It’s important to note that unlike with console games designed specifically for a certain system, your mileage with PC games may vary depending on how well your hardware can handle PC gaming. A high-end gaming PC with a powerful processor and graphics card will deliver the best performance for most of today’s graphics. If your system doesn’t meet at least the minimum hardware requirements, you’ll be out of luck. But even without investing in a dedicated gaming rig, you can often optimize your PC for gaming enough to enjoy the engaging narratives and satisfying gameplay of these all-around excellent games. Spurring along your exploration of the immersive environment is a complex, branching story that sucks you into the adventures of the titular Witcher, Geralt of Rivia. The primary quest is to save Geralt’s adopted daughter from the ghostly riders of the Wild Hunt, but along the way you’ll encounter all sorts of monsters and eerie enemies that you must learn to defeat with the weapons, combat skills, and magic at your disposal. There are also tons of side quests potentially awaiting you at every turn, many of which may seem random but turn out to be interconnected with the world and the broader narrative. Many open-world titles let you do what you want, but in the Witcher 3, what you do truly has consequences.  Other RPG elements are woven in to add even more detail to the world, such as alchemy, crafting, and even a full card game. It all adds up to a rich, engrossing, mature gaming experience that players can’t help coming back to. Publisher: CD Projekt | Developer: CD Projekt Red | Release Date: May 2015 | Genre: Action RPG | ESRB Rating: M (Mature) | Players: 1 | Install Size: 35GB And speaking of land, the open-world areas of Norway and England add up to a remarkable 140 square kilometers of explorable space, and our reviewer was impressed by all the richness, natural beauty, and life built into the world.  Much of the gameplay in Valhalla will feel familiar to Assassin’s Creed veterans, from the fluid parkour-based movements to the satisfyingly brutal combat that offers flexibility in how you take down your targets. You also have the chance to travel by boat, raid towns for supplies for your settlement, and call on your crew of berserkers to fight alongside you. It makes for a dynamic, visceral Assassin’s Creed installment that can change your preconceived notions about the series, and it’s a great showcase of what PC gaming is capable of. Publisher: Ubisoft | Developer: Ubisoft Montreal | Release Date: November 2020 | Genre: Action RPG | ESRB Rating: M (Mature) | Players: 1 | Install Size: 50GB Black Ops Cold War’s multiplayer includes a selection of new and returning game modes as well as one called “Fireteam,” which supports up to 40 players. It also offers custom character creation with individual class loadouts and a progression system that ties in with Call of Duty: Warzone, which fills the battle royale niche for players. It’s fast-paced, addictive action that serves up arcade-like shooting along with plenty of different maps to explore. Publisher: Activision | Developer: Treyarch/Raven Software | Release Date: November 2020 | Genre: First-person shooter | ESRB Rating: M (Mature) | Players: 1-40 (online) | Install Size: 30.85GB It also makes for a simple way for players looking to get back into the series to play the games without relying on older consoles and hardware. It’s easier than ever to play Halo with others online, especially with Steam support. This is the best, most modern way to enjoy Halo, and it’s the most affordable as well. Publisher: Xbox Game Studios | Developer: 343 Industries | Release Date: December 2019 | Genre: First-person shooter | ESRB Rating: M (Mature) | Players: 1-16 (online) | Install Size: 125GB In standard roguelike fashion, dying means starting over from the beginning, with procedurally generated room layouts, enemies, and challenges for each playthrough. What makes Hades feel fresh, though, is how the game deftly turns failures into opportunity—a chance to upgrade skills, try new buffs, pick a different weapon, learn more of the fascinating story. It’s a satisfying journey that’s very much worth taking, since the slow burn is part of the game’s charm. It also doesn’t hurt that the artwork, music, and basically every aspect of the presentation is fantastic the whole way through. Publisher: Supergiant Games | Developer: Supergiant Games | Release Date: September 2020 | Genre: Action RPG, Roguelike | ESRB Rating: T (Teen) | Players: 1 | Install Size: 15GB You go into a performance with a set of songs chosen from a huge catalog of hits that spans decades and genres of music. On stage, you pick out pieces of these tracks—the drums, bass line, lead instrument, or vocals—and mix them together based on audience request or, really, your own musical whims.  The game introduces more advanced skills and effects as you go through the campaign, but just playing around in Freestyle mode as a beginner results in mashups that are surprisingly cohesive and entertaining. If you feel like showing off your skills, you can share creations with the online community, or compete or collaborate live with fellow DJs. It’s a great way to experience the thrill of a live music festival or dance party even when you can’t get out of the house. Publisher: NCSoft | Developer: Harmonix | Release Date: November 2020 | Genre: Rhythm | ESRB Rating: T (Teen) | Players: 1-12 (online) | Install Size: 16GB Best described as a futuristic Grand Theft Auto, it drops you into the life of a protagonist named V, whose gender, appearance, and backstory you get to choose. As you follow the compelling main narrative, you’ll explore the massive urban area of Night City, populated with jaw-dropping details and character models that push the graphical limits of anything but the latest gaming rigs. Plus, there’s a huge helping of Keanu Reeves. Stealing the show at Cyberpunk 2077’s launch, however, were the large numbers of obvious technical issues that players encountered throughout the game, and it’s hard to deny that the bugs often broke the immersion—if not the game itself. Fortunately, more recent patches have begun addressing the issues in mass quantities, and with a bit of patience, there is still plenty of excellent storytelling and ruthless dystopian wonder to be discovered throughout Night City. Publisher: CD Projekt | Developer: CD Projekt Red | Release Date: December 2020 | Genre: Action RPG | ESRB Rating: M (Mature) | Players: 1 | Install Size: 70GB You set off on your adventure with up to three other companions, each with their own agendas (especially if you play co-op multiplayer), and tackle your quests however you see fit. You can split up, talk to who you want, help who you want, throw fireballs at who you want. Anything can happen—not always for the best, but always as a result of your choices. This means certain paths can often be blocked off from you (sometimes as a bug), and it can be a true challenge to figure out how to proceed. Combat, too, often calls for careful strategy and planning to emerge from situations alive. It’s all part of building your own story, and the complex pieces of it you gather along the way are all brilliantly written and rewarding to unravel. Publisher: Larian Studios | Developer: Larian Studios | Release Date: September 2017 | Genre: RPG | ESRB Rating: M (Mature) | Players: 1-4 | Install Size: 60GB For first-person shooter fans, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (view at Walmart) and the Halo: Master Chief Collection (view at Microsoft) are both excellent options with a variety of multiplayer modes to keep you and your friends busy. Andy Zahn has been writing for Lifewire since 2019, covering gadgets, games, and consumer technology, including in-depth reviews for Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and Cyberpunk 2077.

