What Are The Most Played PC Games in 2016?
Only half-way through the year, and 2016 has proven to be a great year for PC gaming. Whether you like to play online multiplayer, or go it alone, you have many fantastic game options to choose from. Let’s take a look at our top 21 most popular pc games to play this year.
21. Minecraft
Onward, to smash blocks!
Go anywhere, and build anything in the indie smash hit from Mojang and Microsoft Studios. Your imagination is your only limitation.
Play with friends or alone in this open world sandbox game as your forage for supplies, fight monsters and build whatever your imagination allows.
The world is procedurally generated, meaning no two game worlds will be the same. Roam the surface of the infinite game world, build a rollercoaster, or duke it out with explosive creepers the choice is yours in this open world adventure. Minecraft features 5 different game modes with all sorts of activities for the player to jump into.
Since its launch in 2009, Minecraft has been downloaded over 100 million times, making the developers 700 million in profits. To top it off, the creator, Notch, made 2.1 billion when he sold the studio to Microsoft. With the yearly Mineconon the way, there seems to be no signs of this indie giant slowing down in 2016.
"That was fun."
20. DOOM
Check the BFG!
The armies of hell have arrived! Take up arms and repel the demonic horde as you shoot your way across Mars and Hell in this FPS masterpiece.
Players control the legendary Doom Marine, as he races around both Mars and Hell in an attempt to stop the demon armies from destroying mankind.
Doom’s single-player mode is chalk full of “badass demons, big effing guns, and moving really fast” according to id Software Executive Producer Marty Stratton. Players can climb ledges, double-jump, and sprint. The game has implemented a new “Glory Kills” system in which players are prompted to execute a hyper-violent melee attack.
As always, Doom has a massive arsenal of powerful, over-the-top weapons that pack a massive punch. Players can customize their weapon statistics to suit their play styles. From collectable runes and research projects to upgrade your Doom Slayer, there is no end to the customization options available.
Add in a vibrant multiplayer mode; map editing and the amount of content seems endless for an FPS. Given the fact that it sold 500,000 copies on PC, and was nominated for best PC game by Game Critics Awards, it’s no wonder DOOM is one of the most popular games of 2016.
“Hey, look, that one’s yawning.”
19. The Witcher 3
The hunt is on
A realm at war, the Wild Hunt on your trail, you’ll be tasked with your most important mission yet—track down a child of prophecy who could save or destroy the world.
Players will roam a vast and beautiful open world as The Witcher,Geralt of Rivia where they’ll hunt monsters, track missing persons, get into fists fights, and when the adventures startto take their toll, play a game of Gwent.
Like past installments, the Witcher 3 is a game about choice, and now with the vast open world, the choices that players make have consequences that expand beyond the games story. Players will hunt down monsters, deal with ghosts, challenge ancient evils, and fend off the occasional bandit. From swashbuckling sword fights, to bare-knuckle fisticuffs, cast spells; the way you approach combat is up to you.
Having won multiple Game of the Year awards; selling 10 million copies, and breaking the record for highest selling game in the UK for 2015, couple that with two new expansions, it becomes clear why it’s was one of the most popular games of 2016.
"Here, birdy, birdy!"
18. Dark Souls 3
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Holy crap! This game is tough.
Players assume the role of the Ashen One as they travel around the Kingdom of Lothric battling monsters, in the traditional hack-and-slash style fans of the series come to expect. Players must defeat the Lords of Cinder to restore the Eternal Fire and stop the age of darkness.
As usual the action RPG systems from past installments are back. Players are equipped with a large variety of weapons such as bows, throwing weapons, swords, shields, etc. Each weapon has a two attack types. Players can also wield magic, and the movement mechanics have been tweaked for more fluid action.
Having earned a 90/100 on metacritic; it is the highest selling game Namco Bandai has ever published. It was also the highest selling software worldwide the month of its release. DLC content is expected to drop in late 2016.
Nice night for a stroll.
17. Elder Scrolls Online
Play alone, or with friends. The choice is yours.
The world is at war, factions vie for the Imperial throne, and the only thing standing between chaos and order is you. Join the fight against Molag Bal, God of Schemes, as he attempts to pull all of Tamriel into the cold realm of Oblivion.
Players will traverse the continent of Tamriel as they battle monsters, demons, ghosts, bandits, and all manner of things. Play solo, or with friends in this MMORPG from Bethesda Softworks, and ZeniMax Studios, and tackle the nonlinear gameplay with quests, exploration, random events, gathering, crafting, and dungeon crawling. With 4 classes, 10 different races, and 3 factions to choose from, there’s multiple ways to tackle the adventures that await you in Tamriel.
If you’re not much of an MMO fan, don’t worry, TES Online has a fully fleshed out campaign that can be played solo featuring the voices of John Cleese, Bill Nighy, Kate Beckinsale, Lynda Carter, Peter Stormare, Jennifer Hale, adding an element that is lacking in most MMORPG’s.
After a rocky release, ESO seems to have hit its stride with a large number of updates, expansions, and game tweaks drawing in a steady player-base, making it one of the most popular MMO’s of 2016.
"Oooh, a doggy!"
16. FIFA 16
“Now go on and two step.”
FIFA 16 enjoys the privilege of being the only sports SIM to make it on this list.
