The best-rated game of 2026 so far is Big Walk, a co-op puzzle adventure that holds a 94 on Metacritic — the highest score of the year. Close behind, Forza Horizon 6 and the indie hit Mina the Hollower lead the pack, while Resident Evil Requiem scored a 93 on Xbox, the highest single-platform score of any 2026 release. And the year’s biggest game, GTA 6, is still to come.
Below are the best games of 2026 ranked on critical standing so far, with genre and platform. This is a mid-to-late-year snapshot — scores and rankings will shift as the second half of 2026 delivers more big releases.
The best games of 2026, ranked
Ranked on critical standing as of late 2026. Platform is the lead release; several are still building their scores.
| # | Game | Genre | Platform | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Walk | Co-op adventure | PC / console | 94 Metascore, year’s highest |
| 2 | Forza Horizon 6 | Racing | Xbox / PC | Tokyo map, 550 cars |
| 3 | Mina the Hollower | Action-adventure | Multi | Best-reviewed indie of the year |
| 4 | Resident Evil Requiem | Horror | Multi | 93 on Xbox, best RE since RE4 |
| 5 | 007 First Light | Action | Multi | First Bond game in 14 years |
| 6 | Pokémon Pokopia | Adventure / sim | Switch / Switch 2 | Highest-rated Pokémon ever |
| 7 | Pragmata | Action | Multi | Game of the Year contender |
| 8 | Nioh 3 | Action RPG | PS5 | 86, PS5 console exclusive |
| 9 | Saros | Roguelike shooter | PS5 | Housemarque’s Returnal follow-up |
| 10 | Mixtape | Narrative | Multi | 86, soundtrack-driven |
| 11 | OPUS: Prism Peak | Adventure | Multi | 86, photography journey |
| 12 | Slay the Spire 2 | Deckbuilder | PC | Early-access must-install |
| 13 | Esoteric Ebb | RPG | PC | Disco Elysium successor |
| 14 | Subnautica 2 | Survival | Multi | Early access, adds co-op |
| 15 | Grounded 2 | Survival | Xbox / PS5 | Into the Abyss update |
The year’s standouts
2026 has been a year of variety rather than a single blockbuster. Big Walk took the top score with a co-op puzzle adventure, Forza Horizon 6 delivered the series’ biggest-ever map in Tokyo with 550 cars, and Resident Evil Requiem gave the horror genre its best entry in years. Indies punched above their weight too, with Mina the Hollower and the Disco Elysium successor Esoteric Ebb both drawing rave reviews. The biggest release of all, GTA 6, arrives on 19 November 2026 and could reshape this whole list.
The games leading 2026
Four releases defining the year so far.
Forza Horizon 6 tops our best racing games ranking, and Resident Evil Requiem leads our best horror games list. Several of these also feature in our best PS5 games guide.
Best game of 2026 by category
Straight to the top 2026 pick for what you want to play.
| Category | Best of 2026 |
|---|---|
| Overall (by score) | Big Walk |
| Racing | Forza Horizon 6 |
| Horror | Resident Evil Requiem |
| Indie | Mina the Hollower |
| RPG | Nioh 3 / Esoteric Ebb |
| Survival | Subnautica 2 |
| Still to come | GTA 6 (19 November) |
For the games that defined the years before this one, our best games of the 2010s ranking is the natural next read.
