PC games have enthralled gamers for over four decades with stunning graphics, deep worlds, innovative gameplay, and endless adaptability.
PC gaming traces its origins back to the creation of early home computers in the 1970s, leading to text-based adventure and puzzle titles. However, arcade ports like Donkey Kong and Pac-Man captured players‘ imagination with smooth scrolling, colorful visuals, and engaging challenges.
As hardware rapidly advanced in the ‘80s and ‘90s, PC games evolved in scope, pushing next-level graphics, storytelling, multiplayer experiences, user-generated content, and more. Today, PC gaming dominates the industry in terms of technical capabilities, sales, mods, and indie creativity.
To celebrate the rich history of PC gaming, we spotlight 10 genre-defining masterpieces that exemplify the platform‘s vast potential. These are the absolute best PC games of all time.
10. Sid Meier‘s Civilization II (1996)
Legendary game designer Sid Meier struck gold again with this addictive, empire-building strategy sequel. Choosing from 21 civilizations spanning world history, players guide societies from humble beginnings into space-faring superpowers, balancing research, diplomacy, city planning, and warfare along the way.
Lauded as deeper and more balanced than the original, Civ II upped replayability by introducing scenario campaigns like the conquests of Rome. Modders also praised the game‘s accessibility, enabling them to craft countless user-made worlds.
Selling over 2 million copies by 1999, Civilization II remains one of the highest-rated strategy games among fans. Its compelling risk-versus-reward decisions gave rise to the iconic "one more turn" syndrome still associated with the long-running Civ franchise today.
Metacritic Score: 94%
Release Date: February 29, 1996
Where To Get It: Sid Meier‘s Civilization II on Amazon
9. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)
The award-winning fifth entry in Bethesda‘s open-world fantasy saga casts players as the legendary Dragonborn during a titanic clash between man and mythological beasts. After escaping execution, you‘re free to embark on epic adventures across the snow-capped province of Skyrim however you see fit.
Backed by a stirring orchestral score, the Nordic wilderness spring to life through dynamic weather, ambient NPC routines, photorealistic vistas, and an unrivaled level of detail that rewards off-the-beaten-path exploration. Combine magic and melee attacks however you like and develop your Dragonborn‘s skills to suit your playstyle.
Hailed as a masterpiece upon launch for its sheer freedom, Skyrim invites gamers to lose themselves in mystical lands filled with guilds to join, dungeons to plunder, side quests to uncover, and mysteries to unravel. Its active mod scene has further expanded its horizons over the years.
Metacritic Score: 94%
Release Date: November 11, 2011
Where To Get It: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on Amazon
8. Portal 2 (2011)
Valve hit a hole-in-one with this hilarious, mind-bending sequel that turns spatial puzzles on their head. Armed with the iconic Handheld Portal Device, players manipulate the laws of physics to navigate through the dilapidated halls of Aperture Science and evade the murderous AI GLaDOS.
Expanding on its predecessor, Portal 2 doubles down on clever challenges that force you to reconsider everything you think you know about traversing 3D space. Time travel elements also enable you to collaborate with – or impede – past versions of yourself.
But it’s the snappy writing and brilliant performances by comedians Stephen Merchant and J.K. Simmons that steal the show, delivering laughs around every corner. The cooperative campaign turns brain-teasing into delightful teamwork, cementing the series as a genuine phenomenon.
Metacritic Score: 95%
Release Date: April 19, 2011
Where To Get It: Portal 2 on Amazon
7. Persona 5 Royal (2020)
The enhanced edition of Atlus‘ surreal RPG masterpiece dials its unforgettable style up to 11. By day, play as a Japanese high school student balancing classes, jobs, relationships, and extracurriculars. By night, lead the boisterous Phantom Thieves on heists into corrupt adults‘ distorted desires to make them change their villainous ways.
From its smooth jazzy soundtrack to Picasso-esque visuals, Persona 5 Royal radiates cool around every corner. The ability to negotiate with hundreds of creatures to recruit as elemental spirits adds monster collecting flair as well. Approachable yet layered battling also empowers you to exploit enemies‘ weaknesses in flashy fashion.
Deeper and more stylish than ever, P5R stands at the pinnacle of Japanese game design. Behind its audacious attitude lies a thoughtful tale unpacking societal rebellion, personal conviction, and youth at a crossroads.
Metacritic Score: 95%
Release Date: March 31, 2020
Where To Get It: Persona 5 Royal on Amazon
6. Baldur‘s Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000)
This sprawling high fantasy sequel sets the bar for RPG storytelling and sheer adventure. Building off mythos from Dungeons and Dragons, players lead a party of heroes against magical threats tied to your playable protagonist‘s divine heritage.
Shadows of Amn dazzles with rich locales to explore, tons of loot to plunder, and allies to recruit. Dense writing and quests reacting to your choices also lend felt genuineness to you hero‘s journey. Polished isometric visuals likewise fueled players‘ imagination just as much as towering boss fights tested their mettle.
Simplified rules guiding combat and progression made RPG vets and newcomers feel welcome. Baldur‘s Gate II remains a towering masterwork that modern RPGs continue drawing inspiration from thanks to its emphasis on freedom and logical worldbuilding.
Metacritic Score: 95%
Release Date: September 24, 2000
Where To Get It: Baldur‘s Gate II on Amazon
5. BioShock (2007)
2K Games flipped perceptions of first-person shooters on their head with this dystopian descent into the underwater objectivist paradise gone awry known as Rapture. After surviving a plane crash over the Atlantic, players explore the ruined art deco metropolis and piece together how extremist ideology corrupted its ambitious citizens.
