We’ve compiled a list of the best PC games to play with a controller in 2022, including those that work with Xbox and PlayStation controllers.
Make sure to leave a comment if you have any additional suggestions for controller-friendly PC games!
Forza Horizon 5
For arcade racing games like Forza Horizon 5, a regular controller works just fine even though a racing wheel is the ideal choice for an immersive driving simulation.
It’s far easier to operate the cars in these games using a joystick than with a keyboard and mouse, and the control scheme is more logical.
You can test this idea in Forza Horizon 5 because it’s a really relaxed and open-world game that lets you explore at your own speed.
A vast range of racing events, vehicles that may be unlocked, and stunning scenery based on real-world Mexican locales are all part of the package.
Psychonauts 2
Playing with a controller makes it easier for players to perform precise jumps, assaults, and movements in 3D platformer Psychonauts 2.
You’ll need to respond swiftly to your opponents’ attacks and switch between different Psi-powers via an in-game menu wheel in order to survive so far.
In spite of the fact that this can be done with a mouse and keyboard, it becomes clear that the game was supposed to be played with a gamepad after just a few minutes of playing Psychonauts 2.
Raz’s powers may now be utilized to their fullest, and the game’s world can be explored more swiftly, allowing you to gather new things and memories to forward the plot.
Shredders
The indie snowboarding sim Shredders, due out in March 2022 on Xbox and PC, is an exception to the rule that most sports games require the use of a controller.
Since keyboard and mouse are not supported, the game provides a notice noting that a controller is required to play.
As an up-and-coming snowboarder trying to break onto the scene, you’ll be taking part in the year’s most prestigious competition.
Free-roaming and online multiplayer modes let you and your pals practice tricks while carving up mountains outside of Shredders’ story mode.
Unsighted
Since console Metroidvanias were the first of their kind, it stands to reason that the vast majority of them benefit from the use of a standard controller.
Unsighted, a top-down indie action RPG in which you play as a cyber-enhanced automaton in a dystopian world overrun by machines, is one of our faves.
A rich array of weaponry, precise platforming, and hard boss encounters are only some of the features of the game.
If nothing else, Unsighted is worth your time if only for the beautiful pixel graphics and harsh sci-fi imagery that accompany it.
Horizon Zero Dawn
Despite its shaky start, the PC version of Horizon Zero Dawn now plays much better thanks to a spate of fixes that fix the game’s technical issues.
Even so, the game’s essential architecture remains the same, encouraging you to use a controller in the way it was designed to be played on the PlayStation 4.
As a hunter in this post-apocalyptic world, you must balance the needs of both people and machines.
As the game progresses, players will be able to equip Aloy with more powerful weapons, gadgets, and tools to aid her in her quests and make friends with the robots.
Monster Hunter Series
As a console action RPG, Monster Hunter has always been better played with a controller, however there are some advantages to utilizing a computer mouse and keyboard.
You’ll be able to easily traverse the game’s numerous menus, and ranged weaponry like the light and heavy bowguns will now be more accurate.
However, if you’re going to be using any melee weapons, a controller is recommended because it makes it easier to perform combos and deal consistent damage.
Monster Hunter World and Monster Hunter Rise are the most recent entries in the series, both of which are playable on PC.
Cuphead
Taking inspiration from the hard-core run-and-gun games of the 1980s, Cuphead is an excruciatingly challenging 2D platformer with expressive hand-drawn artwork.
There are some very difficult boss battles in this game, which necessitate quick reactions and great attention to the attack animations of your foes.
In addition, the timing for attacks, jumps, and parries may be extremely difficult to master using a mouse and keyboard, therefore it’s preferable to play with a gamepad.
There are various attack phases that increase in complexity and chaos for each monster, so players may expect it to take several attempts to take down each one.
Assassin’s Creed Series
Aside from its platform release dates, the Assassin’s Creed series has been available on PC since 2008.
Even while Assassin’s Creed may be played with a keyboard and mouse, there is no advantage to doing so over using a controller.
These games’ stealth and mobility algorithms don’t necessitate the precision of a gaming mouse, which is why they don’t require one.
Most of the older games’ tasks consisted of just tracking down targets, listening in on conversations, scaling walls, and concealing corpses.
Hades
Although it may be played with a keyboard and mouse, Hades is a narrative-driven roguelike that’s best played with a controller.
If you choose not to use auto-aiming for your ranged weapons in Hades, using a mouse and keyboard is the best way to get the most out of them.
A standard gamepad makes combat and traversal feel more fluid and responsive and is the ideal way to play the game.
During the later stages of the game, the enemies are much more aggressive and require you to constantly dodge and maneuver to keep Zagreus alive. This ability comes in helpful.
Dead Cells
Incorporating Metroidvania exploration, rogue-lite progression, and fighting inspired by Dark Souls, Dead Cells is an excellent choice for PC gamers using a gamepad.
Pixel art settings are loaded with aggressive foes, lethal traps, and secret passageways in this game.
