Many games release every single month, but to be called the best of the best, they’ve got to be something truly special. This year, when a certain lull between big releases is liable to set in, you can use that time to catch up on some of the very best PC games out there. We’ve compiled you a list of the 30 best PC games, regularly updated so that even when you think you’ve played the best already, there’s always something new to discover.
But what is a great game without a good machine? Whether you’re new to PC gaming or looking to upgrade your setup, with our lists you can make sure to find the right PC for your budget. We have recommendations for high-end gaming PC builds, the best gaming laptops and the best gaming PCs out of the box.
- Grab the best gaming mouse to enhance your games
- Here are the best gaming keyboards
- Need a new PC headset for gaming?
The best PC games April 2020 – top 30 list begins on next page
Plenty of recent releases haven’t quite made our top 30 list – which starts on the next page – but are well worth having a look at. If you want to stay on top with new releases or our top 30 PC games list isn’t quite for you, here are some recent top picks.
Neir Replicant
Nier: Automata is one of the most popular JRPGs of recent years – now Square Enix has released a remaster of its prequel. Replicant is the previously unavailable Japanese version of Nier, which features a younger protagonist, but the rest of the game will undoubtedly be familiar to fans of the cult classic.
If you’re new to Nier, all you have to decide is whether giant bosses, a mixture of hack and slash and bullet hell combat, and a talking grimoire sound like your thing. However, be warned – currently, players on Steam are reporting issues with the PC port, it’s a good idea to read a few reviews before you take the plunge.
Get it now:
Steam
MotoGP 21
Video games famously allow us to do things we would never do in real life, and for those of us who value their lives, MotoGP racing is definitely one of those things. The MotoGP series has been around for many years, but if you’re new to the games, MotoGP 21 may catch your eye for its undoubtedly good looks and much-lauded racing feel.
Chances are you’ll want to lean into curves with your driver and start to sweat at each narrowly avoided collision, of which MotoGP 21 has many. This is a racing game requiring patience and precision, but new players can find help with the newly-implemented tutorial mode and some racing aids.
Get it now:
Steam
Epic Games Store
Emily is Away <3
This is the next game in developer Kyle Seely’s…Emily Verse, which started with Emily is Away (no <3), a game about being on social media in the early 2000s. This time, the player signs up to a brand-new service called Facenook. All their friends are already on it, so it’s going to be lots of fun, right? Right?
Emily is Away <3 is a worryingly accurate facsimile of what it’s like to be on social media, then and now. If you’re already trying to stay as far away from it as possible, this isn’t to be the game for you, but if you want to see the many different things you can get up to without hurting any of your real friends in the progress, Emily is Away certainly delivers on the absolute absurdity of it all.
Get it now:
Steam
Shadow Man Remastered
The original Shadow Man is a console classic all the way from 1999, that PC players have been enjoying thanks to a surprise GOG release in 2013. Now there’s even a remastered version of Shadow Man’s travels between Liveside and Deadside.
Of course, this is still a 90s game with all that entails, such as slightly inane puzzles and classic, slightly clunky controls (which you can switch to analogue stick controls). Depending on where you’re from, this is the first available version of Shadow Man that’s entirely uncut, and while its graphics make it clear this is a game from two decades ago, the story, voice acting, and atmospheric level design are as good as ever.
Get it now:
Steam
Epic Games Store
GOG
Portal Reloaded
Portal 2 is one of the best co-op puzzle games you can play, and in the decade since it released, many people have done that, again and again. Some people eventually went a step further and a large community of Portal modders emerged, who regularly design a variety of new challenges for the game.
One such developer made and combined 25 new levels into the free Portal Reloaded mod. The mod does require you to own Portal 2, but it really is an all-new Portal experience, with voiced dialogue, a new portal, and of course new brain teasers that range in difficulty. This isn’t a new game per se, but still something Portal fans absolutely shouldn’t miss.
Get it now:
Steam
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion
Titled after a well-known meme, Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion is a beautiful short adventure game in the style of Zelda with simple combat and biting humor. Turnip Boy has had enough of the patriarchy and decides to commit tax fraud. An understandable impulse, but he gets caught! Will the other vegetables be willing to help him?
The art and the concept are so silly and charming that it’s a shame this game isn’t any longer, but Turnip Boy very much feels like someone had a concise vision and poured a lot of love into their work.
Get it now:
Steam
SaGa Frontier Remastered
More and more JRPGs are making their way to PC, not least thanks to remasters. With new cutscenes, a new character and a fast forward option, SaGa Frontier now joins their ranks. Perhaps you’ve already played Romacing SaGa, a SaGa series already available on PC, but Saga Frontier has its completely own story. SaGa Frontier attempts to tell a story in a non-linear way, and features turn-based combat with combination attacks. In short, it’s another game for any fan of classic 90s JRPGs, the kind publisher Square Enix was known for for many years. The story may not hold a candle to the Final Fantasy games or Chrono Trigger, but it’s still a great adventure for genre fans.
Get it now:
Steam
Turn to page two for our full rundown of the 30 best PC games you need to add to your wishlist immediately...