Laptops allow gaming on the go and if you have a proper gaming laptop, you can even enjoy high-graphic games. There’s a wide variety of laptop games from different genres and with varied system requirements. So, it can be challenging to find games compatible with your machine. But don’t worry, to help you out we have curated the top 10 games for laptop/PC on Metacritic, that were launched in the last few years. These are universally acclaimed and we have mentioned their critics’ and user scores. You can find these ratings below each contender along with their synopsis, RAM requirements, genre, how to play and where to download them.
Note: All these games come with a minimum 16GB or lesser RAM requirement.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a tabletop role-playing game (RPG) inspired by Dungeons and Dragons. It is set in an epic-fantasy world including warriors (Lae’zel), warlocks (Wyll), elves, vampires (Astarion), and human wizards (Gale). Your goal is to protect the world from mind-controlling parasites and the Absolute, a god trying to take over the region called Sword Coast.
- Genre: RPG
- How to play: Create a character and in the game, you’ll have to explore, converse with other characters including Non-player characters, do turn-based combat, take occasional rest, gain abilities, make choices, etc. Don’t forget to save your progress.
- Metascore: 96 | User Score: 8.9 (Metacritic rating)
- RAM requirement: 8GB (min) | 16GB (recommended)
- You can download it from Steam
Persona 5 Royal
If you like an Anime-like world in a game, then you should try this. In it, a high-school student framed in a crime learns he can harness supernatural powers. He with a group of friends forms “Phantom Thieves of Hearts” and tries to find the real criminals and take down corrupt powers in Tokyo.
- Genre: RPG
- How to play: You have two lives: one wherein you attend a regular school life and build relationships and the other one called Metaverse, a supernatural realm wherein you fight corrupt entities. It involves turn-based combat, solving puzzles, engaging in conversations and activities with other characters, and strategic use of Personas (psychological power).
- Metascore: 95 | User Score: 8.6 (Metacritic rating)
- RAM requirement: 8GB (min) | 8GB (recommended)
- You can download it from Steam
Elden Ring
If you are into high fantasy and action RPGs, then try this. The story takes place in the Lands Between ruled by Queen Marika. You play as Tarnished to become Elden Lord. For that, you will have to navigate this treacherous world infested with formidable creatures, demigods and a lot more. One can also solve mysteries and eventually establish a new order.
- Genre: Open-world RPG
- How to play: Create a character, explore, fight enemies, interact with NPCs, complete quests, etc. You have to master combat mechanics and understand the game’s lore as part of the gameplay.
- Metascore: 94 | User Score: 8.0 (Metacritic rating)
- RAM requirement: 12GB (min) | 16GB (recommended)
- You can download it from Steam
God of War
God of War is one of the most popular games on this list. It comes under the action-adventure category. So, if you are a sucker for that, then, this is a good place to start. In this game, you play as the former Greek god Kratos who with his son Atreus embarks on a journey to scatter his dead wife’s ashes from the highest peak in the nine realms. On their way, they come across Norse gods, mythical creatures, mysteries, etc. Besides the action and stunning visuals, it is the poignant story of fatherhood and redemption that makes playing it a special experience.
- Genre: Action-adventure
- How to play: You play from a 3rd person’s perspective and have to use a combination of combat moves, explore the world and solve puzzles to progress. Interacting with the environment can lead to you finding hidden items and places.
- Metascore: 93 | User Score: 9.1 (Metacritic rating)
- RAM requirement: 8GB (min) | 8GB (recommended)
- You can download it from Steam
Street Fighter 6
In case you aren’t aware of this franchise, it is an arcade fighting game. The graphics and fighting mechanisms have gotten better. There are newer game modes like one where you get to play classic 2D combat, while the World Tour is a story mode with customisable avatars, RPG elements, etc.
- Genre: Action-adventure
- How to play: This is a classic fighting game wherein you engage in one-on-one bouts with your opponent and using different moves, you attack and try to deplete the opponent’s health before the timer runs out. On the other hand, you’ll have to defend or evade the attacks from the opponent so you don’t lose your health. Other gauges like V-Gauge and Critical Gauge enable you to employ special abilities and attacks.
- Metascore: 92 | User Score: 7.0 (Metacritic rating)
- RAM requirement: 8GB (min) | 16GB (recommended)
- You can download it from Steam
Against The Storm
It’s a city-building game set in a world with perpetual rain. You have to plan and adapt to the ever-changing environment and make the best use of the resources at your disposal. There will always be new threats and opportunities. But as a city planner and builder, your role is to manage and ensure the city survives and thrives.
