The Best PC Game of 2024

ign.com:

The PC is arguably the definitive gaming platform, deeper and broader than any of the bespoke boxes you stick under your TV. It has become a catch-all for multiplatform games, an inevitable second home for first-party console exclusives, and a bastion for smaller games that may not be able to develop ports. It’s also a destination of its own for unique, mouse-and-keyboard-driven genres that just aren’t quite as comfy to play while sitting on a couch, while also being the place for portable-friendly games thanks to the likes of the Steam Deck. Unsurprisingly, it meant we had a lot of games to pick from when it came to crowning our 2024 PC favourites.

While plenty of incredible games came to both the PC and other platforms this year, our picks for the best PC games of 2024 stand as a mix of impressive experiences across multiple genres – some of which you simply can’t play with a controller in your hand. There’s the intricate, automated empires of Satisfactory; the exquisite puzzle design of Animal Well; the just-one-more-round compulsion of Balatro; the thrilling detective work of The Rise of the Golden Idol, and more besides.

But only one can be crowned the best PC game of 2024. What did the IGN team judge to be the most worthy? Let’s take a look at the results…

With so many excellent games to choose from this year, the spread of votes for the best PC game was understandably broad. The varied taste of the IGN team meant that several games picked up a strong number of votes, but sadly not enough to secure a podium finish. Of those games, the two that only just missed out were 1000xResist and The Rise of the Golden Idol.

Plenty of games tell a compelling story, but it’s the way 1000xResist tells its story that truly stands out. It is a confident and moving tale that isn’t afraid to get deep, blending surreal concepts with emotionally charged deconstructions of the human condition in a manner reminiscent of games like Nier: Automata. Thanks to its narrative-first design