Great Games To Play offer immersive experiences, captivating stories, and engaging gameplay, and at polarservicecenter.net, we understand the importance of having reliable tech to enhance your gaming sessions. Whether you’re seeking thrilling adventures, strategic challenges, or relaxing simulations, the PC gaming landscape offers something for everyone. Let’s explore the top titles that promise unforgettable experiences and provide tips on ensuring your Polar devices are always ready for your next gaming marathon, ensuring seamless health and performance tracking.
1. Undertale
Undertale Subverts Expectations
Undertale is a delightfully inventive exercise in subverting expectations. It knows you’re playing a roleplaying game and uses that awareness to mess with you at every turn, remembering your saving habits, following your story decisions, and constantly adjusting itself in surprising ways to remind you that actions have unexpected consequences.
An involving and emotionally charged story thematically supports Undertale’s underlying message: every choice you make matters, not just to you but to the people around you. It’s subversive, occasionally confounding, replayable, unapologetically melancholy, and a worthy member of the fraternity of all-time great PC games.
Check out our Undertale review.
2. Balatro
Balatro's Clever Deck-Building Roguelite
If you’re a shark at Texas Hold’em it’s easy to think you’ll be able to breeze to the top of Balatro’s scoreboards, but odds are you’d lose that bet. It may be based on the same fundamental ideas of playing matching or sequential sets of cards, but the way this clever deck-building roguelite changes things up by letting you mix and match its competely wild collection of game-altering joker cards to create absolutely bonkers combos that can send your points through the roof will very quickly upend the table and make you rethink everything you think you know.
Check out our Balatro review.
3. Crusader Kings 3
Crusader Kings 3 Offers Dynamic Human Stories
While historical grand strategy games are perhaps best known for maddeningly complex systems so dense they’re nearly impenetrable, they’re also renowned for the human stories that emerge when great figures collide with dynamic results. Crusader Kings 3 gives you many ways to tell those stories, be it overwhelming military might, the diplomacy of a well-placed betrothal, or ending your enemies with a cloak-and-dagger plot.
And while it certainly lives up to the genre’s standards for density, CK3 also manages to be as accessible as they’ve ever been, with a robust, nested tooltip system that helps allow even strategy newcomers enjoy its many layers.
Check out our Crusader Kings 3 review.
4. Hitman: World of Assassination
Hitman World of Assassination's Rich, Rewarding Scenarios
Seeing as it collects all of the deviously designed scenarios from Io Interactive’s landmark modern Hitman trilogy under one banner, Hitman: World of Assassination is too good to pass up. With so many rich, rewarding, and highly replayable sandboxes at your fingertips, there’s virtually no end to the cold-blooded and often hilarious trouble you can cause as Agent 47. Tracking down a multitude of surprising and imaginative assassination opportunities requires examining every nook and cranny, carefully observing every NPC’s behavior, and making full use of every piece of gear and weapon – and getting away with a perfect hit with no one even knowing you were there is one of gaming’s biggest and most satisfying thrills.
Check out our Hitman 3: World of Assassination review.
5. Doom (2016)
Doom 2016 is a Great Reimagining of a Classic
One of the greatest reimaginings of a classic game ever made, the 2016 reboot of Doom held nothing back as it launched us face-first into a horde of space demons and invited us to rip and tear them to shreds, then feast upon the glowing bits that popped out so that we could do it again and again with barely enough time to catch a breath in between. While the sequel, Doom Eternal, arguably improved on the combat by making it even more technical, for us nothing beats the relative purity and simplicity of the satisfying slug-fests of Doom.
This wildly aggressive style of single-player action felt like it broke first-person shooters out of a rut – the year before had seen Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, Battlefield Hardline, Halo 5: Guardians, and Star Wars Battlefront, all of which focused on multiplayer and didn’t age especially well. Doom, however, has become even easier to appreciate with how well it holds up, and it’s hard not to notice its influence in the games that’ve come along since.
Check out our Doom (2016) review.
