In the rapidly evolving world of PC gaming, staying up-to-date with the best games available is essential for any avid gamer. As we move forward in 2024, it’s the perfect time to refresh the list of top PC games, ensuring you have the latest and greatest at your fingertips. This list, compiled with input from groups of PC gamers, highlights the most recommended modern games, offering a diverse range of genres and experiences. if you want to read about gamin chair read here
Table of Contents
Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight, developed by Team Cherry, is a masterpiece in the world of indie games. Released in 2017, this Metroidvania action-adventure game quickly gained a reputation for its challenging gameplay, beautiful hand-drawn art, and atmospheric soundtrack.
The World of Hallownest
Hollow Knight takes you on a journey through the dark and mysterious kingdom of Hallownest. As the nameless knight, you explore a vast interconnected world filled with secrets, challenging enemies, and intricate platforming sections. The non-linear design allows for exploration at your own pace, with each area offering unique challenges and lore.
Combat and Abilities
Combat in Hollow Knight is precise and rewarding. The knight wields a simple nail weapon, but as you progress, you’ll unlock new abilities and spells that add depth to the play. From dash attacks to powerful area-of-effect spells, the combat system encourages experimentation and mastery.
Story and Lore
One of the most compelling aspects of Hollow Knight is its rich and enigmatic lore. The story is told through environmental storytelling, NPC interactions, and hidden lore tablets. As you delve deeper into Hallownest, you’ll uncover the tragic history of the kingdom and the role your character plays in its fate.
Free Updates and Sequel
Hollow Knight has received multiple free updates, adding new content, challenges, and bosses. The highly anticipated sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong, promises to expand on the original’s play and story, making it a must-watch title for any fan of the genre.
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, developed by FromSoftware, marks the triumphant return of the beloved mech combat series. Known for their work on the Dark Souls series and Elden Ring, FromSoftware brings their expertise in creating deep and engaging play experiences to the world of giant robots.
Strategic Combat
It is a blend of fast-paced action and strategic planning. Each mission requires careful consideration of your mech’s loadout, as different enemies and environments demand different approaches. It emphasis on strategy and preparation sets it apart from other action games.
Deep Customization is Best
One of the standout features of Armored Core VI is its deep customization system. Players can build their mechs from the ground up, choosing from a wide array of parts, weapons, and equipment. This level of customization allows for a high degree of personalization, letting you tailor your mech to your preferred playstyle.
Engaging Storyline
Set in a dystopian future, Armored Core VI’s story revolves around the conflict between powerful corporations and mercenary pilots. As a mercenary, you navigate this treacherous landscape, taking on missions for various factions while uncovering the deeper conspiracy at play. The narrative is both engaging and thought-provoking, adding depth to the intense mech battles.
Multiplayer and Community
Armored Core VI also features a robust multiplayer mode, allowing players to pit their customized mechs against each other in competitive matches. The community is active and passionate, sharing build strategies, tips, and fan-created content that adds to the overall experience.
Disco Elysium on pc
Disco Elysium, developed by ZA/UM, is a groundbreaking role-playing game that has redefined the genre with its deep narrative and innovative mechanics. Released in 2019, the it has won numerous awards for its storytelling, art direction, and unique approach to RPG play.
A Deep and Engaging Story
Disco Elysium places you in the shoes of a detective with a troubled past, waking up in a rundown hotel room with no memory of who you are or how you got there. Set in the city of Revachol, the narrative is driven by your choices and interactions with a diverse cast of characters. Every decision you make influences the story, leading to multiple possible outcomes.
Innovative Dialogue System
The dialogues system is one of its most innovative features. Instead of traditional combat, Disco Elysium focuses on dialogue and skill checks to resolve conflicts and advance the plot. Your character’s attributes and skills affect your dialogue options, creating a dynamic and immersive experience.
Skill System
Disco Elysium features a unique skill system that shapes your detective’s personality and abilities. The four main attributes—Intellect, Psyche, Physique, and Motorics—each have six associated skills, ranging from Logic and Empathy to Endurance and Perception. These skills not only influence your interactions but also your internal thoughts, adding layers to the narrative.
Art and Sound Design
The art direction and sound design are exceptional, creating an atmospheric and immersive world. The hand-painted environments are detailed and evocative, while the soundtrack complements the tone perfectly, enhancing the overall experience.
