The Definitive Top 100 PC Games: A Complete Guide to the Best of the Best

Dive into the ultimate ranking of the 100 best PC games ever made. From timeless classics to modern masterpieces, our detailed guide explores why each game earned its place on this legendary list.

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Decoding the Ultimate List: A Deep Dive into the 100 Best PC Games

Every year, gamers and critics engage in the monumental task of ranking the best games to ever grace the PC platform. It’s more than just a list; it’s a reflection of our shared history, a celebration of innovation, and a guidepost for what makes a game truly timeless. This year’s ranking is a fascinating mix of enduring classics, groundbreaking indies, and modern blockbusters that have redefined their genres.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the rankings, breaking down why each of these 100 titles earned its coveted spot. Whether you’re looking to rediscover an old favorite or find your next obsession, this is the definitive tour of PC gaming’s finest.

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The Foundation: Ranks 100-75

Kicking off the list are games that have made a significant impact, either by perfecting a genre or offering a uniquely compelling experience that has stuck with players for years. These are the essential titles that form the bedrock of any great PC library.

100. Unavowed (2018)

Hailed as the pinnacle of developer Wadjet Eye’s portfolio, Unavowed is far more than a simple point-and-click adventure. It’s a masterclass in supernatural storytelling, weaving a gripping urban fantasy narrative that feels straight out of The Dresden Files or Constantine. With a fascinating cast of investigators—from a fire mage to a spirit medium—and a BioWare-style companion system, its clever puzzles and tangled plot make it one of an all-time great adventure game.

99. Cities: Skylines (2015)

While its recent sequel may have stumbled, the original Cities: Skylines stands tall as a titan of the city-builder genre. For nearly a decade, it has been the gold standard, bolstered by a wealth of high-quality DLC and an unparalleled modding community. In almost every aspect, from performance to visual appeal, it remains the superior experience and an absolute classic.

98. Against the Storm (2023)

This title strikes a perfect balance between cozy resource management and looming existential dread. You’ll find yourself happily baking pies for frog-folk and brewing beer for beavers, all while managing the ever-present threat of a storm that brings increasing hardships. It’s a game of gentle creation under immense pressure, and it’s brilliantly executed.

97. Dave the Diver (2023)

What appears to be a quaint underwater platformer quickly reveals itself as a bottomless ocean of features. Just when you think you’ve unlocked everything, Dave the Diver introduces a photography system, fish farming, seahorse racing, and an expansive storyline involving a civilization of sea people. It’s a game that constantly surprises with its sheer depth and charm.

96. Shadowrun: Dragonfall — Director’s Cut (2014)

For those who love the intersection of high fantasy and gritty cyberpunk, Shadowrun: Dragonfall is a dream come true. It perfectly captures the thrill of assembling a team of wizards, warriors, hackers, and cyborgs to take on dangerous missions, whether you’re raiding a dungeon for loot or a corporation for data.

95. Dusk (2018)

As the trailblazer of the indie “boomer shooter” revival, Dusk remains a benchmark for the genre. Seven years after its release, its fast-paced, visceral combat still feels fresh and surprising. It proves that stellar art direction can easily trump graphical fidelity, creating breathtaking visuals that are as memorable as they are stylized. Plus, it’s genuinely funny.

94. Metaphor: ReFantazio (2024)

Even if you’re not a fan of Atlus’s other major series, Persona, this game stands firmly on its own as a spectacular JRPG. Metaphor: ReFantazio is bursting at the seams with intriguing fantasy politics, brilliantly written characters, and a story that captivates from start to finish.

93. Hotline Miami (2012)

Fast, brutal, and utterly hypnotic. Hotline Miami is a top-down fever dream of neon violence that grabs you and doesn’t let go. You’re tasked with surviving against impossible odds, slamming through doors and taking down gangsters in a whirlwind of blood and carnage, all set to an iconic electronic soundtrack.

92. Lethal Company (2023)

This co-op horror game has become a phenomenon for good reason. It’s a masterclass in emergent gameplay, giving players a set of tools and a terrifying sandbox, then stepping back to let the hilarious, chaotic, and scary moments unfold naturally. It has elevated multiplayer wackiness to an art form.

91. Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020)

Despite a rockier 2024 edition, the 2020 version of Microsoft Flight Simulator remains one of the most incredible technical achievements in gaming. Its 1:1 scale virtual Earth provides an experience of awe and wonder, soaring above the clouds and feeling firsthand the breathtaking scale of our world.

90. Team Fortress 2 (2007)

Still considered the pinnacle of the class-based shooter, Team Fortress 2 is a testament to community-driven development and timeless design. Valve’s premiere “hat simulator” continues to receive updates fueled by crowdsourced content, maintaining a dedicated player base nearly two decades after its launch.

88. The Sims 4 (2014)

Many have tried, but no life sim has managed to dethrone The Sims 4. Despite its mountain of DLC, the core simulation remains incredibly robust and engaging. Its Build Mode, in particular, is a superb and intuitive tool that other games should take notes from.

87. Subnautica (2018)

For a game that can trigger intense thalassophobia, Subnautica is an unforgettable experience. Its success lies in its beautiful underwater world, intuitive crafting systems, and creative base-building mechanics. It’s a timeless survival-crafting adventure that pulls you deep beneath the waves and keeps you there.

86. Rocket League (2015)

The epitome of “easy to learn, difficult to master,” Rocket League is a phenomenon. On the surface, it’s just cars hitting a giant ball into a net. But beneath that simple premise lies a game of incredible skill, complex aerial maneuvers, tactical positioning, and astute physics manipulation.

85. Thank Goodness You’re Here! (2024)

One of the few games capable of inducing genuine, ugly cackles of laughter. Described as a “comedy slapformer,” this title is filled with bizarre and unsettling minigames that are as entertaining as they are strange, made even better by the inclusion of Matt Berry’s iconic voice.

84. Halo: The Master Chief Collection (2019)

While the future of the Halo franchise may seem uncertain, this collection is the definitive way to experience its golden years. It’s a generous package containing five superb Bungie-developed titles and the decent Halo 4, complete with their classic multiplayer modes, all beautifully remastered for PC.

83. Encho Point (2025)

This is a sprawling, open-world FPS built for “trickshot sickos.” Imagine a co-op Doom designed for players who love the creative expression of Tony Hawk or Skate. It’s a movement shooter that throws rational speed limits out the window, focusing on pure, unadulterated, all-killer-no-filler action.

82. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025)

Marinated in the wonderful angst of classic console JRPGs, this French-developed title presents a world where your days are literally numbered. Each year, a “paintress” marks a new age, and anyone of that age or older turns to dust. You lead an expedition to fight back in your final year of life. Its unique turn-based combat incorporates timing-based parries and counters, set against a deeply existential and compelling narrative.

81. Blue Prince (2025)

Just when you thought the “mysterious house puzzle” genre was out of fresh ideas, Blue Prince arrives. By cleverly integrating roguelite elements, it creates a nearly year-long obsession for players. While occasionally frustrating, the sheer depth of the mansion’s mysteries makes it one of the most captivating puzzle games in recent memory.

80. Stellaris (2016)

Though its recent support has been uneven, this nearly decade-old 4X strategy game remains a wonderfully rich and dense simulation. Stellaris allows you to play out nearly any sci-fi trope imaginable, creating a grand, coherent mash-up of countless space operas where you guide a species from a single planet to galactic domination.

79. Cult of the Lamb (2022)

This game hooks you for what you think will be a few hours and quickly becomes an all-consuming obsession. It perfectly blends cute-and-creepy cult management with satisfying heretic-slaying roguelike mechanics. There’s a dark joy in running your own little cult filled with adorable woodland creatures.

78. Total War: Warhammer 3 (2022)

The joy of the Total War series has always been the ability to zoom from a grand strategic map down to the chaos of the battlefield. Warhammer 3 elevates that spectacle to a new level. Zooming in no longer reveals simple spearmen; it shows a monstrous bear-rider slamming into a horde of hot-pink daemons.