One of the coolest features to make it in the game this year is the inclusion of 12 Women’s National Teams. With chase after the ball in over 76 stadiums, 30 leagues, and a whopping 650 teams to choose from, there is no end to the amount of time you can lose enjoying a game of footie.
Most of the core mechanics return with the implementation of the new friendly tournament mode that gives players rewards for winning. There are also new weather, and kick-off variations that tweak and enhance the overall experience.
Having received positive reviews, and receiving sports Game of the year nomination from the 2015 game awards, it’s hard not to see why this was one of the most played sports sims on PC in 2016.
Feel the footie.
15. Street Fighter 5
Let’s fight!
The king of competitive fighting games is back!
Pick from old favorites like Ryu, Ken, and Chun-Li; and new characters like F.A.N.G, Laura and play through the game’s story mode, or it’s competitive online multiplayer scene.
New to this installment is the “V-Gauge” , which build up over the course of the match and adds new skills and abilities which can be performed within the fight. Each of the game’s 16 characters have their own unique V-Skills, V-Triggers, and V-Reversals that can be performed within the fight giving the game a new dynamic. Street Fighter V also features a robust story mode for the folks who like a nice narrative.
Receiving a 74 on Metacritic, the game opened to positive reviews in the face of some of the technical issues which have since been addressed. Despite some of the criticisms the game has a strong following within the tournament scene, having broke records at the EVO championship series.
Giving new meaning to “bad hair day.”
14. DayZ
I bet the Z stands for Zombie. *Wink*
The Zombie apocalypse is here! Fight to survive as your forage for food, water, and other supplies all while avoiding the Zombie horde, and other cutthroat players in this open-world survival game from Bohemia Interactive.
In DayZ survival is the objective. Shoot, stab, and run as you roam around the world’s immense map, collecting food, weapons and anything else you can get your hands on in order to survive Fend off zombies and compete against other players in the grim apocalyptic wasteland.
Despite the criticisms from fans for DayZ’s lack of improvement over the last couple years, sales seem strong for the indie juggernaut having raked in over 5 million in sales.
Pew Pew
13. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
Big Boss is back!
It’s 1984. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan is a cover for a much more nefarious operation involving Metal Gear technology, and it’s up to Big Boss to stop them.
Player’s return to the franchise as legendary soldier, Big Boss, as they travel around a massive open world, were players can choose how they approach each mission. From sneaking, to shoot-em-up how you take down your enemies is up to you. The game features a robust customization options from skins, to a wide variety of weapons (all upgradeable) to the color of vehicles.
Also new to the franchise are companions that help you tackle missions in various way. Players can also customize their companions as well as their mother base. Sprinkle in a strong online mode, and MGS V is a game with a massive amount of content and replayability.
Having received a 91/100 on metacritic, and having shipped over 6 million copies it’s no surprise it’s still one of the most played games in 2016.
#spylife #coldwarselfie
12. Overwatch
You want to go where everybody knows your name
From the makers of World of Warcraft and Diablo, comes a quirky first-person shooter that has taken the gaming world by storm: Overwatch.
Overwatch is an online multiplayer game unlike any other. The mechanics may seem similar: team deathmatch-style games with six players on two teams, but what makes this game so special is the maps, the weapons, and especially, the characters. The game currently offers twelve maps – places from all over the world, from Hollywood to Hanamura, Japan.
Overwatch takes place in some of the most beautiful places in the world
The game follows twenty-two diverse characters that make up a world-saving taskforce called Overwatch, which is where the game gets its name. In a world of war and turmoil, Overwatch were the protectors of our planet – saving humanity from itself. Because of the group’s influence, the world has been able to focus on scientific, explorative, and discovery advances. They became legends, but now that the world had gained peace, it seemed that Overwatch was no longer needed. Thus, they disbanded.
Only shortly after the team retired did the world need them again. Death, terrorism, and war had taken hold of Earth once more and Overw will atch decided it was time to make their return. Led by Winston, a scientifically engineered, highly intelligent blue gorilla, Overwatch makes their comeback, swinging back into action to defeat the evils of humanity.
Characters are split into four sections: offense, defense, tanks, and supports. No one character is the same, however. Each have their own personality, strengths, weapons, and special abilities. Take, for instance, Junkrat, an Aussie anarchist with a love for explosions. His primary weapon is a frag grenade launcher, which make not have the best accuracy, but packs a punch. He also has a very unique special move called Rip-tire, in which he controls a motorized tire with a large explosive in it. Use it just right, and players will be able to destroy multiple enemies at once.
Junkrat and Roadhog: two anarchist beasts in a pod
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum is Zenyatta, a robotic monk who is in search of spiritual enlightenment. He plays a support character and can harness the power of zen to both heal his friends by using his orb of harmony, or harm his enemies, by using the orb of destruction. It seems that Blizzard had yin and yang in mind when creating this character. Zenyatta can go into a place of heightened peace, which allows him to heal his teammates while taking no damage for a short period of time.
The group of extremely diverse characters each have their own stories which are told through comics and short videos which are available on Blizzard’s website. And it seems that Blizzard may continue to release more and more characters. Nearly two months after Overwatch came out, they have added a new character named Ana Amari, a brand new offensive, and there are rumors about more joining.
