As we’ve learned in recent years, a good game can come from anywhere. Despite multi-million-dollar budgets and intense marketing, “AAA title” just doesn’t have the same ring that it used to. We’ve made this list of the AAA games that live up to their honorifics, so you can feel confident you aren’t just going with the grain.
Top 5 AAA RPGs
25) The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3 - PC Gameplay Ultra Settings #1
A Witcher is a monster hunter, trained from birth to hunt and altered with mutations. The third installment in the Witcher series finds the Witcher Geralt racing against the clock to find his daughter before the dangerous Wild Hunt does.
CD Projekt Red had a budget of $81 million to continue the Witcher’s legacy. The game delivers on its promise to be a wild hunt, with electric combat, brutish monsters, and a vibrant open world.
The call of the wild: The Witcher 3 has over 40 unique monsters, and all of them are deadly
I don’t care who started it: Witchers are supposed to be unbiased, but riding the line between human and mutant means you have to pick a side
24) Dark Souls 3
Dark Souls III / RTX 3080 4K max settings
Dark Souls 3, infamously difficult and undeniably beautiful, is the conclusion of the Dark Souls series. You are a Lord of Cinder, tasked with keeping the age of undead at bay. Bandai Namco only had a budget of an estimated $20 million for Dark Souls 3, which is nickels for an AAA title.
Dark Souls 3 is bursting with imagination, dishing out challenging boss battles, a stunning overworld, and intriguing lore that lingers with you even after it’s over. Fans consider it proof that you don’t need a big budget to make a great title.
Let’s dance: Dark Souls 3’s boss battles are memorable and rigorous
Once upon a time: an intricate web of a tale is spun within the castle spires of the Kingdom of Lothric
23) Skyrim
Nexgen Skyrim graphics with modding
Skyrim is a story of destiny, justice, and power. Dragons return to the land of Skyrim, and the Dragonborn must defeat Alduin the World-Eater before the planet’s prophesied destruction can come to pass. Skyrim cost Bethesda $85 million dollars to make, which is no wonder for its sheer quality. Its sprawling overworld is completely stuffed with things to do, and the combat is engineered to just feel good.
Weary travelers welcome: The land of Skyrim is vast and yours for the taking
Destiny awaits: bring the world back from the brink of apocalypse and stake your claim in history
22) Monster Hunter: World
Monster Hunter: World in 2024 ULTRA Graphics | PC UHD 4K 60FPS MAX Settings HDR
A newly discovered land has scholars flocking to the uncharted New World to conduct research. You are a monster hunter, sent to learn about the Elder Dragons that migrate there. Monster Hunter: World was an expensive venture for Capcom, and according to gamers and critics alike, it paid off.
World’s locales are jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and the monster battles are exciting and unforgettable.
Too pretty to eat: the New World and its inhabitants are picturesque and creatively designed
Evolution’s fever dream: the dangerous monsters you face each have a new trick up their sleeve
21) Divinity: Original Sin 2
Divinity: Original Sin 2 Gameplay (PC HD)
When the veil between the Void and the land of Rivellon is torn, monsters called the Voidwoken are released, and they’re drawn to the magic that Sourcerers wield. The Divine Order deals with this problem by massacring the land’s Sourcerers, and it’s up to the Godwoken to stop everyone from killing each other.
Larian Studios launched a kickstarter with a goal of $3 million for Divinity 2, and made it back over 42 times in revenue. RPG strategy is redefined with the ability to control any member of your party, and a skills system that allows you to craft your perfect skillset.
The Chosen One: your God has chosen you for this quest, but who died and made him king?
Power beyond imagination: wield the magic of the Source to destroy your enemies
Top 5 AAA FPS Games
20) Rainbow Six Siege
RAINBOW SIX SIEGE PC 5v5 Gameplay - Team Rekt! | Docm77
Upon the dissolution of the Rainbow Program, terrorists scramble to seize control. The White Masks are wreaking havoc across the globe, and Team Rainbow is reassembled to stop them. The game continues to be updated by Ubisoft Montreal, with new characters and weapons still being added.
Siege is a reinvention of the multiplayer FPS genre, with destructible environments, impeccable game balance and dire consequences for slipping up that all lend to a chaotic, immersive experience.
