Please enter your birth date to watch this video:
You are not allowed to view this material at this time.
X
Best PC Games, All Time
BioShock
96
6.
BioShock
Platform: PC
Aug 21, 2007
Going beyond "run and gun corridors," "monster-closet AIs" and static worlds, BioShock creates a living, unique and unpredictable FPS experience. After your plane crashes into icy uncharted waters, you discover a rusted bathysphere and descend into Rapture, a city hidden beneath the sea. Constructed as an idealistic society for a hand picked group of scientists, artists and industrialists, the idealism is no more. Now the city is littered with corpses, wildly powerful guardians roam the corridors as little girls loot the dead, and genetically mutated citizens ambush you at every turn. Take control of your world by hacking mechanical devices, commandeering security turrets and crafting unique items critical to your very survival. Upgrade your weapons with ionic gels, explosives and toxins to customize them to the enemy and environment. Genetically modify your body through dozens of Plasmid Stations scattered throughout the city, empowering you with fantastic and often grotesque abilities. Explore a living world powered by Ecological A.I., where the inhabitants have interesting and consequential relationships with one another that impact your gameplay experience. Experience truly next generation graphics that vividly illustrate the forlorn art deco city, highlighted by the most detailed and realistic water effects ever developed in a video game. Make meaningful choices and mature decisions, ultimately culminating in the grand question: do you exploit the innocent survivors of Rapture...or save them? [2K Games]
Metascore
96
User Score 8.6
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
94
16.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Platform: PC
Mar 20, 2006
Oblivion is a single-player game that takes place in Tamriel's capital province, Cyrodiil. You are given the task of finding the hidden heir to a throne that sits empty, the previous emperor having been killed by an unknown assassin. With no true Emperor, the gates to Oblivion (the equivalent of hell in the world of Tamriel) open, and demons begin to invade Cyrodiil and attack its people and towns. It's up to you to find the lost heir to the throne and unravel the sinister plot that threatens to destroy all of Tamriel. In keeping with the Elder Scrolls tradition, players have the option to experience the main quest at their own pace, and there are plenty of opportunities to explore the vast world and make your own way. Numerous factions can be joined, such as the thieves or mages guilds, and each contains its own complete storyline and the chance to rise to the head of the faction and reap further rewards. Oblivion features a groundbreaking new AI system, called Radiant AI, which gives non-player characters (NPCs) the ability to make their own choices based on the world around them. They decide where to eat or who to talk to and what they say. They sleep, go to church, and even steal items, all based on their individual characteristics. Full facial animations and lip-synching, combined with full speech for all dialog, allows NPCs to come to life like never before. [Bethesda]
Metascore
94
User Score 8.2
Half-Life: Alyx
93
22.
Half-Life: Alyx
Platform: PC
Mar 23, 2020
Half-Life: Alyx is Valve's VR return to the Half-Life series. It's the story of an impossible fight against a vicious alien race known as the Combine, set between the events of Half-Life and Half-Life 2. Playing as Alyx Vance, you are humanity's only chance for survival. The Combine's control of the planet since the Black Mesa incident has only strengthened as they corral the remaining population in cities. Among them are some of Earth's greatest scientists: you and your father, Dr. Eli Vance. As founders of a fledgling resistance, you've continued your clandestine scientific activityperforming critical research, and building invaluable tools for the few humans brave enough to defy the Combine. Every day, you learn more about your enemy, and every day you work toward finding a weakness. ABOUT GAMEPLAY IN VR: Valve's return to the Half-Life universe that started it all was built from the ground up for virtual reality. VR was built to enable the gameplay that sits at the heart of Half-Life. Immerse yourself in deep environmental interactions, puzzle solving, world exploration, and visceral combat. Lean to aim around a broken wall and under a Barnacle to make an impossible shot. Rummage through shelves to find a healing syringe and some shotgun shells. Manipulate tools to hack alien interfaces. Toss a bottle through a window to distract an enemy. Rip a Headcrab off your face and throw it at a Combine soldier. Extra content for Index owners Customers who have purchased Valve Index hardware by the end of 2019 will have access to unique bonuses starting early next year: * Explore environments from Half-Life: Alyx in your SteamVR Home space * Alternate gun skins to embellish Alyx's arsenal * Special Half-Life: Alyx-themed content for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2 Community-built environments * A set of Source 2 tools for building new environments will ship with the game, enabling any player to build and contribute new environments for the community to enjoy. Hammer, Valve's level authoring tool, has been updated with all of the game's virtual reality gameplay tools and components.
Metascore
93
User Score 9.2
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
92
43.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Platform: PC
Mar 28, 2005
The year is 2008. Information Warfare has evolved into the most dangerous threat to global stability. You are Sam Fisher, Third Echelon's most skilled Splinter Cell operative. You are assigned to execute a hazardous series of operations to investigate and eliminate a new source of information attacks, originating in North Korea. To succeed, you will employ a host of unconventional counterintelligence activities to gather intel, disrupt enemy operations and neutralize adversary targets. As Information Warfare evolves, so must the Splinter Cell. You must penetrate deeper into hostile territory and operate undetected, closer to the enemy than ever before. At your disposal is a lethal array of tactics ranging from Combat Knife techniques, experimental prototype weapons skills, and more radical hand-to-hand techniques such as the Inverted Chokehold. Experience the thrill of acting as a lone operative fighting tomorrow's threats in the field, and of cooperating online with a partner to accomplish crucial missions. Die in action, and the free world dies with you. Never-before-seen graphics technology offers the best visuals ever to appear on any platform. Advanced physics engine allows rag doll physics, particle effects and perfect interaction with the environment. The most complete arsenal of weapons and gadgets, from the combat knife to experimental prototype combat systems. Totally open level design with multipaths and optional secondary objectives. [Ubisoft]
Metascore
92
User Score 8.7
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
91
60.