D. Va can eject herself from her mech and make it self-destruct, killing all of her foes nearby
There are four different objective types. The first being assault, wherein two teams face off to take hold of multiple objective spaces before a timer runs out. One team will attack while the other defends. Similarly, there is control. In this gameplay, there is only one objective that both teams must fight over. There is also payload, where a team must protect a payload and get it to its target destination, while the other team fights to make sure that the payload does not get there before a timer runs out. And finally, assault/payload, which is as it sounds, a combination of both assault and payload. Teams will fight one another for the payload and then the winning team must escort the payload its destination.
At the end of each game, you gain XP which will go toward levels. XP is based on your kill/death ratio, defensive points, objective points, and more. Each time you gain a level, you are given a mystery box full of different customizations for characters and currency to spend on customizing characters.
Overwatch is significantly different from other first-person shooters because it is so unique. It takes time and dedication to get comfortable with each character, and because each character is so different from the next, it’s fun to try them all. It may be too early to tell, but with all of the praise it has received from players and critics across the world, Overwatch may be up for a few Game of the Year awards.
11. Grand Theft Auto V
Bad boys for life
Grand Theft Auto V is an open-world third-person action game that follows the stories of Franklin, Michael, and Trevor, as they wreak havoc on beautiful Los Santos, a fictional Los Angeles, doing bank jobs, jewelry store heists, and in general, running amok.
Franklin, the repo man trying to come up
You start out the game as Franklin Clinton. And when you first meet Franklin, you’ll notice that he’s stuck in quite a rut. He shares a small home with his aunt, whom he doesn’t get along with very well in the gang-controlled, poverty-stricken side of town. And to make matters worse, he works at a dead end job as a repo man for a slime ball car salesman which has caused a strain in his relationship with his girlfriend. One of Franklin’s very first missions is when he is given the job to repo a car from the wrong guy: Michael De Santa.
Michael, the “retired” professional heist man
This is when you are first introduced to Michael, an upper-class middle-aged loud mouth with a penchant for violence. Michael may have a swanky home, but his family dynamics are a mess. Regardless, Franklin is in awe of Michael’s lifestyle: the fancy cars, the pool out back, and a giant home. It’s all a stark difference in comparison to what Franklin is used to. Michael, who is a retired heist-man decides to come out of retirement to teach the young guy a thing or two about making money. Michael becomes somewhat of a mentor for Franklin, teaching him the ropes and making out like bandits.
Trevor, the mad man
Then there’s Trevor Philips. From the “cut here” tattoo around his neck, to his curb-stomping boots, Trevor is, to put it nicely, completely insane. He lives in the boonies outside of Los Santos – a place called Sandy Shores, where he keeps his dirty, disgusting trailer. Trevor spends his time manufacturing and pushing drugs for his very own business: Trevor Philips Industries. Eventually Trevor and Michael, long-lost best friends are reunited, and Trevor pushes Michael to officially come out of retirement to pull the one heist they’d talked about for years: The Big One, in which they intend to live off the money from for the rest of their lives.
Of course, with every Grand Theft Auto games, there is a rich cast of characters that players will meet and work with leading up to The Big One. With tons of side missions and plot twists, players can switch between Franklin, Michael, and Trevor to get a look into their lives and cause all kinds of mayhem and destruction.
Franklin and Michael prep for The Big One
With Franklin, you can race fast, high-end cars with customization up the wazoo – from the paint job to engine upgrades. Trevor stirs things up with the local military and drug cartels, using high-powered semi-automatic machine guns and missile launchers. And Michael, well, he just tries to hold his life together, while things seem to spiral out of control.
Grand Theft Auto V has multiple different endings and the player can choose the fate of Franklin, Michael, and Trevor. Will their misdeeds be their undoing, or will they find fortune? Well, that’s for you to decide.
Grand Theft Auto V also has an online multiplayer option that allows players to create their very own heist man or woman. Your character is brand new to Los Santos, and you must start off from humble beginnings, playing missions that may not be well paid, but will grant you access to even more, better paying missions. You can face off against other players in these missions in a variety of different ways: there are team death match mini-games, races, one-on-one shootouts, even arm-wrestling. Or, if you prefer, you can complete missions on your own. With each mission won, you will earn money which can go toward customizing your character’s appearance, buy new vehicles and weapons, and safe houses too!
Grand Theft Auto V is one of, if not the, best game in the franchise. Following the stories of three different playable characters, you will see how their stories intermesh with one another and find out deeply hidden mysteries.
10. Fallout 4
Come on boy, let’s go home
Fallout 4 is an open world action roleplaying game developed by Bethesda. Based in Boston 210 years after the Great War, which ended when all of the nuclear-capable nations launched all their nuclear weapons, causing a massive fallout. This story follows the happenings of Fallout 3 and even includes and alludes to some of the story and characters from the previous game.
You play as a fully customizable character which you create in the very beginning of the game. You will be able to choose your character’s appearance – from skin texture to body type, and their attributes, allowing you to place points into an attribute chart called S.P.E.C.I.A.L. (Strength, Perception, Endurance, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck). From there, you will be able to choose perks under each attribute. And during conversations, you will be able to decide your character’s personality based on the conversation options that you choose.
