Best PC games: The 25 greatest PC games to play in 2026

The list of the best PC games is constantly growing; however, as we make our way through 2026, there are some standouts that every gamer should at least check out right now. Below, you'll find the GameRadar+ team's top 25 picks, with a varied assortment of experiences across all genres, so you can discover your next PC obsession to tuck into.

Our team is a varied bunch, and we all have our favorites, so you'll find a complete spectrum here. From adventures with impressive worlds that let you make the most of the best gaming PC setups out there, to games that you can play no matter what hardware you have, there's so much out there to explore and try out - with some of the best Steam games also included. This list focuses on both current and new titles, so if you want specific rankings, you can head on over to our lists of the best classic PC games, the best Steam Deck games and the best laptop games to play today as well.

It's also good to keep in mind that our ranking below is an evolving one. With so many new games to look forward to, including some big upcoming PC games like Resident Evil Requiem and 007 First Light, this roundup will be updated throughout the year if any masterpieces drop. However, in the meantime, our current selection will give you plenty of recommendations for the best PC games available in 2026.

The best PC games to play today, starting with...

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle lets you put on the famous fedora of the iconic archeologist in a sprawling, action-packed adventure from Wolfenstein developer Machine Games. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to step into an Indiana Jones movie (circa the 80s), then this is about as close as you can get. Capturing the spirit and look of the classic trilogy, the Great Circle takes place between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade.

Throughout the game, you'll be traveling to multiple locations as you try to uncover pieces of an ancient artifact before the Nazis get their hands on it. Exploration is key here, with every new area having a stunning sense of wonder as you discover side-quests, secrets, and local cuisines that give you stamina buffs. The Great Circle also has one of the most enjoyable melee combat systems on PC right now, so each whip crack and punch feels hefty and satisfying. It's a marvel to play, and if you're a PC player who also happens to love series like Uncharted, you won't find a better title. Read our full Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review for more.

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Steam

Split Fiction is, hands down, the best co-op game that you can currently play on PC. In fact, it's also one of our top picks for the best games of 2025, because yes, it's just that good. From the brilliant minds at Hazelight Studios, Split Fiction follows the story of two writers (one specializing in sci-fi, the other in fantasy) as they find themselves trapped in a machine scrapping their ideas. Platform your way through stunning levels as you work to find glitches and break the theft technology before it's too late.

Every level in Split Fiction is a love letter to gaming, with new and innovative mechanics introduced at every turn. Shoot your way through a sci-fi energy plant, fly on the backs of dragons, or gather up a dancing ape conga line. You'll never be bored! The inclusion of the Friend's Pass that lets you're player two experience the game without buying an extra copy also supports cross-play. This means that PC players can easily link up with console fans too. Split Fiction is not only a marvel, but it's highly accessible. For more information, you can head on over to our Split Fiction review to find out more.

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Steam

Beep, beep, beep. Alien: Isolation's motion tracker is a blessing and a curse: a terrifying sign that the beast is near, and even the thought of the sound puts our hair on edge. But we daren't put it away in case we turn a corner and, bam, the alien is on top of us, and it's game over, and we have to leave our PC to go outside for a long, slow walk. So we clutch the tracker close, hiding under a chrome desk in the hope the alien leaves us alone.

Isolation's tech helps create a sense of place — the flickering monitors and clunky computers are straight out of '70s sci-fi films. And then there's the alien itself, one of the greatest video game monsters ever spawned. Intelligent, crafty, and horrifying, it's always stalking you, always searching. Grab your tracker and hide for your life. For more, read our Alien Isolation review.

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Steam
Humble Store

Football, but with cars: it's that simple, and that complicated. Rocket League is, to the beginner, a fast arcade sport where vehicles slam into each other at 100 mph and occasionally bundle the ball into the net. But as you get to grips with the controls, it turns into an aerial acrobatic show with front flip assists, mid-air twirls, and last-second winners. The great thing about Rocket League is that it's fun at both of these levels.

You can gather some friends on a sofa and set up a casual 1v1 tournament, with bonus scores for the flashiest goals. You can team up with a squad and really dive into the tactics, rotating goalkeepers and trying to score the perfect team goal. If you want, you can switch it entirely to a game of hockey, with a puck instead of a ball. Each time you play, you can feel yourself improving, and your first properly good goal – not one where you've accidentally tapped it in with your bumper – is a memorable moment. Read our Rocket League review next!