77. What Remains of Edith Finch (2017)

Arriving at the tail end of the “walking simulator” craze, this game stands as the absolute pinnacle of the genre. It tells the poignant, tragic story of the Finch family through a series of incredibly imaginative, creative, and unpredictable vignettes. It’s a heartfelt masterpiece of interactive storytelling.

76. Alien: Isolation (2014)

Is this the best licensed game ever made? It has a strong case. Alien: Isolation perfectly understands its source material, delivering a terrifying experience against a single, relentless Xenomorph. Its setting, the Sevastopol station, is a brilliant slice of retro-futurist design that feels like a true extension of the films.

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Climbing the Ranks: 75-51

Entering the next tier, we find games that are not just excellent, but have also had a profound influence on their respective genres. These titles have been refined over years or delivered a near-perfect experience right out of the box.

75. Monster Hunter: World (2018)

While the newer Monster Hunter: Wilds has its strengths, World remains the complete package. It brought the series to a massive new audience with its sublime monster-slaying action, beautiful ecosystems, and deep crafting systems, overcoming some of the flaws of its successor.

74. Cyberpunk 2077 (2020)

Despite a notoriously rocky launch, Cyberpunk 2077 has evolved into a triumph. Night City is a stunning achievement in world-building, blending incredible graphical grunt with brilliant art direction. The game’s main quest is better paced than The Witcher 3‘s, and it continues CDPR’s industry-leading standard for high-quality side content, full of memorable, Philip K. Dick-inspired sci-fi tales.

73. FTL: Faster Than Light (2012)

Even years later, FTL is one of the first roguelikes that comes to mind for a recommendation. Its Star Trek-esque trappings are the perfect complement to its tense, strategic gameplay and narrative pit stops. It remains the only game to so effectively weaponize a ship’s door controls against boarders and fires.

72. Vampire Survivors (2022)

What started as a simple, breezy time-waster has evolved into a game overflowing with content. Vampire Survivors pioneered its own “bullet heaven” genre and then stacked it high with secrets, characters, and endless “more.” It’s a generous and addictive experience that keeps players coming back for one more run.

71. Alan Wake 2 (2023)

A truly horrifying and masterfully crafted experience. Remedy Entertainment’s sequel is a quirky, surreal, and deeply unsettling journey into darkness. It’s a game that impresses with its creativity and scares the living daylights out of you with its unique monstrosities.

69. Grand Theft Auto V (2015 on PC)

Still the undisputed king of open-world crime simulators. Driven by the incredible success of GTA Online, GTA V has shown remarkable staying power. With GTA 6 on the horizon, the fact that this decade-old game remains a staple on the most-played charts is a testament to its enduring quality.

68. Resident Evil 2 (Remake) (2019)

This remake is largely responsible for the modern resurgence of survival horror. It brilliantly reimagined a golden-era classic, taking players back to the zombie-infested Raccoon City with Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield. Its tense atmosphere, terrifying enemies, and masterful level design set a new standard for remakes.

67. Deep Rock Galactic (2020)

This game’s popularity is not just enduring; it’s overwhelmingly enthusiastic. The DRG community is relentlessly positive, and for good reason. It’s a co-op shooter that emphasizes true cooperation—working together to creatively solve problems while mining valuable resources and fending off alien hordes. Rock and Stone!

66. Mass Effect Legendary Edition (2021)

While the third-person cover shooting and binary morality system may feel a bit dated, the universe of Mass Effect remains unparalleled. The world, the characters, and the writing are still powerful reasons to board the Normandy and embark on one of gaming’s greatest sci-fi epics.

65. Counter-Strike 2 (2023)

Billed as a true sequel, CS2 is more of a definitive evolution of the same competitive shooter we’ve been playing for decades. It focuses on crucial under-the-hood improvements, like volumetric smoke and sub-tick server architecture, ensuring that this pillar of esports remains sharp and competitive for years to come.

64. Diablo II: Resurrected (2021)

This excellent remaster provides a modern way to play an all-time ARPG classic. It captures the dark, gothic atmosphere and addictive loot-driven gameplay of the original, free from the live-service clutter of more recent titles. It’s a pure, unfiltered adventure back into hell.

