Has there ever been a better time to be a PC gamer than right now? Sure, the sheer number of games available to play made deciding on one hard, but whether you’re sitting down in front of a custom-built gaming rig or you’ve purchased a handheld PC for some bedtime fun, there’s bound to be something that catches your eye.
In 2025, PC gamers were spoilt for choice. Several early-access games were released in full, the best of Xbox and PlayStation launched on those platforms, and quirky indies offered unique experiences to savor. Games like Hades 2, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Absolum were a blast of fun, while other releases like Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo, The Roottrees are Dead, and The Seance of Blake Manor are destined to become cult classics in the years to come.
Our sister site Metacritic has been keeping a close eye on everything that was released this year, and you can scroll down to explore the best-reviewed PC games of the year. We also have a list of what we think are the best PC games to play right now and the best PC games of 2025.
For a closer look at the best of the year, you can also check out GameSpot’s 2025 game of the year and 2025’s biggest gaming news.
More Best Of 2025:
- Best of 2025 hub
- Why Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Is GameSpot’s GOTY 2025
- GameSpot’s 10 Best Games of 2025
- The Best PS5-Exclusive Games Of 2025
- The Best Nintendo Switch And Switch 2 Exclusives Of 2025
- The Best-Reviewed Games Of 2025
- 2025’s Biggest Gaming News: Banned Games, GTA 6 Delayed, Price Hikes
Hades 2
Hades 2 takes everything that made the original game work and expands on it in meaningful ways. Combat is fleshed out and encourages experimentation, its story frequently surprises you with wild twists, and there’s a sense of progression that feels tangible with every run you make.
Metascore: 94 | Read our Hades 2 review
Blue Prince
One of the year’s biggest surprises, Blue Prince is a cerebral dive into the worlds of puzzles and architecture. Featuring one of the best gameplay loops of the year–if RNG is on your side–this is one digital labyrinth of mystery you won’t want to escape.
Metascore: 92 | Read our Blue Prince review
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
There’s a good reason why Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has earned so much critical acclaim throughout the year, as Sandfall Interactive’s debut game is both a nostalgic blast of fun and a shining example of what turn-based RPGs are capable of. It’s a soul-stirring journey anchored by captivating gameplay systems, rich storytelling, and one of the year’s best soundtracks.
Metascore: 91 | Read our Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Hollow Knight: Silksong is admittedly a painful game to play. It’s ruthlessly difficult and full of enemies who are more dangerous than a Dark Souls DLC boss, but that’s what makes it so special. It’s vibrant, colorful, and packed with an absurd amount of content, but nothing beats the sheer thrill of overcoming the seemingly impossible in this long-in-development metroidvania masterpiece.
Metascore: 90 | Read our Hollow Knight: Silksong review
Split Fiction
Hazelight is in a league of its own when it comes to co-op games, and Split Fiction is yet another win for the studio. Wildly ambitious and overflowing with creativity, Split Fiction is a love letter to fiction that’s perfectly executed in video-game form.
Metascore: 90 | Read our Split Fiction review
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Final Fantasy fans didn’t have to wait too long for the next chapter of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake saga to land on PC. A rock-solid port–albeit one that could use some more dedicated graphical options on PC–that continues the story of Cloud Strife and his party, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a grand and ambitious exploration of life, death, and multiverses–oh, and really big swords too.
Metascore: 90 | Read our Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth review
The Last of Us Part II Remastered
The remastered version of The Last of Us Part II takes the 2020 PS4 game and reimagines it for PS5 and PC with better graphics, DualSense controller integration, and a roguelike survival mode called No Return. If you’ve already played the game, this isn’t worth it unless you’re desperate to play through Ellie and Abby’s journey again and reexperience their respective handlings of revenge. But if you haven’t yet gone through the duo’s intertwining quests through the post-pandemic United States, this is the best way to see their violent rivalry play out.
Metascore: 90 | Read our The Last of Us Part II review
Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter
Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a labor of love: a glorious return to a game that launched one of the best RPG franchises of the modern era. Its remake gives newcomers to the franchise the perfect jumping-on point, while veterans can revisit this old favorite and enjoy updated visuals and several welcome quality-of-life upgrades in this charming adventure.
