Top 30 Greatest Games of All Time

Some games, like old friends, stay with us for years: their music becomes etched in our memory, and moments of triumph or defeat still give us chills. Others are like bright flashes that shook the industry and set new standards.

But how to choose the "best"? After all, for some, the perfect game is a nostalgic childhood quest, while for others, it’s a multiplayer masterpiece that brought together thousands of people. We’ve gathered the best games of all time, their status confirmed by the most authoritative ratings.

We also recommend checking out our selections of games by other genres:

Half-Life 2

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Half-Life 2 is a legendary first-person shooter released in 2004 by Valve. You play as Gordon Freeman, a silent scientist who finds himself in a world occupied by an alien empire. You’ll have to do more than just shoot — you’ll need to solve puzzles, interact with the environment, and, of course, use the legendary gravity gun.

The story pulls you in from the very first moments, and the atmosphere of a world where humanity is fighting for survival feels so real that sometimes you forget it’s just pixels on the screen. The game’s physics were so advanced for its time that they still hold up today. And the enemies? They don’t just run at you; they think, try to flank you, and catch you off guard.

Portal 2

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Portal 2 is a real treat for the mind and sense of humor. You’ll laugh at the sarcastic comments of GLaDOS, the sinister AI that constantly mocks you. You’ll also meet Wheatley — a robot who manages to be both cute and incredibly annoying. Their dialogues and interactions are a joy that will stick with you for a long time.

With each level, the puzzles get more complex, and new mechanics are introduced — such as gels that change the properties of surfaces, or light bridges that add a twist to the puzzles. Don’t forget about the multiplayer, which was introduced in the second part.

Diablo II

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If you’ve ever heard of Diablo II, you probably know it’s not just a game, but an entire era. Released in 2000 by Blizzard, it instantly became a hit and is still considered the benchmark in the ARPG genre. A dark, gothic world, where every corner is filled with ominous secrets. You choose a hero and embark on a journey full of dangers. Your task is to fight monsters, collect loot, and grow stronger.

And trust me, it’s addictive. Every new sword, every skill upgrade is a small victory that makes you say, “Just five more minutes, then I’ll stop!” Even after all these years, Diablo II remains relevant. It gets re-released, mods are created, and fans keep coming back. Because it’s not just a game — it’s a story that united millions of players worldwide.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an entire universe you’ll want to dive into headfirst. You play as Geralt of Rivia, a cool monster hunter who knows how to wield a sword and magic. The game world is vast and meticulously detailed. Every quest is more than just “go here, kill that”; it’s a full story with interesting characters and unexpected twists.

And there are plenty of moral dilemmas that will make you scratch your head: what’s right, and what’s wrong? It’s no wonder that The Witcher 3 became a cult classic. It’s praised for its deep story, well-crafted characters, and an atmosphere that pulls you in from the very first minutes. Critics and players alike have called it a masterpiece, and it’s won so many awards, you couldn’t list them all.

Sid Meier's Civilization V

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It’s no surprise that Civilization V remains one of the most popular strategy games, one that players keep coming back to again and again. It lets you become the ruler of a civilization and lead it through the ages: from stone axes to spaceships. It’s like real life — you build cities, advance science, culture, and economy, and of course, decide how to interact with your neighbors — make friends, trade, or go straight to war.

Each playthrough is a new story that unfolds on a randomly generated map. You can choose different civilizations, try new strategies, and every time it will be a completely unique experience. Expansions like "Gods & Kings" and "Brave New World" added even more depth, with new mechanics like religions, espionage, and international trade — so much content that you could easily lose hundreds of hours.

Fallout 3

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Remember 2008? That’s when Bethesda released the definitive Action/RPG with an open world that still holds up today. You are a resident of Vault 101 who ventures out of the underground bunker for the first time. And there, you’ll find… the ruins of Washington, mutants, bandits, and complete freedom of choice. You can save the world, or you can engage in looting.

But the key here is the atmosphere. The retro hits on the radio, the rusted ruins that tell their stories without words, and that constant smell of radiation coming through your monitor. Fallout 3 didn’t just become a cult classic — it’s like an old friend you want to return to, even when you know all its secrets.

