50 BEST PC Games of the Last 5 Years

(logo chimes) - [Falcon] In the world of gaming, five years can seem like a long time and I am about to make it seem much, much longer. As much as the last five years have brought some kind of annoying stuff to PC gaming, it's also brought us plenty of gold. Hi folks, it's Falcon, and today on "Gameranx," the top 50 PC games of the last five years.

Starting out with number 50, it's "Cyberpunk 2077. " It took three years of work, but they were able to get this game to a point where I would recommend "Cyberpunk" to just about anybody. From the massive 2.

0 update that reworked a lot of the gameplay systems, made the shooting more satisfying, made the skill tree more interesting, it's just an all around better game. It wasn't unplayable at launch, at least on PC, but it clearly needed a lot of work. And now that it has been fixed, it went from a game that was being lambasted in pretty much all games media to being a critical darling.

It's a great game now, and yeah, it sucks that it had such a rough launch. Some people probably actually never will forgive the developers for putting it out in a state like that. And to be frank, it is a shameful thing to do, especially given that CD Projekt RED self-publish his games and is under no force to put a game out.

They got that "Witcher 3" money, folks. But aside from "No Man's Sky," if there is any game out there that totally justifies the dependence on patches, it's "Cyberpunk 2077. " I will take an extremely flawed game that gets fixed and becomes incredibly good over a game that is bad for forever, every time.

"Night City" is one of the best, most fleshed out open worlds out there, and the story is great. If you're into shooters or RPGs or CD Projekt RED's games like "The Witcher 3," you'll probably like "Cyberpunk. " And that's a pretty wide net to cast for probably like a game.

It's in fact probably the most obvious thing to put on this list, and that's exactly why we started off with it. Moving on to number 49, we're talking "Persona 5 Royal. " This is an enhanced port of the original "Persona 5.

" It came out on PC in 2022, a few years after the regular version, but the patient gamer wins again 'cause this is by far the best version of the game. Along with a new party member and a lot of small tweaks, improvements and additions, the big thing "Royal" adds is an entirely new ending that extends the length of the game by a large amount. It's a better ending too, just to be clear.

Even if the idea of spending even more time in its already gargantuan RPG, sounds like a commitment. Believe me, it's worth getting. Just look up how to actually reach it online.

You don't wanna spend a hundred hours playing this thing only to find out that you missed out on the new stuff, even if you don't care about all that, "Persona 5 Royal" is a super-slick JRPG with style to spare, an amazing sound rig, a deep and engaging battle system, and let me just tell you, it is one of the most fun battle systems that exists in the turn-based realm. Just expect it to take some time. An average playtime to start to finish can run well over a hundred hours.

And number 48, it's "Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut. " Took a while for this one to hit PC, but man, is it worth it, 'cause it is a fantastic open world action game. Imagine an "Assassin's Creed" game but with hard hitting, intense combat and you got a basic idea of what to expect from "Ghost.

" Another thing to expect is a highly immersive experience. Rather than having gigantic quest markers all over the place, a guiding wind points you towards your next objective. The game's full of immersive, little things like that, and they innovate on the usual open world formula.

It is a beautiful game on PC and it's more mechanically complex than most open world games. And the story's dramatic and exciting. It's all around just a really solid and enjoyable, historically inspired adventure.

At number 47 is "Deep Rock Galactic. " This co-op dig 'em up is one of the most fun, chaotic, and joyful multiplayer games of the past few years and is thankfully completely free of the usual microtransaction heavy BS PC players have grown accustomed to. You buy the game, you get everything you need, and so, start mining.

The idea of a first-person co-op mining game might not sound that interesting to you, but it is a lot of fun. It's hard to even describe what makes it work so well. The missions are randomly generated, but they're quick and well paced.

The desperate scramble for the exit after you mine just a little too greedily, that's always a joy, every time. And the game's fantastic community makes it extremely welcoming to newcomers. If you're into co-op games, it doesn't get a lot better than this.

At number 46 is "Doom Eternal. " The newest "Doom" is one of the most divisive games over the past few years. Some love it, others do not like the drastic changes made to the "Doom" formula, but I gotta sit with the pro camp here.

I think "Doom Eternal" is an awesome game. It's a genuinely hard game, the amount of ammo you get sometimes is shockingly small, but the way combat comes together in the game is something totally unique. It almost doesn't even feel like a standard FPS, more like an action game like "Devil May Cry," but in first person, that sounds impossible to people who haven't played it, but if you have, you know exactly what I'm talking about, the combat's absolutely nuts.

