’s hugely detailed and interactive world, but it’s ten times more fun with the PC’s richer graphics and smooth 60 frames per second gameplay. Once you’re done with its 31-hour storyline or had your fill blazing around the city causing chaos, an ever expanding list of GTA V mods – from fine tuning cars or throwing vehicles around with a Gravity Gun – are bound to keep you entertained for some time.

25. Heroes of the Storm

As inevitable as sandals in summer, Blizzard finally launched its first MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) game in June. Featuring a ton of characters from Blizzard games such as Warcraft, World of Warcraft and Starcraft 2, Heroes of the Storm sees two teams of five attempt to destroy the other’s base. When not sounding out enemy units to destroy, its expansive maps give you room to take on secondary objectives such as finding skulls or unlocking special siege units to help your team.

Accessible to newcomers while packing plenty of depth, Heroes’ finely balanced gameplay mechanics, shorter matches (compared to League of Legends) and ability-based levelling system make it a refreshing alternative to established MOBA titles and a fine game in its own right.

26. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

The new Metal Gear, which is likely Hideo Kojima’s final game in the series, is a hugely ambitious title. Its massive open world setting lets you tackle missions using stealth, but it won’t punish you for going in guns blazing – which is often the most tempting option.

Set nine years after the events of Ground Zeroes, The Phantom Pain’s story unravels through its main missions and more than 100 Side Ops tasks. The action is interspersed with gorgeous cutscenes, and while you sometimes have to decode annoying military-babble to understand what’s going on, TPP’s fast pacing and gorgeous Afghanistan settings never make the game feel like a chore.

27. SOMA

A gripping horror game in the vein of Amnesia: The Dark Descent (it’s from the same developer), SOMA has its fair share of “NOPE!” moments. But it’s not really about jump scares; the game’s most compelling aspect is its philosophical story arc, which unravels as you encounter a series of confused robots. Suffering from existential stress, the decaying machines believe they are human.

The tension builds as you venture deeper into the underwater research facility that you wake up aboard, avoiding murderous creatures, solving clever puzzles and checking voice memos to unravel the mystery. Expertly weaving elements of survival and psychological Sci-Fi horror, SOMA is a little less action packed than Alien: Isolation but engages more of the old grey matter. If that’s what you’re looking for in a fright-fest, SOMA doesn’t disappoint.

28. Prison Architect

if you think you’ve learnt a thing or two about prison life watching films like The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption over the years, cuff-em-up Prison Architect lets you put your knowledge to the test. Playing as wardens, you’re tasked with keeping prisoners in check, preventing riots from boiling over and foiling The Great Escape-style plots. And yes: it does involve sending men to the electric chair. Gnarly. Alternatively, a second mode called Escape lets you unleash your inner Bronson by hatching a plot to lead your fellow inmates to freedom. (Until you get arrested again, anyway.)

29. Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide

Five heroes, many Skaven. That’s the basic premise of Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide, a hack-and-slash fest that plays – and feels – a lot like Valve’s Left 4 Dead series. With a deep focus on co-operative gameplay, Vermintide’s melee-focused combat, random loot, level-based progression system and humanoid rat enemies make for a refreshing alternative to gunning down endless hordes of zombies.

Although it’s fun attempting to talk tactics over voice chat with players online, Vermintide is often too chaotic to try anything other than bashing or shooting the nearest Skaven between the eyes — and that’s fine — from giant Ogre Rats to stealth Gutter Runners, there’s enough variation to keep things interesting. And if you do start to get get bored, unlike the Skaven, ratcheting up the difficulty makes sure Vermintide won’t get long in the tooth any time soon.

30. Fallout 4

It’s official: Fallout 4 has lived up to the hype. Despite feeling a little bit like Fallout 3 but with nicer graphics at times, its tighter shooting, in-depth crafting system and well-thought out story make it a wholly more enticing affair.

As the Sole Survivor (the first fully-voiced protagonist in the Fallout series) in Boston’s post-apocalypse wasteland, you’ll take on Feral Ghouls, Raiders, Syths and Bloodbugs and more with high-powered weaponry that includes the Fat Man mini nuke cannon and the fusion cell-powered Laser Musket.

