10 Best PC Games to Try in 2025: Fire Up That Rig
It’s 2025. Your PC has been begging for a challenge, something more exciting than spreadsheets or rewatching old esports clips. The year has dropped some hot titles that’ll make your GPU sweat and your soul sing. Whether you’re chasing dragons, dodging bullets, or micromanaging a virtual city into greatness, there’s something for every flavor of gamer.
So let’s break down the 10 best PC games you need to try in 2025.
1. Starfield: Shattered Realms
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
This meaty expansion reboots the love for Bethesda’s space RPG. Shattered Realms opens up new planetary systems with darker themes and denser lore. Imagine No Man’s Sky with more moral ambiguity and actual politics. There’s a haunting mystery surrounding celestial anomalies and ancient alien tech that feels straight out of a sci-fi thriller.
Gameplay Highlights:
- Advanced ship engineering and interstellar dogfights
- New alien species that aren’t always friendly
- Side quests that spiral into full-blown epics
Estimated System Requirements:
- CPU: Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel i7-9700K
- GPU: RTX 3060 or RX 6700 XT
- RAM: 16GB
- SSD: 100GB free
Player Impressions: “I came for the pew-pew and stayed for the philosophical dialogue with a telepathic squid.”
2. Hades II (Full Release)
Developer: Supergiant Games
The roguelike darling of the gaming world now returns fully formed. Hades II takes everything you loved about Zagreus’ journey and gives it a new feminine edge through Melinoë, the Princess of the Underworld.
Gameplay Highlights:
- Fluid, combo-heavy action with dozens of weapons and godly upgrades
- New gods like Moros and Apollo add unique boons
- Run-based storytelling evolves depending on your choices
Estimated System Requirements:
- CPU: Intel i5-7600 / AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- GPU: GTX 1050 Ti
- RAM: 8GB
- SSD: 15GB free
Player Impressions: “It’s like dancing with death and flirting with it too.”
3. Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Developer: BioWare
Welcome back to Thedas, where magic, betrayal, and complicated romance plots thrive. This isn’t just a new entry, it’s a refresh of what made Dragon Age iconic. Choices hit harder, allies have layered backstories, and the world feels reactive.
Gameplay Highlights:
- Strategic real-time combat with a new “Pause-and-Command” system
- Expanded character interactions, including full friendship and rivalry paths
- Massive open regions like the Anderfels and the Tevinter Imperium
Estimated System Requirements:
- CPU: Intel i7-12700 or AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- GPU: RTX 3070 / RX 6800
- RAM: 16GB
- SSD: 80GB free
Player Impressions: “Fell in love with a sarcastic necromancer, then betrayed them. 10/10 BioWare experience.”
4. Black Myth: Wukong
Developer: Game Science
Based on the legendary Journey to the West, this action RPG is a visual feast with Soulslike combat. You’re the Monkey King, and you’re here to unleash holy chaos.
Gameplay Highlights:
- Transform into 72 forms, from insects to giants
- Bosses that test both reflex and pattern recognition
- Heavy emphasis on parry and counter systems
Estimated System Requirements:
- CPU: Intel i7-9700 / Ryzen 5 5600X
- GPU: RTX 4060 / RX 7700 XT
- RAM: 16GB
- SSD: 100GB free
Player Impressions: “It’s Dark Souls with fur, and I love it.”
5. The Finals
Developer: Embark Studios
Explosions. Mayhem. Chaos. The Finals is an FPS with full-scale environmental destruction and game-show flair. It’s like Apex Legends met Fortnite and brought Battlefield to the party.
Gameplay Highlights:
- Fully destructible environments in every match
- Unique gadgets like goo guns, cloaking fields, and zipline launchers
- Teams of 3 in dynamic PvP arenas
Estimated System Requirements:
- CPU: Intel i5-10400 / Ryzen 5 3600
- GPU: RTX 2060 / RX 5600 XT
- RAM: 12GB
- SSD: 25GB free
Player Impressions: “I once dropped a ceiling on a team and won the round. Felt like a movie scene.”
6. Alan Wake II
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
It’s creepy, stylish, and drenched in narrative. Alan Wake II brings the tension with a dual-protagonist structure, split between Alan’s surreal horror and Saga’s crime investigation.
Gameplay Highlights:
- Flashlight-focused combat mechanics return with upgrades
- Puzzle sequences embedded in dream logic
- Remedy’s signature mix of cinematic storytelling and fourth-wall breaks
Estimated System Requirements:
- CPU: Intel i7-11700 / Ryzen 5 5600X
- GPU: RTX 3070 / RX 6800
- RAM: 16GB
- SSD: 90GB free
Player Impressions: “Best jump scares I’ve had since I accidentally walked into a mirror maze as a kid.”
7. Avowed
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Set in the same world as Pillars of Eternity, this RPG brings Obsidian’s narrative chops into a first-person fantasy setting. Expect hard choices, big spells, and philosophical brawls.
Gameplay Highlights:
- Dual-wielding magic and melee
- Dynamic factions that remember your deeds
- Open-ended questlines with multiple outcomes
Estimated System Requirements:
- CPU: Ryzen 5 5600X / Intel i5-11600K
- GPU: RTX 3060 / RX 6600 XT
- RAM: 16GB
- SSD: 60GB free
Player Impressions: “It’s like Skyrim had a book club with Fallout: New Vegas.”
8. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Developer: GSC Game World
Creepy atmosphere? Check. Mutant encounters? Check. Haunted slavic forest with more emotional trauma than a failed group project? Triple check.
Gameplay Highlights:
- Dynamic day/night cycle impacts creature behavior
- Base-building and survival crafting
- Story that adapts to your actions and alliances
Estimated System Requirements:
- CPU: Ryzen 5 5600X / Intel i7-10700
- GPU: RTX 3070 / RX 6700 XT
- RAM: 16GB
- SSD: 150GB free
Player Impressions: “I started hoarding bread and bullets. I now fear the night.”
9. Cities: Skylines II
Developer: Colossal Order
Micromanage your dream (or nightmare) city with insane attention to detail. Want to simulate population migration during winter storms? You can. Want to bankrupt your city in 30 minutes? Also possible.
Gameplay Highlights:
- Realistic traffic AI and economic systems
- Pollution and waste management are more complex
- Weather systems and seasonal events
Estimated System Requirements:
- CPU: Intel i7-10700 / Ryzen 7 3700X
- GPU: RTX 3080 / RX 6800 XT
- RAM: 16GB
- SSD: 50GB free
Player Impressions: “I spent 3 hours fixing a roundabout. Then I realized it was the wrong one. Still worth it.”
10. Palworld
Developer: Pocketpair
Welcome to the land of weaponized cuteness. Palworld is equal parts cozy creature collector and morally questionable survival shooter. Farm, craft, and figh, sometimes with your Pals firing an RPG over your shoulder.
Gameplay Highlights:
- Open-world co-op for up to 8 players
- Capture and breed Pals with unique abilities
- Build automated bases run by your Pals
Estimated System Requirements:
- CPU: Intel i5-9400 / Ryzen 5 2600
- GPU: GTX 1060 / RX 580
- RAM: 8GB
- SSD: 30GB free
Player Impressions: “I gave a penguin a minigun. I’m not okay.”
And Now, It’s Your Turn to Play
That’s your buffet of the best PC games of 2025. You’ve got strategy, you’ve got chaos, and you’ve got talking mythological figures. Whether you’re in the mood to explore the cosmos or just build the best road network ever seen, this year’s gaming lineup has your back.
Let the downloads begin.