When you fire up Epic Games Store, Steam, Xbox, or any of the other digital marketplaces for PC games, you'll be faced with many purchasing options.
Feel like casting spells and slaying orcs in a role-playing game? The Witcher III: Wild Hunt and Xanadu Next got what you need.
In the mood to knuckle up against online opponents? A fighting game like Street Fighter V: Champion Edition or Tekken 7 will do you good.
In short, the PC gaming space is deep and varied.
Don't get frozen by choice, though; use this guide to help you make a swift and wise purchasing decision.
Please recognize, however, that this is not a historical examination of the most groundbreaking PC games.
Sure, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain redefines stealth-based action and the Forza Horizon series is the definitive open-world racing franchise, but they didn't make it into this guide based purely on those metrics.
Simply put, this an ever-expanding collection of entertaining titles you should buy if you own a gaming desktop or gaming laptop.
To clarify, games don't need to have been released within the calendar year to qualify for this roundup.
Any game that's still available and still considered excellent when ranked against the best of today is eligible.
We think that's the most useful approach to helping you decide which video games deserve space on your PC's hard drive, and which aren't worth consideration even when their prices are cut by 85 percent during a Steam sale.
In our newest update, we've added a whopping 15 games: Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Bugsnax, Cyberpunk 2077, Dirt 5, Fight'N Rage, Genshin Impact, Ghostrunner, Hades, Hitman 3, Immortals: Fenyx Rising, Resident Evil 3, Scott Pilgrim vs.
The World - Complete Edition, Warframe, Watch Dogs: Legion, and World of Warcraft: Shadowlands.
How We Pick 'Em
Compiling this guide was no small undertaking.
Daxdi's in-house and freelance reviewers have played a ridiculous number of PC games over the years, so creating criteria for inclusion was essential.
Here's what we came up with, after much deliberation.
To be included, a game must have been reviewed by Daxdi, still be available for purchase, and received a rating of 3.5 stars or greater.
The first requirement is to ensure that we can give you more insight into a game.
Yes, this guide goes tell you a bit about each highlighted game, but the ability to link to a full review benefits people looking for a deeper cut.
The second point we've already covered.
The third criteria required a bit of pondering.
We didn't want to set the star rating so low that nearly all PC games qualified for the guide, yet we didn't want to set the star rating so high that we exclude quality B-tier games, such as Dead Island and Split/Second.
For now, 3.5 stars is the happy medium, but, as we review more games, we may have to be choosier, to keep the list at a manageable size.
Explore Our Picks
There are currently more than 200 games in this PC gaming guide, so making navigation as simple as possible was an extremely high priority for our creative commandos.
The games are grouped alphabetically by genre, and the titles in each category are listed in alphabetical order.
Simply select a genre, say fighting games, and the page jumps to that section.
Easy!
In addition, you should make sure to secure your PC while gaming.
We suggest checking out our roundup of the best VPNs for gaming, a roundup of Daxdi-tested virtual private networks.
Not only will a VPN prevent people with ill intent from snooping your network, but it may enable you to, say, spoof your IP address so that you access games in other countries.
Explore our reviews to learn about the VPN services that add the least latency to your gaming sessions.
More Gaming
If you're a console gamer who thinks that we're biased toward PC gaming because we're Daxdi—you're right! Still, our staff has assembled their top picks for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and Switch.
Those roundups aren't quite as robust as this one, as the PC has a much deeper library and, well, this is Daxdi.
We now present the best PC games.
Grab your keyboard, mouse, gamepad, or fight stick, and enjoy.
Action
Tic Toc Games' Adventures of Pip is a side-scrolling, action-platforming game that has an interesting premise: evolving and devolving a pixel-based hero between his 1-bit and 16-bit forms to fight through level after level of goons and bosses.
The unique premise, rich environments, and fun gameplay combine to form a title with a lot of heart and charm, despite the limited scope of its weapons and power-ups.
MSRP $14.99
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
The Assassin’s Creed series has taken us to numerous historical settings since its 2007 debut, including Ancient Greece, Renaissance Italy, and Revolutionary War-era America.
The newest installment, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, details the Viking invasion of 9th Century England from the perspective of history’s most notorious raiders.
Though Valhalla doesn’t introduce anything wholly new to the series, it's an excellent PC game that follows in the footsteps of its equally exceptional predecessors, Origins and Odyssey.
MSRP $59.99
Developer Tom Happ, who is known for his work on EA Sports' Tiger Woods PGA Tour and NFL Street franchises, has gone indie and crafted a delightful tribute to the exploratory action (AKA Metroidvania) genre.
This 2D platformer combines the best aspects of classic side-scrollers like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Metroid to deliver a refined experience for newcomers of the genre and seasoned vets alike.
Axiom Verge is a fun, engaging title, but plodding story elements and seemingly pointless weapons mar the experience a bit.
MSRP $19.99
"If you liked X, you'll love Y!" might be the cheapest of critical plaudits, but sometimes nothing else will do.
So here goes: If you liked Batman: Arkham Asylum, you'll love Batman: Arkham City.
Developer Rocksteady Studios borrows everything from Asylum that worked (thrilling fighting, excellent voice acting), though it delivers far less innovation.
This makes Arkham City derivative, but the game's packed with enough goon-busting fun that it still stands as one of the PC's best action games.
MSRP $49.99
The original Bayonetta is one of the best action games ever made, and it easily stands alongside such genre classics as God Hand, Devil May Cry 3, and Ninja Gaiden Black.
Bayonetta features explosive action, and it tests your combo prowess against every divine creature in the good book.