I Spy: every operative has their own special ability, like this hidden camera
I didn’t do it: destructible environments means you could blow your cover with a misfire, and your enemies can shoot you through the wall
19) Battlefield 1
IT LOOKS SO GOOD! - BATTLEFIELD 1 Multiplayer Gameplay
Battlefield 1 puts the player in the shoes of six different World War I combatants. The game aims for historical accuracy, and each of the mini-arcs are based on events that really happened. Battlefield 1 sold about 15 million copies in its first year, and it was the fastest-selling EA game of all time. The perspective that Battlefield brings to the FPS scene is fascinating - NPCs will speak their native languages, the characters wear real uniforms, and all the weapons you use were once really used in combat.
The horrors of war: Battlefield 1 refuses to sugar-coat, and it’s a welcome change from your average run-and-gun
Reality is actually pretty badass: tanks, turrets and more from the period are at your fingertips
18) Counter-Strike 2
Counter-Strike 2 | RTX 4090 24GB ( 4K Maximum Settings )
Global Offensive is a multiplayer FPS that rewards players for teamwork. The two teams, the Terrorists and the Counter-Terrorists, have special objectives each round, depending on the gamemode. It was developed by Hidden Path Entertainment and Valve, and they continue to update the game.
Counter-Strike gets better with age, as the huge community continues to grow and the game teaches players through rewarding trial and error.
Show off your paint: skins are a big deal in Counter-Strike, and allow for tons of weapon customization
Good guys vs. bad guys: the terrorists and the counter-terrorists have different weapon loadouts
17) DOOM
Doom 2016 - PC Gameplay - Max Settings
The 2016 DOOM reboot has players shooting up demons on Mars, and if you aren’t sold already I don’t really know what to tell you. DOOM experienced a very lengthy development process, and was prototyped, scrapped, and recreated during its 9 years of development. It cost id Software around $90 million to make. DOOM is adored for its mind-numbingly fast action and gratuitous destruction.
Blow off some steam: demons aren’t exactly an endangered species. Go to town!
There’s too many of them: it’s a good thing your guns are huge and demons are vulnerable to bullets
16) Wolfenstein: The New Order
Wolfenstein: The New Order Gameplay (PC HD)
In an alternate history where the Nazis won, you play a veteran trying to stop Nazis from taking over the world. You and the rest of the Resistance must escape capture and destroy the Nazis once and for all. MachineGames sunk a lot of cash into the development of New Order - to be fair, they were continuing a beloved gaming legacy. New Order refuses to shrink under the shadows of its ancestors, and breathes new life into the dwindling singleplayer FPS genre.
Your move: classic singleplayer FPS action means there’s no timers, no grinding, and no leaderboards - you create your own momentum
This is your brain on Nazis: New Order is half political apocalypse and half hilarious mockfest, and it’s wonderfully bizarre
Top 5 AAA Horror Games
15) Outlast 2
Outlast 2 in 4K | RTX 3090 | Max Settings
Outlast 2 begins with you and your wife in a helicopter, which inexplicably crashes into a remote forest. You find yourself on the turf of a savage doomsday cult and have to rescue your wife before she’s used for their sinister purposes.
Outlast 2 cost Red Barrels five times as much as Outlast cost to develop; with Outlast’s development costs sitting at a humble one and a half million, that’s still almost nothing for such a definitive moment in horror.
Outlast 2 is truly terrifying, seamlessly implementing every scare in the book without sacrificing its disturbed story and stress-inducing gameplay.
Thou shalt not have free will: Outlast 2’s religious cult reflects a modern fear of brainwashing and loss of freedoms
Say cheese: Outlast’s signature night-vision camera mechanic returns, and it’s still creepy as hell
14) Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Resident Evil 7 - Highest PC Settings Gameplay
Ethan Winters rushes to the aid of his wife Mia, who’s been missing for three long years, when she sends him an email with an address. But the house she leads him to is full of dark secrets, and even Mia herself has something to hide.
Capcom’s RE7 only took a month to make its money back. It was a successful departure from the Resident Evil formula - with more focus on horror, close-quarters boss fights, and shocking plot twists, RE7 quickly went down in history as one of the best Resident Evil installments.
Welcome to the family: the Bakers are Biohazard’s unsettling, tragic antagonists
“Daddy’s coming”: RE7 handles photorealistic graphics with rare ease and grace, aiding in immersion
13) The Evil Within
The Evil Within Walkthrough Part 1 [1080p HD] The Evil Within Gameplay - No Commentary
Police detective Sebastian and his team get more than they bargained for when their murder investigation is interrupted. Trapped and separated in a nightmare world, the group can no longer trust their perception, or even each other. The Evil Within was developed by Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami, and was his comeback to the survival horror genre.
