In this article, we look at the 10 best PC games of all time. In order to understand how we ranked these games, and to get a wider list of the best games of all time, go to the 30 Best PC Games of All Time.
10. Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
Score: 2.83 out of 4
Copies Sold: 1 million
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is 10th on the list and is an enhanced version of Disco Elysium. The game scored 2.83 on our scoring scale, and received high ratings from Metacritic, Business Insider, and OpenCritic. The role-playing game has been credited for elevating Disco Elysium from an already phenomenal PC game to a masterpiece. It has received a perfect 10/10 from IGN and GameSpot for its quality gameplay and story line.
9. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Score: 2.84 out of 4
Copies Sold: 20 million
The ninth on the list is the action role-playing PC game, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Developed by Bethesda Game Studios in 2011, it is the fifth game in The Elder Scrolls series. The game is set in Skyrim and dates back 200 years after the events of Oblivion.
The story focuses on a fictional character on its quest to defeat a dragon that is bound to destroy the world. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has sold more than 20 million copies and scored 2.84 in our analysis. It is among the top-rated games of all time on Metacritic, GameSpot, IGN, Business Insider, Whatoplay, OpenCritic and other prominent gaming review sites.
8. Grand Theft Auto V
Score: 2.84 out of 4
Copies Sold: 175 million
Grand Theft Auto V is the seventh game in the GTA series. The game is played from a first person or third person perspective. Released in 2013, the plot is based in the fictional city of Los Santos. Gamers must complete missions with set objectives to progress through in the game. Other than that, the players may also roam and drive freely in the game.
They may also use ammunition to fight against enemies. Over 175 million copies of GTA V have been sold to date. This game ranked 8th on our list of the 30 Best PC Games of All Time. It is also among the top rated video games on Sony Group Corporation (NYSE:SONY)’s PlayStation console.
7. BioShock
Score: 2.85 out of 4
Copies Sold: 25 million
BioShock is at 7th. This is a first-person shooter game developed in 2007 by Irrational Games and is the first game in the BioShock series. The game is set in the underground city, Rapture.
It is a single player game, which has been rated well by both Metacritic and Business Insider with scores of 96 out of 100. Whatoplay gave it a score of 9.3 out 10. It is one of the top-rated PC games of all time and has won several international awards.
6. Persona 5 Royal
Score: 2.86 out of 4
Copies Sold: 3.3 million
Next on the list at 6th is Persona 5 Royal, a role-playing video game which is an enhanced version of Persona 5. Developed by P-Studio, the plot of the game is set around a group of students who harness Personas. Metacritic labelled Persona 5 Royal as one of the greatest games of all time, giving it a score of 95 out of 100.
The same score was given by Business Insider as well in their list of the best PC games of all time. It won the ‘Best Role-playing Game of the Year’ title at The Game Awards 2017.
5. Portal 2
Score: 2.88 out of 4
Copies Sold: 4 million
Portal 2 is 5th on the list with a score of 2.88. On Metacritic, the game scored 95 out of 100. Business Insider also gave it a score of 95 out of 100, while Whatoplay rated the game a handsome 9.8 out of 10.
Released in 2011 by Valve, Portal 2 is a puzzle platform game where puzzles are solved by players by placing and teleporting portals. The game was declared ‘Best PC Game’ in the 2010 Game Critics Awards and in the 2011 Spike Video Game Awards.
4. Half-Life 2
Score: 2.88 out of 4
Copies Sold: 12 million
Half-life 2, developed by Valve, is a single player first-person game based on shooting, storytelling, and puzzles. The game was developed over 5 years, costing $40 million.
It scored 2.88 on our quantitative analysis and is ranked 4th on the list. Metacritic, Business Insider and Whatoplay, all three of these review websites gave Half-life high ratings on their top PC games lists. The game received a near perfect score from the New York Times as well.
3. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Score: 3.72 out of 4
Copies Sold: 7 million
Having an overall score of 3.72, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is 3rd on our list. It is the nineth game of Metal Gear series developed by Kojima and produced by Konami. The story is set on a mercenary leader venturing into Soviet-occupied Afghanistan to seek revenge against those who destroyed his forces.
The genre of the game is action-adventure, and it can be played in two modes – single player, and multiplayer, respectively. GameSpot reviewed this sequel as the most captivating Metal Gear game of all time. The game was nominated for 8 gaming awards, out of which it won 5, including Adventure Game of the Year at the 19th D.I.C.E. Awards.
2. Elden Ring
Score: 3.80 out of 4
Copies Sold: 20.5 million
Elden Ring is 2nd on the list of 30 Best PC Games of All Time, even though it was released recently in February 2022. In just over a year, it has sold more than 20 million copies. The game is third-person perspective and role-playing and is focused on combat and exploration.
It has been developed by FrontSoftware, which has also made other similar games in the past such as Bloodborne and Dark Series. Elden Ring received a rating of over 90% consistently across all the four review websites that were used to quantify our rankings. The game is widely popular and available on Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s Windows platform and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s Mac.
1. Red Dead Redemption 2
Score: 3.80 out of 4
Copies Sold: 50 million
We have rated Red Dead Redemption 2 as the top ranked PC game of all time. The game aggregated an overall score of 3.80 and beat Elden Ring on a greater number of copies sold. It took Rockstar Games 8 years to develop this action-adventure game before its release in 2018.
The game is played from first and third person perspectives, and involves shooting, hunting, robberies, and horse-riding. A character’s rating is dependent on the number of moral deeds. The plot is based on an outlaw attempting to survive against law enforcement forces, rival gangs, and other adversaries. Red Dead Redemption 2 was rated highly by all four websites – Metacritic, Whatoplay, Business Insider, and OpenCritic. The game has won multiple awards around the world since its release and is ranked 1st on our list.
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