63. Garry’s Mod (2006)

A true testament to the creativity of the PC gaming community. Garry’s Mod is a physics sandbox that has become a platform for countless bizarre and esoteric game modes. One moment you’re a watermelon racing other watermelons, the next you’re in a tense roleplaying server. Its possibilities are nearly endless.

62. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords (2004)

Twenty years later, this is still the most interesting and intellectually challenging Star Wars game ever made. Through memorable characters like Kreia, its mature writing explores areas of the Force and morality that no other media in the franchise has dared to touch.

61. Yakuza 0 (2018)

While the main plot is a gripping crime drama, the soul of Yakuza 0 lies in its wonderfully bizarre substories. This is a game where you can go from a brutal street fight to helping a kid buy an adult magazine or managing a real estate empire. It’s heartfelt, hilarious, and utterly unique.

60. Arma 3 (2013)

Few games are as demanding as Arma 3, but for those willing to brave its unforgiving interface and performance quirks, it offers the ultimate military simulation. It’s the definitive “hike for two hours before getting shot from a bush” simulator, delivering a level of crunchy realism that is unmatched.

59. Satisfactory (2024)

This is a factory-building game about optimization and creative expression. You could build efficient, boring production lines, but why not spend weeks designing an artful network of conveyor belts that deliver pizzas straight to your base? It’s about harnessing a huge open world to build silly, elaborate, and mathematically precise constructs that are uniquely yours.

58. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat (2009)

For players who prefer gritty, atmospheric survival over grand heroic narratives, there is the Zone. Call of Pripyat offers an ever-lovable, ever-janky world that doesn’t care about you. It’s a place where you can be shot to death over a tin of Spam, and that bleak, unforgiving nature is precisely what makes it so compelling.

57. NieR:Automata (2017)

Behind the initial impression of a game about “sexy androids” lies one of the most effective, haunting, and unique action RPGs ever created. Yoko Taro’s masterpiece tells a deeply philosophical and emotional story about consciousness, humanity, and purpose, all wrapped in a slick, stylish combat system.

56. System Shock 2 (1999)

A landmark immersive sim that remains a favorite for many. Its pitch-perfect horror atmosphere, myriad secrets, endless character build possibilities, and an unhinged techno soundtrack combine to create an experience that players will never stop coming back to. It’s a masterclass in tension and player freedom.

53. Papers, Please (2013)

A game that creator Lucas Pope wishes was not so “f****** relevant” today. As an immigration inspector in a dystopian state, you are forced to make difficult moral choices. It’s a powerful and important game that uses simple mechanics to explore complex themes of humanity, bureaucracy, and authoritarianism.

52. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege X (2015)

After a disastrous launch, Ubisoft’s dedication turned Siege into one of the best tactical shooters on the market. A decade of updates has refined its core gameplay of strategic destruction and intel gathering. The recent “Siege X” update even added a new 6v6 mode where teams must attack and defend simultaneously, proving the game is still evolving in exciting ways.

51. Dragon Age: Origins (2009)

A landmark fantasy RPG that set a new standard for the genre. With its dark fantasy tone, unforgettable characters like Morrigan, and deep, tactical RPG systems, Origins remains the best Dragon Age experience. It’s a must-play for any fan of deep, narrative-driven roleplaying.

50. Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri (1999)

Forget Civilization for a moment—many argue that Alpha Centauri remains the best 4X strategy game Firaxis has ever made. Its exceptional faction design, a deeply engaging sci-fi story about colonizing a mysterious alien world, and complex political and philosophical themes have kept it a must-play for decades.

49. Persona 5 Royal (2022 on PC)

Atlus has certainly capitalized on the popularity of the Phantom Thieves, and for good reason. Persona 5 Royal is a truly top-notch JRPG, standing as a high watermark for the genre with its incredible cast of characters, a phenomenal acid-jazz soundtrack, and meticulously designed dungeons that are a joy to explore. For newcomers and veterans alike, this is the definitive Persona experience.

48. Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster (2016 on PC)

This collection represents the end of an era for the series, bookending a period of classic, turn-based Final Fantasy greats. The story of Yuna’s selfless pilgrimage is a powerful example of Square Enix in its prime. While some argue the remastered art style loses some of the original’s charm, the emotional core of this legendary RPG remains as potent as ever.

47. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines (2004)

Often described as a prototype for Fallout: New Vegas, Bloodlines translates the flexible, choice-driven RPG design of 2D classics into a fully realized 3D world. More than that, it delivers an unforgettable gothic-punk atmosphere, immersing players in the dark, seductive, and dangerous world of vampire politics. It’s a buggy masterpiece that the fan community has lovingly maintained for years.

46. Wildermyth (2021)

This is a game that serves as a remarkable storytelling engine. Wildermyth uses layered procedural generation to churn out incredibly rich and personal stories. As you lead your heroes across the land in tense, turn-based battles, they grow, change, fall in love, suffer hardships, and eventually retire, passing their legacy on to the next generation. Sometimes, they also get turned into a frog-man.

45. Straftat (2024)

Best described as “slapstick Quake,” Straftat is a unique 1v1 French FPS that is as stylish as it is chaotic. It throws you into a brutalist playground with a variety of clownish and exotic weapons. With a huge number of maps and a generous free-to-play model, it stands out as one of the best and most original shooters on Steam.

44. Into the Breach (2018)

This is arguably the most perfectly designed turn-based tactics game on PC. Its genius lies in telling you exactly what your kaiju opponents are going to do next turn. The game then becomes a high-stakes puzzle: how can you use your three mechs to push, pull, and manipulate the enemies so their attacks miss, hit each other, or are otherwise nullified? Every turn is a set of life-or-death decisions.

43. The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe (2022)

Trying to describe The Stanley Parable is a challenge in itself. It’s a game about choice, narration, and the very nature of game design. Its omnipresent, witty narrator is one of the best running gags in all of gaming, constantly reacting to your decisions—or your defiance of them. Ultra Deluxe adds even more content and branching paths to this hilarious, fourth-wall-breaking masterpiece.

42. Kerbal Space Program (2015)

The perfect distillation of two wonderful things: ambitious space exploration and glorious, abject failure. Kerbal Space Program tasks you with building rockets and sending the adorable Kerbals into space. More often than not, your creations will explode in spectacular fashion. But every failure is a learning experience, making your eventual success of landing on the Mun that much sweeter.

41. Hollow Knight (2017)

Even with the highly anticipated Silksong on the horizon, the original Hollow Knight remains a monumental achievement. The initial feeling of being utterly lost in the vast, beautiful, and melancholic kingdom of Hallownest is unforgettable. Its tight controls, challenging combat, and deep lore make it one of the greatest Metroidvanias ever created.

40. Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire (2018)

Obsidian created one of the best CRPGs of the last decade, and it remains a well-kept secret for many. Swapping traditional fantasy plains for a Caribbean-inspired archipelago, Deadfire places you in the middle of a colonial conflict between competing factions. You do this all while pursuing a resurrected god inhabiting a giant statue. It’s a brilliant, swashbuckling fantasy pirate simulator.

39. Hunt: Showdown (2019)

This horror-cowboy extraction shooter earns its recurring spot on the list for its extraordinarily organic and tense gunfights. Encounters feel spontaneous because they rely on your own eyes and ears, not a UI. The slow-firing, high-impact 1896-era weapon set gives firefights a unique rhythm, where every shot echoes through the bayou and could be your last.

38. Slay the Spire (2019)

The game that kicked the roguelike deckbuilder genre into the stratosphere. Slay the Spire is so deliciously addictive and masterfully balanced that it inspired an entire generation of indie developers. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then this game is being showered with praise. Its elegant design and endless replayability make it a true modern classic.

37. Hitman: World of Assassination (2021)

The modern Hitman trilogy is a masterclass in sandbox level design. What’s so brilliant about these games is how they smoothly transform you into a “sicko,” seeing the world not as a place, but as a series of murderous opportunities. Each level is a complex, intricate clockwork machine that you can manipulate to pull off the perfect assassination, making you feel like a criminal mastermind.

