Top 25 PC Games You Must Play Now

2025 is well underway, and with it comes the time to refresh IGN’s list of the 25 Best Modern PC Games. But what exactly defines “best”? It's important to clarify that this isn’t an attempt at an objective ranking that would universally satisfy every gamer — because such a thing simply doesn't exist. When one person’s strategy masterpiece is another player’s snooze-fest, there's no way everyone will agree on where games should stand in relation to each other. Even among fans of the same genre, personal lists rarely align.

This list represents the games that IGN’s team of dedicated PC gamers collectively recommend, ranked using our Face-Off system so every voice had a say in determining which titles deserved higher placement than others. It’s not about declaring winners and losers — it’s about celebrating the games we love and encouraging you to give them a try if you haven’t already.

With only 25 spots available, many incredible modern PC titles didn’t make the cut — but that doesn’t mean they’re any less worthy. Every participant in the voting process had their own cherished favorites that just didn’t gain enough support from the group, and that’s completely natural when dealing with so many diverse opinions and a massive library of games.

The Best PC Games

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For this list, we focused exclusively on “modern” PC games — those released or significantly updated within the past decade, dating back to the start of 2013. While we still adore classics like Doom, Half-Life 2, Portal, Skyrim, StarCraft 2, Mass Effect 2, Minecraft, BioShock, KOTOR, Fallout: New Vegas, Batman: Arkham City, and countless others, they’ve moved from modern greats into the all-time legend category. For those, check out our list of the Top 100 Games of All Time or explore genre-specific lists that capture the best of their kind.

Most importantly, remember that this is just our collective perspective — no more "right" or "wrong" than any list you might create yourself. And speaking of that: if you've got your own top 25 (or even a top 100!) list of favorite PC games, we encourage you to build it using our Playlist tool and share it in the comments below.

List last updated on February 13, 2025

Under Consideration – Recent Releases

These highly rated games from 2024 and early 2025 are too new for us to rank definitively yet — we need a bit more time before they can be properly evaluated. However, they (and many others) will be included in the next round of voting when we update this list again.

• Civilization 7
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
• Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
• Dynasty Warriors: Origins
• Mouthwashing
• Marvel Rivals
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
• STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl
• Life is Strange: Double Exposure
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• Sonic X Shadow Generations
• MechWarrior 5: Clans
• Metaphor: ReFantazio
• Silent Hill 2 Remake
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
• Black Myth: Wukong

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25. Undertale

Undertale is a brilliant exercise in breaking expectations. It knows you're playing a roleplaying game and uses that awareness to toy with you at every turn, remembering how you save, tracking your story decisions, and adjusting itself in surprising ways to remind you that every action has consequences.

Its emotionally rich narrative reinforces Undertale’s core message: every choice matters — not just to you, but to the world around you. It’s subversive, challenging, deeply replayable, unapologetically melancholic, and now firmly seated among the greatest PC games of all time.

Read our Undertale review

Release Date: September 15, 2015 | Developer: Toby Fox | Last Position: New!

24. Balatro

If you think your poker skills will carry you through Balatro, think again. While it may resemble Texas Hold’em on the surface, this clever deck-building roguelite changes everything by letting you combine wildly powerful joker cards to create insane combos that skyrocket your score and throw all logic out the window.

Read our Balatro review

Release Date: February 20, 2024 | Developer: LocalThunk | Last Position: New!

23. Crusader Kings 3

Historical grand strategy games are known for their complexity — and Crusader Kings 3 lives up to that reputation. Whether you prefer brute force, diplomatic cunning, or shadowy intrigue, CK3 gives you countless ways to shape history.

Thanks to its layered tooltip system and improved accessibility, it’s never been easier to dive into the world of medieval politics and dynastic drama.

Read our Crusader Kings 3 review

Release Date: September 1, 2020 | Developer: Paradox Development Studio | Last Position: New!

22. Hitman: World of Assassination

Bringing together all three entries from IO Interactive’s acclaimed modern Hitman trilogy, World of Assassination offers an immense playground of stealth and strategy. Each mission is a masterclass in environmental storytelling and creative killing.

From disguises to distractions, Hitman rewards observation, experimentation, and execution. And getting away clean after a perfect kill? One of the most satisfying feelings in gaming.

Read our Hitman 3: World of Assassination review

Release Date: January 26, 2023 | Developer: IO Interactive | Last Position: 16

21. Doom (2016)

The 2016 reboot of Doom was one of the most thrilling first-person shooter comebacks ever seen. It threw players headfirst into waves of demonic enemies, encouraging brutal combat and fast-paced action.

While Doom Eternal refined the formula, the original remains pure, raw, and unforgettable. At a time when many shooters were leaning into multiplayer and service models, Doom reminded us why single-player FPS still mattered.

Read our Doom (2016) review

Release Date: May 13, 2016 | Developer: id Software | Last Position: 17

20. Final Fantasy VII Remake

Few remakes have managed to impress as much as Final Fantasy VII Remake. Blending reverence for the original with bold new ideas, it reimagines Midgar as a living, breathing action-RPG world filled with tension, style, and emotional weight.

Read our Final Fantasy VII Remake review

Release Date: December 16, 2021 | Developer: Square Enix Business Division 1 | Last Position: New!

19. Resident Evil 4 Remake

Capcom’s *Res