It's fast and frantic in a way that's tougher than you'd think for a big budget Bethesda game. "Doom Eternal" was risky, and it's not a hit with everyone, but if it clicks, it really clicks. And number 45 is "Ori and the Will of the Wisps.

" A beautiful side scrolling platform that takes the best aspects of the first "Ori" game, the amazingly detailed art, the tight platforming, and adds in a satisfying combat system on top of that to make the game better than the first in pretty much every way. It's a game that's bigger and more fun to explore and generally more fun to play, with fewer out of place difficulty spikes. The story might not hit as hard as the first game, but it's still a good continuation of what they had going before.

As far as Metroidvanias go it's one of the best. (soft upbeat music) And number 44 is "Resident Evil Village. " You can't say Capcom isn't afraid to mix things up.

The second "Resident Evil" game to be first person, you'd think they'd stick to what worked in 7 and go from there but no, we got werewolves. Rather than "Grindhouse" horror, it goes deep into folk horror, which makes it an entirely different beast from before. And rather than draw inspiration from the classic games, it's heavily inspired from "Resident Evil 4," which I mean is a classic game, but not the quote unquote, "classic era.

" It was the first of the 3D games, well, the truly 3D games. The larger world we explore a town and move from there. The wider variety of weapons at your disposal, the shopkeeper who sells you equipment and upgrades.

Does it sound familiar? It should. It's an action-packed and exciting FPS that isn't afraid to get creepy at times or extremely goofy at others.

Looking back, it's one of the weirdest games of the series, but the game design is rock solid. It looks great, it's very well paced and it's constantly mixing things up, just a ton of fun. And number 43 is "Inscription.

" It's an indie darling. It seems like one thing, but it becomes completely clear that it is something entirely different and it doesn't even stop there. It's a game with layers that the player has to uncover.

And even saying what any of these layers are would be a huge spoiler. "Inscription" is one of those games that's better to go in completely blind. All that really matters is that it's a Roguelike, at least at first, which is a pretty fun little card game on its own.

It eventually becomes clear that you can get up from the table and look around and that there are puzzles to solve and it gets complicated from there. But if you don't care about that, you can keep playing the card game. The important thing for these kinds of mystery games is that the actual game part is actually fun.

And "Inscription" nails that part better than most. It's endlessly surprising. It's also just a really fun and addictive game.

At number 42 is the "Dead Space" remake. The original "Dead Space" is a classic of the horror genre, but getting this work correctly on PCs these days, a little rough, so the best way to play, I would say, is the remake. It made a few controversial changes like making the originally mute Isaac Clark actually talk and changing some of the characterization of some of the supporting characters and some people don't like that as much.

But these are ultimately really minor changes because the stuff that matters, the tense atmosphere, the intense action, it's either mostly unchanged or actually even improved a little. And in all seriousness, it's more in line with "Dead Space 2," these games feel less different with the changes that have been made. It's a shame this one didn't get as many updates as maybe it should have.

The performance isn't quite as good as it could be, but it's a small price to pay for what's otherwise one of the best horror games in a very long time. And number 41 is "Mass Effect Legendary Edition. " As much as everyone was mad at the ending of "Mass Effect 3," it's a landmark trilogy with a carefully realized world, endearing characters, and people love it.

Being able to play them with a few modernizing touches and improvements, it's a godsend. The only downside is the lack of the "Mass Effect 3" multiplayer, which may have been the best thing about the third game, honestly, I still think the third game holds up pretty well and the gameplay is probably the best in the trilogy. Still, these games are a little dated, the writing's a little lame at times.

Some of the big twists aren't really that satisfying, but as a package, they are great. You can play through all of 'em in one shot, so all your choices carry over, or you can just play your favorite either way. Fantastic compilation.

And number 40 is "Elden Ring. " This one's landed, and it's probably as big of an advance in open world games as "Breath of the Wild," because it does so many things differently and in a way that's enjoyable and mysterious and just feels like you actually have a reason to continue exploring. And on top of that, it's a "Dark Souls" game.

Honestly, I don't know what else to say. You gotta play "Elden Ring," it's really good. And number 39 is "Sifu.

" This unique, hard hitting action game combines Rougelikes with beat em ups in a way I've never seen before. And they do it just about perfectly. It's a short game that can be completed in less than an hour, but actually doing that is nearly impossible at first.