36. Max Payne (2001)

A perfect crystallization of turn-of-the-millennium action cinema. Remedy’s classic third-person shooter combined a gritty noir tone, a comic book-style narrative, and the revolutionary “bullet time” mechanic. Beneath the slow-motion action, Max Payne is a series of violent puzzles, challenging you to choreograph your way through each encounter.

35. Spelunky (2012 on PC)

As you descend deeper into its randomly generated caves, Spelunky makes you feel true precarity. Every step is fraught with danger, from arrow traps to angry shopkeepers. This unforgiving design is what makes reaching its many secrets so rewarding. It’s a platformer that demands perfection and has influenced countless roguelikes.

34. Hades (2020)

Supergiant Games created the platonic ideal of an isometric action roguelike. Hades is polished to a mirror shine in every aspect: a novel narrative structure that unfolds with each run, gorgeous artwork, charming voice acting, thoughtful character work, and a killer soundtrack. It seamlessly blends addictive gameplay with a compelling story.

33. Portal 2 (2011)

While the original was a perfectly contained puzzle box, Portal 2 expanded on the formula with more creative ideas, a hilarious story featuring unforgettable characters like Wheatley and Cave Johnson, and a fantastic co-op campaign. The multiplayer, in particular, is a brilliant experience that forces you and a friend to truly “think with portals” together.

32. Return of the Obra Dinn (2018)

A mystery game that is actually a mystery. Armed with a magical pocket watch that lets you see the moment of a person’s death, you must identify the fate of all 60 crew members of a ghost ship. Nothing else looks or plays like Obra Dinn, with its striking 1-bit art style and its confident demand for sharp deductive reasoning from the player.

31. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2023 on PC via Master Collection)

Hideo Kojima’s masterpiece is the most personal and emotional story in the entire Metal Gear saga. Big Boss’s origin story is a tearjerker about duty and betrayal, but it’s the doomed relationship between Snake and his mentor, The Boss, that has cemented its place in gaming history for decades.

30. Fallout: New Vegas (2010)

This is the best cowboy game ever made, and it happens to be a post-apocalyptic RPG. Obsidian’s masterful storytelling shines in this tale of a courier caught between warring factions competing for the soul of the Mojave Wasteland. Its incredible writing, memorable characters, and unparalleled player choice make it a fan favorite to this day.

29. Pentiment (2022)

Another Obsidian gem, Pentiment is a rare adventure game that makes you feel like a true investigator—and not always a good one. Set in a 16th-century Bavarian village, you play as an artist trying to solve a series of murders. Without modern forensics, you must rely on scraps of evidence and guesswork, and you have to live with the consequences of your potentially wrong accusations.

28. Nine Sols (2024)

An entrant into the “Sekiro-like” genre that absolutely sizzles. Coming from a developer known mostly for horror games, Nine Sols is a beautiful, tightly written, and immaculately designed 2D action game. Its focus on parrying and fast-paced combat makes it a stunning and satisfying experience.

27. Helldivers 2 (2024)

Arrowhead Games created a co-op phenomenon by leveraging physics simulation, orchestral bombast, sharp sociopolitical satire, and an obsessive attention to detail. It’s a game that generates endless moments of slapstick mayhem, all in the name of spreading managed democracy across the galaxy.

26. Deus Ex (2000)

The original Deus Ex endures because it gave players unprecedented freedom. Every mission offered multiple paths—stealth, hacking, brute force—and your choices felt truly meaningful. Its rich, conspiratorial cyberpunk world was eerily prescient and packed with an untamed ambition that few games have dared to replicate since.

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The Pantheon: Ranks 25-11

These are the legends. Each game in this tier is a masterpiece that has left an indelible mark on PC gaming, either through flawless execution, boundless creativity, or genre-defining innovation.

25. Dishonored 2 (2016)

Whisper it quietly, but Dishonored 2 might be the best immersive sim ever made. The level of player control is top-tier, allowing for incredible creativity in how you approach its brilliantly designed levels (like the Clockwork Mansion). It asks you how far you would go for revenge and gives you a stunning set of supernatural tools to find out.

