The best new PC games 2025

What are the best new PC games in 2025? 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 2025 are:

Atomfall

Sacking off traditional locales associated with nuclear disasters, Atomfall takes its inspiration from the 1957 Windscale fire, which subsequently plonks us down in merry ol’ England – the north-western region of Cumbria, more specifically. Here, we can take part in all sorts of small-town skullduggery within its quarantine zones.

Though it began life as a humble tech demo to showcase developer Rebellion’s engine, Atomfall quickly evolved into a wicked little RPG. It’s very Bethesda-esque at first glance, but dig a little deeper and you’ll be treated to an incredibly immersive jaunt through the English countryside – Nat’s glowing Atomfall review can attest to that.

If Atomfall takes your fancy, make sure you first check to see if Atomfall Game Pass is a thing, before taking our suite of Atomfall guides for a spin.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Ubisoft took its sweet time making an Assassin’s Creed game set in Japan, and AC Shadows certainly hasn’t disappointed most. While our own AC Shadows review wasn’t overflowing with praise, critics and fans alike have had a much more positive experience with this open-world adventure.

Whether you’re taking out targets from the shadows as the fleet-footed Naoe, or ploughing through hordes of enemies as one-man-army Yasuke, AC Shadows provides playstyle options that fans of both the original sandbox bangers and more modern behemoths can enjoy. Just make sure you bring a hefty helping of our AC Shadows guides with you to make life that little bit easier.

Split Fiction

The latest co-op adventure from Hazelight Studios, Split Fiction puts you (and a friend) in the shoes of two aspiring authors who are pulled into a world created from their novels. Our Split Fiction review talks about controlling pigs, farting unicorns, and being asked to cook yourself. It runs the gamut of inspiration and ingenuity and is a must-play if you’ve got a pal willing to go on the journey with you.

Two Point Museum

The Two Point series is one of the best out there if you’re after an approachable management sim filled to the brim with an imaginative gameplay loop, a plenitude of customization options, and witty quips galore. The latest installment, Two Point Museum, continues the trend, shifting away from hospitals and universities and instead granting you control over bustling heritage houses.

“Two Point Museum is more of the same we’ve come to expect from Two Point Studios, but its imaginative approach to heritage ensures plenty of museum magic,” Aaron writes in our Two Point Museum review. “Boasting a broad thematic range, endless exploration, and more decorative options than you can shake a dinosaur’s femur at, you’ll end up being the one getting excavated after sinking countless hours of your life into this addictive management sim.”

Monster Hunter Wilds

The world can be split into two types of people: those who love Monster Hunter, and those who have tried and failed to love Monster Hunter. Thankfully, Wilds smooths out the initial learning curve ever so slightly, making those first few hours much more engaging than before.

Wilds still brings that best-in-class combat to the table, with even our tempered, in-house veteran Ken very much enjoying his time in the RPG, as you can see in our Monster Hunter Wilds review. You won’t find this type of game anywhere else, and if you’ve even the slightest inclination to beat a huge lizard about the head with a giant trumpet, you should give it a go.

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

It’s rare to see such a dramatic leap in quality in just one sequel, and yet Warhorse Studios has blown away most people’s expectations with the launch of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. KCD 2 follows on directly from the original, telling the tale of Henry of Skalitz who has found himself on a journey motivated by revenge.

Henry is not like a traditional knight you might see in normal RPGs; he’s quite clumsy, he’s poor, and he’s got a terrifying amount to get through on his KCD2 quest list. Fortunately, we can help make his life (and subsequently, yours) easier with our KCD2 armor and swords guides. Don’t forget to read our Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 review, which calls the game a “must-play medieval RPG”.

Civilization 7

The team at Firaxis has decided to switch things up with the latest entry in the Civilization series, introducing some of the most significant changes to the formula in decades. The Civilization 7 Ages system has been brought in to reinvigorate the 4X genre, which some long-time fans have begun to feel has started to run its course. This splits the game into three Ages: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern, soft-resetting the match each time a new Age begins. Unsurprisingly, this has massive consequences, giving way to new victories and win conditions.

Take some time to read our thorough Civilization 7 review, written by our deputy news editor, Ed Smith, to see what this 4x expert thought of all the changes to the game.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Sure, it’s not a new game as such, but our own Will had such a great experience with the new PC port of the classic Final Fantasy 7 that we can’t overlook it here.

While FF7 Rebirth’s ‘open-world’ exploration still leaves much to be desired, the RPG shines in its story and cast of wonderful characters. The well-known saying might be ‘it’s the journey, not the destination’,  but here, it’s the other way round. If you can get past the lackluster travel time across the map, what’s waiting for you in terms of quests, lore, characters – both main and side – and emotional beats makes it worth your while. Read Will’s Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth review for more.

Dynasty Warriors Origins

Few styles of game fulfill your ultimate power fantasy like Musou games, and the king of Musou series, Dynasty Warriors, is back with a vengeance. Sporting updated visuals, some new gameplay textures, and the same satisfying one-versus-a-million combat loop, Origins has modernized its formula for the better.