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Steam
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While we loved its sequel, Silksong, Hollow Knight is an underground labyrinth of secrets: burrow in and you'll be lost in its lofty caverns, tight tunnels, and beautiful, ruined cities, and you won't want to find the way out. As you jump and slash through it, you'll slowly unpick the lore of this bug-inhabited world, and realize its story runs far deeper than you initially expected. The map feels endless, and even late in the game, you'll stumble on whole huge areas you never knew existed. When you travel through them, they'll connect to a familiar space in a way that instantly makes sense and feels just right.

You'll battle 28 bosses and visit varied locales, from grand greenhouses to snowy planes being dusted by the ashes of a long-dead being. As you progress, you'll upgrade your character, The Knight, with charms that change your playstyle: one damages foes anytime you get hurt, another lets you fire energy from your sword when at full health. Finding and equipping charms and landing on the combination that works for you is just one of the many reasons you'll want to boot it up for a second playthrough, where you'll likely get a completely different ending (all five are worth seeing, if you can find the time).

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GOG
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Square Enix's second go at an online MMO is one of the biggest comeback kids of gaming: the base game was repetitive and not much to write home about, but the team didn't stop there, improving FF14 with every expansion. Now it boasts one of the best stories in online roleplaying, and is truly a game for everyone – those who like to play with friends and strangers as much as those who just want to roam a fantasy world by themselves.

Final Fantasy 14 hasn't only proven that the best Final Fantasy game (just read our Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail review for more on that), it may in fact be an excellent MMO; it's also in a position to teach other MMOs a thing or two about crafting satisfying, year-long plot arcs.

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Steam

When this game first launched as a PlayStation exclusive, it immediately fulfilled the Spider-Man fantasy. Web-slinging, whether in combat or as a traversal mechanic, simply feels fantastic, and Spider-Man's New York is one of the most beautiful video game cityscapes to date. The story, which you can enjoy even if you're not familiar with the Marvel comics universe, takes you on a tour with all of Spider-Man's nemeses, friends, and family members, and even the side missions are continuously fun.

Marvel's Spider-Man is the superhero action game to measure licensed games by, full of love for its subject and simply a joy to play, combining stealth, action, and a great story, all of it looking extra sparkly in the remastered PC version. Read our Marvel's Spider-Man review for more on this classic.

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Steam
Epic Games Store

Disco Elysium's tale of a washed-up, alcoholic detective sounds like a cliché. 10 seconds in, you'll realize it's anything but. You might have a heart attack trying to unhook your necktie, which itself is arguing with you, from a ceiling fan. You can look in the mirror and convince yourself you were once a rockstar that played to screaming audiences, or discuss the complex political breakdown of a city plagued by corruption with a racist lorry driver. And that's just within the first half an hour.

Disco Elysium is a game that celebrates language and characters: an RPG without combat where all your duels are verbal, and every conversation is peppered by funny asides from different aspects of your own psyche, all clamoring to have their internal voices heard. You have a long list of choices for nearly every piece of dialogue, and what you say meaningfully impacts the characters around you. It's witty, it's bleak, and we can't get enough of it.

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Steam
Humble Store
GOG

A joyful, playful space story about a character who dies every 22 minutes. During each life, you explore its wonderfully folksy sci-fi world and watch it change, entire planets splitting apart before your eyes. You try your best to learn something new, and then you close your eyes and you're back at the start, the world reset, leaving you 22 more minutes to try and figure out what the hell is going on.

It's the perfect window to dive into its intertwining stories. The world is small enough that your makeshift spaceship can reach any planet in a few minutes, giving you plenty of time to delve into ruins and talk to memorable NPCs. But it's never long enough for you to uncover the whole truth, leaving you with plot threads to pick up in your next life. Slowly, you'll start to tie these threads together, and the world only becomes more fascinating with every new expedition. Best of all, the conclusion is absolutely worth sticking around for.

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Microsoft Store

The best life sim on PC never stops improving. The Sims has a long legacy as one of the best PC games around. Honestly, we could have put The Sims 2 and The Sims 3 on this list, too, and (in some ways) both those games are superior to The Sims 4. However, we chose to include the latest entry in the beloved franchise due it the amount of content still being offered for it as well as its amazing building mechanics.