BioShock

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At first glance, BioShock might seem like just another action shooter, but the game goes much deeper. You feel as if you've plunged into the 1960s — but through a distorted mirror: jazz plays from seashell-shaped speakers, advertising posters whisper about "great ideals", and something wheezes from the darkness... something unknown.

Every door, every inscription on the wall isn't just background decor — they whisper a dark and mysterious story. No wonder people still debate BioShock on forums — much like Twin Peaks, its imagery leaves an indelible mark.

Red Dead Redemption 2

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In Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar Games went all out. You don't just play as Arthur Morgan, a hardened outlaw from the Van der Linde gang — you breathe the dust of the prairies and feel the era of cowboys slowly dying before your eyes. This isn't about saving the world — it's about surviving while clinging to the last shreds of humanity in a chaotic world.

The massive, living world lets you forget the plot entirely for half an hour and simply exist — that's what players love about RDR. Every action is like a stone tossed into water: will you become a noble gunslinger or a notorious villain? The world won't forget.

Dark Souls 2

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If you've ever dreamed of being a hero who constantly loses but keeps charging into battle — Dark Souls II was made for you. Released in 2014, fans still argue: is it a brilliant torture device for masochists or a masterpiece that redefined game difficulty?

Difficulty here isn't just a feature — it's part of the philosophy. You'll wander through Drangleic — a beautiful yet merciless kingdom where everyone wants to send you to the afterlife. The souls of fallen enemies become your currency: level up, buy potions... or lose everything on your next death. The choice is yours!

Doom Eternal

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Run forward, shred monsters to dust, cling to walls, jump, shoot, explode... and repeat. There's no time to breathe here — only adrenaline, cracking bones, and a massive arsenal of guns. This is DOOM.

The game doesn't try to be a deep drama or a survival simulator — nor does it need to. It throws players into the middle of carnage with hellish creatures. No tedious cutscenes — just you, demons, and brilliantly designed gameplay that makes your heart race.

Baldur's Gate 3

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Baldur’s Gate 3 is that kind of RPG where you create your character from scratch, gather a party of equally strange (and dangerous) companions, and then... well, you know: epic dragons, magic, intrigue, and endless dialogue that makes your head spin.

It's not about killing 10 rats — it's a real role-playing quest where every decision — from a failed joke to betrayal — changes the story. Yes, even if you decide to burn down an entire forest, the game won't stop you. The consequences? Well, that's your problem. No wonder both players and critics love it — there are no "right" answers, only the feeling that you're truly shaping the story.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

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Skyrim became a legend for a reason — it always has another story to tell. Even if you've explored every inch, there's always one more hidden corner buried beneath a snowstorm.

It's an incredible adventure where you decide when it ends. No one will force you down the main plotline. Climb mountains, dive into dungeons, fight dragons — Skyrim is yours, and only you make the rules.

Mass Effect 2

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Ask any Mass Effect fan, and they'll start reminiscing about forgetting to upgrade the ship or crying over someone's death. This isn't just an RPG from BioWare — it's your personal saga of friendship, betrayal, and the ever-surprising cosmos.

Thrilling shootouts, dialogues that determine the fate of entire planets, and tough choices — risk your life for a distant colony or spark a romance with an alien? Why not both?

Grand Theft Auto V

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Let's be honest — who hasn't caused mayhem in virtual Los Santos just because they could? That's the magic — GTA V doesn't box you in. Follow the plot like a movie star, or ditch it entirely.

Fly over the city with a jetpack, race against cops, or mow down pedestrians while stealing a car — freedom is the franchise's trump card.

Resident Evil 4

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You know how sometimes a game bursts into the industry, breaks all the molds, and then for the next twenty years everyone references it? Well, RE4 is one of those. It was released in 2005, and even now, it feels like the developers invented something incredible: they took the good old survival horror, stripped away everything that was slowing it down, and added much more dynamism.

It has the eerie creak of narrow corridors, the adrenaline from shootouts in destructible environments, and bosses that stick in your memory forever. The game never lets you catch your breath — after one shootout, you're immediately thrown into a puzzle or a cinematic cutscene.

