The best PC game of all time by critical score is Half-Life 2, which shares the platform’s highest Metacritic score of 96 with a small group of classics including Baldur’s Gate 3, Grand Theft Auto V, Elden Ring and BioShock. PC is where the deepest strategy games, RPGs and mods live, so this list spans every era and genre. Whether you want a story epic or a systems-driven sandbox, the top pick for each is below.
Below are the best PC games ranked by Metacritic score, with release year and genre. Scores are the PC critic aggregate; where games tie, the more influential title is placed higher. The list runs from all-time classics to 2026’s Big Walk, the highest-rated game of the year at 94.
The best PC games of all time, ranked
Ranked by Metacritic score. Year is the PC release; genre marks the style of game.
| # | Game | Year | Genre | Metacritic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Half-Life 2 | 2004 | FPS | 96 |
| 2 | Baldur’s Gate 3 | 2023 | RPG | 96 |
| 3 | Grand Theft Auto V | 2015 | Open world | 96 |
| 4 | Elden Ring | 2022 | Action RPG | 96 |
| 5 | BioShock | 2007 | Immersive sim | 96 |
| 6 | Half-Life | 1998 | FPS | 96 |
| 7 | Portal 2 | 2011 | Puzzle | 95 |
| 8 | Sid Meier’s Civilization IV | 2005 | Strategy | 94 |
| 9 | Mass Effect 2 | 2010 | RPG | 94 |
| 10 | Big Walk | 2026 | Co-op adventure | 94 |
| 11 | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 2015 | RPG | 93 |
| 12 | Divinity: Original Sin 2 | 2017 | CRPG | 93 |
| 13 | Red Dead Redemption 2 | 2019 | Open world | 93 |
| 14 | Hades | 2020 | Roguelike | 93 |
| 15 | StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty | 2010 | RTS | 93 |
| 16 | Crusader Kings III | 2020 | Grand strategy | 91 |
| 17 | Disco Elysium | 2019 | RPG | 91 |
| 18 | Death Stranding 2: On the Beach | 2026 | Action | 91 |
| 19 | Portal | 2007 | Puzzle | 90 |
| 20 | Balatro | 2024 | Deckbuilder | 90 |
Why PC leads on depth
PC is the platform of systems and freedom. It is home to strategy games no console can match, the deepest RPGs like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin 2, and the immersive sims — Half-Life 2, BioShock — that pushed the medium forward. It is also where mods keep games like Skyrim and The Witcher 3 alive for a decade, and where indies such as Hades, Disco Elysium and Balatro break through. That range is why the top of the chart is so crowded with all-time greats.
The PC games that defined the platform
Four games every PC player should experience.
PC is also the definitive home for the best strategy games and the biggest RPGs — both of which have rankings of their own here: our best strategy games and best RPGs. Many of these titles also top our overall best games of all time list.
Best PC game by genre
The highest-rated PC game in each major genre.
| Genre | Best on PC |
|---|---|
| FPS | Half-Life 2 |
| RPG | Baldur’s Gate 3 |
| Strategy | Sid Meier’s Civilization IV |
| Open world | Grand Theft Auto V / Elden Ring |
| Puzzle | Portal 2 |
| Roguelike | Hades |
| Indie | Disco Elysium |
Loads of these run brilliantly on a handheld PC too — see our best Steam Deck games ranking for the portable picks.