Metascore: 89 | Read our Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter review
Despelote
It’s no knock against games to say many of them could easily translate to other media, such as TV or movies, but Despelote is a memorable video game partly because it could really only be a video game. Played in first-person, it’s sort of like a memoir of a boy’s life as he grew up in Ecuador in 2002, when World Cup fervor was overtaking the entire country. It’s an incredible expression of what it would be like to walk in someone else’s shoes in a way no other medium could replicate.
Metascore: 89
The Talos Principle Reawakened
The Talos Principle was a thought-provoking puzzle game when it was first released, and more than a decade later, this remake resurrects a world of philosophical intrigue for a new audience. As relevant today as it was in 2014, The Talos Principle Reawakened embodies the best of the original game with new content, updates, and profound questions about the human condition.
Metascore: 89
Dispatch
Harkening back to the golden age of Telltale’s narrative adventures, Dispatch is a potent blend of superhero action and workplace drama. Within eight episodes, developer AdHoc Studio delivers an earnest and interactive superhero saga full of top-notch acting, storytelling, and style.
Metascore: 89 | Read our Dispatch review
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has the feel of a kind of RPG that would do well on PC, so it was no surprise that it did exactly that. But no RPG is a guaranteed success. To become so beloved, KCD2 had to also be immersive, thrilling, and unpredictable, and it’s those qualities that will make it be remembered as a great PC game in 2025.
Metascore: 88 | Read our Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review
Abiotic Factor
Everyone’s doomed in Abiotic Factor, but at least you won’t have to face oblivion on your own in this quirky survival-crafting game. The co-op experience is where this game shines, because when you’re trapped between universal threats and a military crusade, you might as well ride out the apocalypse in comfort. Choose a PhD, customize a scientist, and watch out for all kinds of danger in this tribute to ’90s sci-fi games.
Metascore: 88
The Seance of Blake Manor
Easily one of the best–and overlooked–games of the year, The Seance of Blake Manor is a spellbinding supernatural mystery set in an Irish mansion. A game that challenges your deductive skills and offers stellar storytelling, it’s a detective game full of Irish folklore, twists, and skullduggery as you make every minute count.
Metascore: 88
Monster Hunter Wilds
Capcom’s Monster Hunter series has grown into a global phenomenon over the years, and the latest entry in the franchise is a whirlwind ride of fun, brilliantly crafted gameplay systems, and a focus on removing as much friction as possible. With refined combat and a surprisingly engaging narrative, Monster Hunter Wilds is ideal for newcomers to the series and veteran hunters alike.
Metascore: 88 | Read our Monster Hunter Wilds review
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake
Some of the best reimaginings of time-honored video games are the ones that keep the core of those classics intact. Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake does just that and so much more. The HD-2D visuals complement the world of Dragon Quest perfectly, while several other gameplay tweaks enhance the classic swords-and-sorcery adventure for the modern age.
Metascore: 88 | Read our Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake review
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
Another RPG from the past given a new lease on life, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles doesn’t rock the proverbial boat with its modernization of the classic strategy-RPG. Refined and polished for a new generation of console and PC gamers, the timeless gameplay of Final Fantasy Tactics feels better than ever.
Metascore: 87 | Read our Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles review
Monster Train 2
The original Monster Train is one of the defining games of the deckbuilding roguelite genre, and its sequel builds on that success. Once again proving itself to be at the top of the food chain in a very crowded genre, Monster Train 2 offers superb action and satisfying combos to master as you take on seemingly endless challenges.
Metascore: 87
Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo
An adorable blend of metroidvania exploration and Zelda-like adventuring, Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo is a nostalgic trip back in time thanks to its retro-inspired visuals. While it’s clearly inspired by some of the best Game Boy Advance titles of all time, it also brings a few new ideas to the table with its yo-yo combat and quirky characters.