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
Platform: PC
Nov 13, 2008
Players last visited Northrend in "Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne," when Arthas Menethil fused with the spirit of Ner’zhul to become the Lich King, one of the most powerful beings in the Warcraft universe. He now broods atop the Frozen Throne deep in Icecrown Citadel, clutching the rune blade Frostmourne and marshaling the undead armies of the Scourge. In Wrath of the Lich King, the forces of the Alliance and the Horde venture into battle against the Scourge amid Northrend’s howling winds and fields of jagged ice. Wrath of the Lich King adds a rich variety of content to an already massive game. New features in the game’s second expansion include: Death Knight Hero Class: Create a high-level Death Knight character -- the game’s first hero class -- once certain challenges have been met. Increased Level Cap: Advance to level 80 and gain potent new talents and abilities along the way. Northrend: Explore the harsh new continent of Northrend, packed with new zones, quests, dungeons, monsters, and items -- and do battle with the undead armies of the Lich King. "Inscription" Profession: Learn this exciting new profession and gain unique ways to permanently enhance spells and abilities in the game. Siege Weapons and Destructible Buildings: Take the battle to another level with new player-vs.-player game mechanics and new battlefields to wage war on. New Character Customization: Change how characters look and express themselves, with different hairstyles and dance animations. [Blizzard Entertainment]
Metascore
91
User Score 7.9
Battlefield 2
91
80.
Battlefield 2
Platform: PC
Jun 21, 2005
In Battlefield 2, players will choose to fight for one of three military superpowers: the United States, China, or the newly formed Middle East Coalition. Armed with the latest modern weaponry, players can take control of any of the game's 30+ vehicles to engage in major conflicts with over 100 players in some of the largest online battles on the PC. Battlefield 2 features immense, richly detailed, destructible environments, from city streets to remote forests, in some of the most notorious hot spots around the world. Each map in Battlefield 2 adjusts in scale to support the number of players in the world, providing the ideal vehicle-to-player ratio and an optimized game play experience. Enhanced team play features allow players to enter the action on the front lines as part of a formal squad, or work behind the scenes in Commander Mode to direct the strategic assaults of their teammates. With in-game success, players increase their rank from recruit all the way to General and unlock awards, including new weapons, vehicle decals, medals, and more. Additionally, Battlefield 2 showcases an all-new game engine and physics system to bring the modern battlefield to life like never before. The new material penetration feature measures weapons' ability to fire through barriers based on their composition and players will need to know the difference between concealment and cover in order to survive. [Electronic Arts]
Metascore
91
User Score 8.4
Dragon Age: Origins
91
88.
Dragon Age: Origins
Platform: PC
Nov 3, 2009
As the spiritual successor to BioWare's "Baldur's Gate", one of the most successful role-playing games in the industry, Dragon Age: Origins represents BioWare's return to its roots, delivering a fusion of the best elements of existing fantasy works with stunning visuals, emotionally-driven narrative, heart-pounding combat, powerful magic abilities and credible digital actors. The spirit of classic RPGs comes of age, as Dragon Age: Origins features a dark and mature story and gameplay. Epic Party-Based Combat – Dragon Age: Origins introduces an innovative, scalable combat system, as players face large-scale battles and use their party’s special abilities to destroy hoardes of enemies and massive creatures. Powerful Magic – Raining down awesome destruction on enemies is even more compelling as players apply "spell combos," a way of combining together different spells to create emergent unique effects. Players develop their characters and gain powerful special abilities (spells, talents and skills) and discover ever-increasing weapons of destruction. With its emotionally compelling story, players choose with whom they wish to forge alliances or crush under their mighty fist, redefining the world with the choices they make and how they wield their power. Players select and play a unique prelude that provides the lens through which the player sees the world and how the world sees the player. The player's choice of Origin determines who they are and where they begin the adventure, as they play through a customized story opening that profoundly impacts the course of every adventure. [BioWare]
Metascore
91
User Score 8.8
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
90
97.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
Platform: PC
Dec 7, 2010
In Cataclysm, players witness the face of Azeroth being altered forever, as the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing awakens from his subterranean slumber and erupts onto the surface, leaving ruin and destruction in his wake. As the Horde and Alliance race to the epicenter of the cataclysm, the kingdoms of Azeroth will witness seismic shifts in power, the kindling of a war of the elements, and the emergence of unlikely heroes who will rise up to protect their scarred and broken world from utter devastation. New features in the game's third expansion include: Two New Playable Races: Adventure as the cursed worgen with the Alliance or the resourceful goblins with the Horde. Increased Level Cap: Advance to level 85 and earn new abilities, tap into new talents, and progress through the path system, a new way for players to customize characters. Classic Zones Remade: Quest to level 60 as you never have before. Familiar zones across the original continents of Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms have been reforged by the cataclysm and updated with new quests and content. Flying Mounts in Azeroth: Explore Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms from a whole new perspective. Guild Advancement: Progress as a guild to earn guild levels and guild achievements. New High-Level Content: Explore newly opened parts of the world, including Uldum, Grim Batol, and the great sunken city of Vashj'ir beneath the sea, and enjoy even more high-level raid content than in previous expansions. New PvP Zone & Rated Battlegrounds: Take on PvP objectives and daily quests on Tol Barad Island, a new Wintergrasp-like zone, and wage war in all-new rated Battlegrounds. Archaeology: Master a new secondary profession to unearth valuable artifacts and earn unique rewards. New Race and Class Combinations: Explore Azeroth as a gnome priest, blood elf warrior, or one of the other never-before-available race and class combinations. [Blizzard Entertainment]
Metascore
90
User Score 5.7