The best Sims 4 expansions have always been on the pricier side, but they always add something new to the life of your Sims, such as magic spells, a tropical island world, or a themed furniture set for your grumpy teenager's bedroom. We never tire of the way The Sims 4 can generate dynamic storylines – family dramas, love triangles, or personal struggles, and those tales keep us coming back, year after year, expansion after expansion.

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Steam

If you haven't heard of Helldivers 2 by some miracle, let me explain it to you: it's an online multiplayer PvE extraction shooter where you team up with your fellow outer space soldiers to spread democracy far and wide across hostile planets. And it's an absolute riot. In fact, if you couldn't tell by our glowing Helldivers 2 review already, it's one of our favorite titles of 2024.

Swapping out the top-down stylings of the first Helldivers for a modern third-person action perspective, Helldivers 2 is as dynamic as it is frenetic. The game launched to an almost instantaneous positive reception, uniting PS5 and PC players in an online arena where friendly fire is possible (and let's face it, probable) and almost anything can happen. The Starship Troopers-steeped third-person shooter is an all-out party, if by "party" you mean "vicious war against monstrous bugs and mechs", and in that regard, Helldivers 2 is already well on the way to becoming one of the best PC games ever. If you can squeeze onto a server, of course.

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Steam

XCOM 2 is a slick, turn-based strategy game that doesn’t care about your feelings. As you battle an alien invasion, you’ll grow attached to your squad, upgrading them, customizing their gear, and building personalities for them in their head. Then, one wrong move and you’ll watch them get their face torn off by a towering, faceless, pink mutant, and there will be nothing you can do about it. It’s agonizing.

That loss is part of XCOM 2. Without it, the wins wouldn't feel so good, and you wouldn't spend so long deciding which piece of cover to sprint to next. The simple controls and intuitive UI make it easy to pick up, and once you get in the flow of a battle, you'll be barking out orders quickly, watching your soldiers pop in and out of cover.

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Steam
Humble Store

Arkane just knows how to deliver. Dishonored 2 has already spent a long time in our top picks, after much anticipation, but now the studio's next game also deserves a spot. Deathloop is a first-person shooter with elements governed by a time loop. As assassin Colt, you're trying to escape an island full of gun-toting inhabitants by killing nine targets and breaking the time loop, forcing you to relive the same day. The only problem – these targets can't be found in the same section of the island, and since you can only visit one section per day, you have to find ways to herd them together over the course of the story.

In order to do this, you not only need to familiarize yourself with your target's routines, Hitman-style, but you also need to learn the ins and outs of each section. Arkane once again delivers on great level design, so there's plenty to explore. The gunplay feels amazing and is in typical Arkane style, bolstered by a selection of meaningful skills to give you an edge in a fight. This is a time loop game that allows you to retain enough in terms of equipment and progress that things don't get frustrating. Similarly, there are next to no repeats. There's a lot to see in Deathloop, and while it refines systems you'll recognize from other games, it's another uniquely Arkane affair – executed with style and deeply satisfying throughout. Check out our Deathloop review for more information.

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Steam

Once again, one of the most successful PlayStation-exclusive games has found its way to PC, and -you can all exhale now – it's a great port. God of War isn't only an incredible tech showcase thanks to its looks and world with no loading screens, but also a carefully told story of fatherhood and a robust action game. Even if you have no knowledge of the other God of War games, you can understand and empathize with the story of a man trying to make peace with his past, thanks to great acting and a script that takes its time, letting characters express themselves authentically, pacing its big, show-stopping moments well.

From a gameplay standpoint, the action in God of War may follow easily recognizable patterns, but Kratos' axe is fun to use, not least because of its recall mechanic, and there is an undeniable feeling of impact to your every action. Add some interesting puzzles and breathtaking locales, and you get one of the finest action-adventures you can play, one that truly sets the bar for years to come. God of War's sequel, God of War Ragnarok, is a worthy successor to this great game. Read our God of War review next.