"Sifu" is a game about repetition. The levels stay the same. The enemy layouts stay the same, the bosses stay the same, but getting through those parts is so hard that it's gonna take a lot of tries before you finally get it right and eventually overcome the final boss.

It sounds like a drag, but the game is so much fun to play, it doesn't really matter. And the combat is lightning fast and brutal. You're kinda like a combination of Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Donnie 'n all wrapped into one.

And once you get the hang of that, that's exhilarating. And number 38 is "Hi-Fi Rush. " This joyfully goofy action game isn't the longest and the tutorial is maybe a little too long itself, but it's got an infectious energy that's just unlike anything else.

The game combines combat with a rhythm game in one of the most obvious but brilliant mashups of all time. Other games have done it, but nobody else has done it as well. Once the momentum really gets going, entering a flow state in "Hi-Fi Rush" is beyond fun.

It's a game that has flaws, but the parts that matter are so good that they don't really matter. And number 37 is "Armored Core 6. " This high speed, mech combat game feels like a throwback to a different era, and that's because it is, instead of being set in a continuous world or an open world or anything like that, it's split into bite-sized challenging missions.

Story is practically non-existent, literally just voices. The focus is on mech building and combat and that's what makes "Armored Core" special. You're given tons of parts to slab together and make the ultimate mech or the ultimate piece of crap, sink or swim with the mech design.

Same with the combat. It's so fast, it's almost hard to keep track of at times. It's been so long since we've gotten a real mech game, and while "Armored Core" is hard as nails, it's easily the best mech game of the last five years.

And number 36 is "Resident Evil 4" remake. It seemed unnecessary until we got it. The original "Resident Evil 4" is a classic, but depending on who you ask, this one's even better.

You're listening to a bird that thinks, that yes, it is, but no matter which side you fall on, this game is still great. And even if you play the original horror classic to death, there's a good reason to play the remake 'cause it's actually a pretty different experience. It's remade from the ground up.

The level designs are sometimes drastically different, bosses are more complex, they're sometimes in very different places. It's a remix of the original game that feels both familiar and different in exciting ways. (soft upbeat music) And number 35 is "Lies of P.

" I've had a whole lot of people talk about how we say "Soulslikes" too much, but do you realize how many "Soulslikes" there are? There's a lot of 'em, but they are rarely as good as "Lies of P. " Heavily inspired by the likes of "Bloodborne" and "Sekiro," "Lies of P" is a Victorian horror, and it leans into an emphasis on perian.

But what makes this special is that it's a more accessible game in the genre. Doesn't mean it's easy, but the early areas aren't quite as brutal and it's not as mechanically complex. It demands a little less for the player, but in this case it works in the game's favor.

The boss designs are really fantastic. The world is really fun to explore, but not too complex. It's a good starter "Soulslike," but also one of the best in the genre.

How rare is those two things, one thing? (dramatic music) And number 34 is "Pizza Tower. " So this is a manic nineties cartoon-inspired fever dream that looks amateurish, but that's, it's intentional and it's definitely part of its lo-fi charm.

It is a super weird and wonderful platform that has tons of mechanical depth, but it can be played by just about anyone. If you're a madman speed runner, this is a game that you can lose hundreds of hours to. But if you aren't that, maybe you're more casual, maybe you like games for their mechanics and definitely appreciate this type of a game, you'll endlessly talk about it, but you won't get involved in the insane time suck that is speed running, I'm one of those people.

There's plenty to like for this game for either group though, the goofy humor, the creative level design, and absolutely fantastic music make it a breeze to play, easily one of the best platformers in the last half decade. And number 33 is "Dave the Diver. " A charming indie-not-indie.

It looks probably like nothing special at first glance, but it's one of the most unique and fun games in a long time. During the day, you explore the sea, you fish, you look for loot, and at night you manage a sushi restaurant. What starts out is a mostly standard but very fun premise.

Just keeps going and going and getting weirder and more creative as its world continues to expand. It's one of those games you think is about to ramp up and then they throw some new wrinkle at you, but rather than get tired, it keeps getting better. And number 32 is "Alan Wake 2," a weirdo horror collage that I'm still amazed got made.

"Alan Wake 2" is one of those games you're not necessarily playing, you're kind of experiencing, it's split between two stories, you got two very different characters from very different backgrounds, and the game gives you a pretty solid survival horror, on top of really, really mind blowing visuals. And what makes it work is how incredibly weird it is. You probably heard of the "Rock Opera," but that's the tip of the iceberg.