PC gamers can take Fallout 4 to even greater highs through a growing number of mods. They range from the Enhanced Wasteland Preset, which makes the wasteland look more vibrant on beefy PCs, to the sensibly named Fallout 4 Configuration Tool, which makes the game run smoother on wimpier PCs.

31. Rainbow Six: Siege

If the Call of Duty series is the poison that dumbed down the FPS genre with its run-and-gun gameplay, then Rainbow Six: Siege is the antidote. Working as a team to out-wit the enemy, Siege plays out like a thinking man (or woman’s) Counter-Strike that doesn’t simply encourage cooperation if you want to win – it requires it.

When you’re not peering down your gun’s iron sights, you’ll be laying traps, scouting ahead using drones, strategising with your teammates and building walls that could keep a herd of demented bulls at bay. While Siege’s heavy reliance on tactical team-based gameplay can prove its biggest weakness if you’re hoisted into a server with a particularly uncooperative bunch, when it does click, it provides a level of satisfaction rarely found in online multiplayer games.

32. Rise of the Tomb Raider

“Console port” is no longer a dirty phrase thanks to efforts like Rise of the Tomb Raider, which gets the treatment it deserves on PC. Featuring stunning and varied locations, exciting combat and effective stealth mechanics, Lara’s epic outing often feels movie-like in its execution and scope.

Crystal Dynamics has kept the soul of the original games intact too – there’s pistols aplenty, amazing architecture and angry animals that would quite like to gobble you up – meaning you’ll never get bored once you’ve soaked up Siberia’s amazing architecture. If you’re into adventures, it’s easily one of the best PC games around.

33. Gears of War: Ultimate Edition

After Microsoft acquired the rights to the Gears of War franchise in 2014, it came as no surprise that a full-fledged sequel would be making its way to Xbox. What we didn’t see coming, however, was a complete remake of the first game developed from the ground up for both Microsoft’s console and Windows 10.

Featuring over 3,000 original art assets, revamped motion capture and a refined control scheme, the original Gears of War is only bettered by its adoption of DirectX 12 and support for resolutions up to 4K. If you ever wondered where to start in this critically-acclaimed third-person cover shooter series, look no further than Gears of War: Ultimate Edition available on the Windows Store.

34. Superhot

Originally created as an entry to the 7 Day FPS Challenge, Superhot’s Polish developers were inspired by a top-down game called Time4Cat where time only moves when the player does. They took this concept one step further and turned it into a FPS. Falling somewhere between Portal and Max Payne, nifty reflexes, patience and an eye for puzzle solving is required.

The aim is to defeat a finite number of enemies by dodging bullets and returning a few yourself. The game is now available to buy and download on Steam, but you can head back to where it all began by playing the flash version of Superhot online for free. You’ll need the Unity Web Player plugin which is currently not supported by Chrome.

35. X-COM 2

X-Com 2 is one addictive game, and we still can’t put it down. Following up from 2012’s XCOM: Enemy Unknown, which reimagined the 1994 cult classic UFO: Enemy Unknown, XCOM 2 has delivered everything we wanted in a sequel. Bigger, deeper, faster and even easier on the eyes, the turn-based tactics game takes place 20 years after its predecessor.

It pits you in control of the Avenger, a converted alien ship that serves as your mobile base of operations used to devise strategy and execute fight plans against otherworldly enemies. With a greater focus of stealth, more intelligent alien AI and deeper customization options, XCOM 2 is bound to end up one of our games of the year.

36. Battleborn

Battleborn is the product of a recent influx of “hero shooter” games. Down to the basics, this means in the case of Borderlands developer Gearbox’s latest hit, you get to choose between 25 characters each resonating with one of five factions.

The heroes range from hulking giants like El Dragón, who body slam their way to victory, to long-range snipers like Marquis. Unlike Borderlands, Battleborn is all about its three competitive multiplayer modes, although there’s a single-player/co-op-driven story mode to boot.

I mean, who doesn’t want to play a game where your character is quite literally referred to as a badass within the actual canon?

Source: techradar.com

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