6. Final Fantasy VII Remake
Final Fantasy VII Remake's Combat is Some of the Best Around
Pulling off a feat that seemed all but impossible until we played it for ourselves, the 2023 remake of 2005’s Resident Evil 4 took everything that made the original a standout action-horror classic and modernized it to thrill present-day gamers just as much as it had those who always saw it through rose-tinted glasses.
Rebuilt from the ground up, this reimagining builds tension with high-intensity combat encounter with its ferocious cast of creatures and brings the Resident Evil world to life with rich detail as the story rapidly guides you through a series of unwaveringly impressive action sequences. There’ve been many games that have attempted to evoke RE4’s style over the years, but none that nailed it quite as well as this.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is available now.
Check out our Final Fantasy 7 Remake review.
7. Resident Evil 4 Remake
Resident Evil 4 Remake Builds Tension with High-Intensity Combat
It’s hard to define Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Recreating the opening hours of the original legendary turn-based RPG as a full-blown action game in downright gorgeous style, it isn’t afraid to play with those iconic characters and the story around them in ways that often feel more like something out of a sequel than a remake. But no matter what path this seemingly new series continues blaze, and however you want to label FF7R, one thing is for sure: whatever this is absolutely rules.
Its combat is some of the best around, the city of Midgar is dense and stunning, and its characters are lovable recreations of the low-poly people fans fell in love with years ago. It may not be the 100% faithful recreation some were hoping for, but it’s still loaded with enough reverential nostalgia that it’s hard to be too mad about the liberties it takes with its reimagining. FF7R not only brought the original back to life, it set the stage for a whole new adventure that’s just as exciting. And even if the second part, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, improves on it in some ways, you absolutely must begin your journey here.
Check out our Resident Evil 4 Remake review.
8. God of War
God of War is Gorgeously Presented and Thorough in its Detail
God of War made a huge impact when it launched as a PlayStation exclusive in 2018, scoring a 10/10 and even taking home IGN’s Game of the Year award that year. But its greatness didn’t hinge on its platform, and its arrival on PC in early 2022 opened it up to a whole new audience – one that should absolutely take the opportunity to play it if they haven’t before.
This reinvention of the classic series is truly fantastic, all the way from its excellent and challenging combat to the incredibly touching story that weaves it together. It’s gorgeously presented and thorough in its detail, taking advantage of its roots while innovating on them in a way that feels fresh again. It’s a true standout from the last decade, and it absolutely deserves to be counted amongst other PC greats now that it’s here.
The equally well-reguarded sequel, God of War: Ragnarok, is now available on PC as well – but this is another saga where you have to start at the beginning to experience it to the fullest.
Check out our God of War review.
9. Nier: Automata
Nier Automata Offers a Roller Coaster of Different Gameplay Opportunities
Technical problems with the PC version kept Nier Automata off of this list in the past, but with Steam’s user reviews now giving a “Very positive” all-clear its popularity with the IGN staff has powered it into a strong position. This action-RPG opus delivers a ridiculously entertaining journey full of awesome ideas that is equal parts strange and beautiful.
There are few games like it in the way that it bounces between genres and styles with aplomb, offering a roller coaster of different gameplay opportunities, all while wrapping it up in a fascinating futuristic dystopia story with many possible endings that encourage us to poke into every corner of its engrossing world. Couple that with frenzied combat and an unforgettable soundtrack, and it’s more than worth checking out if you missed it.
Check out our Nier: Automata review.
10. Final Fantasy XIV
Final Fantasy XIV is a Fantastic Final Fantasy Game in its Own Right
In short, Final Fantasy XIV is not just IGN’s staff pick for the best MMO you can play right now, it’s a fantastic Final Fantasy game in its own right. Through its dramatic rise from the ashes of its original disastrous launch and subsequent expansions, FFXIV has slowly morphed from a relatively generic good-versus-evil plot into a sprawling, fanstastical political thriller. The latest expansion, Dawntrail, may have had some growing pains as it established a compelling new era, but in its best moments it lives up to what has made this MMORPG so special for all these years.
