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The Best Pc Games Of 2024 According To Metacritic
PC has continued to see more games releases from Sony and Microsoft, which, combined with all of the exclusives the platform gets, makes it a great place to play. While Nintendo is an exception, you're all but guaranteed to get the best of Xbox and PlayStation on this platform, and even without those console giants courting PC gamers, the year has been loaded with high-profile releases. According to GameSpot sister site Metacritic, the best-reviewed PC games--as of December 5--covered a wide variety of genres.
From AAA releases to smash-hit indies, 2024 was a year where From Software released a masterpiece with its Elden Ring expansion, Animal Well took the world by storm with its engrossingly weird metroidvania magic, and Tactical Breach Wizards reminded the world that defenestration is always an option. We've rounded up all of the games below that received high metascores, and you can read more below. Be sure to also check out our running list of the best PC games to play right now.
More Best Of 2024:
- Our Favorite Games That Didn't Make The Top 10
- Best PS5-Exclusive Games Of 2024
- Best Switch-Exclusive Games Of 2024
- Best PC-Exclusive Games Of 2024
- Best Xbox Games Of 2024
- Best-Reviewed Games Of 2024
- Best Of 2024 hub
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Is it even possible to make one of the best games of all time even better? Shadow of the Erdtree positively answers that question with its gorgeous new location, breathtaking boss fights, and new gameplay ideas to create a new gold standard for future souls-like games to be measured against.
Metascore: 94 | Read our Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree review
Metaphor ReFantazio
What initially looked like it might be little more than a fantasy reskin of the Persona series proved to be much more. Metaphor: ReFantazio was named GameSpot's Game of the Year for 2024 and earned a rare 10/10, and for good reason: It evolves Persona's turn-based combat in interesting new ways to make for a phenomenal experience, and it pairs that with a compelling narrative that feels appropriate given the current-day political climate. It plays great on Steam Deck, too.
Metascore: 92 | Read our Metaphor: ReFantazio review
Tekken 8
We're living in a golden age of fighting games, and after the arrival of Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 1 last year, it was time for an iron-fisted king to make a grand return. Tekken 8 doubles down on its strength, cementing its position as one of the Big Three in fighting games. Its gorgeous visuals pack a punch, new gameplay systems reward you for aggressively dishing out pain, and its single-player storyline is an entertaining clash between Tekken's most-entertaining personalities and several newcomers.
Metascore: 90 | Read our Tekken 8 review
UFO 50
One of the most ambitious indie projects in years, UFO 50 imagines a fictional video game console and uncovers a whopping 50 games from it. The collection is a fantastically diverse set of retro-style games spanning the styles of genre conventions of the 1980s. It's a smart and savvy exploration of classic gaming tropes while also giving you a wide array of new games to sink your teeth into.
Metascore: 91 | Read our UFO 50 review
Animal Well
The less you know about Animal Well, the better, as this hit indie game works best when you go in with as little information as possible. A cryptic metroidvania where you collect items that can be used to alter the environment in surprising ways, everything about Animal Well feels like an intricate piece of art. Don't let the lo-fi visuals and deceptively simplistic gameplay fool you, as this nonlinear game is a masterclass in suspense.
Metascore: 91 | Read our Animal Well review
Satisfactory
After years in early access, Satisfactory finally released in full this year, and it's hard to argue it wasn't worth the wait. It's a game all about building automated systems, and in that regard, it's top-notch. When you're invoking a sense of satisfaction with your title, you had better deliver, and Satisfactory certainly does.
Balatro
Balatro has been one of the biggest surprises of the year, and as anyone who has played it can tell you, it's not hard to see why. Expertly blending its poker inspirations with roguelike deckbuilding gameplay, it's a game of endless possibility and captivating design that you can easily lose yourself in and play until the wee hours of the morning. Every card you pick up can drastically alter your chances for the better--or worse!--while a combination of synthwave music and psychedelic visuals help to create a hard-to-put-down flow to Balatro's magic.
Metascore: 90 | Read our Balatro review
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
Atlus could have easily ported Shin Megami Tensei V, slapped on a new coat of paint, and called it a day, but the publisher decided to go above and beyond for what was expected of it. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance shines on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC thanks to an absurd amount of extra content in this demon-hording adventure. It's also packed full of thoughtful quality-of-life tweaks, all adding to an already-engaging narrative that makes this challenging series worth jumping into for the first time or revisiting if you're looking to play the best version of it.
Metascore: 87 | Read our Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance review
Thank Goodness You're Here
The beauty of Thank Goodness You're Here is that you never quite know what to expect from this adorable "slapformer." In terms of gameplay, you're not doing much beyond steering a curiously small chap through various scenarios that can be solved with some percussive maintenance, and yet you'd be hard-pressed to find another game as memorable as this one.
Metascore: 90 | Read our Thank Goodness You're Here review
God of War Ragnarok
The stream of first-party games from Sony, formerly exclusive to Playstation consoles, continued in 2024, and there aren't many better than God of War Ragnarok. The continuation of 2018's soft reboot told another great story filled with memorable characters and set pieces, and the action took another step forward with new tools and wrinkles to keep it feeling fresh. It might be a few years old, but like its predecessor, Ragnarok holds up exceptionally well.
Metascore: 90 | Read our God of War Ragnarok review
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth hits a bullseye for what a sequel should be--bigger, bolder, and now with Danny Trejo playing a machete-themed villain. At the same time, Infinite Wealth is a wonderful passing of the torch, as it brings back old faces for one last ride. A polished and emotionally charged adventure, Ichiban's return will tug at your heart with its expertly crafted narrative and leave you with plenty to do after the end credits have rolled thanks to a surplus of extra content.
Metascore: 89 | Read our Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth review
Kill Knight
Sure, the name is funny (Kill Butt 2: 2, anyone?), but Kill Knight is also a gloriously stylish shooter that will remind you of legendary arcade games like Smash TV and Robotron 2084. It's all wrapped up in a hellish aesthetic that's decidedly darker and more grim than the aforementioned games, and in a sort of reverse-Doom situation, it's up to you to make angels extinct. You will not cry when angels deserve to die.
Destiny 2: The Final Shape
The Final Shape effectively took on the challenge of concluding the decade-long story of Destiny and helped to bring the game into its best, most interesting form yet. The RPG elements are more fully fleshed out than ever, and the new activities, compelling campaign, and dense Pale Heart location all make for a satisfying end to the Light and Darkness Saga. Though it's not the end of Destiny 2, which will continue on, it is undoubtedly a high point for the game.
Metascore: 89 | Read our Destiny 2: The Final Shape review
Horizon Forbidden West: Complete Edition
Horizon Forbidden West launched a few years ago on PlayStation, and it finally made its way to PC in 2024. The second chapter in Aloy's journey sees her diving further into the technological conspiracy that caused the end of modern civilization, but with an added threat from a new group of people possessing seemingly unstoppable weapons of their own. Like the original, it features a mix of stealth and all-out action, both against other humans and the many "breeds" of robotic dinosaurs scattered across a devastated world.
Metascore: 89 | Read our Horizon Forbidden West review
Persona 3 Reload
Persona 3 defined with would become the formula that elevated the franchise to a new level of popularity. But elements of it aged poorly, and it also had never been available on PC. Reload makes it easy to jump into, with a good-looking PC version (that also runs well on Steam Deck) adding various quality-of-life improvements.
Metascore: 89 | Read our Persona 3 Reload review
Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut
An open-world samurai game, Ghost of Tsushima presents a more approachable blend of stealth and action than souls-like-style games. It's got a gorgeous world to explore and wonderful cinematography to take in, all of it improved with the visual improvements you get on PC, plus additional content that was included with the Director's Cut release.
Metascore: 89 | Read our Ghost of Tsushima review
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
2024 might just go down as the best year ever for puzzle games, and at the top of the cerebral pile, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes stands strong. Imagine a game flexing an Italian cinema art direction, puzzles that'll make you reach for a notebook to keep track of everything, and surreal vibes, and you've got everything you need to enjoy a wonderfully weird mystery.
Metascore: 88 | Read our Lorelei and the Laser Eyes review
Tactical Breach Wizards
Tactical Breach Wizards takes the basic gameplay concept of the brilliant Into the Breach--turn-based gameplay where you know your opponents' next move, and where you can manipulate their positioning to enable a better outcome--and dumps the roguelike structure for a story-based campaign. It's full of great writing and humor, and it also innovates with its gameplay by expanding the number of potential actions on each turn, making it so even complex levels can be solved in a single, ultra-satisfying turn.