Critical Acclaim and Influence
Disco Elysium has received widespread critical acclaim for its writing, characters, and innovative play. It has influenced many other RPGs, setting a new standard for storytelling and player agency in video. The Final Cut edition, released in 2021, added full voice acting and new quests, further enriching the it.
Hades
Hades, developed by Supergiant Games, has set a new benchmark for roguelite with its thrilling play, captivating story, and stunning presentation. Released in 2020, Hades has garnered praise for its seamless blend of action and narrative, making it a standout title in the genre.
Fast-Paced Combat
At the core of Hades is its fast-paced and satisfying combat system. As Zagreus, the son of Hades, you battle your way out of the Underworld using a variety of weapons and abilities. Each weapon has unique mechanics, and the Boon system allows you to customize your build with powers granted by the Olympian gods, ensuring that each run feels fresh and exciting.
Rich Storytelling
Hades excels in storytelling, a rarity in the roguelite genre. The weaves a compelling narrative through its characters and world-building. Each escape attempt reveals more about Zagreus’s quest to reach Mount Olympus and the intricate relationships between the gods. The dialogue is sharp and witty, with each character adding depth to the story.
Progression and Replayability
Hades offers a robust progression system that keeps players engaged. Even after countless deaths, players make permanent upgrades to Zagreus’s abilities, weapons, and the Underworld itself. This progression system, combined with the game’s procedurally generated levels, provides a high degree of replayability.
Art and Music
The art and music in Hades are exceptional. The vibrant and detailed art style brings the Underworld to life, while the soundtrack, composed by Darren Korb, perfectly complements the action and atmosphere. The voice acting is also top-notch, adding emotional weight to the story.
Critical and Commercial Success
Hades has been a critical and commercial success, winning numerous Game of the Year awards and selling millions of copies. It has set a high bar for future roguelite and continues to be a beloved title in the gaming community.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Continuing the legacy of its predecessors, Baldur’s Gate 3 brings Dungeons & Dragons to life with its rich storytelling and intricate play mechanics. It’s a must-play for any RPG enthusiast .
Resident Evil 4 Remake
The 2023 remake of Resident Evil 4 modernizes this classic action-horror game, delivering high-intensity combat and immersive storytelling that captivates both new and returning players .
God of War
God of War’s transition to PC in 2022 brought its epic narrative and brutal combat to a wider audience. This reinvention of the classic series is both touching and thrilling, making it a standout title .
Doom (2016)
The 2016 reboot of Doom redefined first-person shooters with its aggressive, fast-paced combat and revitalized the franchise with a modern touch that pays homage to its roots .
Hitman: World of Assassination
Hitman: World of Assassination collects all the scenarios from the recent trilogy, offering a rich, rewarding experience for fans of stealth and strategy. The vast, replayable sandboxes provide endless assassination opportunities .
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt stands as one of the most impressive RPGs, with its expansive open world, intricate storytelling, and detailed production values. It remains a benchmark in the genre.
Cyberpunk 2077
After significant updates and the Phantom Liberty expansion, Cyberpunk 2077 has cemented its place among the top PC games. Its immersive world and refined play offer a unique experience .
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2’s PC port enhances an already expansive game with even more activities, unlockables, and fine details. It’s a must-play for fans of open-world adventures .
Elden Ring
Elden Ring’s monumental achievement in the open-world genre, combined with its challenging and rewarding play, makes it one of the best-reviewed games of all time .
Dishonored 2
Dishonored 2, developed by Arkane Studios, is a critically acclaimed stealth action game that builds on the foundations of its predecessor to deliver an even richer and more immersive experience. Released in 2016, the game is set in a darkly fantastical world filled with intrigue, supernatural abilities, and complex moral choices.
The World of Karnaca
Dishonored 2 transports players to the coastal city of Karnaca, a beautifully realized setting inspired by Mediterranean architecture and culture. The city is divided into distinct districts, each with its own atmosphere, challenges, and secrets to uncover. The attention to detail in the game’s design is astounding, with each environment telling its own story through visual cues and environmental storytelling.