Despite Bayonetta's poor PlayStation 3 performance, this PC port is excellent.
It delivers the action at a rock-solid frame rate and a range of uncommon resolutions, which makes this version the definitive angel-slaying experience.
MSRP $19.99
Simply put, the JoyMash-developed Blazing Chrome is one of the best run-and-gun shooters ever made.
In its Terminator-like world, one wrecked by a robot apocalypse, you control characters toting high-powered weaponry designed to obliterate legions of mechanical enemies.
Across the games' six stages you experience chunky explosions, wild multiplayer action, and hulking bosses.
It doesn't do much to push the genre forward with fresh gameplay features, but Blazing Chrome's does nearly everything right.
MSRP $16.99
Carrion is a Metroid-like, 2D platformer published by Devolver Digital in which you play as a gruesome, alien parasite.
That statement contains all the information you need to understand exactly how the PC game plays.
There's the genre: Metroid-like 2D platformer.
Then there's the subject matter: playing as a gruesome, alien parasite.
Finally, there's the game's scope and style: published by Devolver Digital.
In other words, Carrion is a wonderfully stylized, indie platformer with plenty of bloody violence.
MSRP $19.99
Cuphead is a charming run-and-gun/shoot-'em-up hybrid that channels Konami's iconic Contra series, while also taking heavy inspiration from the rubber-hose animation style that was prominent during 1920s- and 1930s-era cartoons.
If you're familiar with the Contra series' fast-paced gameplay, then Cuphead should be right up your alley.
The titular protagonist and his brother Mugman must best a wide variety of perilous stages and bosses to complete their quest.
Cuphead lacks the expansive level design featured in Contra and other genre classics, but the hardcore action game gives you a beefy list of complex and satisfying boss fights to overcome, in the style of Treasure's beloved Alien Soldier.
MSRP $19.99
If, while playing Daemon X Machina, you recall Mobile Suit Gundam, Super Dimension Fortress Macross, or other classic mecha anime franchises, don't be surprised.
The mecha-action game wears its inspirations on its metal-coated sleeve.
The brainchild of former Armored Core developers, Daemon X Machina features blistering action and ridiculous amounts of weapons and upgrades.
The nearly unintelligible narrative is groan-worthy at best, skip-worthy at worst, but the game's positives outweigh its faults.
Genre fans should consider the title an essential purchase.
MSRP $59.99
The Darksiders series, a creative reinterpretation of the Christian end-of-the-world scenario that follows the misadventures of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, returns with a twist.
With Darksiders III, you take control of the irate and unpredictable Fury who's tasked with capturing the Seven Deadly Sins.
Armed with a barbed whip and wicked agility, Fury explores the ruins of the modern world and exterminates menaces in an interconnected, Metroid-esque environment.
The combat system has a few annoyances, such as an unreliable camera and frustrating mobs, that hinder the experience.
Still, Darksiders III is an enjoyable action game that you should play if the theme appeals to you.
MSRP $59.99
Death Stranding baffled PlayStation 4 owners who weren't quite prepared for a plot involving extinction, isolation, mortality, and humanity’s remnants trying to piece together a broken world.
The controversial console game is now a PC game that sports enhanced graphics, platform-specific Half-Life themed missions, and a photo mode.
Taking gameplay cues from the action, stealth, and survival genres, Death Stranding is a more daring affair than the typical mainstream video game title.
After all, not many games feature a delivery person who fights flying whales one minute, and then discusses the afterlife with Guillermo del Toro the next.
It's an odd, slow burn.
MSRP $59.99
Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition
Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition takes everything that made Capcom's original 2008 release an impressive action game and expands on it.
The game includes the Legendary Dark Knight enemy horde mode that was added to the original PC port, as well as three new playable characters, improved visuals, and subtle gameplay tweaks.
Some of the weaker aspects of the original release, such as the repetitive story campaign, remain and slightly tarnish an otherwise brilliantly polished title.
Overall, Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition is a rock-solid action game that is well worth picking up for fans of the series and action buffs alike.
MSRP $24.99
Devil May Cry is a genre-defining action series that pits your demon-slaying protagonist against the hordes of hell, giving you a sword, guns, and a robust list of special attacks to string together in crazy and over-the-top combos.
Devil May Cry 5 is the newest incarnation of the series.
It takes elements from previous games, even including the fan-derided DmC: Devil May Cry reboot, and introduces all-new characters and gameplay systems for fans and newcomers to enjoy.
All systems have been rebalanced and streamlined, making them easy to grasp, yet challenging to apply in practice and to master.
It's one of the best action games ever made.
MSRP $59.99
The Disney Afternoon Collection
Disney Afternoon, the mega-popular 1990s animation block, spawned some of the best platformers on the Nintendo Entertainment System, thanks to developer Capcom.
And, 20 years later, those games are back in the excellent Disney Afternoon Collection.
The six games—Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers 2, Darkwing Duck, DuckTales, DuckTales 2, and TaleSpin—feature a crisp 1080p resolution, the ability to save your progress at any time, and a useful rewind feature that helps combat the infamous difficulties associated with old school Nintendo games.
MSRP $19.99
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knock Out
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, 2020's biggest surprise hit, is loads of chaotic, obstacle-course-navigating fun.
The bright, cheery, game show-inspired title sees you bounce through candy-colored obstacle courses and take on other challenges, while competing against 59 online contestants.
Beware the Big Yeetus!
MSRP $19.99
With Far Cry Primal, developer Ubisoft abandons all political pretenses and focuses on what made Far Cry stand out...