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Steam
Epic Games Store

Alyx feels like a proper evolution of Half-Life 2, one of the greatest shooters of all time. It combines a gripping, emotional story with the most detailed level design you've ever seen. It feels like every object can be picked up, examined, and smashed. Sometimes, that's incidental – when you're opening draws, crushing cardboard boxes, or plucking bottles of vodka from shelves – but often, it's central to progression. At one point, you must cover your mouth to stop Alyx coughing as you sneak past a blind monster, for example. This level of interaction makes the whole game feel alive, and makes you feel like a very real part of it.

The shooting isn't half bad, either. You don't have many weapons, but your arsenal is punchy and lethal, and feels perfect in your hand. Reloads are done manually, which feels fiddly at first, but speeding up over time is satisfying, until eventually sliding magazines into place is second nature. Frantic firefights are broken up by smart puzzles and slower, atmospheric sections when your only light is a torch. Being in VR makes City 17 feel far spookier than we remember. Check out our Half Life Alyx review for more insights into this worthy sequel.

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Steam

With Elden Ring, FromSoftware combines the best of its Souls games with a genuinely exciting open world. You're given the freedom to actually explore, without task markers guiding you, and customary to FromSoft games, there are plenty of secrets and hidden paths to discover. This is a dark but beautiful world, stuffed to a point that some of its secrets will likely not be discovered until much later.

Of course, Elden Ring is a difficult game, maybe the most difficult FromSoftware game yet, but since you can set your own path and some quality of life changes likely inspired by previous games, Elden Ring is likely to attract even those who weren't sure about the Souls games. This is a genuine breath of fresh air for open-world games, and a game people will be enjoying and talking about for years to come. It’s a perfect example of what makes FromSoftware so popular. Plus, it's even better with the addition of the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. Read our in-depth Elden Ring review for more.

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Steam

Much like the structures you can build in its world, Minecraft just keeps getting bigger. Among other sandbox games, it stands alone in delivering on its promise of total freedom: you can break and place blocks in any way you choose, recreating the whole of Game of Thrones' Westeros – or crafting a simple seaside shack and living off the land with a fishing rod.

Its multiple modes mean you can play Minecraft any way you like, which is a liberating feeling, but the presence of enemies, hidden treasure, and twisting cave systems helps lend it structure. Its sandbox world never fails to throw ambitious ideas into your head, and then before you know it, you've spent five hours working, block by block, towards your next self-made objective. Mods and custom maps broaden its scope even further, and it's at its best when you're building your next project collaboratively with a friend.

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Mojang

When Resident Evil 4 was first released, it marked the switch for the series from a fixed camera perspective to a third-person over-the-shoulder viewpoint. This made things tense and much more immediate and intimate, causing countless other games over the years to adapt the style. Not only that, a new inventory system and shooting controls meant Resident Evil 4 was completely different from what came before, and you weren't even shooting zombies anymore.

The fighting and set pieces in Resident Evil 4 Remake combine old and new in exhilarating ways that will satisfy both old and new fans of the series, making sure (almost) everyone's favorite Resident Evil is ready for the next generation. Read our Resident Evil 4 Remake review if you need more convincing before picking this one up.

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Steam

Hades 2 is a masterclass in how to make a sequel that absolutely slaps, even in early access. Supergiant remixes its Hades formula with stunning precision and innovation, showing off its signature penchant for art direction, sound design, expert storytelling, and carefully fleshed-out mythologies that will leave you utterly spellbound.

Taking over from her brother following the events of the first game, Hades 2 sees the princess of the underworld herself taking matters into her own, magically blessed hands. Melinoë is already shaping up to be a powerful heroine, able to wield her own set of weapons, boons, and more against the might of the Titan of Time, Chronos. With Hades himself held prisoner in his own usurped kingdom, you can expect all manner of narrative twists and turns (not to mention a cast of swoon-worthy gods and goddesses) in this thrilling roguelike adventure. You can also check out our Hades 2 review for more details.

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Steam

Dishonored 2 is a near-perfect assassin sim. In the original, you were hunting a target in a huge level, and you could kill them in any way you liked: in this sequel, the maps are bigger and more intricate, your supernatural powers more impressive, and you have the option to play as a second character, Emily, who has her own murderous style.

