2022 is over midway over, and regardless of some notable delays, it has been a powerful yr for PC video games. The discharge calendar for giant finances video games like Starfield has taken a beating, however there’s nonetheless been rather a lot to have a good time in 2022: a slick port of Monster Hunter Rise, gleeful destruction engine Teardown, lovely cat platformer Stray, and, after all, Elden Ring.
This record is particularly our reply to the query “What new PC video games ought to I play proper now?” with picks pulled from the very best PC video games of the yr, previous favorites we predict now is an efficient time to revisit, and a few 2022 hidden gems. It is a reflection of what the PC Gamer staff is enjoying proper now, not a listing of the all-time greatest video games ever, though there will be overlap. (Our highest evaluation rating of 2022 is a 95%. Only a few video games have scored larger than that in PC Gamer’s practically 30-year historical past.)
For a extra complete record of nice PC video games previous and current, try our annual Prime 100 (opens in new tab) record of the very best video games on PC. Now we have some recent picks for the very best Steam Deck video games (opens in new tab) in case you have considered one of Valve’s handhelds on the way in which.
We additionally keep on prime of the yr’s calendar with our information to the brand new video games of 2022 (opens in new tab), organized by month.
Some excellent news associated to this record: The graphics card scarcity is lastly easing up, which implies it is now attainable to construct a brand new gaming PC for a non-outrageous worth. Now we have a information to assembling an entry-level gaming PC (opens in new tab) for round $750, however going pre-built can also be an possibility if you wish to bounce straight into gaming. Now we have some suggestions for pre-built PCs (opens in new tab), too.
Icon key
Reference these emojis to slender down what you are searching for in our choice of the very best PC video games.
- ? = Appropriate for low-end PCs
- ?‍♀️ = Singleplayer
- ?‍♀️?‍♀️ = Multiplayer
- ? = Greatest with a controller
- ? = Free-to-play
What we’re enjoying now
These are the video games the PC Gamer staff is at present enjoying: the up-to-the-minute (or a minimum of, month) stuff on our Steam fast launch menus. You possibly can see all of our current recreation evaluations right here.
Better of the very best
These video games aren’t all piping sizzling out of the oven, however some issues get higher with age. They’re the cream of the crop on PC, both scoring 90%+ in a evaluation or showing on our record of the Prime 100 PC video games (opens in new tab). When you simply desire a rattling wonderful PC recreation from the final a number of years, test these out.
- Disco Elysium (92%) ?‍♀️?: Our 2019 Sport of the 12 months and #1 greatest PC recreation for 2 years working.Â
- Valheim ??‍♀️?‍♀️: A survival sandbox that rekindled our love for chopping, mining and constructing with fashionable, savvy streamlining.
- Whole Conflict: Warhammer 3 (90%) ?‍♀️?‍♀️: An excellent remaining act with the sequence’ most creative and weird factions but.
- Unusual Horticulture (90%) ?‍♀️?: A wonderful and engrossing detective recreation full of mysteries, puzzles, vegetation, and intrigue.
- Slay the Spire (92%) ?‍♀️?: The deckbuilding roguelike all others aspire to beat.
- God of Conflict (90%) ?‍♀️?: One of the best recreation on PS4 is now among the finest video games on PC.
- Monster Hunter: Rise (90%) ?‍♀️?‍♀️?: Arguably the best entry in Capcom’s flagship sequence, and a recreation that merely by no means stops giving.
- Forza Horizon 5 (90%) ?‍♀️?‍♀️?: Even a marginal enchancment on the very best racing sequence round is price celebrating.
- Chivalry 2 (91%) ?‍♀️?‍♀️: An excellent mixture of excessive talent and low comedy, and the very best medieval fight recreation on the market.
- Wildermyth (90%) ?‍♀️?‍♀️?: Narrative design as genetic engineering, it’ll stay in your head like an imaginary buddy.
- Crusader Kings 3 (94%) ?‍♀️?‍♀️?: The king is lifeless, lengthy stay the king!
- Minecraft (96%) ??‍♀️?‍♀️: Construct something you’ll be able to think about, so long as it is fabricated from cubes.
- Hitman 3 (90%) ?‍♀️: The artwork of assassination, polished as finely as Agent 47’s head.
One of the best aggressive multiplayer video games proper now
One of the best PC video games by style
Discover our choice of the very best PC video games only a bit too broad? Maybe you recognize you are after a gripping story, or an intense racer, or the type of sim you’ll be able to spend a complete weekend enjoying like a second job. Our style lists have curated suggestions for RPGs, racing, technique, and extra. Test ’em out: