Exclusivity in the video game industry is a thing of the past. All great titles eventually get their well-deserved PC ports. More often than not, multiplatform games that were previously PlayStation and Xbox exclusives perform better on PC. Although building up a PC is expensive, it nonetheless livens up the gaming experience in terms of visuals and performance, which consoles fail to deliver on a few occasions.
Through this feature, we’ll walk you through some of the greatest video games produced over the last decade that eventually got their well-deserved PC ports.
Disclaimer: The games listed below reflect the writer’s choices.
Looking for Crossword hints & solutions? Check out latest NYT Mini Crossword Answers, LA Times Crossword Answers, and USA Today Crossword Answers
10 greatest PC ports of the last decade
1) Death Stranding
From the makers of Metal Gear Solid, Death Stranding remains one of the gloomiest and eeriest titles, coupled with some unconventional gameplay mechanics, in Play Station’s history. After years of speculation, the title finally received its PC port in 2020.
Death Stranding’s PC version performs much faster and better than its PlayStation counterpart. This boost in performance immerses you more into the desolate world represented in Death Stranding. Moreover, the mouse and keyboard controls are better suited for the game than the console's controller settings.
2) God of War
Released in 2018, God of War became one of the PlayStation 4’s most-played titles. Many consider it one of the best narrative-driven video games ever produced, especially with regard to its world design. For many years, the title was a PlayStation exclusive, but it finally made its way to PC in 2022.
The PC release of God of War has expanded features that its PlayStation counterpart doesn’t have. This includes 4K visuals at a higher frame rate. The gaming community and critics alike loved God of War’s PC port when it came out.
3) Persona 5 Royal
The original Persona 5 Royal remains locked to the PlayStation 4. However, Persona Royal 5’s reboot remained a PlayStation exclusive for only one year. The title got its PC port in late 2022. Simultaneously, it was also made available on Xbox and Switch.
Rightly so as Persona Royal 5 remains one of the best RPGs ever created regardless of the platform you play. The title strikes a perfect balance between story progression, gameplay, and character development. The title’s PC port has certainly broadened the audience base who can enjoy it.
4) Metal Gear Solid 5
Many gamers often cite mods as one of the most significant advantages of PC gaming over consoles, and few titles demonstrate this fact better than Metal Gear Solid 5. Through esthetic enhancements, adding world population, adding new game mechanics, and addressing missing elements, MGS5 mods have truly transformed this iconic stealth game into the monster that it truly deserved to be when the title was first launched.
Additionally, the overall enhancements in visuals, better framerate, and graphical customization options further elevate the quality of Metal Gear Solid 5’s PC port.
5) The Uncharted Legacy of Thieves
For many years, The Uncharted games were one of the PlayStation’s most prized action-adventure franchises. The Action RPG series known for its narrative-heavy action-driven combat gave fans many heart-pounding experiences for well over a decade.
Although most of the titles in the Uncharted series are locked to the PlayStation, The Uncharted Legacy of Thieves featuring two titles, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, was brought to PC back in 2022. These two titles were some of the most popular games of the franchise, and as such, got their well-deserved PC Ports.
6) GTA 5
It’s hard to believe now, but back in the day when GTA 5 first came out, the title wasn’t on PC. Initially, GTA 5 was only available on PS3 and Xbox 360. And since this is the list of the greatest ever PC ports of the last decade, we simply cannot miss out on GTA 5.
To be honest, Rockstar Games did a fantastic job with the overall storyline of GTA 5, which rivals that of San Andreas and Vice City. Although Michael, Trevor, and Franklin (the three playable characters) didn’t go through even half of what CJ did in San Andreas, the character progression and storyline were put together well. Also, some of the heists are memorable and worth playing again and again.
Furthermore, GTA 5 on PC will give you better visuals, improved performance, and a never-ending list of mods to try out.
7) Red Dead Redemption 2
Rockstar Games’ list of successful PC ports doesn’t end with GTA 5. Red Dead Redemption 2 is arguably one of the best open-world RPGs, and the title’s PC port is truly a gorgeous game to try. However, this port had a shaky start in the beginning. This included a long list of problems from frequent crashes, random freezes, and innumerable bugs.
At its current state, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an excellent open-world RPG to try out on PC in 2024. The title has received ongoing support and comes up with optimization updates, making it a captivating experience for gamers looking to immerse themselves in the vast and unpredictable world of the American Wild West.
8) Dark Souls 3
Dark Souls 3 is one of FromSoftware’s finest works to date. Performance is a key factor in any souls-like game and the title’s PC port gives a buttery smooth performance. So much so that the PC version of Dark Souls 3 is inherently a better experience.
While playing on a keyboard and mouse versus playing on a controller may be subjective, Dark Souls 3 on a keyboard and mouse is so much more enjoyable in many ways. This goes right from performance adjustments to selecting the controls that suit your fingers the best.
9) Forza Horizon 4
Forza Horizon 4 is arguably one of the best racing games ever made. However, the title was initially an Xbox One exclusive. Forza Horizon 4 finally received its PC port in 2021, which made an already legendary racing game even better. On ultra-settings, this is a visual masterpiece.
Playing as a racer in Forza Horizon 4 on a high-performance PC can be a visually transformative experience. Additionally, you get a vast range of visual and all-round performance optimization settings to make the game world and driving feel more realistic.
10) Doom Eternal
Released in 2016, Doom Eternal is a great entry in the critically acclaimed franchise. After a long wait of four years, Doom Eternal finally received its highly-anticipated PC port in 2020. The title offers players a fast-paced and adrenaline-pumping first-person shooter experience on a PC.
With stunning visuals, intense combat, and metal soundtracks that fuel the action, Doom Eternal’s PC port delivers the ultimate demon-slaying adventure.
This concludes our list of the best PC ports of the last decade. Follow Sportskeeda’s Esports and Gaming section for similar content and to be updated with the latest news.
Are you stuck on today's Wordle? Our Wordle Solver will help you find the answer.