As Digital Tech Explorer, we’re constantly immersed in the vibrant world of PC gaming, observing trends, reviewing new releases, and re-evaluating timeless classics. Each year, as new titles emerge and preferences evolve, the landscape of what constitutes the “best” PC games shifts. While nearly 20,000 games launched on Steam last year alone, and countless more define the history of our medium, curating a definitive list of top titles is always a challenging endeavor.
In this dynamic environment, even beloved PC classics might occasionally find themselves off a contemporary “must-play” list. The discussions among our experts at Digital Tech Explorer, led by TechTalesLeo, reflect this constant reevaluation. A game that was a standout years ago might face new competition or simply be re-assessed against modern standards. For instance, while a monumental title like Skyrim once dominated top rankings, its place is now fiercely contended.
This reevaluation process often sparks lively debates within our team. We understand that passion for a particular game can run deep, and omissions from current recommendations can be disappointing. Here, TechTalesLeo shares insights from our diverse team of gaming enthusiasts and developers at Digital Tech Explorer, highlighting several titles that, despite their enduring quality, didn’t make the cut in this year’s most prominent discussions. These are the games we passionately believe deserve another look.
Alpha Protocol
Released: 2010 | 2024 rank: N/A
At Digital Tech Explorer, our team includes avid fans of Obsidian’s work. One of our gaming experts passionately champions Alpha Protocol, a title that often sparks debate. While some colleagues cite “horrendous minigames,” “barely passable combat,” and even “an offensive degree of Xbox 360-ness,” our advocate for Alpha Protocol believes these criticisms miss the game’s true strengths.
Don’t listen to them: This game rules. Alpha Protocol’s combat is stiff, much like the first Mass Effect, but it’s also a surprisingly effective stealth game. Jokes aside, the character writing is excellent, the thriller plot is surprising and fun, and as a cultural artifact of the Global War on Terror, Alpha Protocol holds up better than any mainstream work of fiction about intelligence or the military we can recall from the time.
Part of that is because Alpha Protocol is just smarter than its contemporaries: It dared to tell a story where an American spy agency and military contractor were the real antagonists behind global terrorism, a narrative choice that was bold for its era. It eschewed the self-righteous solemnity of movies like The Hurt Locker or serious torture apologia like 24, in favor of swashbuckling fun. It’s the spirit of Roger Moore’s James Bond brought to the late aughts.
Alpha Protocol is also one of the most intricately reactive RPGs our team has experienced, with its potential variations in response to minor playstyle quirks and major decisions alike resembling classics like Deus Ex and even modern marvels like Baldur’s Gate 3. The dossier social system, which extends RPG companion approval to the entire named cast—including the antagonists—is truly unique. Perhaps our experts need to compile dossiers of their own to convince their colleagues to vote Alpha Protocol onto the primary list next year!
Civilization 6
Released: October 20, 2016 | 2024 rank: #83
After a recent playthrough of Civilization 7, one of our US-based Editors and a long-time series fan noted its potential for controversy. Yet, despite any perceived faults, there’s a special je ne sais quoi to Firaxis’ grand strategy games. The entire presentation, from founding that first city by a winding river to discovering a secluded bay, creates an instantly engaging experience.
While Civ 7 might not have made this year’s top list, our expert continues to advocate for Civ 5 and Civ 6. They remain accessible, fun, and complex enough to provide thousands of hours of loosely-historical statecraft that few other grand strategy games can replicate. While Alpha Centauri (#50) is over 25 years old, and sci-fi strategy titles like it and Stellaris (#80) have their merits, they never quite capture the unique appeal of Civ’s progression from tiny archers to World War II tanks.
Crusader Kings 3 (#5) offers historical depth, but its medieval succession crises don’t resonate as much with our expert as Civ’s exploration and city management. Next year, we’ll push to get Civ back on the list, or perhaps a title like Old World, the 2022 strategy game from Civ 4 designer Soren Johnson, which we’ve described as a compelling mix between Civ and CK3. A good tech enthusiast knows when to compromise, of course!
Monster Train 2
Released: 2025 | 2024 rank: N/A
It’s always challenging when you’re unable to convince fellow voters that the game you’re most passionate about deserves broader attention. Our Strategic Director at Digital Tech Explorer firmly believes that Monster Train 2 deserves to be held in the same esteem as Slay the Spire. It’s just as intricate and replayable, with combos that are equally satisfying to pull off. MT2 has a distinctive Magic: The Gathering-like feel with the menagerie of creatures you arrange on three different floors of the train, prompting creative decisions on unit ordering as you try to tank damage and clear out the enemy’s backline units before they ascend to the top.