Every level is full of lavish detailed, and every avenue to your target feels like its own, perfect assassination. The smooth traversal makes it easy to get around and explore every corner of the map, searching for clues until you've planned your route to your final target. Maybe you go in shotgun blaring, maybe you spirit blink to a rooftop and sneak in through a window, or maybe you trick enemies into walking into their own electricity traps until all the guards are dead. And then, in a flash of metal and a blur of blue magic, your blade is in your target's neck, and you're vanishing into the night. It's simply glorious. Read our Dishonored 2 review for more details.

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Steam
Humble Store

Red Dead Redemption 2 galloped onto PC back in 2019, and it's the definitive version of the game. It's the same story of Arthur Morgan's quest for redemption in the US wilderness, with the same complex characters and detailed world to explore, but with improved graphics and the option to add Red Dead Redemption 2 mods that let you skip the prologue, transform into an animal, or turn Arthur into the Joker. No, seriously.

Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC runs far better than the console versions, and thanks to a DLSS update, The Wild West has never looked so beautiful. In our five-star Red Dead Redemption 2 review, we write, "As of right now, the cowboy classic represents the current pinnacle of video game design." It may be years since its release, but that statement still stands firm and true.

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Rockstar
Epic Games Store
Steam

Into the Breach's predictability is its strength. Its rules are so clearly explained, so explicitly laid out, that it leaves no space for chance or mystery. All of your focus can go into finding the ideal place to move your tank, or the perfect spot for a missile strike – and when you inevitably cock it all up, you'll know exactly where you went wrong.

It's part strategy, part puzzle game in which you move pixel art pieces across a chessboard-style map, squashing alien invaders. Each squad you can control has its own gimmicks. One relies on pushing enemies into danger zones rather than dealing direct damage, and another is an expert at freezing aliens with icy attacks. Its brilliance comes in applying your arsenal to any given situation, taking 15 minutes to stare at the board until – Eureka! – the perfect next step finally hits you. And it has near-endless replayability: if you overcome the final boss, you can try again with a new squad that feels completely different. And even if you fail, the randomized, rogue-like world structure means you can instantly load up another round, complete with a fresh set of challenges to scratch your head at.

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Steam
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GOG

The first two Witcher games showed flashes of brilliance in their believable, gritty characters and low-fantasy setting, but lacked polish. The Witcher 3 pairs CD Projekt Red's excellent writing with compelling gameplay, and one of the most expansive, beautiful worlds ever created. There's a reason it's at the top of our best open-world games and best RPG games lists.

The Northern Kingdoms, inspired by European mythology, are populated by fascinating creatures and, more importantly, multi-dimensional characters. They're all flawed, not least protagonist Geralt of Rivia, but whatever you feel about them, you can't help but become invested in their fates. Speaking to any of them might launch a five-hour side quest that takes you across mountain and bog, vineyard and dusty city. Perhaps you're hunting a mythical creature, or simply trying to solve a lover's quarrel: either way, you'll care about what you're doing, and you'll visit some stunning locales while doing it. Read our The Witcher 3 review for more.

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Steam
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GOG

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is a glorious homage to the bygone days of isometric RPGs. But rather than relying on pure nostalgia, it takes the best bits of the classics – the branching stories, evocative writing, complex characters, and party building – and mixes them with sleek modern design ideas, such as physics-based spells and mod support. It sets up a clear set of rules and then encourages you to break them, something that's even more fun when you're playing with a friend, where you can settle arguments about what your party should do next via a rock-paper-scissors-style mini-game.

The combat is the best you'll find in the genre, and relies on smart thinking and inventive elemental combos rather than random dice rolls. And when the fighting is done, your characters will always have something profound or witty to say to each other: it's worth listening to every incidental conversation as you delve deeper and deeper into its fascinating fantasy world.

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Steam
GOG

If Divinity: Original Sin 2 set a new standard for CRPGs, Baldur's Gate 3 raised the bar even higher. Set within the world and ruleset of Dungeons & Dragons rather than Larian's own fantasy world, it's the culmination of years of RPG expertise. It's a game that seems almost impossible - an expansive world dripping with detail, a hugely complex main quest that feels like it reacts to almost every move you make, and an ocean of combat possibilities to play around with, all presented with fully-acted cutscenes and beautiful environments.

A single playthrough might take more than 100 hours, and you'd still have only seen a fraction of what the total game has to offer. It truly is a new gold standard for its genre. Read our Baldur's Gate 3 review if you want to know more about the absolute must-play title for all PC owners.

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Steam