Disco Elysium

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Disco Elysium isn't about victories. It's about falling, getting back up, and asking questions — even those the developers themselves don't know the answers to. If you're ready for a game where you can lose... simply by choosing the wrong dialogue option — welcome to Revachol.

Imagine someone mixed a noir detective story, a philosophical treatise, and a psychedelic art project. Every frame is like a painting that reveals something new depending on the angle. The protagonist is a detective who must solve a murder — but first, he needs to find the strength to look at himself in the mirror.

RimWorld

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RimWorld never lets you relax. You can't simply build a base — you'll be putting out fires, treating infected wounds, and deciding who gets the last potato today. And yes, sometimes you'll have to choose between morality and survival.

It's a story generator where you're either laughing at absurd situations or scratching your head trying to explain to your colonists why eating a dead rat is a bad idea. That's why you can play it for years — every time you discover a new way to mess everything up. Or almost everything.

Dwarf Fortress

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Without Dwarf Fortress, there would be no Minecraft or RimWorld — it's the grandfather of all sandbox games. Its source code is even part of the collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The game first appeared in 2006, but to say it looked outdated would be an understatement. It didn't even look like a game at first glance. That's why in 2022, a remake was released, finally improving what Dwarf Fortress had always lacked.

The game doesn't just generate maps — it creates entire worlds with history, myths, and even religions. Every stone breathes legends, and your fortress can become part of this epic. There's no goal to "win" — your task is to survive, build, and watch as dwarves heroically battle trolls or throw tantrums over missing socks.

World of Warcraft

Image: worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com

What can you do in WoW? Pretty much anything! Explore beautiful and dangerous locations, complete quests that can make you laugh or cry, fight monsters or other players if you enjoy PvP, and form teams with friends or random adventurers to conquer dungeons or take part in epic raids.

Why did WoW become such a cult phenomenon? First, the world itself — it lives and evolves. Blizzard constantly adds new lands, stories, classes, and even races. Second, the community. Whether you're a hardcore raider or just an admirer of beautiful landscapes, you'll find like-minded players here. And, of course, the story — Azeroth's lore isn't just a backdrop, but a full-fledged saga filled with drama, humor, and unexpected twists.

StarCraft

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Released by Blizzard Entertainment in 1998, StarCraft became the gold standard for all real-time strategy games. Remember those times when games didn't rely on graphics but made you think, plan, and nervously click the mouse? That's StarCraft.

The premise is simple: build a base, gather resources, create an army, and outmaneuver your opponent. But the trick is finding the perfect balance between saving resources and not letting your enemy wipe you out. It's like chess — but with spaceships and alien swarms.

StarCraft became more than just a game — it was a cultural phenomenon, especially in South Korea, where it turned into a national esport. Picture stadiums full of fans, professional players earning millions, and televised matches. Yes, that's StarCraft.

Minecraft

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Imagine a vast world made entirely of cubes. Yes, cubes! You can build anything — from a cozy house to a massive castle or even an entire city. If you're in the mood for adventure, you can mine resources and fight monsters. Or if you'd rather relax, Creative Mode lets you build without limits.

Why is Minecraft so popular? Simple — there are no rules. You decide how to play. Build, explore, or survive — the freedom is yours. Plus, the community constantly creates tons of mods, adding new mechanics, items, and entire worlds.

Spore

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Spore is an experiment that succeeded — with a few caveats. What makes Spore so special? Its editors. You can create a creature that looks like a mix between a cat, a dinosaur, and a vacuum cleaner — and it will still work! You can even design spaceships that look like they were built from old kettles and microwaves.

The game constantly surprises you — every step influences the world around you, and thanks to the variety of creatures, every playthrough feels unique. Spore inspired millions of players to create and proved that games can be not just entertainment, but entire universes where you're the director. Sure, some stages feel too simple, but few dared to attempt a project of this scale.

Warcraft III

Image: warcraft3.blizzard.com

Warcraft III came out in 2002, yet many still remember it fondly. Why? Because it didn't just let you build bases and send armies into battle — it introduced something new to the genre: heroes. Yes, the kind you could level up, equip, and use their unique abilities.