Dual Protagonists
One of the game’s standout features is the choice between two playable protagonists: Emily Kaldwin, the Empress of the Isles, and Corvo Attano, her royal protector and the protagonist of the first game. Each character has a unique set of abilities that significantly alter the gameplay experience. Emily’s powers, such as Shadow Walk and Domino, allow for creative and stealthy approaches, while Corvo’s abilities, like Blink and Possession, offer more direct and aggressive options.
Gameplay Mechanics
Dishonored 2’s gameplay is built around the concept of player choice and freedom. Players can choose to approach missions with stealth, avoiding detection and using non-lethal tactics, or they can embrace a more violent path, utilizing deadly weapons and powers. The game’s chaos system tracks the player’s actions, affecting the story and world in subtle and significant ways. This system encourages multiple playthroughs, as different choices lead to different outcomes.
Mission Design
The mission design in Dishonored 2 is exceptional, with each level offering a unique challenge and a variety of ways to complete objectives. One of the most praised missions is the “Clockwork Mansion,” where players navigate a constantly shifting mechanical mansion filled with traps and enemies. Another standout mission is “A Crack in the Slab,” which allows players to travel between two timelines, altering the present by making changes in the past.
Art and Atmosphere
The art direction in Dishonored 2 is striking, with a distinctive painterly style that sets it apart from other games. The game’s world is richly detailed, with a strong sense of place and atmosphere. The sound design complements the visual experience, with a haunting soundtrack and ambient sounds that immerse players in the eerie and oppressive world of Karnaca.
Story and Characters
The narrative of Dishonored 2 is compelling, with well-developed characters and a plot that weaves together themes of power, betrayal, and redemption. The game’s writing is top-notch, with dialogue that brings the characters and world to life. Emily and Corvo’s journey to reclaim the throne from the usurper Delilah Copperspoon is filled with twists and turns, and the choices players make influence the fates of key characters and the overall outcome of the story.
Replayability and DLC
Dishonored 2 offers significant replay value, with multiple endings, various playstyles, and different protagonists to experiment with. The game also received a major DLC, “Death of the Outsider,” which serves as a standalone adventure and a conclusion to the story. In this DLC, players take on the role of Billie Lurk, a former ally of Corvo and Emily, as she embarks on a mission to kill the mysterious and powerful Outsider.
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen
XCOM 2 builds on the tactical brilliance of its predecessor, adding depth with new classes, equipment, and replayability. Its War of the Chosen expansion is a highlight of the strategy genre.
Setting and Story
XCOM 2 is set in a dystopian future where Earth has been conquered by alien forces. Players take on the role of the commander of XCOM, a resistance organization fighting to liberate the planet from alien control. The story is gripping, with high stakes and a sense of urgency as players navigate the challenges of leading a guerrilla war against a technologically superior enemy.
Strategic Layer
The strategic layer of XCOM 2 involves managing the XCOM base, researching new technologies, building facilities, and managing resources. This layer is crucial to the game’s success, as the decisions made here directly impact the tactical missions. Players must balance their priorities, choosing which technologies to research, which facilities to build, and how to allocate their limited resources.
More Games
Other notable mentions include games like Slay the Spire, Deep Rock Galactic, Divinity: Original Sin 2, and Monster Hunter: World. Each offers unique experiences that cater to different gaming preferences.
Conclusion
These four titles—Hollow Knight, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, Disco Elysium on PC, and Hades—represent the pinnacle of PC gaming. Each game offers a unique experience, from the challenging platforming of Hollow Knight to the strategic mech combat of Armored Core VI, the deep narrative of Disco Elysium, and the thrilling action of Hades. They exemplify the diversity and quality that modern PC gaming has to offer.
Whether you’re looking for a challenging adventure, a strategic combat experience, a deep and engaging story, or fast-paced action, these games have something for everyone. Dive into these incredible worlds and discover why they are among the best PC games to play right now.
For further insights, reviews, and guides, check out IGN’s comprehensive gaming hub. To join the conversation and share your own rankings, visit our community forum. For in-depth analyses and the latest updates, explore GameSpot’s extensive coverage.
This list is a testament to the diversity and quality of modern PC gaming. Whether you’re a fan of intense action, deep storytelling, or strategic gameplay, there’s something here for everyone. Dive into these incredible games and discover your next favorite adventure.
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