If you’re a traditional Final Fantasy fan, don’t be scared away by the fact that XIV is online. Despite being an MMO, Square-Enix has streamlined things so much that, if you don’t want to, you really can go it alone and have a great time. Story missions are intended to be tackled solo, and even instanced dungeons have an option for you to enter with computer-controlled party members instead of forcing you into a group with strangers. Of course, it’s also a fully-fleshed MMO with end-game raiding that ranges from totally accessible to maddeningly punishing, so it’s a game that invites you to play your way.
Check out our Final Fantasy XIV review.
11. Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2's Potential for Hijinks is Nearly Limitless
Arthur Morgan’s sprawling tale of loyalty, conviction, and the price of infamy is only the beginning of Red Dead Redemption 2. The marvelous PC port overhauled and further enhanced the gorgeous wild western atmosphere of Rockstar’s most recent (for now) open-world adventure and added even more activities, unlockables, and impossibly fine details to its expansive map to what was already a massive game. It’s possibly one of the biggest and best single-player PC games ever – and it has an extensive multiplayer mode, too.
The potential for hijinks within this enormous sandbox of towns, outlaws, and wildlife was already nearly limitless, but the PC version factors in new missions, treasures, gear, and more layered on top of the already 60+ hours of story content in the base game. That’s not even counting all the multiplayer bells and whistles included in Red Dead Online, to say nothing of the ability to expand and customize with mods. RDR2 on PC is handily a must-play for anyone with a rig beefy enough to run it at high frame rates (even the PlayStation 4 Pro can’t force it to run above 30fps) – or even a Steam Deck.
Check out our Red Dead Redemption 2 review.
12. Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds Encourages You to Hop Into Your Spaceship
Every 22 minutes, everything ends – and restarts again. The sands that had passed between twin planets go back to their original place, a planet that had fallen apart becomes whole, and you awaken to see a mysterious object in space break apart once again. In Outer Wilds, you live through those same events over and over until you can successfully solve the puzzle of why you’re stuck in the time loop, among other mysteries, by exploring ruins left by a long-dead civilization across multiple planets.
This gorgeous, heartfelt space adventure is one of the best examples of video game exploration and discovery. Outer Wilds encourages you to hop into your spaceship and go wherever you want – or just stay on your home planet and see what’s happening there. Should you feel lost or need a hint on what to do next, all of your activities and progress are saved to your ship’s log, which helpfully tells you when there’s still more to discover in an area. The only thing limiting your curiosity is time, but even that can sometimes be your ally.
The short expansion’s puzzles are just as enjoyable as what you’ll find in the rest of Outer Wilds, but the pervasive, menacing tension in Echoes of the Eye makes each step forward in the overall mystery feel even more rewarding.
Check out our Outer Wilds review.
13. Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight is One of the Best Modern Metroidvania Around
Hollow Knight is one of the best modern Metroidvania’s around. It’s beautiful, expansive, and full of delightful secrets to discover that can keep you playing for dozens of hours. The kingdom of Hallownest is a brutal one, and Hollow Knight doesn’t ease you into it. That may have caused a lot of people to bounce off of it initially – but when it finally gets its hooks in you it’s irresistibly hard to put down.
Sprawling caves open up and offer multiple paths to you at any given time, but no matter which way you go there are exciting bosses to fight and significant power-ups to make you stronger. And even though it was already a massive game, Hollow Knight has only gotten bigger since its launch in early 2017. Developer Team Cherry released multiple free updates with new areas and bosses, each harder than the last. But whether you just want to get to the credits, find the true ending, or push even farther than that, Hallownest is a world worth exploring just for the vibes.
The sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong, was supposed to be released in the first half of 2023, but Team Cherry delayed it further due to ongoing development. Will 2025 be the year we finally get more Hollow Knight, or is it destined to become gaming’s Lucy holding the football? (Do kids still get that reference?)
Check out our Hollow Knight review.