Four races — Alliance, Horde, Undead, and Night Elves — each with their own style and tactics. The game encouraged experimentation and adaptation. The story? That's a whole other saga. Arthas, Illidan, Sylvanas — their names still echo through the gaming world.

The map editor became a creative playground that birthed Dota — which later grew into the entire MOBA genre.

League of Legends

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League of Legends is an incredibly popular game worldwide, one of the two MOBA titans that has been setting the standards of the genre for over 10 years. Unlike its main competitor, Dota 2, League of Legends created its characters and universe from scratch. Developers from Riot Games have been working on their project for many years, constantly adding new details and mechanics. And that's only about the original game!

Let's not forget that the legendary Arcane, which once revolutionized the animation industry, is based on League of Legends. Unfortunately, the last two years haven't been great for the game: declining skin quality, mass layoffs, studio closures, and the removal of free content... But loyal fans still hope for the rebirth of the legend.

Undertale

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Undertale is the game that took the world by storm in 2015 and made everyone talk about it. You play as an ordinary child who accidentally falls into an underground world full of monsters — and only you decide how to interact with them. Your choices genuinely affect everything that happens next.

Undertale became a true phenomenon for a reason. It has a deep, emotional story, memorable characters, and mechanics that break the mold. It makes you question: is violence always the solution? And of course, the soundtrack composed by Toby Fox is so captivating that you'll want to listen to it even outside the game.

Inscryption

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You find yourself in a dark cabin, where a mysterious Leshy awaits you at the table. He offers to play his version of a card roguelike — but the rules here are... unconventional. To win, you'll have to sacrifice weak cards to summon stronger ones. But the most intriguing part begins when you realize you can get up from the table and explore the cabin.

It's not just about cards — the place is filled with puzzles, secrets, and strange artifacts. The game constantly surprises you: changing styles, breaking the fourth wall, and making you question everything happening. At some point, the rabbit hole of Inscryption goes deeper than it seems — including battles involving your PC files, World War II secrets, and the mysterious OLD_DATA that no one wants to talk about.

This War of Mine

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In This War of Mine, you're not a superhero, a special forces soldier, or even a tough guy with a gun. You're an ordinary person trapped in a city slowly crumbling under the weight of war. By day, you search the ruins for anything useful, repair a leaky roof, cook food, and try to keep your companions from breaking down mentally. By night, you send one of them out to scavenge for supplies — and that's when the real challenge begins.

Sneaking through dark streets, avoiding armed looters, deciding whether to help a stranger or walk past to save your own... Sometimes, you'll have to make chilling decisions — rob the elderly to keep your group from starving or risk finding another way out.

Hearthstone

Image: hearthstone.blizzard.com

Hearthstone isn't the most complex or the first successful collectible card game — but it's the one that made card battles both engaging and accessible to a mass audience. Even a newcomer can grasp the basics quickly, and thanks to the Warcraft universe on which the game is based, millions of players worldwide joined the fray.

The visual design and music deserve special mention. There's definitely some magic hidden in them — and the wooden box with runes aesthetic played a big role in Hearthstone's popularity.

Stardew Valley

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Sometimes the simplest things — like growing carrots or befriending a neighbor — can bring immense joy. You inherit an old, abandoned farm, opening up a whole world of possibilities. You can grow crops, raise chickens and cows, or explore the mines filled with monsters and treasure if you're in the mood for adventure. The game doesn't restrict you — you decide how to spend your day, making it truly special.

The most surprising fact? Stardew Valley was created by one person — Eric Barone. The pixel art, cozy music, subtle humor, and countless small details create an atmosphere you'll want to return to again and again.

The Beginner's Guide

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The Beginner's Guide isn't just a game — it's more of an art piece that makes you pause and reflect. You dive into a series of mini-games created by a fictional developer named Coda, guided by a narrator. There are no complex mechanics, bosses, or puzzles — only you, the atmosphere, and thoughts that strike a nerve.

Instead of chasing graphics or action, the game invites you to reflect on creativity, burnout, and what lies behind our actions. To fully appreciate it, we recommend playing the developer's other game — The Stanley Parable.

The greatest games of all time aren't just masterpieces of their genres — they're living stories that unite generations. The list may change over time, but each of these works has already carved its name into the history of the industry — and perhaps into your heart.

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