Metascore: 88 | Read our Tactical Breach Wizards review
Dragon's Dogma 2
Dragon's Dogma 2 is a satisfying and rewarding jaunt into fantasy. Capcom's return to the series isn't flawless, but those imperfections are easy to live with once you become drawn into a vast world of possibility that is full of helpful Pawns, thrilling adventures, and combat that'll keep you on the edge of your seat.
Metascore: 88 | Read our Dragon's Dogma 2 review
Shogun Showdown
This roguelike deckbuilder sets itself in feudal Japan, challenging you to take on enemy swordsmen with nothing but your wits and a deep, turn-based combat system. You'll carefully position your shogun and choose the perfect moment to strike, and as your runs progress, you'll unlock new characters and skills.
The Crimson Diamond
A throwback to the days of Sierra's MS-DOS point-and-click adventure games, The Crimson Diamond still manages to mix a few modern ideas into its old-school design. A murder-mystery full of devious puzzles to solve, this love-letter to text-parser games like the Laura Bow Mystery Series is a must-play for anyone looking for a return to the past.
Mullet Madjack
Mullet Madjack is like a first-person take on Hotline Miami, blending the intensity of that game with a distinct, colorful art style and a satirical spin on streamer culture. You'll need to rush from kill to kill before your timer runs out, soaking in the bloody visuals and '80s-style soundtrack that make this an exhilarating experience.
Five Nights at Freddy's: Into the Pit
Can a Five Nights at Freddy's game be just as terrifying in 2D as it is in its traditional 3D format? The answer is a resounding yes with Into the Pit, as this Five Nights spin-off looks gruesomely gorgeous with its pixel-art animation. Throw in dual timelines, signature Five Nights at Freddy's frights, and unsettling levels, and you've got a rock-solid spin-off.
Crusader Kings III: Roads to Power
Crusader Kings III already gave players nearly endless ways to conquer the world, whether it be through careful diplomacy or assassinating a child and then staging a large-scale invasion. If you thought you've seen all Crusader Kings III has to offer, think again, because Roads to Power adds several new wrinkles via the Byzantine Empire. New governmental options, co-ruling, and less restrictive exploration all breathe new life into a brilliant do-evil simulator.
Halls of Torment
A Survivors-like that was already a worthy entry to the genre while it was in early access, Halls of Torment saw its 1.0 release in 2024. Its Diablo 2-style visuals evoke a certain era that will appeal to some, but its longer-term progression makes it hard not to opt into one more run whenever you finish one up.
Minishoot Adventures
A Zelda-like adventure game by way of a shoot-em-up, Minishoot Adventures combines two very different genres and discovers they're like chocolate and peanut butter. The bullet hell mechanics feel right at home as you explore dungeons, find powerful new equipment, and take on enormous bosses.
Silent Hill 2
Bloober Team weathered many doubts for years as the team worked on Silent Hill 2. Players seemed to preorder their frustrations with the game. But then something funny happened: It launched, and it was exceptional. Both a faithful remake to an all-time great horror game and an experience that adds to the overall experience and even lore of Konami's best horror game, the Silent Hill 2 remake is arguably the best horror remake in a long line of them over the past several years.
Metascore: 87 | Read our Silent Hill 2 review
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake
JRPG fans have been spoiled for choice throughout the year, but Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake left an indelible mark with its nostalgic appeal and a visual overhaul that Square Enix excels at. While some archaic elements remain intact--and show just how far the genre has come since this game was first released--Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake is still a thrilling collection of turn-based battles and surprisingly flexible gameplay systems.
Metascore: 87 | Read our Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake review
Antonblast
Antonblast is a relentless platformer, one that plays like a 2D Crash Bandicoot with breathtaking anger-management issues. With a frantic pace, platforming that requires deft skill, and an art style that isn't exactly easy on the eyes, it can be a bit of an acquired taste. But if you're looking to cap the year off with high-energy platforming action featuring a protagonist with an undying rage that could put the Doomslayer to shame? Then you'll have a blast with Dynamite Anton in this game.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
The best Indiana Jones game since the intrepid archeologist solved the fate of Atlantis, The Great Circle embodies the spirit of a cinematic icon with its big-budget presentation, scrappy combat, and puzzles that'll make you feel like you deserve a teaching post at Marshall College. Developer MachineGames did its homework with this Indiana Jones game, but more than that, the entire project feels like a labor of love that celebrates the character and his long-lasting impact on pop culture.
Metacritic: 87 | Read our Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review
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