The best PC games of 2024

ROG Zephyrus (2024) gaming laptop in white playing Red Dead Redempiton 2, sitting on a table next to a Steam Deck OLED in a white case.
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

If you’re looking for the most open platform that is also consistently ahead of consoles when it comes to cutting edge tech, the best PC games deliver the finest virtual experiences money can buy. 

The best gaming PCs are years ahead of both the PS5 Slim and Xbox Series X when it comes to brute power. Yet thanks to brilliant handheld PCs like Steam Deck, you don’t have to spend thousands to enjoy amazing titles on your gaming desktop or laptop. 

My current favorite PC game? That’s Elden Ring. I’m besotted with FromSoftware’s incredible open-world all over again with the release of the exceptional Shadow of the Erdtree DLC earlier this year. Despite the fact I’ve yet to finish it, I’m still giving its brutal boss showdowns my level best months after launch. 

With the right hardware, the best PC games operate in 4K at frame rates that current consoles could never achieve. My main consideration when assembling my selections below was whether a title could run well on an RTX 4090 rig and a more modest, say, RTX 4060-powered laptop (that’s the gold standard when measuring a quality PC port). Now let’s get on with my picks of the best PC games. 

The best PC games

Classic PC games to play today

Given the scope of PC gaming, there's a vast amount of classic games to play. Some may feel a bit ropey or dated to play today, but here's a quick list of games you should play if you want to go a little retro with your PC gaming.  

  • Half-Life Source and Half-Life 2
  • Deus Ex
  • Rome: Total War
  • Diablo 2 
  • Baldur's Gate 2 
  • Dragon Age Origins 
  • Age of Empires 2 
  • WarCraft 3 
  • Team Fortress 2 
  • Bioshock
  • Company of Heroes
  • Homeworld 

How to choose the best PC games

A good starting point for picking the best PC games out is to go by genre. While these are by no means strict criteria for what is and isn't included in certain games, it'll help you get a general idea of what each game is about.

For more detailed research, look up some reviews to see what the critics and fans make of a certain game. If you're lucky, there will be an option to try out a free demo version of a game, so you can experience a limited amount of content and then make your mind up.

You should also consider how much time you want to invest in playing a game. Story-driven games tend to be much shorter than the average RPG for example, and games featuring multiplayer allow for potentially infinite value if you're prepared to invest the time in mastering them. Consider these few pointers when making a purchase, and you'll always pick something you'll really enjoy.

Dave Meikleham
UK Computing Editor

Dave is a computing editor at Tom’s Guide and covers everything from cutting edge laptops to ultrawide monitors. When he’s not worrying about dead pixels, Dave enjoys regularly rebuilding his PC for absolutely no reason at all. In a previous life, he worked as a video game journalist for 15 years, with bylines across GamesRadar+, PC Gamer and TechRadar. Despite owning a graphics card that costs roughly the same as your average used car, he still enjoys gaming on the go and is regularly glued to his Switch. Away from tech, most of Dave’s time is taken up by walking his husky, buying new TVs at an embarrassing rate and obsessing over his beloved Arsenal. 

  • Neifist
    This is why I come here for real reviews. Not one Blizzard or activision game on the list. They don't make games anymore, just cashgrabs. Diablo 4 was garbage, overwatch 2 released end of 2022 and honestly the bad steam reviews are way better than the game. It's become a sea of Myst all over. I worked in a Software Etc when that came out and people flocked in because of paid false ads. I can say I stopped more than 500 people from buying it, and almost every copy I did sell was returned with a Yup you were right. So glad Toms reviews aren't for sale.
    Reply
  • gog123
    Fantastic list! I've been playing a lot of Elden Ring lately
    and it's definitely one of my top games of the year.
    The world is so vast and immersive.
    I also like Horizon Forbidden West.
    The graphics are stunning. What about God of War Ragnarök?
    I've heard great things about it.
    also check out www.gog.com for various video games.
    Reply