14. XCOM 2: War of the Chosen
XCOM 2's War of the Chosen Expansion Made it Even Better
XCOM 2 builds on the brilliant, high-stakes tactical combat that Firaxis reinvigorated with XCOM: Enemy Unknown back in 2012, and its War of the Chosen expansion made it even better. It features the same tension of going from a technologically inferior underdog to powerful war machine, amplified with the constant threat of the permanent deaths of your customized soldiers looming over every decision.
However, XCOM 2 turns the formula of defending Earth from alien invaders on its head by boldly recasting XCOM as a guerrilla force attempting to liberate the planet from alien occupation, making the situation feel even more desperate. This bigger, deeper sequel adds not just complexity in the form of new and more powerful soldier classes, equipment, and aliens, but also a huge focus on replayability. Procedurally generated maps keep you from falling into a repeatable pattern in tactical missions, frequent random events on the strategic map shake up your build and research orders, increasingly dangerous boss characters hunt your across missions, and of course, there are mods galore (including the ultra-challenging Long War 2) to change the rules in your favor or against you whenever you like.
Check out our XCOM 2: War of the Chosen review.
15. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has a Massive Sandbox Open-World Area
Deep, lengthy RPGs are a staple of PC gaming, and very few have put a larger chunk of high-quality, sophisticated content forward than The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has. Its massive sandbox open-world areas impress, both in terms of scope and density; they’re generously dotted with great monsters to slay, tantalizing mysteries to solve, and personal stories to unfurl.
It’s also one of the most impressive overall productions in gaming history, with reams of excellently written dialogue performed by a stellar voice cast, an incredible original soundtrack, and graphics that qualify as both a technical and artistic achievement. That remains true because even though it originally came out almost a full decade ago in 2015, in 2022 it received the blessing of an update to spruce it up for the current generation of consoles that also benefitted the PC version. Oh, and did we mention mods? There are lots of mods, including some for fans of Henry Cavill’s portrayal of Geralt in the Netflix The Witcher series.
Check out our The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt review.
16. Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077's Open World of Night City Stands Apart From Anything Else Out There
While the PC version of Cyberpunk 2077 was arguably great (if a bit buggy) when it came out at the end of 2020, it wasn’t until CD Projekt Red launched the major 2.0 patch and the Phantom Liberty expansion in 2023 that you didn’t really have to argue anymore. Even more gorgeous than ever and with years of polish and refinement to its combat and skill systems, exploring the gleaming yet seedy open world of Night City stands apart from anything else out there. It’s since been used to showcase the bells and whistles of new generations of graphics cards, including ray-tracing and DLSS, so it’s far better looking today than it’s ever been.
But of course, it’s not all candy for the augmented eyes: Out of the box you’re in for more than 30 hours of the original story alongside Keanu Reeves as rockstar radical Johnny Silverhand, but when you include the spy-themed Phantom Liberty expansion you get another 20 starring Idris Elba as sleeper agent Solomon Reed. This chapter brings with it new and more interesting themes as it explores the intersection of capitalism, police states, and the mind-warping effects of near-future technology and human augmentation.
Check out our Cyberpunk 2077 review.
17. Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley Has a Masterful Combination of RPG Mechanics
Since Stardew Valley launched in 2016, it’s become a mainstay in PC gaming and is perhaps single handedly responsible for reinvigorating the farming sim genre altogether. In that time, no other game has successfully managed to replicate its masterful combination of RPG mechanics, a satisfying gameplay, beautifully mellow music, and an ever-growing list of things to do as you while away your time in pastoral paradise.
While it exists on all platforms, including mobile, the PC is arguably the best way to experirence it: not only can you mod it to your hearts’ content, this is where new patches usually arrive first, including the enormous 1.6 patch from last July. Whether you’re a new player or returning to your 100+ hour farm, Stardew Valley remains one of the best games you can play on PC.
Check out our Stardew Valley review.