This game goes places, and if you're willing to take that ride, it is something to remember. At Number 31 is "Against the Storm. " One common issue with city builders is the boring part.

The part where you've solved the initial money problems and you're kind of coasting until you get tired. "Against the Storm" fixes the issue by making the start the entire game. This Roguelike, with persistent elements is a city builder where you're always on a time limit and a time crunch.

You only have so much time to get your city to a survivable state before you move on. And that turns every map into a puzzle that has to be solved. It's challenging, but brilliantly designed.

And yeah, it does take a little time to get the hang of it. You'll probably fail more than a few times before you start to get it, but it's the satisfying kind of failure where you want to keep trying. You'll feel great when you get it.

(upbeat music) And number 30 is "Like a Drgon: Infinite Wealth. " Worth mentioning, "Yakuza: Like a Drgon," "Like a Drgon: The Man Who Erased His Name," "Drgon Inchin" and "Lost Judgment," these are all great games too, but the most recent game in the long-running "Yakuza" franchise is easily one of the best. This one, a continuation of the first "Like a Drgon," is a new take on the series with term-based combat and a generally weirder and wackier vibe.

The mundane life details are more mundane, party characters are like a homeless guy, a security guard and a taxi driver all have very relatable problems, while the actual story is even crazier. If that's not your cup of tea, there's plenty of other games in the series to recommend. I gave you the names of plenty of them.

These things come out like clockwork and there's at least four other games to pick from in the series that came out in the last five years and I would recommend every one of them. (machine gun rattling) And number 29 is "Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew," the last game of developer, Mimimi, is also arguably their best, made with all the experience they got making games like "Shadow Tactics" and "Desperados 3. " Putting that into a stealth tactical game gives players more freedom than ever.

This game, like everything else they've ever made, is all about carefully maneuvering a gang around and they all have unique abilities in order to carefully dismantle the complex level full of patrolling guards and hazards. These games turn stealth into a complex puzzle and requires so much quick saving that the game optionally tells you how long it's been since your last one. It's a very PC-centric sort of game, but if you've got the patience and smarts for it, it's fantastic.

All their games are great, but this one really lets you bring any team into any mission and tackle them in any order. It is freeform and it is super fun. (dramatic music) And number 28 is "Street Fighter 6.

" Near fighting game perfection, "Street Fighter 6" has earned its massive popularity with a fantastic fighting system, great online options and tons of content available for more casual players. The new modern fighting system is also a godsend and actually viable to use competitively. And the popularity of the game means there's actually a decent cross section of players to fight.

This is easily the sharpest street fighter there's been in a long time. It feels great to play no matter the control scheme, the character designs and models are fantastic. The new world tour mode gives offline players plenty to entertain themselves with, the microtransactions crap does hurt the experience, but the rest of the game is so good, it doesn't really make it too hard to overlook.

At number 27 is "Hades. " This top-down Roguelike has one thing that most Roguelikes are missing, a story. And that means there's characters for players to get invested in and it's got all that in spades.

It helps that the gameplay is extremely good, with tight but accessible combat. And it's got some super fun weapons and a lot of different possible builds. It uses the Roguelike formula to its advantage with a hub of characters who evolve and grow while you do the Roguelike part.

And it makes for a game where dying doesn't feel like a failure. It actually feels like a different kind of progress. At number 26 is "Black Myth: Wukong.

" This hardcore action game isn't quite a "Soulslike," but it's gotten a lot in common with them. It's sort of its own thing. It's built on a lot of the conventions of the "Soulslike," but they change a lot of things when they feel like it and it makes for a pretty different kind of action game.

Thankfully a really good one with a frankly insane amount of bosses which would get tiring if the action wasn't so damn good. The stuff between all the bosses can feel a little undercooked at first, but the game gets bigger and more open as it goes, along with a ton of really satisfying secrets. So in my opinion, one of the best action games in quite a while.

And number 25 is "Crusader Kings 3. " The most accessible grand strategy game of them all, "Crusader Kings 3" is still a very complex game, but a few notable changes make it much easier than Paradox's stable of other titles. With no real end goal, the fun of these games, just seeing what happens, what kingdoms you can conquer, what tragedies befall your monarch, what eventually happens to your domain, it's all up in the air while your basic goal is to expand your kingdom and gain more wealth and power, there is nothing stopping you for basically doing whatever you want, just see what happens though.

