You just have to look at Grand Theft Auto to see that some of the most popular action game franchises started out on PC. Its most recent iterations are easily among the best PC action games ever made!
However, there are plenty of other examples, such as Infinity Ward and Activision’s WWII shooter Call of Duty, which was released on PC in 2003. Similarly, Battlefield 4 was held up as an example of what the PS4 and Xbox One could do, despite the fact that the series started in 2002 with Battlefield 1942. Structured mission games have a way of getting the blood flowing, and if you can add some adventure to the mix, you’ve got yourself a winner.
Of course, since the early twenty-first century, PC graphical grunt has skyrocketed, resulting in not just excellent action gameplay but also beautiful visuals. In certain cases, the PC versions of multi-platform games benefit from additional effects – Batman: Arkham City, Tomb Raider, and Mirror’s Edge are examples of titles that look significantly better on PC. So, without further ado, here are the best PC action games of all time.
When you go to the Epic Games Store, Steam, Xbox, or any of the other digital marketplaces for PC games, you’ll have a lot of choices. Do you want to play a role-playing game where you can cast spells and slay orcs? Xanadu and The Witcher III: Wild Hunt Next, you’ll find what you’re looking for. Do you want to knuckle up to your online opponents? You can play a fighting game like Street Fighter V: Champion Edition or Tekken 7. In a nutshell, the PC gaming market is vast and diverse. But don’t let yourself get frozen by accident; use this guide to make an informed purchase.
Please keep in mind that this isn’t a look back at some of the most innovative PC titles. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain redefines stealth-oriented action, and the Forza Horizon series is the ultimate open-world racing franchise, but none of these games made it into this list solely based on those criteria. Simply put, if you own a gaming desktop or laptop, this is an ever-growing list of exciting titles that you should purchase.
It took a long time to compile this guide. Our team of in-house and freelance reviewers have played an absurd amount of PC games over the years, so defining inclusion criteria was critical. After much deliberation, this is what we came up with. A game must have been checked by our gamers, be still available for purchase, and have a rating of 3.5 stars or higher to be included. We only look at legit companies and gaming providers, because we want to keep the integrity of the site intact.
The first prerequisite is that we be able to provide you with more information about a game. Yes, this guide can tell you a little about each highlighted game, but the ability to connect to a full analysis is useful for those who want a more in-depth look. We’ve already discussed the second issue. The third criterion took some thought. We didn’t want the star rating to be so poor that nearly all PC games qualified for the guide, but we also didn’t want it to be so high that quality B-tier games like Dead Island and Split/Second were left out. For now, 3.5 stars is a good compromise, but when we review more titles, we would need to be more selective in order to keep the list manageable.
Since this PC gaming guide currently contains over 200 games, making navigation as easy as possible was a top priority for our imaginative commandos. The games are organised alphabetically by genre, with each category’s titles described in alphabetical order. Simply choose a genre, such as fighting games, and the page will be redirected to that section. It’s easy!
Additionally, while gaming, you should ensure that your PC is stable. Check out our roundup of the best VPNs for gaming, which includes virtual private networks that have been reviewed by our team. A VPN will not only keep people with bad intentions from snooping on your network, but it may also allow you to spoof your IP address and play games in other countries. Learn about the VPN services that bring the least latency to your gaming sessions by reading our reviews.
If you’re a console gamer who feels we favour PC gaming because we’re a gaming company, you’re right. Regardless, our team has compiled a list of their favourite games for the PlayStation 5, Xbox One S/X, and Nintendo Switch. Those roundups aren’t quite as comprehensive as this one, since the PC has a much larger library, and this is a gaming website, after all.
The best PC games are now available. Enjoy using your keyboard, mouse, gamepad, flight button, or war stick.