Metascore: 87
Lumines Arise
Following the same formula as the phenomenal Tetris Effect, Lumines Arise is an audio-visual treat for the senses. The classic Lumines puzzle-based gameplay is alive and kicking here, but with expertly crafted synesthesia woven into the mix, it becomes an unforgettable experience.
Metascore: 87 | Read our Lumines Arise review
Bionic Bay
Some of the best games lock you in with a flow-state of movement and quick reflexes: something that Bionic Bay excels at. It’s a highly challenging platformer with a take-no-prisoners attitude, but once you dial in and commit to it, you’ll find that you’re in for a ride that constantly delights and surprises you with its gameplay twists.
Metascore: 87
Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders
Developed by the same studio behind the zen-like downhill mountain-biking game Descenders, Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders is a cathartic take on mastering the slopes. There’s a beauty to its design, as the game gives you the freedom to enjoy its digital frontier or test your skills with challenges that demand utmost concentration to complete successfully.
Metascore: 87
Absolum
To call Absolum Streets of Rage with a Hades influence would be to do the game a disservice. Not just a successful fusion of two different genres, Absolum is an enjoyable romp through rich fantasy lands as you master its moment-to-moment beat-’em-up gameplay and leverage its roguelike elements to create the ultimate warrior.
Metascore: 86 | Read our Absolum review
The Roottrees Are Dead
The Roottrees Are Dead takes the traditional murder mystery and flips it on its head–the victims’ cause of death is already known, and it’s allegedly not sinister at all. Instead, you’ll be tasked with uncovering a complex family tree, unearthing red herrings, and figuring out a mystery spanning generations. Prepare to feel like a professional detective as you analyze evidence in the form of web articles, literature, photographs, and even music.
Metascore: 86
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor
If any game is going to come close to toppling Vampire Survivors from its bullet-heaven throne, it’s Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor. A confident expansion on the survivors-like genre, Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor builds on those ideas with a satisfying grind, unique mining gameplay mechanics, and hard-hitting graphics. All of that makes for a game that’s hard to put down, even after you’ve sunk dozens of hours into it.
Metascore: 86
Arc Raiders
Arc Raiders showed up later than most to the debate about the year’s best games, but thanks to its way of creating unique memories in every round, it quickly won over critics and players alike. Nearing the end of the year, the game just received its second major update, the frosty and freezing Cold Snap update, that should once more have players glued to the game.
Metascore: 86 | Read our Arc Raiders review
Sea of Stars: Throes of the Watchmaker
Sea of Stars has been one of our favorite retro-inspired RPGs since it launched in 2023, and the free expansion Throes of the Watchmaker makes a great game even better. It’s everything you know and love about Sea of Stars, amplified with greater challenges, moments of introspection, and inventive combat scenarios.
Metascore: 86
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
This year has been terrific for ninja fans, as Art of Vengeance brought the Shinobi franchise back from near-obscurity. Developer Lizardcube has applied lessons learned from its time on Streets of Rage 4 to the classic Sega franchise, and the result is a side-scrolling adventure that’s anchored by some of the best 2D action of the year, stylish visuals, and a killer soundtrack.
Metascore: 86 | Read our Shinobi: Art of Vengeance review
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time manages to hook you with a compelling story and keep you around with well-implemented cozy mechanics. Chopping trees and picking flowers quickly turns into chatting with your rescued island friends, choosing a profession to level up over a long grind, and exploring caves and dungeons to engage in combat and uncover the secrets of Ginormosia.
Metascore: 86
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is a game that is designed to put pressure on you. New gameplay mechanics, stressed-out crewmembers, and unlucky rolls of the dice remind you that no decision should be made lightly, and all of this unfolds in a hostile galaxy full of gripping stories and fascinating characters. It’s a sci-fi tabletop adventure to savor, improving on its predecessor while diving deep into transhumanist themes.
Metascore: 86
Age of Mythology: Retold – Immortal Pillars
Chinese units and folklore made their grand return in Age of Mythology Retold this year. Immortal Pillars doesn’t just add exciting new units and tactics to the real-time strategy game; it also gives the Age of Empires spin-off one of its best campaigns yet, with an epic story of gods, humans, and war.
Metascore: 86