The game plays off of deep psychological fears, and you’re left distrusting of your own two hands.
The running dream: The Evil Within truly resembles a nightmare, with one of the first scenes forcing you to run away from a chainsaw maniac on a bad leg
Someone pinch me: The Evil Within is surprise after horrifying surprise, driving Ethan further into madness with every passing minute
12) Alien: Isolation
Alien: Isolation - PC Gameplay Max Settings
Based on the cult classic movies, Alien: Isolation follows Ellen Ripley’s daughter as she tries to understand her mother’s tragic disappearance. History repeats itself when a xenomorph terrorizes the courier she boards, and what should have been a pilgrimage to closure and acceptance becomes a fight for survival.
Creative Assembly built Isolation using the original Alien movie as a close guideline, and the game even features the original actors’ voices. Being hunted by a xenomorph in Isolation is harrowing, and I’ve been afraid to leave my bedroom after playing it more times than I’d like to admit.
Hide and seek: your motion tracker can tell when the alien is close, but only when it’s moving
How may I assist you: the Working Joes must have left their copy of the Laws of Robotics at home
11) Dead by Daylight
Dead by Daylight | Tomb Raider | Official Trailer
Thirty seven serial killers and their victims are trapped in an endless time loop by the Entity, who feeds off the victims’ hope. The game is a competitive multiplayer manhunt, with one person controlling the killer and the rest controlling the victims.
Dead by Daylight, developed by Behavior Digital, surpassed its development cost within one week of its release. It’s a unique premise that was well executed, and fans of classic horror films will fall in love with its grimy aesthetic and pervasive sense of dread.
Swan song: once the killer has sacrificed you, you still have a chance to escape, but you’ll have to fight the Entity for your life
Heeeere’s Johnny: survivors may be able to jump through windows and obstacles more quickly, but the killer will outrun them, and nothing is scarier than realizing he’s right behind you
Top 5 AAA Strategy Games
10) CiV 5
Civilization 5 gameplay - The Endless War HD
Civilization 5 allows the player to control the expansion and growth of a nation over the course of time. Multiple civilizations compete for resources, land, and wealth. Since the first Civilization game was released in 1991, the franchise has sold over 33 million copies, with at least 8 million of those Firaxis’s Civ 5 as of 2016.
The game is good world-conquering fun regardless of your history know-how.
Rolling pastures: how you use your territory is up to you - the problem is finding the right balance of resources before it’s too late to recover
We could have had it all: if history had gone just a little bit differently, everything could change - we could’ve had as much going for us as this guy does
9) XCOM 2
XCOM 2 PC Gameplay Max. Settings turn-based tactics
In a future where aliens have taken control of the planet, you lead the Earthling resistance. The Commander gained psionic abilities from his time as an alien tool, and uses it against the alien superpower.
XCOM 2, developed by Firaxis Games, makes intuitive use of classic turn-based elements to contain the playing field while still allowing you plenty of freedom. The perspective shifts to follow the action, to give your strategic decisions a feeling of real consequence.
Lights, camera, action: a simple shift in camera angle changes the tone of the game and puts you at the helm of every confrontation
Off the grid: XCOM 2 takes the rigidity out of turn-based combat with sleek GUIs and dynamic animations
8) Endless Space 2
32 minutes of Endless Space 2 Gameplay (including combat!)
Amplitude Studio’s Endless Space 2 starts you off with a small empire, which you expand by conquesting throughout the galaxy. You aren’t alone in the universe, though, and your interactions with other empires will determine the fate of your colony.
Besides the futuristic, stylish interfaces and dazzling constructions of deep space, the game is a furious dance of politics, strategy, and public relations. Cinematic combat between opposing space vessels would really complete this experience… oh wait, it’s got that too.
Set phasers to kill: satisfy the ensign in you with awesome space standoffs
The galaxy is your oyster: assimilate planets into your empire, and become an interstellar superpower
7) Total War: Arena
Total War: Arena - Open Beta Gameplay and Overview
Creative Assembly’s Total War: Arena is a multiplayer real-time strategy game. There are ten player-controlled commanders on a team, each leading a unit of soldiers, and the united army tries to defeat the other team. Arena prides itself on its accessibility, with its user-friendly mechanics and its being free-to-play.
Conspiring with your fellow commanders is a unique feeling of comradery, and it’s ultra satisfying when you and your teammates finally emerge victorious.