Set in 3rd-Century AD China, Dynasty Warriors Origins places you in the shoes of the nameless Wanderer, who finds themselves in the middle of the Three Kingdoms. Work alongside some of history’s most notorious generals as you cleave through army after army. For more of our thoughts on Origins, give PK’s glowing 8/10 Dynasty Warriors Origins review a whirl.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

The prospect of an Indiana Jones videogame adaptation filled us with some trepidation, but we needn’t have worried. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has risen above the stigma of licensed games to become one of the best action-adventure games of 2024. This first-person adventure puts you in the shoes of the bull-whipping, hat-tipping archaeologist himself.

The Great Circle’s clever puzzles and spectacular set pieces nail the sense of adventure of an authentic Indy flick, with immersive sim elements to give you freedom and agency when combing through its open-area maps. Your journey will take you from Marshall College to the Egyptian pyramids, with a stellar performance from Troy Baker to capture Harrison Ford’s dry wit. You can also beat Nazis unconscious with a mandolin – no surprise, really, with Wolfenstein developers Machine Games at the helm.

Path of Exile 2

Grinding Gears Games carved a space for itself as a direct competitor to Blizzard with Path of Exile, a game like Diablo with staggering complexity to sate die-hard fans of the genre. Now they’re back with Path of Exile 2, a dark fantasy ARPG set a few years after the events of its predecessor.

While it’s still in early access, there’s enough content to sink hours into leveling your character and soaking up loot, with Path of Exile 2 quests that span six acts in the main campaign alone. Craft the best Path of Exile 2 builds for your chosen class, then take on titanic bosses alone or with friends. Our Path of Exile 2 early access review says GGG “rips up its own rulebook” to “create something that feels definitively new and exciting.” If you’re looking for a new adventure after Diablo 4, you can’t get much better than this.

Marvel Rivals

Team-based PvP is a popular pitch in the free-to-play games market, but few shooters have the power of a juggernaut comic-book license behind it. Marvel Rivals pits our favorite superheroes against each other, like Iron Man, Hulk, and, er, Jeff the Land Shark. This combination of iconic heroes and obscure villains makes for a frenetic battlefield as they pit their powers against each other, bringing down the destructible environments in the process.

Whether Marvel Rivals can beat the allegations as an Overwatch clone remains to be seen, but NetEase’s preference for fun over a balanced meta has hero shooter fans a new lease on life. It’s one of the best superhero games to pick up right now, and NetEase’s post-launch roadmap promises plenty more to come. Redeem the latest Marvel Rivals codes and check our Marvel Rivals tier list to get started.

Infinity Nikki

Infold’s Nikki should be no stranger to mobile gacha game fans, but her fifth installment sees her take the leap to PC with Infinity Nikki, an open-world game that takes its cue from HoYoverse’s Genshin Impact. Whisked away to the wonderful world of Miraland, Nikki and her pint-sized feline pal Momo must traverse a beautiful landscape brought to life in Unreal Engine 5 to track down Miracle Outfits and save the world.

As a talented stylist herself, Nikki has a ton of outfits that she can equip to glide through the air, purify corrupted monsters, or engage in life-game activities like fishing and animal care. From tiaras to running shoes, there’s a compendium of clothes to collect and wear, but only the best are available in Infinity Nikki banners. If fashion is your forte, don’t forget to redeem Infinity Nikki codes for some freebies to get started. Next stop: Miraland!

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is the long-awaited sequel to Stalker: Call of Pripyat. It’s a first-person shooter that drops you in the middle of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, challenging you to scrape a living doing odd jobs and surviving the irradiated wilderness.

As protagonist Skif, a mysterious Stalker 2 artifact gave your apartment an undesired makeover, tearing a hole in what used to be your kitchenette. After you enter 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 the 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.

We raved about it in our Metaphor ReFantazio review saying that the game is a must-play, “Sporting a fantastic cast of instantly lovable characters, a gripping tale that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster, and a robust evolution of its combat systems.” Intrigued? Well here are the Metaphor characters you can expect to run into and how Metaphor archetypes work.

Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred

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

The Silent Hill 2 remake has been a divisive talking point since its announcement, with some fans wondering if Bloober Team could do the classic justice and others wondering how a remake of such an iconic game could be justified at all. Silent Hill 2 previews were then released with surprising acclaim across the board, and incredible final reviews have now been released, with some even hitting perfect scores.

We were a little more resigned in our Silent Hill 2 review – there’s no denying that it’s a fantastic game for a new audience, but it’s no match for the original for us. That said, there’s plenty to love for both fans of the old game and new players to the franchise, including some new and extended puzzles. Speaking of which, we’ve got you covered if you need help with any of these sections, including guides to the Silent Hill 2 coin cabinet puzzle, the Brookhaven padlock combination, and the new SH2 moth room puzzle, plus many more.

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 treacherous tundras to survive and thrive.

As noted in our Frostpunk 2 review, every choice you have to make carries “emotional weight and dramatic stakes,” so try not to get too attached to its denizens. “Frostpunk 2 makes clever reconsiderations of, and expansions on, the first game’s design,” our review reads, “offering a better-rounded, even harsher follow-up to the original’s concept.”

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.

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.