That's the real appeal of the grand strategy genre, being a cog in the wheels of history. And sometimes it's fun to keep things going. Other times, yeah, you just want it to all fall apart.

And number 24 is "Spider-Man" remastered, formerly PlayStation exclusive, it came to PC in 2022 and it's just as good there as it was on consoles. The superhero open world game doesn't do anything that the original doesn't do, but it does so with more polish. The game looks amazing and the combat is highly inspired by the "Batman: Arkham" games.

It does manage to have its own fun spin on it and some of the most impressive set pieces of any action game I've ever played. There's some amazing missions in there that really hold up as some of the most exhilarating and carefully choreographed action scenes I've ever seen. It's also a game with incredibly good pacing.

It gets in and gets out, doesn't feel rushed, doesn't feel slow, feels just that right Goldilocks pace, the platonic ideal of superhero open world games. (upbeat music) At number 23 is "Teardown," a voxel-based game all about the joy of destruction. You play as a different kind of thief, the thief that smashes through walls to get the goods and get away with as much loot as possible before the cops arrive.

Essentially it's a puzzle game where you got these big levels, you gotta figure out how to steal everything in them. Usually that involves setting off an alarm and booking it out of there. But to do that fast, you have to clear a path of destruction to make your return trip faster.

Simple concept, but extremely brilliantly executed. At number 22 is "The Talos Principle 2. " The original was a masterpiece of a puzzle game and in some ways the sequel's actually better.

They removed the more fiddly kinds of puzzles that involve minds and recording copies, and generally made the game more accessible with a less severe learning curve. The new environments are absolutely stunning too, but also massive and a little empty. The walking simulator aspect of the game is a plus here, in my opinion anyways, the more involved story is a little less philosophical but no less interesting.

It's a game that's a little less focused but somehow comes together to make something meditative and excellent. And number 21, it's, "It Takes Two," a co-op game, and they don't get much more creative and engaging in this particular co-op game. Even if the kind of weirdly presented story is a bit of a miss, the gameplay isn't.

The game is constantly mixing things up with different gameplay and different mechanics and all this switching would be exhausting, but the game is really well designed. Everything's introduced to you quickly. It's easy to understand, it's fun to use.

The many mini games you find on your journey are also a fun breather as well, as are all the little interactions and secrets to find. It's a game that's really endlessly entertaining. And number 20, "Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2," sometimes all you wanna do is shoot some bugs and this game does that perfectly.

Taking the clever mechanical innovations of the first "Space Marine," which is from a long time ago, and improving on them, "Space Marine 2" is an Xbox 360 game in a modern-day shelf in all the best ways. The campaign's focus, not all that long. The additional co-op missions are trickier, but add a fun challenge for people who want to continue past the story.

And the multi-player offerings are simple but a ton of fun. The most important part is that the game just feels great to play. There's a real oomph to all your actions.

The environments look consistently great too, as do the massive hoards of monsters you often encounter. It's uncomplicated, but extremely well-made fun. And number 19 is "Balatrto.

" This game combines all the degeneracy of poker with the obsessive, just-one-more-game compulsions of a Roguelike, to devastating and time devouring results. It's not a complicated looking game, but it's brilliantly designed. There's no story, no combat, but it doesn't matter because it doesn't need any of that to keep us playing.

All that matters are the multipliers. And number 18 is "Death Stranding. " This one just sneaks by under the wire with a November, 2019 release date.

And while it's a game that's not going to be everybody's cup of tea, it's one of the most interesting big budget games in a very long time. You're a post-apocalyptic, FedEx man tasked with, it's not actually FedEx, I like using the exaggerated description, you're a courier, but you're tasked with reconnecting the world, which sounds weird as a game premise, but it's so much crazier than that. If you can get past the baffling story, what you're left with is a game about walking from one place to another with a bunch of stuff on your back.

Somehow they found a way to make that compelling. And I mean that's impressive enough, but it's not just compelling, it is an extremely fun game. And number 17 is "Satisfactory," which just came out of early access this year.

This game takes everything about great factory games and does it all in glorious 3D instead of a bird's eye view you normally get these types of things, you're right down in the action. Getting a proper factory started takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears, and a whole hell of a lot of conveyor belts. But once you've set everything up, there are few things more satisfying than just taking a minute to stop and appreciate your massive automated factory buzzing away.

