Best PC games to buy in 2023: Finding the top PC games is no easy task. There are, you may have noticed, quite a lot of them. From the 50,000-plus Steam games to… all those other platforms you love so much, there has never been more choice available to the discerning PC gamer.
So let us help. Below you’ll find our list of the best PC games you can play right now, whether you’re rocking the best gaming laptop or something a little more entry-level. Oh, and before the shouting starts this is not an ‘all-time greats’ round-up or an exhaustive list of very good PC games, these are the best of the bests for 2023, according to us. We have tried to include a broad range of genres and have explained our picks using the medium of words.
Here then is our list of the best PC games you can get from a range of platforms, presented in no particular order.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Type: Free-to-play Battle Royale
What makes it interesting? A more serious Battle Royale with cross-platform play
Publisher: Bluehole/Kakao Games
Developer: Bluehole/PUBG Corporation
Platform: Steam
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, AKA PUBG, is perhaps the game that kick-started the love for the Battle Royale genre of games that’s now turning up in droves. It’s far more serious than Fortnite and doesn’t have any base-building elements, but the people love it.
PUBG started its life on PC and has since been released on console and mobile too. If you’re serious about winning chicken dinners, then this is the game to play. It’s been updated a fair bit since it launched too so there’s plenty of fun to be had for new players and old alike.
Valorant
Type: Team-based multiplayer FPS
What makes it interesting? Hero classes, slow gameplay but fast TTK, and plenty of fun.
Publisher: Riot Games
Developer: Riot Games
CS: GO has sat unchallenged as the pinnacle of competitive FPS games since 2012, with shooting mechanics that reward mechanical skill above all else, a weapon economy that provokes constant strategic reshuffles, and perfectly balanced maps. Valorant, from Riot Games, does all of that, while also mixing in a roster of heroes, each one with passive, active, and ultimate abilities. Some of those abilities have CS: GO counterparts, like smokescreens, flashes, and grenades, but there’s nuance to how each Agent’s kit works that ensures every round plays out differently.
Learning how to combine Agent abilities and apply them to each of the game’s maps is a limitless learning curve that always encourages experimentation and unorthodox play. Sure, you can learn some basic ability spots from YouTube, but if you invent your own then you’ll always have a better chance of catching your opponent unawares.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Type: Open-world atmospheric RPG
What makes it interesting? An incredibly rich story with gruesome and exotic monsters, beautiful wenches, and more besides
Publisher: CD PROJEKT RED
Developer: CD PROJEKT RED
Platform: Steam
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is quite possibly one of the best PC games of all time. It’s been about since 2015 but still plays marvelously. We’ve sunk around 150 hours into this stunning RPG and loved every minute. Wild Hunt is an extraordinary feat in game design, with a massive breath-taking world for you to get lost in. From slaying monsters to laying with wenches, the Witcher 3 has it all.
If you haven’t already played it, then now is the time to try because The Witcher 3 has had a next-gen overall to make it look even better on PC.
Monster Hunter: World
Type: Open-world action adventure RPG
What makes it interesting? The “ultimate hunting experience” that’s playable with friends
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Platform: Steam
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Monster Hunter World is one of those games that PC gamers had to wait for. It was released on console in early 2018 and we loved it but had to wait until August to get stuck in on PC.
Monster Hunter World allows you to play the “ultimate hunting experience” either on your own or with friends. The result of this is a gloriously addictive and endlessly charming game we’re sure you’ll love.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Type: Open-world realistic RPG
What makes it interesting? An insanely difficult realistic combat system and masses of quests to get stuck into
Publisher: Deep Silver
Developer: Warhorse Studios
Platform: Steam
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a fantastically challenging, often frustrating, always enjoyable open-world RPG set in the Holy Roman Empire. You play Henry, a blacksmith’s son who finds himself thrust into the chaos of war as his friends and family are slaughtered when a mercenary raid descends on his peaceful village. Henry then sets off on an adventure to aid the locals, fight off the bandits and help fight for the future of Bohemia.
Kingdom Come Deliverance is a brilliant RPG for those who love the idea of messing about in medieval times. But don’t expect to win every battle as you’ll need to learn how to fight first and earn enough money for good weapons, armor, and a decent horse. You’re only a blacksmith after all, so being surrounded by knights in heavy armor often results in a painful and messy death. We utterly love this game and all the challenges it throws at us.
PC gamers will also enjoy the fact that this game is challenging for your system. Try running it on ultra settings and you’ll be warned those visuals are only intended for future hardware. It’s like Crysis but for the new age.
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla
Type: Open-world action-adventure RPG
What makes it interesting? A massive map to explore and the most RPG-like elements ever seen in the franchise
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft
Platform: Uplay
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla is undeniably spectacular. We thought Origins and Odyssey were great but Valhalla is something new and refreshing. Now we’re in the boots of a Viking warrior on the shores of ancient England wreaking havoc.
It’s a fantastic outing in the series, with a reworked skills system and awesome RPG elements that make it incredibly enjoyable for hours and hours. One highlight is the ability to call your fellow Vikings in to help you raid nearby monasteries and enemy bases to find resources to build your own as well.
Path of Exile
Type: Action RPG
What makes it interesting? The best Diablo-type game out there, Plus it’s free.
Publisher: Grinding Gear Games
Developer: Grinding Gear Games
Platform: Steam
Path of Exile is one of those games that was great when it was first released and has continued to get better ever since. It’s an Action RPG set in a dark fantasy world with a heavy emphasis on visceral combat, deep character customization, and good, old-fashioned fun. This is game is also not only free-to-play but also supports single-player, multiplayer, and co-op gameplay too.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Type: Single-play/Co-op/Multiplayer military shooter
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Infinity Ward
Platform: Steam
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 follows on from the previous Modern Warfare outing from 2019 with a gripping single-player campaign, co-op gameplay, and, of course, multiplayer mode.
Once again, the COD team has delivered a real winner with a game that feels very much like the original Modern Warfare did back in 2007. Fans of the older Call of Duty games will enjoy this one for sure.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO)
Type: Free-to-play team-based tactical shooter
What makes it interesting? Twitch shooting with a lack of aim down the sight gun mechanic
Publisher: Valve
Developer: Valve/Hidden Path Entertainment
Platform: Steam
CS: GO is serious business. This is the most recent outing in the Counter-Strike series – a franchise that has always been synonymous with competitive FPS gameplay. It’s a popular eSports game and highly thought of too. If you love team-based shooters, then this is the one for you. It’s also entirely free now, so what’s not to love?
Valheim
Type: Open-world survival
What makes it interesting? A procedurally generated Viking purgatory that can be played with up to 9 friends
Publisher: Coffee Stain Publishing
Developer: Iron Gate AB
Platform: Steam
Valheim is an early-access, indie survival game that’s inspired by Viking culture. Its launch was incredibly popular and with good reason. This is a brilliant open-world survival and crafting game with a wonderful vibe and brilliant Viking theme setting. It has both single-player and co-op PvE (player vs environment) mechanics, satisfying building physics, and a punishing combat system. You battle bosses to progress through the game while also building all manner of things including imposing Viking warships.
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