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The Best PC Games (You Should Be Playing)

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The PC gaming landscape might be a bit quiet at this time of year, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of amazing titles worthy of your time. From brand new entries to those older hits that never stop being fun, here are the best PC games you should be playing.
The PC gaming landscape might be a bit quiet at this time of year, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of amazing titles worthy of your time. From brand new entries to those older hits that never stop being fun, here are the best PC games you should be playing.
Having poured close to 200 hours into the first Vermintide, I couldn’t wait for the recently released sequel. Thankfully, it hasn’t disappointed.
Developer Fatshark has gone with an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach to Vermintide 2. It still contains the same mechanics introduced by Left 4 Dead: you and 3 other players/bots work together to make your way through a level as an AI director throws hoards of enemies at your team. Joining the giant humanoid, rat-like Skaven this time are the forces of Chaos, bringing with them a host of terrifying, massive monsters waiting to tear you apart.
What’s great about Vermintide 2 is that not only does it look and sound so much better than its predecessor, but it also addresses many of the first game’s shortcomings. Even with all the DLC, the original with its limited number of enemy types and maps started getting repetitive after a while. Now, we’ve got new, (mostly) longer levels with more activities to perform in each one, giving them extra replayability.
Another great addition to Vermintide 2 is the characters’ career paths, letting you specialize in different play styles while offering separate skill trees (another new addition). Meanwhile, the loot system—one of the original’s least-loved elements—has been revamped, giving players more than a solitary post-match item, which was often no use to your favorite character.
Some may find that the RPG mechanics in general aren’t perfect, and even long-term Vermintide fans might be surprised by how difficult this sequel is, especially during the first few hours of play. But despite these minor caveats, it’s a wonderful title with one of the least toxic communities you’ll find in an online game.
Buy it from: Steam, Humble Bundle
What’s this? A PC port that’s actually better than the console original! In fairness, Final Fantasy XV isn’t unique in this respect, as last year brought the equally well-ported Vanquish and Bayonetta. We still get a few duds, but gone are the bad old days of Watchdogs and the disastrous Batman: Arkham Knight.
Those who haven’t played a Final Fantasy title for many years and still associate them with their famous turn-based combat might be in for a shock. The RPG elements are still here, but we’re now firmly in fully real-time combat territory. Providing you view this as an evolution of the series rather than the removal of a beloved element, you’ll find an enjoyable, lengthy game is to be had.
Plenty of other Final Fantasy staples are present, including summons, Chocobo, magic, and a few characters so annoying you’ll want to reach into the screen and strangle them.
The second half of the game is certainly quite linear, and being a Final Fantasy fan will improve your chances of liking this one. But the biggest issue some may have will be its size: with the optional high-resolution pack, the games eats up 148 GB of drive space. Still, many will argue it’s worth it for a game that looks so good.
Buy it from: Amazon, Steam, Microsoft Store
For all the popularity of Fortnite Battle Royale and PUBG, the most played PC game in the US and Europe is still League of Legends, according to Newzoo. While the arguments rage on over which game is ‘better’—LoL or its MOBA rival DOTA 2—we’ve picked the former on the basis that it’s considered the easier to learn and play out of the two titles.
Like DOTA 2, LoL is free and takes many, many hours to master its gameplay mechanics and become proficient at using a few of the 130+ champions on offer. But despite the potential for frustration, it can be an incredibly addictive and satisfying game, and one that will usually run without problems on even the most potato-like of PCs.
In the most typical game map/mode called Summoner’s Rift, two teams of five players compete to destroy the opposing team’s “nexus,” a structure which lies at the heart of a base protected by defensive structures. Each LoL match is discrete, lasting anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes. All champions start off weak and increase their strength by accumulating items and experience over the course of the game.
An unwelcome similarity LoL has with DOTA 2 is its notoriously toxic community. Having friends to show you the ropes when you’re starting out is a big advantage, and expect to hear some shocking facts about your mother. But there’s a reason why it has long been, and remains, so incredibly popular.
Free to play: Official site, TechSpot Downloads
Taking a year off from the AC series was a bold move, but one that definitely paid off for Ubisoft. Origins is up there with Black Flag and Assassin’s Creed II as one of the best entries in the long-running franchise. We might have seen the core gameplay before, but the story of Bayek of Siwa and his quest for revenge will keep you engrossed for hours, even if you’ve been playing Creed games for years and were starting to become weary of the formula.
Like its predecessors, the sheer number of tasks you can do in Origins makes it a real time sink: the lengthy main quest, side missions, treasures, puzzles, gladiator combat, chariot racing, hunting, etc. One of its few negatives is that it contains a bit too much filler, which can make the game feel bloated.
The combat is satisfyingly meaty, controlling Senu the eagle while auto-travelling is a joy, and taking on the role of a stealthy assassin still feels great. But the highlight of the game is probably the setting itself; Egypt during the Ptolemaic period looks stunning. If you’ve got the hardware, stick the graphics settings to max and admire those beautiful details and impressive draw distances. With all its DLC packs and extras, you’ll be playing this for a long time.
Buy it from: Steam, Ubi
With the sequel to the Divinity: Original Sin, Larian Studios took one of the best cRPGs in years and made it even better, adding more of what made the original so good while cutting away the unwanted fat.
Playing Original Sin II is, quite simply, like being wrapped in a blanket of warmth. As you become immersed in its fantastic world and stories, time slips away without you realizing it. Be wary of sitting down for a quick gaming sessions and suddenly finding you’ve not eaten in 24 hours and have missed work.
The game has been out a good few months now, so you’re likely to have completed the 60-100 hour campaign. But that doesn’t mean you’ve seen all the game has to offer. At this point, you should restart with a new character who specializes in a different field. Maybe go with some different members for your party. Tackle quests differently. And stick that difficulty level up a notch.
Once you’ve done that, why not run a game with a group of friends via the Game Master mode? Or you could check out the mods and Arena mode. It’s appeal is almost endless.
Not everyone’s a fan of beard-friendly games where knowing that some dice have more than six sides is an advantage, but for those that are, Original Sin II is simply brilliant.
Buy it from: Steam, GOG
Not so long ago, it looked as if PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds was taking over the world. But then a rival arrived that has quickly become the most streamed title on Twitch and the current favorite game among celebrities: Fortnite Battle Royale.
Many of the PUBG’s elements can be found in Fortnite, such as the last-person(or team)-standing gameplay, the shrinking safe area, and loot drops, but there are some big differences. Epic Games’ title is a lot more colorful and faster-paced than PUBG, the map is smaller, it’s better optimized, weapons are easier to come by, and everything feels a lot more casual—there’s also a new replay system on the way. But the thing that really separates Fortnite from Battlegrounds is the former’s crafting system, allowing players to break down objects into resources and create structures such as walls, traps, and stairs.
The recent Blitz mode makes the action all the more intense, with a faster shrinking storm circle and increased loot/supply drops. Plus, like PUBG, Fortnite is making its way to phones and tablets, with PlayStation 4, PC, Mac, iOS, and Android cross-play support set to be enabled at some point.

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