18. Grand Theft Auto V / GTA Online
Grand Theft Auto V's Map is Still the High Bar
GTA 5’s sprawling yet meticulously detailed map is still the high bar to which most open-world games aspire. Not only is it huge, it’s incredibly dense with excellent content – not just the driving and shooting and three-protagonist story that make up its campaign, and not limited to the numerous side activities, but all the sights, sounds, and bustling activity you’d expect to find in a city teeming with humans – seedy underbelly included. With so much to do, explore, and play with, both as a single-player PC game and Grand Theft Auto Online, plus great creative tools and mods, it’s truly amazing on multiple levels.
On a bittersweet note, this will be Grand Theft Auto V’s final time on this particular list due to our 10-year age limit (it came out on consoles in 2013 but didn’t show up on PC until 2015), but it will live on in our hearts and very likely on our Best Games of All Time list in perpetuity. But perhaps it’s for the best, because if this series’ history is any indication we’ll soon need the space for GTA 6, will be released for consoles in 2025 – fingers crossed, that means 2026 for PC rather than 2027! It will feature a return to Vice City and star the series’ first female playable character in a Bonnie & Clyde-inspired adventure. See our guide to the Grand Theft Auto series for more info.
Check out our Grand Theft Auto V review.
19. Satisfactory
Satisfactory Gives You an Up-Close and Personal Perspective
Standing on the shoulders of giants like Factorio, Satisfactory gives you and your friends an up-close and personal perspective of the enormous machines you’re linking together with miles of complex networks of conveyer belts and power lines to tame an alien world and convert its raw materials into sprawling sci-fi megafactories.
The feeling of planning out and building a well-oiled machine and having it spring to life and mass-produce anything you desire is one of the most satisfying there is, and that’s what earns Satisfactory a prominent spot on this list so soon after its formal launch out of its own extended production phase in early access, which began in 2019.
Check out our Satisfactory review.
20. Half-Life: Alyx
Half-Life Alyx Sets a New Standard for Polish in Virtual Reality Shooters
Valve’s first Half-Life game in 13 years reminded us of the signature innovation that’s made this series so special, and why its return was so anticipated. Just as the first Half-Life proved you could tell a compelling story in a first-person game without taking control of the camera away, and Half-Life 2 pioneered physics-based puzzles and combat, Half-Life: Alyx set a new standard for polish in virtual reality shooters and is a truly unique experience. It’s so impressive, in fact, that we believe fully justifies investing in a VR headset for your PC if you haven’t already (especially now that a Meta Quest 3S can be had for $300 and connects to your PC wirelessly via Air Link).
Alyx’s full-length campaign pulls out all the stops for an amazing and horrifying battle against aliens and zombies where the simple act of reloading your weapon becomes a desperate life-or-death struggle as headcrabs leap toward your actual face. Other VR games have great shooting, but even years later nothing has yet matched Valve’s level of detail. Clever three-dimensional puzzles and excellent and often funny performances from its cast break up the action, and it’s all capped off with a fantastic ending that made the decade-plus we had to wait for the third coming of Half-Life almost feel worth it.
Check out our Half-Life: Alyx review.
21. Slay the Spire
Slay the Spire Keeps These Turn-Based Battles Fresh and Engaging
In a roguelite, variety is king: Slay the Spire’s constantly changing decks of ability cards, powerful and transformative relics, and the four drastically different playable characters keep these turn-based battles fresh and engaging for far longer than they have any right to. Watching your character’s attacks, defenses, skills, and powers evolve across the three chapters of an hour-long run is a journey, and throwing your hand in at the end of a run knowing you may never see its like again can be like saying goodbye to a friend you were only just getting to know.
Of course, the possibility of lucking into an even better combination the next time through makes it tough to resist hitting the New Game button, and the randomized Daily Climb runs give even veterans a new and interesting way to play every day. And there’s just something about the distinctive, hand-drawn art and odd lore of this weird and punishing world that feels welcoming every single time. To say we’re looking forward to the early access launch of Slay the Spire 2 this year would be a grave understatement.
Check out our Slay the Spire review.
22. Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium Offers Original Ways to Play
Disco Elysium took age-old CRPG mechanics and created something entirely modern with them. As well as transplanting the dice-rolls and
