The Best PC Games to Play Right Now

With the largest library of any gaming platform, PC gaming is one of the hardest to get into at times. We aren’t talking about PC part prices here, we’re talking about having way too many games to choose from. In order to make things a little easier we’ve compiled a list of our favorite PC games of the moment. Remember that we’ll be updating this and our other lists are time goes by, so check by often for newly improved entries.

We’ve already covered the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 libraries, so be sure to check those out if you plan on buying one of those systems.

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Set 200 years after the previous Elder Scrolls Game, the fifth installment of the popular RPG series thrusts players into the role of Dragonborn, a hero who is born with the soul and power of a dragon. With an in-depth character creation system, a massive open-world to explore, and several different factions to join and rise to the top of, Skyrim is the ultimate RPG game for fantasy fans. And we haven’t even talked about the thousands upon thousands of mods waiting to be installed.

Fallout 3

Another popular RPG, Fallout is virtually ‘Skyrim with guns’. Set within a post-nuclear holocaust world, players take on the role of a Vault Dweller, leaving behind the relative safety of the vault for the first time. Leave the safety of Vault 101 behind and take on the nasty creatures of the Capital Wasteland as you search for your father in a living, breathing, post-apocalyptic world. If the base game isn’t enough for you, there are thousands of mods just waiting to be installed and put to use.

Pillars of Eternity

Pillars of Eternity is a fantastic return to the old-school Infinity Engine that games like Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, and Planescapre: Torment were made on. Taking place in the fictional world of Eora, Pillars of Eternity puts players in the shoes ‘The Watcher’ a person who can remember their past lives. Tasked with finding the priest who cursed them before they go mad, players must make their way through the Eastern Reach of Eora on a quest to not only save themselves, but also to save the region from the powerful and dreadful Hollowborn curse. With a well-crafted story, the beauty and mechanics of the golden era of RPGs, and a simplistic and yet beautiful art-style, Pillars of Eternity is a must-own for RPG fans.

Portal 2

As the successor of Portal, Valves 2007 hit puzzle game, Portal 2 wasn’t expected to be that great. Many gamers couldn’t see how a sequel could come out of the puzzle game, however, Valve managed to pull it off with flying colors. Picking up a bit after the first game left off, players are once more thrown into the eyes of Chell, who is awoken after years of suspended animation in the Aperture Science Enrichment Center. With new characters like Wheatley, the return of GLaDOS, and the introduction of a new co-op game mode, Portal 2 was a better refined version of an already great idea.

GTA V

Grand Theft Auto games have always been a huge undergoing, but after waiting almost 2 years longer to receive the newest iteration of the popular open-world game, PC fans were more than ready to get their hands on Los Santos in its newest form. Featuring a first-person mode, new multiplayer heists, and some of the best optimization a GTA game has seen on PC, GTA V is a welcome treat, and a reliable time-killer for PC users everywhere. Step into the shoes of Michael, Trevor, and Franklin as you work to build up your cash, and take down the sleazy FIB agents trying to extort you.

Duke 3D

Picking up directly after Duke Nukem II, Duke Nukem 3, or Duke 3D, is a return to the glorious alien ass-kicking that is Duke Nukem. Released in 1996, Duke 3D might look a little dated now, but it was the epitome of fantastic FPS action in its day. With highly destructible environments, real-life inspired locations, and plenty of edgy scantily clad girls, Duke 3D is a welcome addition to the library of any self-pronounced PC gamer.

System Shock 2

The spiritual god-father of Bioshock, System Shock 2 is a 1999 first person survival horror video game which has been hailed often as one of the greatest games of all time. Set within a cyberpunk envisioning of 2114, players take on the role of a lone soldier aboard the Von Braun spaceship. Awakened after a mysterious virus takes over the ship, the players must then make their way through the ship towards different objectives while surviving the mental and physical onslaught of The Many, a hive-minded alien infestation.

Starcraft 2

Set four years after Starcraft: Brood War, StarCraft 2 is the massive sequel to Blizzard’s wildly popular science fiction real-time strategy game. With a well-told campaign mode, and hours upon hours of multiplayer matches waiting to happen, Starcraft 2 is a must-have for RTS fans who are looking to sink their teeth into one of the most polished, well-crafted real-time strategy games available on PC. With multiple packs available, Starcraft 2 is a bit of a hefty game to take on, and players will want to make sure they begin their playthrough with the Wings of Liberty game set. From there they can then move on to Heart of the Swarm, and lastly, Legacy of the Void.

Half-Life Series

Step into the shoes of theoretical physicist, Gordon Freeman, and experience the Black Mesa Incident firsthand. Developed by Valve, creators of Steam, the first Half Life game is regarded as one of the greatest games of all time. Originally designed and released in 1998, the first game saw a sequel, Half-Life 2, in 2004 and continued to bring in praise and acclaim through another two releases. Unlike many of the games of the time, the Half-Life series used scripted sequences within the gameplay to further the story’s plotline, thus removing all possibility of cut scenes, and thereby greatly increasing the fluidity and immersion of the game and its story as players never left the first-person view, and were able to witness the story completely through Freeman’s eyes.

Hearthstone

Featuring characters from their well-known Warcraft series, Blizzard released Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft to the public in 2014. As a virtual collectible card game (or CCG) Hearthstone has swept across the world, pulling in millions of players with the simplistic and elegant design. Don’t let the looks fool you, however, as the game is extremely difficult to master, and with additions to the card pool still growing, it’s not going to be easy to collect every card. Facing off against opponents in one-versus-one battles, the players must battle to deplete the other Hero’s health. Games can take place in online human-versus-human interactions, or players can practice against the CPU, or even pick up special Adventure Mode wings which offer alternate card backs and cards as a reward.

Know a game you want to recommend? Sadly we weren't able to include every game we wanted in this list, so be sure to leave your thoughts and recommendations in the comments below for others to see.

Shack Staff

Shack Staff stories are a collective effort with multiple staff members contributing. Many of our lists often involve entires from several editors, and our weekly Shack Chat is something we all contribute to as a group.