You can make your character all your own
Once you complete your character, you will receive an alert on your television, telling you that Boston has been nuked. You must get yourself and your family to safety in the nearby Valut-Tec vault, which will protect you from the radiation blast. Your character, through a series of events, emerges alone from the vault 210 years later, and your son, Shawn, has gone missing. It is up to you to endure the Boston wasteland and find your missing son.
Along the way, you will run into many side quest missions and meet numerous wasteland residents and learn their stories. You can play the way that you want to in Fallout 4, which makes it all the more fun. Will you help post-apocalyptic Boston ride up from the ashes, or will you make life even more difficult for those around you? The decision is yours.
One man’s junk is another man’s treasure
The world is fully customizable as well. In previous Fallout games, you could collect a bunch of junk, but you could never really put it to good use. In Fallout 4, you are able to use the junk to build settlements, customize your weapons and armor, or create drugs that you can take to increase boost your stats temporarily.
There are so many different ways that you can customize your weapons. Maybe you prefer close range – build a gun that has a lot of fire power, and lower accuracy, or add sights onto it to make it a powerful ranged weapon. There are even some great unique weapons, like the junk jet, which allows you to use your junk as ammo, and the railway gun, which can nail your opponent to a wall. With these weapons, you can have some hilarious experiences unlike any other game of this kind.
Your armor has many customization options as well such as lighter build, more pockets, or you can use heavier materials like steel to increase your damage resistance. Some armor and weapons have special abilities attached to them, but in order to get them, you have to defeat hard to beat enemies. Some of these special abilities include slowing down time and increased speed.
Power armor is a whole different animal – these huge suits of armor can be completely customized as well, to turn yourself into a walking tank. It takes a lot of time and effort to get your power suit just right. Like regular armor, you will be on the hunt for the very best, but good Power armor pieces are more difficult to find. From there, you piece that bad boy together, slap some paint on it, place your power core in and you’re ready to go.
With so many mods to choose from, you will be unstoppable
As your journey progresses, you will run into twelve potential companions. These companions can be a great asset in combat. Many of them have their own unique fighting style – like Cait, who can punch a bad guy’s brains out, or Codsworth, who uses his robotics to defeat enemies from close range and from afar. And each character has their very own storyline which you can follow to better get to know them. Once you reach the peak of your relationship with that character, you will gain a perk from them. You can even have romantic relations.
Many of these companions come from different factions. There are four major factions, and things can get a bit sticky. You will have to make some difficult decisions and you may have to betray one or more of the factions that you come across in order to complete the final mission.
Take out your enemies with a variety of weapons – including this beast that shoots nuclear projectiles
Fallout 4 is probably the biggest, most anticipated game of 2015. It has won some very high-profile awards already, including three Interactive Achievement Awards from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, and the BAFTA Games Award for Best Game. The Fallout 4 base game offers hundreds of hours of gameplay and even more with new add-ons and expansions. Fallout 4 has tons of replay value because in such a large, open world, with so many different options and decisions, you can play the game differently every time.
9. League of Legends
Clash with other champions online
League of Legends is a top-down team-based strategy game where you and your team work together to destroy the enemy’s Nexus before they are able to bring down yours. So you will have to choose your character carefully and choose the right weapons to defeat them.
There are currently 131 champions to choose from, and Riot Games continues to release more and more. Each champion has a role to play, too. You can choose to be an assassin, fighter, mage, support, tank, or marksman. At the beginning of each game you are given the opportunity to choose your champion as well as starting items.
Defeat terrible monsters – that is, if you have the skill
There are tons of different weapons to choose from. You may decide to use a mace or maybe a sword. A scepter or perhaps you prefer to play with a staff. There are nearly 200 items to choose from, including spells, weapons, and armor and you can upgrade and customize them to meet your needs using a tree upgrading system. You can also craft new weapons using recipes.
How do you gain powerful weapons? You can buy them with gold which you get by killing enemy champions, turrets, and monsters. Monsters can be found in the jungle, off the beaten path, but be warned, they are hard to beat, and may not be a good place to start for a brand new champion. So you must gain XP to build your abilities and strength as well.
Use different, unique abilities to get the upper hand with your enemies
You receive gold and XP for killing enemies, but you will also gain XP by being in the same area where an enemy has fallen. Whether it is an enemy turret, a minion, an enemy champion, or a monster. Your abilities are chosen by you as you level up. There are a variety of different abilities to choose, too. For instance, Absolute Zero slows down the enemy forces while others, like Champion Nidalee’s Aspect of the Cougar allows you to shape shift.
There are four main maps in League of Legends, with different objectives and victory parameters. Summoner’s Rift, Twisted Treeline, Crystal Scar, and Howling Abyss. They are all somewhat similar, but Summoner’s Rift seems to be the most popular. The object of the game is to allow your minions, which are small AIs to eliminate enemy structures, and eventually the Nexus. Minions are helpful for players as they can be considered something of a shield for you, as they are targeted by turrets.
Every League of Legends game is different and provides players with endless fun. League of Legend is notorious for their fast-paced and exciting worldwide tournaments, and has won both the Golden Joystick Award for Online Game of the Year and the BAFTA Games Award for Persistent Game.