It's confusing, complex and at times overwhelming. But for the optimization obsessed, it is the perfect game. At number 16 is "Bomb Rush Cyberfunk," this jet set radio-inspired adventure, it's just a ton of fun.

It takes the basic idea of that series where you skate around in quasi futuristic, highly stylized locations and spray paint everything you see, and adds a little "Tony Hawk" into the mix. You throw in some alternative rides like bikes, skateboards, you got an extreme sports dream game for a very specific type of gamer. It's not just a copycat, it's a great game all its own, and true to form, the soundtrack is beyond killer.

(upbeat music) And number 15 is "Power Wash Simulator. " It's the ultimate chill out game. Sometimes you don't wanna think too hard or challenge yourself or struggle in an online game.

Sometimes you just wanna splash some water on a really dirty patio. It's slow, it's methodical, and depending on who you ask, it's boring work, but I would argue boring is not quite right. When you're looking for this, this is the best game ever.

I don't wanna sell it short, but it's a clever idea that's executed very well. It's just not the sort of game everyone's gonna wanna play all the time but the perfect game to play sometimes or all the time depending on who you are. At number 14 is "Tactical Breach Wizards.

" It's one of those games where all you need is the title and it pretty much tells you everything. It's a breach and clear tactical game with wizard powers. That's a great premise too.

But the game is even better than that implies. It's an ingenious tactical game that's essentially a fancy dressed up puzzle. The story is well written, often laugh-out-loud funny, and the tactical gameplay is exceptional, getting increasingly complex.

I can't even begin to tell you how good of an example of this genre this game is. And number 13 is "Baldur's Gate 3. " After cutting their teeth on their own unique RPGs with the "Divinity: Original Sin" games, Larian took everything they learned and made "Baldur's Gate 3," a game that's bold, a throwback, and extremely modern at the same time.

It's a hardcore CRPG with turn-based combat. But what makes it unique is the commitment to player freedom. There's so many things they let you do in this game that you would not be able to do in almost any other game.

It can be an exhausting experience to play, especially the first time through because it does feel like every choice just leads to catastrophe. But no other RPG gives you the kind of agency this game does and really what makes it so special. (dramatic music) And number 12 is "Forza Horizon 5.

" The latest entry in the long running Open World Series is custom built for fun. The game throws new cars, new race types, new everything at you at all times. It's stuffed full of content.

There's so much to do to keep busy and it just looks fantastic doing it. The Mexico setting is kind of take it or leave it, some people don't like it as much, but I appreciate the variety and their attempts to mix things up with, stuff like expedition missions. While so many race games feel stingy, the "Forza Horizon" series, it's much better about this sort of thing.

They do eventually get grindy, but that's not until way past everything you have needed to do has been done. And number 11 is "Pentiment. " A narrative adventure set in the 16th century in a monastery doesn't sound like the most gripping experience of all time, but "Pentiment" does something special.

Written and directed by Josh Sawyer, the director of games like "Fallout: New Vegas", Pentiment is a game that's deeply rooted in history in a way few games are. It's a game where you'll definitely learn something, but that doesn't mean it's a boring history lesson. There's a murder mystery to solve.

It's not just a game with great writing. The art is exceptional as well. It's dense, often complex and requires patience to get the most out of it.

But for the people this appeals to, it's a one-of-a-kind game. And number 10 is "Vampire Survivors. " Sometimes you just want to kill something, and not just one thing, but a whole lot of things like hundreds of things, thousands of things, nonstop, it's killing, tons of it.

That's "Vampire Survivors. " You don't even need to learn to aim. What's brilliant about the game is that all you really have to do is move and it does everything else.

It's like a cookie clicker, but instead of cooking cookies, you're blowing away monsters. And that's a brilliant and very simple concept as a casual chill-out game, there's really nothing else like it. And the way it uses gambling game tricks of the trade to make the game more addictive without actively having any micro transactions at all, it's way more, it's really impressive.

They had the power to make a miserable, money-siphoning Skinner Box, and instead they just made a really fun game. And number nine is "Hitman 3," ending the modern "Hitman" trilogy on a high note, the game doesn't do anything radically different than the other two games in the series. It just does it all really well.

