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What are the best new PC games in 2024? Perhaps you’ve just been paid, your bank account is filled with virtual dosh, or you simply want to get caught up with the latest PC games because they’re, well, new and shiny.
As much as we love firing up our old favorites, there are loads of new PC games that deserve some attention, too. To keep you in the know, we’ve got the definitive list of the best PC games that have been released recently, from big-budget RPG games to indie strategy games. Whatever you’re into, stay up to date with all the latest and greatest releases right here on PCGamesN.
The best new PC games in 2024 are:
Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl
A mysterious Stalker 2 artifact gave your apartment an undesired makeover, tearing a hole in what used to be your kitchenette. You traipse into The Zone to figure out just what on earth is going on and find yourself amid a power struggle of both ideals and resources. The gunplay is heavy and deliberate, and exploration demands concentration unless you don’t mind your head being removed from its rightful place. Check out our Stalker 2 review if you want to read more of our experiences.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
The past few years in Call of Duty land have been fairly quiet. We’ve had releases, but they’ve been rehashes of previous games, and frankly not very good. Black Ops 6, however, reaches for something greater, and while the campaign falls a little flat, as we write in our Black Ops 6 review, the package as a whole is better than ever.
Multiplayer makes fundamental changes in movement with new BO6 Omnimovement, the gunplay feels fantastic, and the UI has had a much-needed overhaul. Round-based Zombies is back, too, and with it comes the nail-biting claustrophobic gunfights we know and love. Black Ops 6 is included in Game Pass this year, so if you didn’t want to pay full price straight out of the gate, you can get your fill that way.
Whether you buy it or try it for free, we’ve got you covered with masses of BO6 content as well, including our rundown of the best Black Ops 6 weapons and loadouts right now, and guides to the most fun Zombies easter eggs if that’s more your thing.
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero
After a 17-year wait, Budokai Tenkaichi 4 is finally here. While Dragon Ball Sparking Zero had a lot of childhood nostalgia to live up to, we’re pleased to report that the anime game series has effortlessly cleared the leap into modern-day gaming while staying true to the no-frills, spectacle-fuelled combo system that made its predecessor so beloved. Once again, we kick, punch, and Kamehameha our way through the pivotal moments in Akira Toriyama’s shonen series, complete with branching paths and what-if scenarios for bonus replayability.
Sparking Zero’s destructible environments are as delightful to zip around as ever, with a huge helping of fan service to sate the most die-hard Dragon Ball fans. The 180-strong Sparking Zero roster includes deep cuts like Bojack and Dr. Wheelo alongside every flavor of Goku your Saiyan heart desires. While we’re a touch apprehensive about its lack of crossplay and anti-cheat, in the words of our Dragon Ball Sparking Zero review: “Dragon Ball fans have never had it better than this.”
Neva
How do you improve upon a masterpiece? This question must have dogged Nomada Studio as it embarked upon its second project following the near-universal acclaim for 2018’s Gris. However, it rose to the occasion with Neva. This 2D platform game follows Alba, a young swordswoman, as she nurtures a magical wolf cub through a shattered, Ghibliesque world.
The eponymous Neva is a top-five contender for the best dogs in gaming, brought to life with intricate animations that capture her joy, pain, and fear as convincingly as any four-legged friend. The Berlinist also makes a welcome reprise with an orchestral soundtrack that tugs at the heartstrings and – to quote our Neva review – “ensures no dry eye in the room.” Neva is a delicate, four-hour tale of loss, motherhood, and ecological destruction… and yes, you can pet the dog.
Metaphor ReFantazio
Atlus’ next outing into turn-based JRPGs comes in the form of the highly stylish Metaphor ReFantazio, and if you enjoyed their last offering in Persona 3, 4, and 5, then you’ll absolutely love what this fantasy game has to offer. Instead of high school, we’re fighting for the throne in a much darker, perhaps more grown up story than Atlus’ previous games, and of course we’ll be playing as the plucky underdog fighting for what’s right.
Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred DLC
Okay, Diablo 4 might not be a new game having been released in 2023, but the new Vessel of Hatred expansion introduces a new campaign and gets astounding feedback in our Vessel of Hatred review. In fact, with its seasonal content, D4 consistently surprises us with fresh new content every few months, so if you haven’t yet started or are looking to return, it just gets better and better.
Vessel of Hatred continues the campaign past the end of the original story, as Neyrelle’s journey continues and your player character uncovers an entirely new D4 region as you try to help her. Alongside this new region, a new class has been added, the Diablo 4 Spiritborn, offering new skills and experiences for even those who have tried all of the D4 classes so far. Finally, VoH brings back the popular Diablo 4 runewords mechanic, so there’s enough in this new expansion to give you an all-new experience in Sanctuary.