8. World of Warcraft: Legion
Legion is World of Warcraft’s upcoming expansion
Legion is the newest upcoming World of Warcraft expansion pack and the video game community is all abuzz, ready to play this brand new experience. In this Warcraft addition, you are faced with the terror that is The Tomb of Sargeras. After 800 years of being sealed, the tomb has been broken, releasing demons of the Burning Legion into the world.
These demons are hell bent on summoning their creator, Sargeras, a monstrous and deranged demon lord and you must stop them. Else, total annihilation.
Watch your step as you trek through the dangerous world in World of Warcraft: Legion
You can play as a brand new hero class – Demon Hunter – who started as members of the elite guard of Illidan Stormrage, at the helm of the fight against the Burning Legion. Elves who use the powers of the Legion against them, Demon Hunters can utilize the powers of their foes – demonic fires, metamorphosing into fel creatures, and using their raging hatred to fuel their powers to destroy enemies and protect allies. Because of their use of dark magic, they have been ostracized and turned into outcasts by the general population of Azeroth.
These Demon Hunters prefer to wear lighter leather armor for increased speed and accuracy in battle and favor daggers, one-handed weapons and melee over all other weapons.
A brand new playable hero class – Demon Hunters -- harness demon powers to use against them
The game takes place in the Broken Isles – a world littered with mysterious and powerful artifacts of ancient origins. Uncovering these relics will aid you in your journey to stop the demons that want to see the end of Azeroth. Take, for instance, Ebonchill, Greatstaff of Alodi, a powerful staff which brings icy focus to the user. Or the Maw of the Damned, a two-handed axe of the Death Knight. Once used by the demon Gorelix the Fleshripper, this axe steals the life force of one’s foes and uses it to replenish their own. These weapons can be upgraded to be more powerful, with more effects.
Upgrade your weapons for improved damage and better effects
The Broken Isles is an area with a rich history – you will explore ancient Elven civilizations, older than any of humankind, humongous mountain ranges, and dense, gorgeous forests. But remember, The Broken Isles is the center of the turmoil. It may be mystical, but it is also a very dangerous world filled with terrible beasts that want nothing more than to rip you limb from limb.
You will run into a cast of unique characters – from those who want to help you, to those who will stand in your way. Xavius, The Nightmare Lord, is one of these villains. He seeks vengeance for the defeat of the Burning Legion decades ago. You must defeat him and his army of satyrs who will fight with all their might to defend their master’s honor.
The Broken Isles boast gorgeous ancient Elven cities with dangerous mysteries
You must destroy these threats with the help of your followers, as you hunt for the Pillars of Creation, Titan relics, used to create the world. These pillars are the key to the preservation of the world. The fate of Azeroth sits on your shoulders. Will you be able to save us?
World of Warcraft: Legion comes out August 30th, 2016.
7. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
Choose your hero and duel it out in Hearthstone
Hearthstone is another offering from Blizzard – the makers of World of Warcraft and Overwatch. A free-to-play online card game that focuses on the lore behind the World of Warcraft universe, Hearthstone is a unique and addictive experience.
In the game, two players will face off against one another in a strategic battle of the wits. Each player will choose one of nine heroes, whom are important figures in World of Warcraft lore and are equipped with a special power. For example, Rexxar, the savage hunter, will deal 2 damage to the enemy hero, while Garrosh Hellscream’s power allows him to gain 2 armor. As you can see by this example, choosing a hero that can fight or defend themselves efficiently against the other player can change the course of the game.
Use your 30 card deck to cast spells and effects
Each player gets 30 cards each and winning a match gives you in-game gold and new cards so that you can customize your deck to make it more difficult to beat. You will use your deck of cards to equip weapons and cast spells and effects at your enemy.
Players battle it out using one card at a time to outwit and beat the other player. Creating your deck is the key to a success and you must consider each card that you play carefully as it may backfire on you. You are able to construct 18 different decks to use in-game and familiarizing yourself with the strengths and weaknesses of each deck will allow you to better strategize.
Players can also craft new cards to add to their deck. In order to craft new cards, you must destroy existing cards to create arcane dust. Arcane dust will then go into the recipes that you use to make a brand new, potentially more powerful card.
Care for a little gamble?
There are five different modes of play. Play mode will match you up against players in either a ‘friendly’ or ranked match. Ranked matches earn players ranks based on their wins and losses. Ranks are determined by stars. Each win earns a player a star, and once players hit level 20, they will then begin to lose stars for losses.
There are also Solo Adventures, which pits a human player against a computer. Within this mode, you can choose between practice and adventure. Practice is as it sounds, but adventure allows players to compete against bosses to win cards and gold. Each boss battle has unique dialog, similar to action adventure games.
Each magic card uses mana so be careful which you choose
Arena mode is similar to a gamble. In order to enter the arena, you must throw down 150 gold (in-game currency) or real money as a bet on yourself. You will be awarded prizes at the end of your arena match – which is triggered when you lose three matches or win twelve matches – whichever comes first.
Tavern Brawls are very different. They are weekly tournaments set by Blizzard with a set of new rules each week for one-on-one or two-on-two matches. Playing in this mode will count toward quests competitions, and at the end of the week, with winner will take home the Classic Pack.
Finally, there are duels, which allow players to play against their friends in unranked matches. These duels offer no rewards.
