Awesome computer games to play

It's possibly one of the biggest and best single-player PC games ever and it has an extensive multiplayer mode too. RDR2 on PC is handily a must-play for anyone with a rig beefy enough to run it. Through its relaunch and subsequent three expansions FFXIV has slowly morphed from a relatively generic good-versus-evil plot into a sprawling, political, and fantastical thriller. Story missions are intended to be tackled solo, and even instanced dungeons now have an option for you to enter with computer-controlled party members instead of forcing you into a group with strangers.

Square Enix had to temporarily stop selling FF14 upon its release, as the expansion's popularity exceeded the company's server capacity. As well as transplanting the dice-rolls and deep dialogue options from Dungeons and Dragons into a lesser-seen noir-detective setting, it offers entirely original ways to play, such as such as debating against 24 different sections of your own brain, each representative of a different skill or trait.

Your down-and-out detective is thrust into circumstances where you must solve a murder, but with all great stories its not the conclusion that is solely gratifying, but the journey you took to get there as its ludicrously detailed world and cast of characters drive it along, supported by some of the best writing seen in a game.

Nier: Automata is, by all accounts, a game that shouldn't exist. Director Yoko Taro's original Nier flopped back in , but it nevertheless developed a ravenous fanbase — and for good reason. To put it simply: Nier: Automata does what the original sought to do, learning from its failures and building on its successes to create a blend of hardcore and fluid combat, bullet-hell shoot 'em up segments, and visual novel stylings.

It all coalesces into something entirely new. Despite a frustrating PC port that the fanbase had to fix themselves with the all-but-mandatory FAR mod, Nier: Automata's staying power is etched somewhere within its philosophical musings of humanity, pain of existence, and ability to find the humor in between. Each of its big story moments is punctuated with a haunting soundtrack courtesy of composer Keiichi Okabe. All of that makes Nier: Automata a game that needs to be experienced from beginning to end — and not just ending A, but endings B, C, D, and E as well.

Those multiple endings build to something no other game has ever dared to attempt with apologies to the original Nier. But this one just hits a little different, you know? It has the same tension of going from a technologically inferior underdog to powerful war machine, with the constant threat of the permanent death of your customized soldiers looming over every decision.

However, it turns the formula of defending Earth from alien invaders on its head by boldly recasting XCOM as a guerrilla force attempting to liberate the planet from alien occupation, making the situation feel even more desperate than ever.

This bigger, deeper sequel adds not just complexity in the form of new and more powerful soldier classes, equipment, and aliens, but also a huge focus on replayability. Procedurally generated maps keep you from falling into a repeatable pattern in tactical missions, frequent random events on the strategic map shake up your build and research orders, and of course mods galore. Next up for Firaxis is Marvel's Midnight Suns , which will be released in the second half of The free update follows Franklin and his new "celebrity solutions agency" years after the events of GTA V.

Dre composed new music for the game and will be featured as a character. It masterfully mixes pieces of classic cRPGs with more modern mechanics and designs, feeling old and new at the same time. The sequel has improved upon its predecessor's already incredible combat by deepening its systems while simultaneously simplifying and smoothing out its clunkier bits - not to mention it introduced some brutally smart new AI.

There's also an overwhelming amount of game here to play. With six different origin characters, custom tags to make your own, and over 74, lines of fully voiced dialogue, this massive RPG has more than enough to keep you coming back to it.

In a roguelike, variety is king: Slay The Spire 's constantly changing decks of ability cards, powerful relics, and the three drastically different playable characters keeps these turn-based battles fresh and engaging for far longer than they have any right to.

Watching your character's attacks, defenses, skills, and powers evolve across its three chapters is a journey, and throwing your hand in at the end of a run knowing you may never see its like again can be like saying goodbye to a friend you were only just getting to know. Of course, the possibility of getting an even better combination the next time through makes it tough to resist hitting the New Game button, and the randomized Daily Climb runs give even veterans a new and interesting way to play every day.

Just as the first Half-Life proved you could tell a story in a first-person game without taking control of the camera away, and Half-Life 2 pioneered physics-based puzzles and combat, Half-Life: Alyx has set a new standard for polish in virtual reality shooters and is a truly unique experience for VR headset owners. However, if you're just jumping into PC gaming or are looking for some new games to play, we've come up with a list of the best PC games to play in These games span a wide range of genres and include newer hits Valorant and Valheim as well as tried-and-true classics that remain relevant today, like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Minecraft.

PC gaming is quite different from consoles, as your mileage with each game on this list will vary based on your rig. That said, many of the games on this list don't require the latest and greatest graphic cards--they merely help these great games look even better.

With such a massive library of games available for PC players to choose from, it shouldn't come as a surprise that this roundup is missing many worthy games. We've limited our picks to 25 games, but this list isn't static. As more great PC games are released, we'll continue to highlight fresh experiences that we think show off what makes PC gaming so great, whether you play on Steam or another platform.

And because you can often find better deals on PC games at stores like Fanatical and GOG, we've included links to those stores where available as well. Sign up for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Sign up for PC Game Pass. If you're thinking about upgrading your PC or starting a new build to play some of these games at higher settings, make sure to check out our step-by-step guide for building a gaming PC.

We've called Apex Legends the champion of battle royales in the past, and two years into its lifespan, that's something we stand by. Respawn Entertainment took its strong FPS foundation namely Titanfall and created a competitive shooter that refines all the core tenets necessary for a good battle royale.

