Time was that PC gaming was synonymous with mouse & keyboard gaming, this being the best way to play twitchy first person shooters, clickathon real time strategies, and the like. But PC gaming has morphed to be so, so much more than that. In fact, PC has become something of the urplatform for those who can afford it, as it has gobbled up former console exclusives, opened the floodgates to indie devs and early access, and controller support has got better and better to the point that Steam Deck and other handheld gaming PCs are now totally viable.
All of which brings us to our Best PC Game award, drawing from across the breadth of what PC gaming can offer. And no, they won’t be pushing your 4090 or ray tracing to the max.
It might be a little unfair to be putting a single release that contains 50 separate games (51 if you count the secret hidden one) up against more traditional releases, but UFO 50 truly stands out as a modern day classic. Inspired by the infamous Action 52 cartridge from the NES days (but with no sign of the woeful CheetahMen, thank goodness), UFO 50 sets itself up as the complete catalogue for an unreleased console from the 80s. Contained within are a dizzying array of NES-like games from all kinds of styles and genres, many of which would be fantastic taken on their own.
Completing each title unlocks content for the framing narrative but there is also plenty of high score and speedrun potential for the more skilled gamers. That being said, you will need to make use of old-school techniques and learning level designs and enemy patterns to succeed. There is little of the modern handholding that AAA games rely on here.
I’ve put most of my time into UFO 50 on the Steam Deck so it has felt like a console experience and it really comes into its own here. Whether you remember the halcyon days of dodgy multi-game cartridges or not UFO 50 is so full of charm and originality that it fully deserves to be seen as the standout PC exclusive title of 2024.
– Steve C
Hollowbody – Runner-up
I’d been looking forward to Hollowbody’s release for a long while after playing an early demo and enjoying its novel take on survival horror via a Blade Runner aesthetic. This excitement was proved entirely well placed when I got my hands on the full game. The fixed camera angles, traditional feeling combat and excellently designed environmental puzzles all combine to make a true modern day classic, all topped off by the futuristic dystopian UK setting.
Since release, Headware Games have added plenty of new features and fixed the few bugs that remained to make an even more complete package. Most recently an over-the-shoulder third person camera perspective has been patched in to appeal to gamers who don’t share my nostalgia for the old school tank controls and fixed views. So good is Hollowbody that I’m planning to go back and replay it to look for extra stuff I missed before I do the same with Silent Hill 2 Remake. If you have access to a PC that can run it, then you owe it to yourself to check it out.
– Steve C
Ara: History Untold – Runner-up
The last few years have seen a rush of new historical 4X games launch, as all manner of developers seek to put their spin on this subgenre before the next big Civilization game hits. Ara: History Untold brings with it a fresh perspective and emphasis on the empire building and cultural aspects of the genre, almost deemphasising warfare and combat as you manage supply chains, production lines and more to get ahead.
There’s and arresting visual style to how your cities will sprawl across the map, but the framing of the game through the passing of ages and distinct technological eras will have a much greater impact for those who love to sink turn after turn after turn into this genre.
Honourable mentions (in alphabetical order)
- Frostpunk 2
- Mouthwashing
- Satisfactory
Are you an acolyte of the mouse and keyboard, or perhaps a Deck devotee? What have you been playing this past year on PC?