24. Dark Souls: Remastered (2018)

In 2011, FromSoftware taught the world that deliberate attack animations and punishing difficulty could be incredibly rewarding. The world of Lordran is a masterclass in interconnected level design, and its influence can be seen in countless third-person action games today. Revisiting the original is a reminder of how little FromSoft’s core design ethos has changed, because it was brilliant from the start.

23. Undertale (2015)

A game that sticks with you long after you’ve finished it. Its charming characters, iconic soundtrack, and heartfelt story about compassion and choice have provided comfort to countless players. It cleverly subverts RPG tropes and offers a truly unique experience that can be peaceful or brutal, all depending on your actions.

22. Divinity: Original Sin 2 (2017)

Even with its younger sibling Baldur’s Gate 3 taking the spotlight, DOS2 remains a special CRPG. Larian’s bespoke mechanics and worldbuilding are fantastic, and its combat system—focused on stripping enemy defenses and creating chaotic elemental surface interactions—is like no other RPG. The floor is always lava, and it’s glorious.

21. Planescape: Torment (1999)

While Disco Elysium may now be the gold standard for narrative-driven RPGs, its primary inspiration still has the juice. Playing as an amnesiac immortal, you embark on a bizarre and philosophical journey to discover who you are. Its sharp writing and focus on dialogue over combat make it one of the most unique and intelligent RPGs ever written.

19. Thief Gold (1999)

The quintessential first-person stealth experience. Thief puts you in the shoes of Garrett, a master thief in a dark, industrial fantasy world. Its emphasis on avoiding confrontation, using sound and shadow, and navigating its diverse, non-gimmicky levels makes it top-tier stealth that modern games could still learn from.

18. Prey (2017)

Arkane already made System Shock 3, and they called it Prey. This immersive sim is a special jumble of systems and pathways set aboard a derelict space station. It’s more than happy to let you find strange, creative routes to solve problems, whether by transforming into a coffee cup or using a GLOO Cannon to build your own platforms.

17. RimWorld (2018)

This is less a game and more a gripping post-apocalyptic hell-sim and storytelling engine. RimWorld is an intricate dance of chaotic systems that generates beautiful, tragic, and hilarious emergent narratives. The reason you play is to see what wild story unfolds, whether it involves colonists eating each other, starting a drug empire, or building a thriving society against all odds.

16. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (2019)

This is FromSoftware at its most focused. Where Dark Souls offers build expression, Sekiro hones its gameplay to a razor’s edge. It sheds RPG elements for pure, posture-based combat that is all about rhythm, deflection, and aggression. It is a peerless action game with one of the most satisfying combat systems ever designed.

15. Half-Life 2 (2004)

Though it may be creaking with age, Half-Life 2 remains an FPS of immense quality and foresight. While it lacks the perfect opening of the original, it delivers a stronger overall experience, from the physics-based chaos of the Gravity Gun to the desperate defense of Ravenholm. It pushed videogame storytelling and technology forward in ways that are still felt today.

14. Baldur’s Gate 2: Enhanced Edition (2000)

Until Baldur’s Gate 3, this was widely considered the greatest fantasy RPG ever made. With its incredibly memorable villain Jon Irenicus, epic scale, and nearly infinite replayability, BG2 is a singular gaming experience. Its smart writing, deep D&D systems, and iconic characters make it a legendary title that grips you and never lets you go.

13. Kingdom Come: Deliverance (2018)

This game delivers a hefty dose of crunchy, faux-medieval realism to its RPG formula. Its combat is unforgiving yet learnable, its dialogue sounds like things real people might have said, and its open world is genuinely immersive. You start as a nobody, Henry the blacksmith’s son, and must slowly and painstakingly learn to survive in 15th-century Bohemia.

12. XCOM 2 (2016)

Firaxis nailed the combination of strategic tension and tactical turn-based combat. The War of the Chosen expansion is essential, adding detestable new villains and high narrative stakes. No other game has managed to make you feel the pressure of saving the world while an alien overlord mocks you for missing a 90% shot.

11. Doom (1993)

The desert island FPS. The game that started it all. Whether it was the creative brilliance of John Romero or the technical wizardry of John Carmack, id Software made history in 1993. Decades later, thanks to a massive and dedicated modding community, Doom continues to be a cornerstone of PC gaming.

