This year has been a good one for PC gamers with a number of popular titles getting ported over or developers releasing exclusive titles not yet meant for consoles. PC games often get overlooked for the more high profile console releases and it’s nice to see some solid titles coming out.
Whether it’s fun battle royale shooters, difficult action RPGs or interesting VR titles here are the ten best games released so far this year that Metacritic deems worthy of your time.
10 Apex Legends - 88%
Apex Legends had a rocky start and it’s been chugging along as other battle royales like PUBG and Fortnite dominate the limelite. But recent patches and expansions have continued breathing life into this title and it doesn’t look like it’s leaving any time soon.
Where other battle royales are focusing on reaching younger audiences Apex Legends came along to appeal to more mature gamers with more realistic graphics and grittier characters. It has had some humor and a lighter tone added since release, but it remains a solid game that only seems to be getting better with age.
9 Asgard’s Wrath - 88%
This title may not be familiar with those who aren’t keeping up with virtual reality gaming, but it’s proving to be a great game. Asgard’s Wrath is an action RPG with players seeking to become the next god of the Norse pantheon.
The game features iconic locations like the world tree Yggrdasill and epic battles against members of the pantheon and their armies. It performs really well and the graphics are stunning. Asgard’s Wrath is a sign that while VR gaming is still in its infancy, there’s a lot of potential.
8 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - 88%
The latest creation of the minds behind Dark Souls, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is stepping away from the formula a bit and trying some new things to great effect. The familiar soul crushing difficulty is still there, but there’s more exploration, RPG elements, and the same great storytelling.
While Sekiro is a fantastic game on the PC and the port is good it is strongly recommended players get a controller. The overall gameplay was designed with a controller in mind and the keyboard and mouse setup just doesn’t feel right.
7 Slay The Spire - 89%
Slay The Spire is an interesting and an incredibly fun CCG that has players gathering cards to give their character unique powers and abilities. It gained a tremendous amount of popularity on the Switch port causing the PC version to see a surge.
Whether you fight as the blood letting Ironclad, the poisonous Silent, or the slow burning Defect this game supports a lot of strategies and experimentation to climb your way up the spire and become a pro. It was meant to be played on the PC and is a simple to understand game with incredible depth.
6 Devil May Cry 5 - 89%
While Devil May Cry’s popularity has been struggling over the years the recent addition to the franchise is giving it new life. Abandoning the puzzles to bring more focused and intense action, Devil May Cry 5 is proving to be a fun romp with that same great gameplay.
The story can be a bit cheesy at times, but the fighting, controls, and graphics is superb. It’s everything fans of the series would want in a remake while expanding upon the series in new and exciting ways. The PC port is well done and feels natural with either keyboard and mouse or a controller.
5 Resident Evil 2 - 89%
Resident Evil 2 has gained incredible popularity and hype in spite of the fact that it’s a remake. The game threads the needle of appealing to the old fanbase while still offering something interesting for modern players unfamiliar with the original title.
The PC version is considered superior by some fans thanks to a more dedicated and thriving modding fan base. Even without the mods it’s a great game on it’s own and plays great on the PC as inventory management is a little more intuitive than it’s console brethren.
4 Disco Elysium - 90%
Disco Elysium is an interesting game that seemingly came out of nowhere and developed a small cult following. It’s an adventure RPG with the player acting as a detective trying to solve a unique case.
Fans have praised the story and the characters citing it as the most original RPG to come out since Planescape: Torment. It may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but many gamers will appreciate the dedication to storytelling, it’s bizarre uniqueness, and interesting skill system. The ability to becoming a stand up guy or a walking dumpster fire of a person is also a fun feature .
3 Tetris Effect - 90%
While the premise of Tetris hasn’t changed much over the years Tetris Effect keeps the same basic gameplay that’s been around for decades and gives it an intriguing upgrade in VR.
Successfully clearing lines will trigger the background, colors, and music to change and this response to your actions is why Tetris Effect is so popular and ranked so highly on Metacritic. In the day and age of open world games, complex game mechanics and picky meta builds, it’s nice to boot up a puzzle game on the PC and revel in the simplicity of it all.
2 Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers - 91%
Shadowbringers is an expansion to the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV and fans are liking what it has to offer. It introduces the new races Viera and Hrothgar, the Gunbreaker and Dancer jobs look interesting, and the new areas are beautiful locations to explore.
It’s particularly noteworthy thanks to an interesting and engaging storyline that many fans believe is uncommon in the MMO realm. Not everyone is a Final Fantasy fan and MMOs have taken a hit the last couple of years, but Shadowbringers is making even the most pessimistic critics take a second look.
1 Red Dead Redemption 2 - 92%
The undisputed king of PC games in 2019 according to Metacritic is the Red Dead Redemption 2 PC port. It’s only a few days old, but it’s proving to be immensely popular and gamers are clambering to explore this western world for the PC.
The PC version has also brought with it some new content such as weapons, missions, and the fan favorite photo mode. While some players are having issues technically upcoming patches promise a fix and the problems seem to be the exception rather than the rule. If players didn’t jump on the band wagon when this game came out on console a year ago then they should definitely give a second look at the PC version.