Released last year for PC, UFO 50 is a collection of 50 retro-style video games across various genres from multiple developers (though in-game, they’re the output of the fictional UFO Soft). Some titles are fairly straightforward, like the platformer Barbuta and arcade racer Paint Chase, while others, including Magic Garden, are surprisingly addictive.

However, some have hefty playtimes, including Grimstone, a Wild West-themed role-playing game, and Party House, a deckbuilding strategy game. On top of earning special collectibles by completing each title, players will discover clues providing a closer look at the history of UFO Soft. Those ingenious enough may even find the hidden 51st title.

UFO 50 has earned universal acclaim from critics and players, and even earned a place on our 20 Greatest PC Games of 2024 and 30 Amazing PC Games of All Time lists.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

Did Hellblade 2 disappoint some because it wasn’t a sprawling experience or stuck too closely to the previous game’s linearity? Undoubtedly. However, the continuation of Senua’s journey as she embarked on a blood campaign of revenge was one that still delivered. Between the stunning visuals and performances, with Melina Juergens once again killing it, going beyond the confines of Senua’s darkness to rescue others offered a new dimension to the overall story. Of course, the combat also delivered thanks to its visceral nature and animations.

Nailing down any one aspect of PC gaming is challenging, but it’s that diversity that really makes it shine. Let’s check out the 30 best PC games that have stood out through the decades.

Sons of the Forest

The first rule of playing Sons of the Forest is to experience the original if only to appreciate its story-telling and how things work. Then dive into the sequel and really start to grasp all the different tools that Endnight Games has offered, from solar-powered golf karts and hang-gliders (with launch pads) to an extensive range of firearms, new melee weapons, and mechanics, like AI helpers and a revamped building system. Though its narrative won’t quite hook you, the sheer amount of stuff to do on the island – inhumane and otherwise – provides hours of fun.

SLITTERHEAD

There’s an abundance of horror games out there in our current market, but few of them (or more precisely, none of them) are anything like Slitterhead. Coming from Silent Hill, Siren, and Gravity Rush creator Keiichiro Toyama’s new indie team at Bokeh Game Studio, Slitterhead is undoubtedly a flawed game, and probably not to everyone’s tastes. It does tout a fascinating core premise and body swapping gameplay hook, however, which makes for one of the most unique action horror experiences in recent memory. Yes, there are a dozen different ways it could have been a better game, but even in its current state, Slitterhead has an undeniable (if very specific) appeal to it.

Cocoon

Akin to Inception but with more otherworldly bug-like…things, Cocoon eases you in delicately enough with its world hopping, power unlocking, and puzzles. However, beyond the halfway point, you’re suddenly dealing with earth-shattering bosses, ascending through multiple levels of worlds while carrying others on your back and leveraging portals to enter and exit. It’s an experience unlike any other, delivered in roughly five to six hours and leaving you with more than a few questions when it’s over.