Silent Hill 2
Ara History Untold
If you’re looking for a cracking grand strategy experience to tide you over until the Civilization 7 release date finally materializes (and beyond if you really dig it), then be sure to check out Oxide Games’ Ara History Untold.
Unlike Civ, Ara doesn’t have multiple wincons per se. You gain Prestige points for your achievements, which are then toted up on a worldwide leaderboard. At the end of each major epoch, the bottom civs are eliminated from the annals of history, like a big societal battle royale. In our Ara History Untold review we love the fact it makes “meaningful contributions to the well-worn grand strategy genre at every turn, even if the absurdities of its mix-and-match approach to history can be hard to swallow.”
Frostpunk 2
11 Bit Studios is back with a follow-up to 2018’s post-apocalyptic survival strategy game, and it doesn’t disappoint. Casting you as the steward of humanity during a never-ending winter, Frostpunk 2 will have you help Earth’s remaining populace navigate the trecherous tundras in order to survive and thrive.
While jumping into a game like this can be daunting, we have a slew of handy guides available to help ease you in – chiefly our Frostpunk 2 tips and beginner’s guide. Good luck.
WoW The War Within
After two decades, Blizzard is still trying to find new ways to innovate and surprise both new and returning players. As our World of Warcraft The War Within review points out, the expansion successfully manages to appeal to both sets of players while telling a cohesive, albeit surprisingly short story.
In previous expansions, large chunks of the story were told through the events of raids. Raids require a big time investment, both in terms of the equipment needed to participate in them, and the time the raids themselves take. This expansion introduces a new ‘Story Mode’ feature, giving you the highlights of the latest raids without having to put in all the hard work. That said, those raids still exist in their original form and can be completed by the same hardcore audience as before.
Age of Mythology Retold
Age of Mythology Retold’s stunning visual overhaul and faithful consideration for the original makes it perfect for both newcomers and returning fans. It’s also been over 20 years since the original, so it’s time for a revisit. In our Age of Mythology review, we go into detail about how Retold changed our mind about the reboot once we got our hands on the full game. It’s smart, beautiful, and approachable. Fans of strategy games should not sleep on this one, even if you’ve been here before.
Black Myth Wukong
Serving as a sequel to the seminal Journey to the West, Black Myth Wukong offers up bunch of burdensome bosses for you to monkey around with. Embodying the simian Destined One, you’ll get to explore a gorgeous ARPG world inspired by Chinese mythology as you seek out the relics required to resurrect the legendary hero, Sun Wukong.
Fallout London
Fallout London is a fan-made project that might as well be an entirely new entry into Bethesda’s iconic series based on the sheer scale of it, the fruit of over five years of labor. Our 9/10 Fallout London review calls it “the best mod for any RPG in PC gaming history,” and the superlative is absolutely merited.
Boasting a beautifully recreated and suitably tarnished version of London, complete with voice acting appearances from Doctor Who stars Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy, BG3’s Neil Newbon, and former speaker of the British Houses of Parliament, John Bercow. Fallout London is a triumph.
Nobody Wants to Die
Think LA Noire meets Cyberpunk 2077. Nobody Wants to Die is an interactive story game that puts you in the shoes of Detective James Karra on the hunt for a dangerous serial killer. The game looks stunning, the story is compelling, and while our Nobody Wants to Die review highlights its excessive hand-holding, we liked it enough to give it an impressive 8/10.
Dungeons of Hinterberg
Akin to Zelda, this open-world RPG is a fantastical delight. Set in the ‘real world’ but with a magical twist, law student Luisa travels to Hinterberg in the Austrian Alps to explore 25 dungeons that have mysteriously appeared. Accommodated by local officials, everyone who visits Hinterberg is in for a real treat of exploration and adventure as they test their combat skills in each unique dungeon. But, not everything is peachy. The local townspeople aren’t happy with the influx of visitors to their home, and it quickly becomes clear that there’s a divide between them and the local government.
But without giving too much away, you’ll spend your time in Hinterberg exploring each dungeon, battling monsters in satisfying combat, unearthing trinkets and secrets, and solving a myriad of puzzles. We absolutely loved it in our Dungeons of Hinterberg review, saying it “is a wonderfully captivating trek through the gorgeous lands of its magical alpine setting, where a world of adventure, challenges, and intrigue stands at odds with the political machinations of a greedy government.”
Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess
Kunitsu-Gami is the first of its kind, a unique take on the strategy game genre that attempts to blend action elements into the formula to make things more exciting. The game operates on a day and night cycle, with the day being used to recruit players before the moon rises, opening the gates to another world filled with demons. Taking place on Mt. Kafukua, you must recruit villagers during the day and assign them to specific roles to stop the demons at night from taking over.