Blending philosophical pondering with tense action, BioShock empowers you with weapons and reality-warping tonics as you navigate environmental puzzles and uncover Rapture‘s past. Morality systems also added nuance by impacting the story based on how violently you harness young girls‘ psychic abilities for your gain.
Hailed by critics as a triumph in game narrative, BioShock treats players as intelligent by letting the dying city speak volumes about unchecked ideals. Scrounging for resources to survive against mutant Splicers created constant urgency every step deeper into madness.
Metacritic Score: 96%
Release Date: August 21, 2007
Where To Get It: BioShock on Amazon
4. The Orange Box (2007)
Valve‘s legendary compilation disc bundles five groundbreaking hits for the price of one. Headlining half-life 2‘s entire saga to date, the package also treats fans to the gravity-manipulating Portal and irreverent class-based mayhem of Team Fortress 2.
All three bastions of innovation redefined interactivity through physics, environmental puzzles, customizable roles, and future-proof foundation for mods and expansions. Their brisk pacing and focus on moment-to-moment enjoyment of unique tools overcame notions that games needed padded playtimes.
The Orange Box stands eternally as a testament to Valve‘s creative vision. To this day, Team Fortress 2 enjoys one of the most dedicated communities on PC thanks to endless content updates. Meanwhile, Half-Life 2‘s realism and Portal‘s mind-bending mechanic spawned countless imitators chasing their brilliance.
Metacritic Score: 96%
Release Date: October 10, 2007
Where To Get It: The Orange Box on Amazon
3. Grand Theft Auto V (2015)
Rockstar‘s anarchic magnum opus represents open-world gameplay at its most ambitious. The sprawling sunsoaked state of San Andreas overflows with robberies to pull off, mayhem to sow, sights to see, and secrets to uncover across land, air, and sea.
GTAV realizes its criminally bombastic power fantasy through pitch-perfect feel, scope, and satire. Switch between three radically different protagonists on a whim to dynamically experience heists from complementary angles. Smooth controls and unmatched physics also make simply driving around listening to music a joy.
Multiplayer first person mayhem builds on strengths with imaginative modes and incorporation of popular Rockstar Social Club crews. Grand Theft Auto V is the definitive sandbox that serious gamers can enjoy goofing off inside for hundreds of hours thanks to its incredible attention to detail.
Metacritic Score: 97%
Release Date: April 14, 2015
Where To Get It: Grand Theft Auto V on Amazon
2. Half-Life 2 (2004)
Gordon Freeman triumphed his way into shooter royalty with this long-awaited sequel fusiong white-knuckle action with environmental storytelling. After the events of Half-Life, players wake up years later in dystopian City 17 under the thumb of alien conquerers known as the Combine.
Half-Life 2 realizes its immersive world through smart use of physics. Manipulate magnets and platforms to traverse puzzles while harnessing tools like the iconic gravity gun to manipulate objects with satisfying heft. Organic level design keeps the action unpredictable while dripfeeding details about what happened during Gordon‘s absence.
By thinking outside the box, Half-Life 2 created watershed moments gaming hadn‘t seen before. Players couldn‘t stop raving about the Gravity Gun‘s unmatched feeling of power. Seamlessly mixing puzzles, platforming, driving, and combat created welcome diversity. Future classics like BioShock owe their heritage to Half-Life 2‘s environmental mastery.
Metacritic Score: 96%
Release Date: November 16, 2004
Where To Get It: Half-Life 2 on Amazon
1. Disco Elysium: The Final Cut (2021)
This narratively groundbreaking amnesiac murder mystery RPG reveals how much games have grown as an artistic medium. Awakening from a blackout bender as a disgraced detective, players interview suspects and reconstruct your shattered psyche across personally tailored dialog trees laden with skill checks.
Disco Elysium forgoes combat in favor of layered branching conversations spanning 24 abilities. Will brawn, brains or base charisma win the day? The uniquely reactive world hangs on your every word. Lavish oil painting visuals likewise feel hauntingly surrealist befitting the game‘s dreamlike pacing.
Bottomless attention to detail cements Disco Elysium as a true magnum opus. Seemingly minor choices snowball in fascinating directions while the World-Eating Narrative System pieces together disturbed mental images based on your actions. Disco Elysium sets the high watermark for player agency and emotional resonance through play.
Metacritic Score: 97%
Release Date: October 15, 2019 (The Final Cut on March 30, 2021)
Where To Get It: Disco Elysium on Amazon
PC gaming invites players to get lost in fully-realized interactive worlds filled with amazing experiences not found elsewhere. These 10 timeless achievements give life to wildly creative concepts executed at peak brilliance across various genres.
From Sid Meier‘s empire-building, to solving physics defying puzzles in Portal 2, to saving Tamriel from dragonkind in Skyrim, the platform‘s openness enables unprecedented freedom. The exponential technical leaps enabling these titles‘ grandest visions also ensure PC gaming‘s continued position at the forefront of innovation.
By remembering the magic conjured by these classics of the past, fans eagerly await what boundaries PC gaming might push next. New graphics cards already flirt with cinematic photorealism. The possibilities stay boundless so long as bold creative minds have tools enabling imagination to take flight.
So what history-making masterpieces do you anticipate making this list in the future? The door remains open for the next revolutionary waiting in the wings to rise.