In this high risk, nail-biting strategy game, you can either take home massive winnings or go home a loser and each game is always a toss-up. Blizzard reported more than 50 million players on Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft. With so many potential opponents with a variety of deck set-ups, each game will be completely different from the next. This critically acclaimed game also has taken a spotlight in eSport tournaments, with a large following.
6. Dota 2
Massive monsters abound
Dota 2, from Valve Corporation, is a free-to-play multiplayer online battle arena that has garnered quite a bit of attention from the tournament gaming community. A sequel to the popular original game DotA, or Defense of the Ancients, Dota 2 is a unique experience from the 2003 grandfather game.
In Dota 2, you will team up with five other players to defeat the opposing team by destroying their “Ancient,” a large structure within each team’s base. Each team, called either Radiant or Dire, holds a base on opposite sides of the map. You must defend your base and especially your Ancient from the other team, all the while, attacking the other team’s base with the help of “Creeps,” which are AI minions who will do some of the dirty work for you by surrounding and attacking enemies.
Move through the jungles to farm for supplies
Each team is made up of player-chosen heroes and there are 111 to choose from. Each hero has their own class, strengths, weaknesses, and special abilities. Therefore it is of upmost importance that you and your team decide on your characters very strategically.
There are five different roles to players to choose from: one for each member of the team. You do not have to have one of each role, but this is a wise game plan.
Role one, also known as Carry or Hard Carry has one main mission: collect more gold than any other player of their team. As a Carry, you will want to increase your strength quickly from the very beginning of the game. Oftentimes teammates will allow the Hard Carry to make the killing blow in order to earn gold. In order to carry the whole team in later stages of the game, you must farm quickly. This enables you to buy powerful weapons and armor which will help you down the line.
Become well acquainted with the positions and their roles for the best strategy
The Midlaner role, or position two, will start their game in the middle lane, facing off against the opposite team’s Midlaner. The Mid is a very dangerous and tactical role to play – you must choose a hero who has a high ability in getting in a last hit and can also harass enemy heroes effectively. Being in the middle lane is a great place to gain experience points and gold quickly and efficiently, so while there are dangers afoot, a skilled Mid can earn quite a bit right off the bat.
The Offlaner is position three, as they start on one of the side lanes, further from the safety of their base. Because of this, it is of the highest importance that the Offlane hero has high strength and armor, as well as the ability to get out of danger quickly. Offlaners must quickly gain experiences and climb levels before the other team because many times Offlaners must support their teammates in rune control and ganging up on enemy heroes, known as ganking. Experience is gained when the Offlaner is in the proximity of a dying creep.
Some of the available Farming Support heroes
Farming Support is oftentimes called position four. These heroes must seek out resources as they will benefit the most from them, allowing them to fill in the gaps for the other team members, when needed. In order to get these important resources, Farming Support heroes will start off fighting against creeps or luring them into the fire of their own creeps. After the Farming Support has gained enough levels, they can then transition into regular support jobs, such as placing protective wards and pushing enemies into the line of fire.
Hard Supports, or position five, has a very similar role to that of the Farming Support, but what sets these positions apart is that the Hard Support often sacrifices their own health and gold in order for their team to gain resources more safely, while stopping the enemy team from gaining resources. A Hard Support will want to limit the enemies’ ability to gain experience, resources, and gold by cornering them or leading them into danger.
Team fights can be deadly, but they can also reap serious rewards
Each role plays an important part of the game and it is imperative that they are all there during team fights in order to support one another to reach their goals.
Some of the heroes that you can choose from include Crystal Maiden, named Rylai, who uses her frost and ice powers to stop her foes from attacking or getting experience and resources. She also has the ability to regenerate mana for herself and for her allies. Another hero that you can choose is named Dazzle, who is a Shadow Priest. His abilities include Poison Touch, which will poison his enemies and cause damage over the course of time. He can also heal himself and his enemies using a cool-down ability called Shadow Wave.
At the time of this writing, Dota 2 boasts 12,968,123 unique players in the last month and has a large eSports following. Dota 2 is one of the most well-loved multi-online battle arena games and it is free to play for all PC gamers.
5. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Take them down in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Released in 2012 by Valve Corporation, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive remains one of the most played online multiplayer first-person shooter games. With 10,118,259 unique players each month, the fourth game in the main Counter-Strike series has made quite an impact in the online gaming world.
Global Offensive, like previous Counter-Strike games, is an objective-based game where players are placed in either teams of terrorists or anti-terrorist squads. There are five different play modes, all of which use short rounds with various objectives.
Sucks for you, dude
Classic Casual and Competitive modes are both very similar, the only differences being that instead of 10 players on a team allowed in Casual mode, Competitive only allows for five players per team. Competitive also has friendly fire enabled, whereas Casual mode’s friendly fire is, by default, turned off. Casual mode also only provides half the reward that Competitive mode does.
Both Casual and Competitive modes have two different scenarios: bomb scenario, and hostage scenario. And they are just as the title implies. It is the objective of the terrorist team to plant the bomb and protect it until it explodes, and it is the anti-terrorist team’s job to try to stop the other team from planting the bomb, or to disable it once it has been planted. The hostage situation is as it sounds too: The terrorists are to hold hostages while the anti-terrorists try to free hostages.
Mow down your enemies in a variety of different game modes to choose from
These games can be very intense and it is often difficult to predict a winning team, which is what makes these game modes the most popular. But there are some other great game modes in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive as well, such as Arms Race, Demolition, and Team Deathmatch.