The gameplay at night switches over to a tower defense-like game as you control Soh, the main character, as she hunts down the demons coming through the gates. Soh is able to attack the enemies as they spawn in, and she can change the villagers’ roles at any time to match the incoming situation. Here’s what Lauren, our news editor, had to say about the game in her Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess review: “Characterized by stunning visuals rooted in Japanese folklore, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess’ tower defense and hack-and-slash action is like nothing I’ve ever played before. While there are a few minor frustrations, Capcom’s new adventure is a must-play and a ready-made cult classic.”
FF14 Dawntrail
We all have that one friend who won’t shut up about Final Fantasy 14. They’ll beg and plead with you to play with them, trying desperately to convince you that this is the MMO that is actually worth your time. Well, if our FF14 Dawntrail review is anything to go by, it seems that nagging friend of yours may actually have a point. Building upon the epic expansion that was Endwalker, Dawntrail introduces new DPS-centric jobs, the Viper and the Pictomancer to help tackle the latest batch of dungeons and raids.
Dawntrail doesn’t just offer a burst of content that players can blast through in a few sessions, there’s plenty to do over the course of the next year that the expansion sets up perfect. Here’s what Ken, our news writer, had to say about Dawntrail’s future in his review: “Yet in perhaps the most important aspect of all, Dawntrail resoundingly delivers: I can’t wait to see what comes next, both mechanically and narratively… Much like the sunny shores of Tural, it’s safe to say that the future of FF14 is looking bright”.
Zenless Zone Zero
For fans of Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail, and other anime gacha games, Zenless Zone Zero is the new game for you. Just like those other games before it, ZZZ is full of high-energy anime characters, fast-paced elemental combat, and, of course, those random gachapon mechanics we love but our wallets hate.
Where Zenless Zone Zero stands out is in its technologically advanced, sci-fi theme and unique exploration quests, which play like mini-puzzles as you make your way across a board of TV screens to collect items and complete objectives. If this isn’t your thing, though, you can play ZZZ how you want, avoiding these puzzle quests for more direct combat quests, and go straight for the satisfying fight mechanics. If you’re intrigued, give Zenless Zone Zero a try – it’s free to play, we’ve got ZZZ codes to get you more character pulls, and our Zenless Zone Zero review speaks particularly highly of the latest Hoyoverse outing.
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
How do you improve on one of the best games of all time? Well, you make more of it. Shadow of the Erdtree is an expansion for Elden Ring, and it’s so big that you’ve be forgiven for thinking that it was a new entry in its own right. You’ll traverse the new environs, you’ll take down increasingly disgusting bosses, and no doubt pick up bigger, increasingly ridiculous weapons.
Our Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree review heaps praise on the adventure game, focusing on its ambition, creativity, and epic boss battles. Suffice it to say, if you enjoyed Elden Ring, then you have nothing to lose – except for maybe your patience during that last boss fight.
Still Wakes the Deep
The Chinese Room returns with Still Wakes the Deep, a new narrative horror that follows in the footsteps of Dear Esther and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture. You are Caz McLeary, a Scottish everyman stranded aboard an oil rig in the North Sea, and you’re not alone. A deadly threat lurks beneath the Beira D, and it’s your job to navigate it best you can if you hope to escape. You must run, climb, and crawl through the various areas that make up the rig, all while tendrils slip through the walls and transform your crewmates into monstrous beings. Find out more about what we loved about this horror game in our Still Wakes the Deep review.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space
Killer Klowns from Outer Space is the latest asymmetrical multiplayer game from Illfonic, who are experts in their field. They are joined by Teravision games, who worked on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and the fact that you are in the care of teams who know and care about the genre and their source material is clear from the moment you launch the game.
Generally speaking, the asymmetrical game is a tough one to get right, and the genre has been mired with complaints of balance and toxic environments for years. Killer Klowns from Outer Space is the closest game we’ve found so far to fixing these issues, thanks to near-perfect balance and brilliant gameplay on both sides – plus, while you can set a preference, you are forced to play both sides from time to time.
From its 80s-inspired, neon, funfair aesthetic to its entertaining ‘Klowntalities’, movie easter eggs, and tense soundtrack, Killer Klowns from Outer Space is incredible fun for those who already love the genre, and might even win you over if you’re new to it. Check out our Killer Klowns from Outer Space review for more.
The Rogue Prince of Persia
The Rogue Prince of Persia is a new twist on the Prince of Persia series, set in the same world as the beloved action-adventure games but with an entirely different feel as a roguelike game with a gorgeous hand-drawn art style. This blend of Prince of Persia and, say, Hades 2 is perfect for both fans of the series itself and those who are more drawn to the replayability of a run-based game.
