Top PC Games 2023

In a year when everyone’s getting excited about community-generated content, thanks to Little Big Planet, Spore and the rest, it’s worth remembering that the PC has been quietly doing this sort of thing for years. Similarly, as the ‘back to basics’ gameplay bandwagon builds momentum, it should be noted that it really kicked off in the indie games scene on the PC. You’ll find both elements in TrackMania United Forever, the latest in the TrackMania series, and newly downloadable from Steam.

MMOs are now at the point where it’s no longer enough to do the same old stuff with slicker presentation and a few new twists. World of Warcraft and Lord of the Rings Online now do the epic fantasy stuff so well that it’s very hard for any game without a big license behind it to compete. City of Heroes and EVE still maintain loyal audiences, and Guild Wars does a great job for those who want an MMO-like experience but don’t want the commitment or the monthly fees. These days an MMO needs a new angle, like Tabula Rasa with its sci-fi setting and it’s real-time FPS combat. Arguably, Pirates of the Burning Sea (PotBS to save my aching fingers) goes even further. Not only is its historical pirate theme new wind for the sails of the tired MMO veteran, but it plays unlike any other MMO on the market.

Battlefield V’s multiplayer disappoints, but its return to World War II shines in its single-player War Stories.

As a mix of sandbox, puzzle and open-world action, The Escapists offers something fresh and entertaining. The nature of what it’s simulating leads to some annoyances and careful handwaves to keep things light, but with both enough space between those moments to feel like I was actually producing my own plan and enough tools that I didn’t just feel like I was looking for a conveniently pre-packaged solution. It’s a clever game that’s not afraid to be challenging, and a very enjoyable puzzle if you don’t mind it also being a touch vague, often repetitive, and happy to quickly get as hard as figuring out an actual prison break.

Go into Surgeon Simulator 2013 knowing that it’s more about the slapstick comedy resulting from intentionally bad controls than it is about real medicine and you’ll be in for a treat. The three surgeries don’t provide much variety, but the sense of reward that comes upon completing each, or the moments you and your friends can laugh at when you screw up, make it worth it while it lasts. It's a darkly entertaining way to cut, explore, and appreciate the incredible skill of real surgeons.

A new emotions system and improved graphics finally bring The Sims into the current decade.

MouseCraft is a thoughtful puzzle game with challenging levels and some clever features. While customizable controls and a little more information on the level-select screen would have removed some significant annoyances, the overall enjoyment of easily being able to drop in to any level (including some I made myself) and guide my mice to their prize is good fun.

Jagged Alliance 3 is a smartly-built, action-packed throwback tactical extravaganza that I enjoyed the whole way through. Its madcap sense of humor is very hit or miss – for me, it's usually miss. But for the most part, that doesn't hurt its ability to tell a story with just enough intrigue to keep you guessing, while not overcomplicating things too much. The huge variety of distinct characters, hand-built tactical maps, and objectives assure that a long campaign never goes stale, with limited but meaningful merc progression that let me build my dream squad and play almost exactly how I wanted to, with the added tension of trying to keep them alive through each combat encounter. If you know your way around a squad management game you may want to turn the campaign difficulty up a notch for your first playthrough, but even when you're rolling in cash, this lead-slinging blow-out is a hell of a good time.

I found Fable III to be a lot of fun, which is ultimately the most important thing you could ask of a game. It has its shortcomings -- a few technical bugs occasionally rear their ugly faces and the disjointed design stunts some of the more emotional moments -- but all told it’s a great game that is well worth your time and money.