Arms Race is team deathmatch-style game which pits two teams against one another to reach and secure a golden knife. Demolition is similar to the bomb scenario in casual and competitive modes, but players are not given the option to choose their weapons – they are given one, and for each set of required kills, they will receive an upgrade all the way to a grenade, which they must detonate and destroy a destination. Lastly, Team Deathmatch requires players to get as many kills as possible within a set timeframe.
Take out terrorists – or be the terrorist!
There are many weapons to choose from with many melee options such as knives and daggers. You may choose to use a pistol – well, you have twelve to choose from, including the infamous Tec-9 and Desert Eagle. Perhaps you prefer to snipe, well, you can choose between seven deadly sniper rifles. And in between, you have the option of shotguns, submachine guns, rifles, and machine guns.
With many games to choose from and many ways to play, it is very difficult to get tired of playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. It is proven that Valve knows how to make a great tournament game, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is, without a doubt, one of these many great games. Global Offensive is a timeless, critically acclaimed game that provides never-ending, bloody good fun.
4. Dead by Daylight
“Asymmetrical Horror Game”
Dead by Daylight is a newly released survival horror online multiplayer game by indie developer Behaviour Interactive Inc. Since coming out in June 2016, this game has made quite a splash. There are not many survivor horror games that you can play online with friends, making this one quite unique.
In Dead by Daylight, you play a character being chased through the woods by a crazed murderer. You and three other players can either team up or go it alone in order to try to survive. You are able to use whatever you can to survive – seemingly useless objects may help you along the way as you attempt to make your escape.
A dastardly killer is out there somewhere. You don’t want to find him.
You play as one of five characters: Jake Park, the son of a wealthy businessman who has decided to leave home and live off the grid at the edge of the woods; Meg Thomas, a high school track star who gave up college to care for her mother; Dwight Fairfield, a nerd who got a little too wasted at a company team-building get together in the woods and woke up completely alone; Claudette Morel, a college student and lover of botany who took a stroll in the woods and found herself out of her element, or one of three killers.
Each character has their strengths and weaknesses and every decision they make will either help them find a way out of imminent death, or put them in harm’s way. Character abilities can be unlocked and used against the murderer as well.
Will you get caught in The Trapper’s cleverly hidden traps?
Each game has a world that is procedurally generated which means that no one map will be the same, and with three possible killers, you will never know which one is lurking in the shadows. Each murderer has their own gruesome backstories.
There is The Trapper, who, as his name implies, sets up bear traps around the world. His monstrous father passed down the murderous skill of hiding these traps so that you will not see them coming until it’s too late.
Miscellaneous items found in the woods like this generator can either help you take out the killer or be your undoing.
Then there’s The Wraith, who after not realizing he had unknowingly murdered hundreds of innocents, snapped. The Wraith uses the skull and spinal column of his long-dead boss as a powerful weapon to kill and he can even go invisible.
Finally, there is The Hillbilly. From birth, he has lived life hidden away due to his terrible disfigurement. His parents were ashamed and did not want him. As revenge, he killed them both, which was the start of his path as a murderer. His primary weapon is the hammer, and he can sprint faster than any human should be able to.
You may have to sacrifice a friend to get away
Dead by Daylight is a fascinating and unique new game that provides players with hours of blood-chilling fun. You must make strategic decisions and use your surroundings to help you to survive the maddening world that you are subjected to.
3. Battlefield 1
Memories of the Great War
Battlefield 1 takes place in the Great War – World War I, in this upcoming game by Electronic Arts. In this gorgeously rendered first-person shooter, you play as a soldier in the middle of worldwide conflict.
Like previous Battlefield games, you can play either the campaign mode, or online with friends. It is uncertain just what the story will be about, but it is confirmed that you will be able to fly fighter planes, drive tanks and motorcycles, which was all new battle technology in the World War I era. You will even be able to ride horses which were common. You will also be able to control multiple different characters in the campaign.
Flame-throwers were brand new in the World War I era
The online multiplayer mode will allow up to 64 players to play together and you will be able to join a squad with your friend so that you can all join and leave the game in a group.
The maps will be diverse and include locations from all over the world. From the Western Front, to Arabia, you are placed in beautiful environments, all very diverse from one another. There will also be an unpredictable weather system in place. A sunny day on the battlefield may turn to rain or snow mid-battle, making the game even more interesting.
War horses were fairly common in World War I, and will make an appearance in Battlefield 1
There are six different classes in the online multiplayer mode. You can play in the assault class, using submachine guns and assault rifles, a support, with light-machine guns at your disposal, or a scout who focuses heavily on ranged weapons like sniper rifles. The medic class supports players by healing and making sure the three other grounded classes stay alive. There are now also tanker and pilot classes as well where you control a tank or fighter plane, respectively.
All of the weaponry will be based on the weapons that were used in World War I and have a historical background such as the M1917 Browning machine gun. You can also use a variety of melee weapons and bayonets.
This game will no doubt be a huge, innovative first-person shooter, as World War I was an innovative period for warfare. With a variety of ways to play, Battlefield 1 will suit the needs of players with different tastes and play styles.