Duck Detective: The Secret Salami
Most of the games on this list right now are long, serious games with hours of gameplay, meaty combat, and deep story-telling. Sure, there are a few exceptions, but if you’re looking for something short, fun, and heartwarming, look no further than Duck Detective: The Secret Salami.
Don’t get us wrong, it’s not quite as whimsical as the title might lead you to believe. This story puts you in the webbed feet of a depressed, divorced duck, who also happens to be a detective. Use your eyes and your noggin as you speak with the anthropomorphic animals working at the BearBus depot and solve your crime in this short but sweet two-to-three-hour adventure – while learning more about yourself, Eugene McQuacklin, along the way. Have a read of our Duck Detective review if you’re still not convinced, and you will be.
Ghost of Tsushima
Ghost of Tsushima might not technically be a new game, but thanks to its recent release to PC, it is a new PC game, and we’re celebrating the astounding action adventure game all over again. In fact, our Ghost of Tsushima review lauds the open-world game as a must-play.
Originally released in 2020, Ghost of Tsushima was released as a PlayStation exclusive, but we’ve come to know that we PC gamers are often allowed in on the action after a few years, and Ghost of Tsushima is perhaps one of most widely anticipated Sony ports in recent times. Set as the Mongols arrive at the launch of their invasion of Japan, Ghost of Tsushima places you in the shoes of a local samurai who barely survives the onslaught, and your adventure gets going following your tough recovery, giving the story depth and emotion alongside all the action.
Hellblade 2
Hellblade 2’s rich, detailed environments, responsive combat, and immersive binaural audio mean it’s more than earned its spot on this list. Ninja Theory’s original Hellblade was released almost seven years ago, but its excellent portrayal of the experience of psychosis meant the game’s protagonist, Senua, told a story that touched players long beyond its release. This time around, Senua explores the process of healing from trauma, and with that, she gains more agency and strength, finding her voice among the many others she hears that formerly drowned her out.
Hellblade 2 introduces replayability in the form of alternate narrators that provide a brand-new perspective on its story, with some only unlockable after finding collectibles such as Hellblade 2 faces and Hellblade 2 Lorestangir. Walking through Senua’s Saga feels like stepping foot in real-world Iceland, and the game’s photo mode is one of the best we’ve seen in recent releases. As we mentioned in our Hellblade 2 review, it’s an impeccable story of overcoming trauma and making difficult decisions, punctuated by moments of outstanding beauty and strength.
Homeworld 3
A blast from the past with a lick of new paint, Homeworld 3 captures the magic it had dialed in years ago, only this time, as things tend to be, the stakes are higher, and the space battles are much more fierce. Homeworld 3 is an RTS game set in three-dimensional space, meaning that you have to contend with up and down, as well as things on the regular plane.
You control the battlefield from a single, gargantuan flagship, commanding your fleet and barreling through a surprisingly emotional story. Check out our Homeworld 3 review if you want to know the ins and outs, but suffice it to say, this channels old-school strategy energy in the best way possible.
Animal Well
With so many scanlines that it’ll make a CRT TV blush, Animal Well is a delightfully trippy metroidvania game where you explore a puzzle-filled world with significantly larger fish, birds, and mammals that are out to kill you. You’ll fling your little blob across perilous gaps or reach well-hidden secrets by using an admittedly finicky yo-yo, among many other tools.
You’re encouraged to experiment as much as possible, mastering the items you pick up. If you can’t pass an obstacle, another path could likely reveal a solution. Those who begin this daunting platform game might want to see all Animal Well egg locations and learn how to rescue Animal Well cats, as they can be tricky to work out at first.
Hades 2
Although it has entered early access, Hades 2 is a well-polished, substantial game in its current form. Supergiant Games’ first-ever sequel, Hades 2, sees you take on the role of the Princess of the Underworld, Melinoë, as she attempts to beat Chronos, the God of Time. She’ll face off against bosses of all shapes and sizes as you forge relationships with returning and new Gods and characters while learning of the events that have transpired since the first game.
Hades 2 takes the roguelike game formula of the original and combines it with expansive areas, twice as much content, and new weapons to master. In our Hades 2 review, we mentioned that it’s the closest thing to a perfect game that you’ll play this year, but if you want to complete the story immediately, you’ll need to wait for its full release in 2025.
There you have it, the new PC games you should be playing right now. We’ll admit we were being a little facetious earlier: new PC games aren’t necessarily the cream of the personal computer crop. For that, you should swing by our list of the best old games for the classics, perhaps our favorite free PC games so you can try them without consequence, or even check out our collection of free online games, no download required.