Our expert has dedicated over 200 hours to it this year, clearing all 50 achievements—a rare feat for them in all their years as a PC gamer. This might be due to the slightly niche genre and its nature as a sequel, potentially excluding those who haven’t played the original. However, if you have any appetite at all for card games or strategy, Monster Train 2 stands out as one of the best games in either genre this year and is a personal Game of the Year contender for our Strategic Director.
Warhammer: Vermintide 2
Released: 2018 | 2024 rank: #54
Ideally, we’d be celebrating Warhammer 40k: Darktide’s inclusion in a top 100 list, but as one of our Senior Guides Writers points out, even though Darktide has faced challenges, we still have Vermintide 2, and it remains one of the best co-op action games you will ever play.
It’s been over seven years since the game’s release, yet it continues to receive new maps and, in many ways, has had a much more consistent DLC lifecycle than Darktide so far. There are tons of missions, weapons, and careers for each character—it even boasts better free cosmetics than those available in Darktide.
It’s also one of the most authentic Warhammer Fantasy games, featuring excellent character banter, and its combat is still best-in-class. If you enjoy mowing down hordes of enemies with friends à la Left 4 Dead 2 or Helldivers 2, our team unequivocally recommends Vermintide 2. It’s a shame, as someone still playing Darktide, that its successor requires significant work to reach the predecessor’s level of polish and content.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Released: November 11, 2011 | 2024 rank: #37
Replaying the Elder Scrolls games recently, one of our Weekend Editors was impressed by how much they remembered from Morrowind, which secured a #54 ranking this year. The botanical growths of Telvanni towers, the lighthouse at Seyda Neen resembling a remnant of a different civilization, fog rolling back to reveal the cantons of Vivec—Vvardenfell is indelible, its weirdness imprinting itself on your mind and carving out a space it never leaves.
There are a handful of equivalents in Skyrim, but not nearly as many. Instead, it earned its place on top lists in previous years by being the accessible Elder Scrolls game you could recommend to anyone, with combat that doesn’t involve hidden dice rolls and characters who don’t talk like a wiki.
It speaks well of Skyrim that it took 14 years to start seeming a bit “crusty,” but it finally has. If you’re playing today, you’re likely installing mods and wrestling with bugs—Skyrim’s physics still break if you run it faster than 60 fps, for instance. Once you start adding caveats, you might as well tell someone to go back and play Morrowind. As someone who used to defend Skyrim often, especially during the era of “Dark Souls was the better RPG of 2011″ discussions, it is sad to see it go. But our expert knows in their heart that Morrowind’s more interesting, and if we put both on a list, people would be upset there was one less spot for their favorite online strategy point-and-click.
Final Fantasy 14
Released: August 27, 2013 | 2024 Rank: #34
Even with annual voting rounds long behind us, one of our Evergreen Writers continues to debate whether they should have championed Final Fantasy 14 harder. It’s admittedly in a challenging spot right now, but our expert isn’t convinced its stagnation stems solely from a lack of quality updates. And if you want a truly good Final Fantasy experience, it’s among the best, offering significant solo player support added over the years.
Our writer understands the sentiment. 2025 marked the first extended break they’ve taken from Eorzea since Alphascape launched in Stormblood. Yet, they still champion FF14 as the best MMORPG you can play right now. They reckon that’s not saying much when they largely agree with industry observations on today’s MMO scene and the struggle to stay fresh. Like many, they’re busy and lose interest fast when missing a patch means extensive catch-up.
But even in its current state, our expert would recommend FF14 to both the hardcore MMO types and the “I’m just here for the story” folks. Play it from the beginning, take your time, don’t skip the cutscenes, and unsubscribe between updates. A Realm Reborn’s slow beginnings are good when you don’t have a—you know what, never mind. Just trust them when they say all 300+ hours are worth it, and they hope the next expansion puts it back on our top lists.
Looking for more insights into the world of PC gaming? Explore our curated content at Digital Tech Explorer:
- Latest 2025 Releases: Stay updated on upcoming PC titles and tech.
- Top PC Games & Gaming Insights: Discover our favorite PC gaming experiences and industry news.
- In-Depth Game Reviews: Read thorough analyses of popular and niche titles.
- Gaming Hardware & Tech: Enhance your setup with our expert recommendations.