2. Heroes of the Storm
Each character is unique in Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm is an online multiplayer team brawler game from Blizzard with 54 playable heroes which are all taken from some of Blizzard’s most popular games like World of Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft, and Overwatch.
You will join a team of four other players to fight against another team of five. There is a rotation of 6 heroes that you can choose from each week, which you can spend money or in-game currency to keep a hero permanently if you so choose.
Each week provides a different quest – you never know what you’re going to get!
There are weekly quests which you can choose to try to complete during the game. Each week there is a different objective and you are awarded prizes for finishing them in the allotted time.
Blizzard states that it is not your average online multiplayer battle arena game because not every game is focused around capturing or destroying bases like other battle arena games. There are currently 10 maps, 8 of which have the standard middle lane with two side lanes. Each map has a completely different environment and objective.
In the Haunted Mines, for example, your mission is to collect the skulls of the undead in order to raise a terrible golem from his grave to fight your battles for you. And in Battlefield of Eternity, you must help to free your Immortal being before the other team can free theirs.
Pretty fancy armor you got there
There are four different roles for each player to choose from: Assassin, who don’t have much in the way of defense, but deal high damage and powerful blows to the enemy; Warrior, who leads the charge and can take tons of damage, but may end up separated from the team, and therefore vulnerable to attacks; Support, who can help to heal their team, but deal small amounts of damage to the other team, and Specialist, who have a diverse set of skills to fight against the enemy with but must be skilled in multitasking in order to help the team and avoid death.
Because each role has its strengths and weaknesses, players must focus on teaming up and helping one another to survive and beat the other team.
Get that loot!
Players can choose to play seven different game modes. The first game mode is the tutorial -- simple gameplay which teaches players the basics of the game and prepares them for the big times. Training mode is similar, but it gives the player the opportunity to practice what they have learned in the tutorial. Tutorials consist of levels and the player can choose to get to know each role so that they can bring the pain when it’s time to get to the other five modes of play.
Versus A.I. is just as it sounds – players duke it out with AI opponents, and can choose to play alongside human or computer-controlled allies. Quick match, one the other hand, is five human players against five other human players. Heroes of the Storm uses a matchmaking system to pair players up based on their skill.
Level up to reach new play modes which will put you in the big leagues
Hero League is unlocked at level 30 and players must own 15 different heroes at least at level 5 or higher. Hero League will place players in League Ranks based on how well they do in-game which is determined by a point system. The higher a player gets in rank, the more difficult their opponents will be.
Team League is for players who want to play in a team. There is a ranking system in Team League as well, which is different from Hero League, but the mechanics are the same. Point systems determine team rank. Players must be level 40 or up to play in Team League.
Finally, there is Custom Game, which is most commonly used in tournaments. Players can choose their team and their map and add up to six observers.
Heroes of the Storm is another well-loved eSports game with a big following. Because it is so unique from other games in its genre, it is a refreshing new way to play. Blizzard fans will be happy to see and control heroes from other games to duke it out and there are so many different ways to do so.
1. Tom Clancy's The Division
New York City is a very different place now
From Ubisoft comes Tom Clancy’s The Division, an online open world third-person shooter released in June 2016. You play as a sleeper agent of the United States Strategic Homeland Division, simply known in the game as The Division. In a near-future New York City, struck by a smallpox pandemic, it is your job to rebuild and investigate the source and cause of the outbreak.
Take cover behind objects left in the city after the outbreak
The game features some RPG aspects such as earning experience points to level up your character and learning new talents and skills. The player will also receive in-game currency, which can go toward buying new and improved weapons and gear. This gear can also be found in-world as loot, or by crafting. Another RPG aspect of the game is that missions can be found in the base of operations from different wings of The Division.
You will be able to carry three different weapons as well as explosives like mines and grenades. Weapons start at worn or standard, but can reach up to be extremely high-tech and cutting-edge. You can choose between pistols, shotguns, SMGs, assault rifles, marksman rifles, and light machine guns. You can even mod your weapons and change their skins through crafting.
The world is a much more dangerous place after the Small Pox outbreak hit New York City
You are placed in a very realistic environment that is completely destructible with day-night cycles, and changing weather conditions. The changes in environment will affect the gameplay. Poor weather conditions can make it difficult to see enemies, but that means that it will also make enemies difficult to see you. And during the night, enemies will act differently than during the day. Enemies will be sneakier during the night, hiding in the shadows, for instance.
In the competitive multiplayer mode, players can enter the Dark Zone, a player versus player arena which will pit players against one another. Groups of teams can co-operate together in the Dark Zone, however, you may not want to trust your team, as they can easily turn against one another. Multiplayer mode has a different progression system than the main story, and you can find better, albeit, tainted loot.
Enemies are those that are trying to take advantage of the outbreak – you must stop them and restore order
Tom Clancy’s The Division is a brand new game with gorgeous graphics and dangerous enemies. With elements from shooter games as well as RPGs, The Division is an interesting and unique online game that provides hours of fun. You never know what you’ll get with this game, which makes it all the more fun.
That is our list of twenty-one amazing PC games from online multiplayer games, to roleplaying games. Each game is unique with exciting competitive or one-player modes and tons of replay value, proving 2016 is a great year for PC gaming.
If you like this article, check out the following for more games to play this year:
15 Best Story Games to Play in 2016