You got huge levels, tons of ways to take out your target and lots of opportunities for improvisation and chaos. More "Hitman," and that's what it needs to be. And number eight is "Age of Empires: Definitive Edition," another game just barely making it onto this list.

with the November, 2019 release date, this updated remaster of "Age of Empires 2" does everything it needed to do to bring this game back to its rightful place as one of the best RTS games of all time. By that I mean it didn't have to do much. They made the games compatible with modern resolutions, improved the multiplayer experience, balance the factions and altered some of the crappier expansion campaigns, the amount of content for this game is huge.

There's so many expansions and story campaigns now that it's hard to keep up, but the quality of the mission design is pretty great for all the new stuff. They already had a great game and they made it better. And number seven is "Risk of Rain 2.

" Ignoring the most recent DLC controversy. "Risk of Rain 2" is one of the best co-op shooters out there. It's a Roguelike, third-person shooter with enemies that get tougher the longer you play the game.

Starts off messy but quickly it can become out of control. It's a hard-as-hell game that is just as much fun to play, especially with friends. And number six is "God of War.

" The beloved soft reboot of the "God of War" series came to PC in 2022. Could have been a disaster. It's completely different from the old games, but they really hit this one out of the park.

It's a perfect blending of action, exploration and story. Combat's, visceral. The puzzles aren't super complicated but they're fun, and so is the Leviathan Axe, which could be thrown at enemies.

There's very few things more satisfying than yanking that thing back. The animation just works perfect. And number five is "Snowrunner.

" Honestly, who would've thought a game about driving cars through snow would be this much fun? Don't know what black magic they conjured when making this thing, but it works. It's essentially a transport game.

You're driving to deliver goods from one place to another, only to do it, you have to drive through thick snow and deep mud. The only way to get through this is with careful driving in an ample use of winch. It's one of those games that kind of actually starts off a little annoying but gets pretty zen after a while.

It is somehow stressful and relaxing at the same time. (upbeat music) And number four is "Disco Elysium. " The original game came out just a few days before the time we are making this, which is October 15th, 2019.

And that's really cutting it close with our five year deadline, but it technically counts. I could just do the final cut version, but I'm gonna be honest here, I don't like it as much. The voice acting hurts the flow of the game and there's a lot of writing to get through so having to hear it all as dialogue slows everything down.

That's a minor complaint though. "Disco Elysium" is a modern classic, it's a dense and complex manifesto wrapped up in a murder-mystery plot. Trying to describe this game is futile.

All that matters is you can kill yourself at the start of the game trying to get a tie off of a fan. (upbeat music) At number three is "Factorio," where its full release came out in August, 2020. So combining tower defense with a factory game, "Factorio" is a game where you can skip all the chaff and get straight to the meat.

It's a hardcore factory building game through and through where you can make as many conveyor belts as your heart can take. Not quite the visual spectacle that "Satisfactory" is, but it does make up for it with its exceptional depth. And number two is "Red Dead Redemption.

" Another November, 2019 game. It's been out for a while at this point, but the more I think about "RDR 2," the more I'm convinced it's a modern classic. There's just nothing else quite like it as far as open world games go.

It's so detailed and carefully crafted, but it's massive. Gameplay isn't like anything else either, Arthur is slow, everything he does is labored. Simulation elements make it so that just getting from point A to B is more difficult.

Takes a while to figure out how to talk to people without shooting them by mistake. It can be a difficult and sometimes annoying game to play, but that's all to make it more immersive and makes you feel more connected to this world. The game seems more interesting in making it an experience than just a regular old fun game.

And I respect it for that. There's no next gen patch on console, so the best way to play is on PC, at least now. With super-high resolution maxed out settings, it's still one of the best looking games of all time, even now, just about five years after it came out.

(upbeat music) And finally at number one "Half-Life:Alyx. " Now VR has had plenty of great games, but I think the masterpiece is perhaps "Half-Life:Alyx. " Not many people can actually play it, there are mods, so you can play it using a keyboard, but trying to play it that way is pretty awkward and you're not getting the full experience.

The real way to play this is with a VR headset and not many people have those yet, but a ton of effort went into making this a really immersive experience, blows everything else out of the water. On top of that, it is a proper "Half-Life" game. It is not a tech demo, it's not half-baked, the game is bursting with new ideas and innovative gameplay that take advantage of VR in exciting ways.

It's just a shame that only a fraction of people who own PCs now will really get the chance to play the game, 'cause it's seriously an all-time great and worthy addition to the "Half-Life" series. And that's all for today. Leave us a comment, let us know what you think.

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