Its roster of characters adds a strategic layer and diversity of playstyle, gunplay is sharp and engaging, and quality-of-life features like the ping system and inventory management keep you focused on executing in combat. Over the many seasons of content for Apex Legends, we've had multiple maps and game modes cycle into the experience. It has surprisingly deep lore that gets you invested in the world of Apex Legends, too. And because it's free-to-play, you have nothing to lose by giving it a shot.

See our Apex Legends review. First released in the '90s, Sid Meier's Civilization series is still going strong in , thanks to continued support for its most recent release, Civilization VI. As in previous games, Civilization VI casts you in the role of a historical leader, such as Egypt's Cleopatra or India's Gandhi, and tasks you with building your civilization from the ground up, including growing your military, developing new research facilities, and engaging in diplomacy with other world leaders.

Of course, Civilization VI expanded and improved on previous games in the series, with additions such as the inclusion of districts that let cities expand across multiple tiles, but it's also continued to receive new content in the form of two major expansions: Rise and Fall and Gathering Storm, both of which added new leaders, civilizations, and features to the game.

See our Civilization VI review. Control 's blend of action, mystique, and the surreal is one that should not be missed, and while it's available on PS5 and Xbox Series X, you'll find no version better than that of the PC. The pairing of DLSS and ray-tracing makes Control a visual powerhouse, reflecting its impressive effects on the surface of the Oldest House's pristine waxed floors and shrouding its mysterious hallways in the uncertainty of shadow. And that's all accented by supernatural fights that can pop off at a moment's notice in any one of these enigmatic rooms as the world shifts and morphs around you.

What makes Control truly special is exploring the unknown and uncovering secrets the world isn't supposed to know. See our Control review. Though CSGO has undergone significant changes over its lifespan, it's still very much the core Counter-Strike experience that revolutionized the multiplayer FPS genre in the s.

The standard mode of play is a five-on-five demolition-style match on carefully crafted maps that emphasize specific positioning, sightlines, and team strategies. But beyond that, there's a hostage rescue mode, gungame free-for-all, and tons of custom content from years of work by its player base. One of the most exciting things about CSGO is the high-intensity competitive matches where the slightest mistakes could spell doom for your team, or clutch plays could drastically shift the momentum of a match.

Counter-Strike has historically been played with a level of precision in both the FPS combat and in its tactics, which makes a bit of a steep learning curve for newcomers.

However, this classic game can be wildly rewarding, which you can see from its massive competitive scene. Recently, Valorant has adopted the Counter-Strike formula to great effect, but the high-stakes tactical combat of CSGO is still in a league of its own.

See our Counter-Strike: Global Offensive review. Arkane Studios became the name to beat when it came to first-person shooter games that married well-crafted action with rich narratives, but Deathloop has raised the bar for those games to a glorious new level. Game of the year material at its best, Deathloop's homicidal Groundhog Day appeal is amplified by its terrific cast, layered levels of gameplay, hidden secrets, and so much more. See our Deathloop review. Despite releasing more than three years ago, Destiny 2 remains one of the most popular live service multiplayer games around.

While the sequel started off on a strong note, it has only gotten better thanks to consistent updates and expansions that delivered a steady stream of enthralling first-person shooter content.

And it's not even close to being too late to jump into Destiny 2, as multiple expansions are still incoming over the next two years. Destiny 2's plethora of content would be nothing without strong mechanics and overarching systems that keep you grinding away for new gear.

Bungie crafted one of the best-feeling first-person shooters we've played in recent years, so it offers a constant source of fun regardless of whether you're making your way through story missions, going on challenging raids with friends, or battling in the Crucible.

It's a wonderful game that digs its teeth into you the more you play, and it's easily one of the best cooperative PC games available today. See our Destiny 2: Beyond Light review. When it comes to writing, Disco Elysium is perhaps unrivaled. His quest to unravel a baffling murder and the details of his life that he's forgotten takes you on an absolutely stunning adventure that thrives on its choice-based gameplay and exquisite dialogue.

Disco Elysium balances humor and serious life dilemmas with astounding grace, and the freedom it gives you to shape the narrative and your interactions with its many colorful characters you meet allows you to make this detective story your own. Its gorgeous world is teeming with life, and viewing it from the eyes of a nameless cop with memory issues makes it all the more immersive.

See our Disco Elysium review. Building on the already-brilliant formula of its predecessor, Divinity: Original Sin 2 is an all-time great RPG, giving you a huge range of freedom in how to build your party, deal with a combat scenario, and approach a given situation.

It's a game best played on PC, thanks to its crisper visuals, the precision of using a mouse, and faster loading times, which encourage you to experiment with its wide range of possibilities. She also particularly enjoys narrative-focused games and cute indies, and always seeks to learn more about the business-side of the gaming industry. Get the best gaming deals, reviews, product advice, competitions, unmissable gaming news and more! Page 1 of 2: Page 1 Page 1 Page 2. Malindy Hetfeld.

See comments. Gaming deals, prizes and latest news. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands. Age of Empires 4 "A worthy new entry in the legendary series that's equal parts progressive and dated," says our reviewer. Deathloop Another great Arkane immersive sim, this time set in a time loop with an optional multiplayer invasion system.

The Good Life The latest oddball Swery game is a murder mystery in the "happiest town in the world. Valheim The big Hearth and Home update has us getting into Valheim again like it's Outside of reviewing it again, we are literally out of ways to recommend detective RPG Disco Elysium more highly.

Forza Horizon 5 Microsoft's racing series goes to Mexico. Otherwise, it's not all that different from Forza Horizon 4. That means it's still really good. Hard to go wrong there. Consistently fun. Tied for highest score of