- Genre: Strategy
- How to play: You select a map, biome, caravan and the difficulty level you want to play in. Then in the game, you build the settlement, set up camps, manage resources, deal with various events, do trade and survive the storm.
- Metascore: 91 | User Score: 8.2 (Metacritic rating)
- RAM requirement: 4GB (min) | 8GB (recommended)
- You can download it from Steam
I was a Teenage Exocolonist
This is a card-based RPG game. The story takes place on a foreign planet. The protagonist has to plot and play his part in the new colony being set on this planet. Each card you draw has its impact on the gameplay, your relationships, your survival and the fate of the world. The narrative, storyline and endings could differ with the draws or decisions you make.
- Genre: RPG, Adventure
- How to play: Draw cards and that would signify your choice. So, it has a choice-driven storytelling. You have to strategically use cards. You have to select menus to guide actions and dialogue.
- Metascore: 91 | User Score: 7.9 (Metacritic rating)
- RAM requirement: 4GB (min) | 8GB (recommended)
- You can download it from Steam
Chained Echoes
This one has 16-bit pixel art graphics. You are part of a group of heroes who are on a mission to unite the war-torn kingdom of Valandis. You can either battle enemies on your way or avoid them as you can see their movement on the in-game map.
- Genre: RPG, Adventure
- How to play: Interact with the world, and other characters, manage your group and engage in battles. There are menus to choose skills for attacking.
- Metascore: 90 | User Score: 8.6 (Metacritic rating)
- RAM requirement: 4GB (min) | 6GB (recommended)
- You can download it from Steam
Tekken 8
The father-son feud concludes in the new instalment of Tekken. Jin Kazama faces Kazuya Mishima in the end and he gets there by completing the Dark Awakens story mode. There are two endings though. You also get to experience new gameplay mechanics, characters, and arenas. Fight it out with different button combinations.
- Genre: Fighting
- How to play: Primarily, there are 4 buttons configured to do left punch, right punch, left kick, and right kick. You can simultaneously combine multiple buttons to execute a sequence of attacks. You can step back or stand still to defend your opponent’s attacks.
- Metascore: 90 | User Score: 7.5 (Metacritic rating)
- RAM requirement: 8GB (min) | 16GB (recommended)
- You can download it from Steam
Resident Evil 4
In Resident Evil 4, the lead character Leon S. Kennedy is a government agent who has to find and save the US President’s daughter from a cult. She has been abducted to a remote village in Spain. The cult aims to convert her to a bioweapon using a parasite. Even the villagers in that place have been mind-controlled by this parasite. So, they act like zombies. You have to kill or avoid zombies while securing the target.
- Genre: Survival shooter, 3rd person shooter
- How to play: You have to move the main character and aim at the zombies or enemies with the right trigger, and shoot with the left trigger. You also have to manage inventory, access maps, and interact with the environment using directional buttons.
- Metascore: 91 | User Score: 8.1 (Metacritic rating)
- RAM requirement: 8GB (min) | 16GB (recommended)
- You can download it from Steam
FAQs
Can any laptop run games?
Even entry-level or older laptops with basic configurations can run games. They may not support the latest high-end games but you will get some games with workable graphics. You may have to lower the graphics settings of the big games to run them on such laptops.
What are some important things to consider when buying a gaming laptop?
You should ensure the gaming laptop is equipped with a fairly powerful CPU and GPU. It should have ample RAM (which could be around 16GB for playing top-end games and future-proofing), sufficient storage to store all games, a high-refresh-rate display for smooth visuals, and a good thermal system to keep the laptop cool during heavy load times.
What are some of the best free games to play on a laptop?
You can try games like PUBG, Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Destiny 2, Call of Duty Warzone, etc.
What are the best laptop games for beginners?
You can try GTA V, Minecraft, Mass Effect 1-3, Portal 1-2, PUBG, Call of Duty or Counter-Strike games.
Which gaming laptops are ideal for playing high-performance games?
Laptops from the HP Omen series, Dell Alienware, ASUS ROG series, Lenovo Legion or Acer Predator series should fit your bill.
What are the latest gaming trends in laptop gaming?
Some of the latest trends in gaming laptops are AI-based performance optimisations, upscaling (DLSS), Ray Tracing, and high-refresh-rate displays.