You and what army: strategize with your fellow commanders to turn the tide of the war
Here’s the plan: the unpredictable elements of war - human error, miscommunication, and ulterior motives - separate Arena from other strategy games
6) StarCraft 2
StarCraft 2 Gameplay Terran vs Protoss vs Zerg Skirmish 35min HD 1080p
Alien armies skirmish in Blizzard’s StarCraft 2, as players amass resources and build bases to overpower the enemy. The game was released in three parts, each focusing on one of StarCraft’s three original races. StarCraft 2’s map editor is a huge step up from StarCraft’s, and even supports modding.
The game kept what made its predecessor great, but moved past its limitations, making StarCraft 2 a stellar sequel.
All your base: the smash hit strategy game is back and better than ever
All the bells and whistles: StarCraft 2 adds updated graphics and shiny new mechanics
Top 5 AAA MMORPGs
5) World of Warcraft
The War Within Announce Cinematic | World of Warcraft
One of the most popular MMORPGs of all time, World of Warcraft sucks players into an intricate fantasy universe. Players choose their class and race, and from there the sky's the limit. Over just the first four years of the game’s operation, it cost Blizzard over $200 million to upkeep.
It’s earned its reputation as a pivotal moment in gaming - addictive gameplay, a cosmic amount of content and an active community keep players coming back 14 years after its initial release.
Mark your calendar: dozens of in-game events and holidays bring around special quests and legendary loot
Adventure awaits: Warcraft’s world is gigantic, and changing all the time
4) Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset
The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset Gameplay (PC HD)
A millennium before the events of Skyrim, an evil Daedric prince plans to merge our plane with his, and three mortal alliances pursue the imperial throne. You quest to recapture your soul, which has been sacrificed to the prince.
ZeniMax Online Studios delivers classic Elder Scrolls flavor alongside new monsters, a new overworld, and new mechanics, like the jewelry crafting system. Most exciting of all is the ability to team up with your friends, and be the unstoppable band of powerful adventurers you always knew you could be, without the need for a dungeon master.
High fantasies: explore Tamriel like it’s never been tread before, in a new land and a new era
Wrong neighborhood: in Summerset, the Elder Scrolls races are split into factions all racing for the throne
3) Final Fantasy XIV
FINAL FANTASY XIV: DAWNTRAIL Full Trailer
The world of Hydaelyn is in its seventh Umbral Era, a time of conflict and fear. Called to your destiny by the mysterious Echo, you join a secret order fighting to free the world from the cruel whims of the ongoing Garlean invasion.
After a less-than-ideal release, Square Enix made major modifications to XIV, and it’s now one of the most-subscribed RPGs, right up there with WoW. The overworld is gorgeous, and the lore runs as deep and as rich as the Final Fantasy series has always promised.
A new chapter: Final Fantasy is the king of complex fantasy stories, and XIV is a reason for theorists to break out the pushpins and string
Teamwork makes the dream work: take on your quest with friends new and old by your side
2) Guild Wars 2
Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds Launch Trailer
The reunification of Destiny’s Edge, a diverse adventuring guild, is exactly the morale boost Tyria needs if it hopes to destroy the undead Elder Dragon. It’s up to you to convince the world’s races to stand against this threat together.
Developed by ArenaNet, Guild Wars 2 finds its niche in its expansive PvP, featuring over a dozen different gamemodes. Among others, there’s a competitive conquest mode where you defend a castle keep, and a free-for-all mode where players are buffed out and let loose to wreak havoc.
Change of scenery: with dozens of unique zones to explore, you’ll find somewhere you belong
Plated armor, never worn: over 60 armor sets can be crafted, sold and mixed-and-matched to build your perfect warrior
1) Black Desert Online
Black Desert Online PC Gameplay Ultra Settings (High End Mode)
Black Desert Online is an MMORPG with an emphasis on active, dynamic combat. The story revolves around two nations competing for the right to mine the valuable Black Desert. Pearl Abyss is still developing the game, but even in its pre-release state, it boasts dizzying, eyecandy gameplay and an exhaustive character creation system.
Where many RPG settings can feel stiff, Black Desert Online teems with clever worldbuilding and imagination.
Imaginary friend: a mysterious spirit guides you through Black Desert’s questline, sporting an uncannily cheery and somehow untrustworthy disposition
The sword is mightier: spells and weapons have stunning visual effects, and using them makes you feel like an artist
