There are many vocal communities out there with strong support, but none is stronger than the PC crowd. PCs are fundamental to the history and creation of video games. With the success of Steam, the Epic Game Store, and others, there are so many ways to play games easily without having to buy a new console every seven years or so.
PCs need upgrades to keep up too, but that is a core reason why gamers love PC gaming so much. So in celebration of this love, we thought it would be interesting to see what the ten best sequels are according to Metacritic. The list is in descending order from “worst” to best and, in the name of diversity, only one entry per series will be included.
10 Divinity: Original Sin II (93)
Not many people might know this, but Divinity: Original Sin was a Kickstarter game that was actually based on something older. It was a PC RPG by the name of Divine Divinity. The goal of the Kickstarter was to revive the franchise.
With the success of the first, Larian Studios was able to fund the sequel to create something even more ambitious. Original Sin II isn't just highly rated on the PC side of things, but console gamers love it too.
9 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (93)
The Witcher started as a PC exclusive series before the second game was ported to the Xbox 360. What we mean to say by that is, of course, The Wild Hunt is going to be in the top ten PC games of all time. It redefined what an open-world could be.
The biggest change came in the side quest department. From collecting pans to actually slaying monsters, everything Geralt took on had a satisfying payoff. The writing was just top-notch. On top of that, the world is huge and gorgeous.
8 BioShock Infinite (94)
Over the years, opinions about this game have swayed, with BioShock Infinite gaining somewhat of a negative reputation. That said, there is still a lot to love here.
Sure, there was a lot of shooting at the cost of more challenging puzzle scenarios, but so what? The weapons and powers felt great to use. The last section is a slog, but the point is few games have come close to creating a world that matches BioShock Infinite. It is truly wondrous.
7 Sid Meier's Civilization II (94)
When it comes to PC centric games that work best on the platform, the Civilization series naturally comes to mind. It is like the Madden or Call of Duty of PC games. That is to say, it goes beyond what one would categorize as a "game" in pop culture.
A new Civilization is always a big deal when it is announced. And Civilization II is still the top dog, even though the series has come a long way since 1996.
6 Mass Effect 2 (94)
Mass Effect 2 is without question the best game in the original trilogy. It had one of the coolest opening scenarios of all time; surviving a ship explosion only to be rebuilt by the enemy from the first was a genius move.
Mass Effect 2 also led to more memorable characters to recruit for the campaign against the Reapers. Sure, that Terminator baby as the final boss is weird, but everything that led up to that point is great.
5 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (94)
Skyrim on PC is the best version of this phenomenal game for one big reason: Mods. The mod support on Steam is incredible, whether one wants to make their character look like Lightning from Final Fantasy XIII, or to fight dragons with the voice of Macho Man shouting “Oh yeah” as it spits out fire.
Mods aside, Skyrim is just a great game no matter what system one plays it on. Its community has helped the RPG remain relevant some eight years after its release, though.
4 Portal 2 (95)
Portal 2 may not be as groundbreaking as the original, but that doesn’t make it any less spectacular. The very fact that the villain from the first game, Glados, returns as a potato and an ally is a stroke of genius.
On top of that, the story is a lot more intricate and the puzzles are trickier. It is a full-on adventure whereas the original was a bit more claustrophobic.
3 Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (95)
The Baldur's Gate series is like the Dragon Quest of PC. It is nothing like that series in terms of the battle system, but as a cultural touchstone, they are definitely similar.
Baldur's Gate might be hard to get into now, what with everything the genre has pushed forward since 2000; however, as it was developed by BioWare, the big things that aged gracefully are the story and narrative choices. For those curious, the series is being re-released on modern consoles like the Switch.
2 Grand Theft Auto V (96)
Grand Theft Auto V is in a similar situation to Skyrim. While it was good on its initial platforms, the PS3 and Xbox 360, it exploded when it came to PC and current consoles. The PC crowd especially, as the mod community has been huge.
It’s for this reason, among many others, that Grand Theft Auto V remains in the top ten or top twenty games sold per month. This has been a streak since the original launch in 2013! Plus the online support from Rockstar has been spectacular. We hope Red Dead Redemption II on PC will be just as bustling.
1 Half-Life 2 (96)
Last but not least, clearly at number one with no caveats is Half-Life 2. It has come to consoles, but for the pure concentrated experience, Half-Life 2 is best on PC. This is the granddaddy of games that exploded with mod support.
Half-Life set the stage with the fantastic original before upping the scale with the sequel. If Valve would only stop caring so much about Steam and start making games again, this trilogy might actually be completed. If Half-Life 3 ever comes out, it will certainly rank on a similar list. That is the dream anyway.