The Best PC Games Free Download 2024

The Best PC Games for 2024

The Best PC Games looking for a quick gaming fix or one that lasts hundreds of hours, there’s a great game just a few clicks away. Start your PC gaming journey with our top picks in 17 categories.

You’re faced with many purchasing options upon booting Epic Games Store, Steam, Xbox Game Pass, or any of the other digital marketplaces for PC games. Do you feel like shredding enemies with big weapons? Check out Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Want to plot maneuvers as a team? Give League of Legends a try. Ready to go on a haunting RPG adventure? Download Elden Ring. Don’t get frozen by choice, though; we have more than 20 years of gaming-testing experience and you can trust our independent reviews to help you make a swift and wise purchasing decision.

Note that this is not a historical examination of the most groundbreaking PC games. It’s an ever-changing collection of what you should buy if you own a gaming desktop, gaming laptop, or Steam Deck OLED (or other handheld gaming device). To clarify, games don’t need to have been released within the calendar year to qualify for this roundup. Any release that’s still available and considered entertaining is eligible.

This page has a top pick for each of our 17 genre categories, from action games to stealth games. These top picks will change as exciting new titles get released. Right now, you can explore 285 PC games by diving into our standalone, genre-based lists that are linked below each entry.

And if you’re a console gamer who thinks we’re biased toward PC gaming because we’re PCMag—you’re right! Still, our staff has assembled their top picks for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and Switch. In addition, don’t forget to visit the best video games coming out this year to know what’s on the horizon.

We now present the best PC games. Grab your keyboard, mouse, gamepad, flight stick, or fight stick, and enjoy.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

Building off its experimental predecessor, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is an interactive arthouse action game where grappling with mental illness is just as harrowing as slaying monsters. As Senua, you trek across ancient Iceland meeting allies, solving puzzles, and surviving simple but intense sword battles. Streamlined gameplay lets Senua’s Saga focus on delivering a powerful narrative with gorgeous, photorealistic visuals.

For more, check out The Best PC Action Games.

Myst: The Best PC Games

For nearly three decades, the atmospheric point-and-click game Myst has stood as one of the best, most successful, and most influential PC releases of all time. This latest update enhances the beautiful visuals, adds virtual reality support, and randomizes puzzles to make each playthrough unique. Get lost again on the island.

For more, check out The Best PC Adventure Games.

Fortnite

The Fortnite is the super-popular, mainstream face of the battle royale genre, but that doesn’t mean that the title is without merit. Fortnite has a lot going for it, including approachable gameplay modes, bright and zany graphics, and an excellent construction system. The heavy reliance on microtransactions detracts from the experience a bit, but fans of PUBG and other genre releases should still give this free-to-play game a shot.

For more, check out The Best Battle Royale Games.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

A love letter to TMNT fans, Shredder’s Revenge sees developer Tribute Games pull from past games, comics, and TV shows to create what may be the definitive Turtles title. Additionally, featuring six-player action in local and online co-op, Shredder’s Revenge has all the humor and wonderful animation that you’d expect from a property that pits mutated reptiles (and a rat) vs. ninjas (and an alien brain). Hence, like Streets of Rage 4, it incorporates fighting game elements to keep the combos flowing.

For more, check out The Best Beat ‘Em Up Games.

Street Fighter 6: The Best PC Games

Street Fighter is back! With the sixth mainline entry, Capcom delivers a fighting game masterpiece. Loaded with content, this title introduces several gameplay mechanics tied to the new Drive Gauge that lets you fight with more freedom than any Street Fighter in the series’ history. However, this creative, fluid combat features newcomer-friendly counters, parries, and aggressive gameplay via its optional, simplified control schemes. Plus, the World Tour mode lets you build an avatar and go on a schlocky martial arts adventure that sees you test your skill in semi-open-world environments.

For more, check out The Best PC Fighting Games.

Alan Wake II: Night Springs

Alan Wake II is a survival horror masterpiece. But if you’ve already exited the Dark Place, the Night Springs DLC gives Alan Wake II owners a new set of paranormal rabbit holes to explore. Although, this expansion includes three episodic adventures with their twists on spooky third-person shooting. Presented as a Twilight Zone-esque anthology show. More than just goofy fun, Night Springs teases a mind-blowing future for Remedy’s Connected Universe.

For more, check out The Best PC Horror Games.

World of Warcraft

Blizzard’s World of Warcraft is an MMORPG that has evolved into a cultural icon over the past 12 years. The list of accolades that WoW has accumulated since its release is simply staggering. While it is not the first or only game in this genre. World of Warcraft is the standard by which all other MMOs are measured. Consequently, the game, bolstered by many expansions and a recent visual makeover, is a rich and rewarding experience that boasts a large selection of customizable races and classes battling in a fantasy world.

For more, check out The Best PC MMO Games.