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The Top 10: An Elite Circle

Here they are. The ten best PC games of all time, according to this list. Each one is a landmark title that has achieved something extraordinary, setting a standard that will be chased for generations.

10. Red Dead Redemption 2 (2019 on PC)

This is the most lavish and intricately detailed open world in all of PC gaming. A stunningly beautiful game on both a majestic and a minute scale, RDR2 tells a rare Rockstar story that leans into pathos and sincerity over cynicism. But the true joy is found in the journeys, not the destinations—simply wandering its world, discovering its sights, and living in its meticulously crafted simulation.

9. Elden Ring (2022)

FromSoftware took its signature Souls formula and brilliantly translated it to a massive open world. The result is a decadent buffet of dungeons, epic boss fights, and hidden secrets to discover. The Lands Between is a world that feels both grand and elegantly designed, while its Shadow of the Erdtree expansion provides a Michelin-caliber challenge for even the most seasoned players.

8. Balatro (2024)

You have to play Balatro to understand its genius. What looks like a simple poker-based roguelike disguises an incredibly deep rabbit hole of wild strategy and creative build-crafting. It reveals itself in exquisite layers, and a run that feels powerful at 5 hours in is nothing compared to the screen-breaking combos you’ll discover 20 hours in.

7. Caves of Qud (2024)

To call Caves of Qud a tile-based roguelike is technically correct but doesn’t capture its mystifying essence. It is a procedural conjuror of deep future fever dreams. It’s a showcase of stylistic and systemic artistry, generating a world of bird-worshipping alligator mayors and chairs that can become sentient. It is an incomparable storytelling engine of absurd complexity.

6. Stardew Valley (2016)

A beacon of feel-good cozy goodness. For nearly a decade, Stardew Valley has remained one of the most influential indie games ever made. Its warm vibes, whimsical characters, and satisfying farming loop create an experience that is almost impossible to put down. It inspired a thousand other farming sims, but it remains the undisputed king.

5. Crusader Kings 3 (2020)

The best way to experience the medieval world—if you want that experience to involve chasing perverts out of your bedroom, murdering your family for a better line of succession, and succumbing to alcoholism. CK3 is so much more than a strategy game; it’s an elaborate RPG and a centuries-long life sim that generates endless dramatic and hilarious stories.

4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015)

It has been a decade since The Witcher 3 changed our expectations for what an open-world RPG could be. How many games since have had sidequests as clever or as funny? Or a protagonist with as strong a sense of place in their world as Geralt? It’s a high watermark for storytelling, world-building, and character development that still holds up today.

3. Dwarf Fortress (2006, with 2022 Steam release)

An incomparable storytelling engine of absurd, mind-boggling complexity. Dwarf Fortress models everything from geologic erosion and nerve tissue damage to feline alcohol poisoning. It generates entire worlds with thousands of years of history, and then lets you attempt to build a fortress within it. It’s a testament to its sprawling intricacy that players have been witnessing epic dwarven histories unfold for nearly two decades. With any luck, we’ll still be playing it in 2040.

2. Disco Elysium (2019)

A masterfully written piece of art. No game has ever captured the malaise of the end of history better. You play as a bloated, self-destructive, amnesiac detective trying to solve a murder in a city stuck in a neverending present. It manages to be hilarious, harrowing, uplifting, and depressing all at once. With its revolutionary skill system based on your own psyche and the best companion character in any RPG (Kim Kitsuragi), Disco Elysium is a singular, unforgettable experience.

1. Baldur’s Gate 3 (2023)

Are we really surprised? Baldur’s Gate 3 is the best fantasy RPG of all time. It is a game of such staggering complexity, flexibility, fun, and beauty that it will leave an emotional mark on you, no matter how you play. It is a masterclass achievement from Larian Studios, earned through years of perfecting their craft. With a cast of characters so well-realized it feels like a new benchmark for the genre, incredible player freedom, and exemplary post-launch support that turned an excellent game into an all-timer, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a landmark title whose influence will be felt for decades to come.

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