What to Look for in a PC Game

Genre

The main thing you need to consider when you’re game shopping is what kind of games you enjoy most. It doesn’t matter how well designed a game is if it’s the sort of thing you’re never going to play, so if you love first-person shooters, it’s possible that flight sims just aren’t for you. We’ve picked some of the best of every genre and tried to be as inclusive as possible, so regardless of which types of games you most enjoy, there’s likely something for you on our list.

Length

Sure, a 100-hour JRPG might seem like a great value proposition for your $60, but if you’re a busy professional you might actually get more fun out of a short linear shooter (and more satisfaction when you’re actually able to finish it). There are also a growing number of games-as-a-service that offer a continually evolving suite of systems and gameplay that you can dip into whenever you like, often for one flat fee.

Narrative

If you’re the sort of gamer that loves a rich story and a fully developed, immersive world, you may take as much (or more) satisfaction from an adventure game or visual novel as from the latest Activision FPS. On the other hand, if you get your story kicks from books, films, and/or TV, maybe an addictive little puzzle game or a MOBA is the best gaming investment for you. For other machines, be sure to check each game’s minimum and recommended system requirements. You’ll need a fast enough processor with enough RAM, but a powerful graphics card such as a dedicated GPU from Nvidia or AMD is often more important. You may still be able to run the game on lower-end hardware at the cost of reduced framerates and lower graphics settings. Keep in mind that you’ll also need enough hard drive space to download and install the game and its required updates, which can mean file sizes in the tens of gigabytes, sometimes topping 100GB.