Each time you die, you return to where you started, but with a few more resources and insight to help you continue on your journey.
With the game’s two-dimensional architecture, you’ll be able to more quickly avoid and capitalize on opposing strikes with a controller.
Batman: Arkham Series
There are four games in the Batman: Arkham series, all of which may be played with a controller and are third-person action/stealth games.
Combat and exploration are made much easier using the controller thanks to the auto-targeting mechanics.
A free-flowing fighting system allows controller gamers to unleash spectacular combinations employing Batman’s punch, kick, and devastating gadgets during combat in Arkham Asylum.
You can’t achieve this with the mouse and keyboard, especially if you want to look like a cool superhero in the midst of combat.
Elden Ring
With Elden Ring, developer FromSoftware continues their tradition of providing full keyboard and mouse compatibility.
The game’s challenging nature makes it easier to play with a controller because you can predict and dodge oncoming attacks more quickly than on the keyboard.
Easy-to-reach controls make sense when you consider the fact that a character’s health and mana meters must be restored with potions at the drop of a hat.
Several Elden Ring mods are available for PC, which enhance the controller experience through UI improvements.
Dark Souls Series
It’s important to note that Elden Ring isn’t the only Souls-like game that works with controllers and virtually every other gaming accessory known to man.
The vast majority of players will choose to play Dark Souls with a standard controller rather than a mouse and keyboard, however there are a few exceptions.
You can quickly reach your character’s weapons, attack, and dodge buttons by using a controller, which is more comfortable to wield during stressful boss encounters.
This does not make the gameplay any easier, but rather gives the player with a few conveniences that make for a better overall experience..
Deep Rock Galactic
For the purpose of simplicity, we prefer to play Deep Rock Galactic with a gamepad rather than a mouse and keyboard.
Ghost Ship Games, the game’s creator, has worked hard to make the game’s user interface and controls more friendly to people who like to play with a gamepad.
Using a regular mouse and keyboard will not put you at a disadvantage versus other players, as this is solely a PvE title.
In it, teams of up to four players search for rich minerals and ores in complicated cave networks while combating waves of alien bugs using class-based weapons and equipment.
A Hat In Time
A Hat in Time, a critically regarded indie 3D platformer, is the next game on our list, drawing inspiration from classics like Banjo Kazooie and Super Mario 64.
A Hat in Time is supposed to be played with a controller, but it also recognizes mouse and keyboard inputs, just like the titles it is mimicking.
Throughout the game, we follow a young pilot as she sets out to collect magical hourglasses in order to fuel her ship.
The gameplay is centered around using the controller to manipulate items and make accurate platforming techniques.
It Takes Two
It Takes Two is a third-person action platformer in which two players take control of a married couple who are having marital problems.
Both of them must quickly put their differences aside in order to return to their regular human shape after being magically converted into dolls by the young girl.
There are numerous difficulties to overcome over several stages, including platforming challenges, environmental riddles, and even bossfighting.
There are some character actions that are difficult to do using the mouse and keyboard in It Takes Two.
Tomb Raider Series
The PC lineage of Tomb Raider goes all the way back to the relaunched trilogy that culminated in Shadow of the Tomb Raider in the mid-nineties.
It’s impossible to deny that using a controller instead of a mouse and keyboard is preferable when playing Tomb Raider.
Tomb Raider is a controller-centric game from start to finish, allowing players to do everything from walk, swim, and climb to fire weapons and hide behind cover.
In order to make this point clear to the player, each of Lara’s weapons is assigned to a distinct orientation on the D-pad by the game.
Rocket League
Rocket League, a soccer-with-cars sports game developed by Psyonix, is our final recommendation for PC games that can be played with a controller.
The majority of gamers choose to play using a gamepad, even though the game has always supported mouse and keyboard.
To some extent, this may be traced back to Rocket League’s early release on the PlayStation platform.
With better control over aerial maneuvers and full 360-degree rotations, using a controller makes more sense.
Overwatch
When it comes to gameplay, Overwatch has an incredible cast of characters and abilities that almost perfectly juggle between being a quick-fix adrenaline rush after a long day at work and a thoughtful, strategic multiplayer experience that becomes the center of evening-long binges with your friends. Even though the number of maps and modes available isn’t huge, it’s always expanding to accommodate new seasonal events, and what’s already there offers a virtually limitless number of exciting chances for cooperative play.
With Blizzard’s customary polish and dedication to community, Overwatch is sure to be a staple in our gaming libraries for years to come.
Activision Blizzard is presently working on eight titles, including Overwatch 2.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
When you play The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the fantasy world is yours to explore at your leisure. To make up for what its main plot goal lacks in complexity, the game encourages players to travel wherever and do anything they want. You can set forth in any direction to discover a large kingdom populated with people, warring factions, and hazardous creatures ranging from wild dogs to towering giants and full-fledged dragons.
As you progress through the game and level up, you’ll encounter amazing sidequests that let you become a vampire or werewolf, join the fabled Dark Brotherhood, and so much more. The PC version has an almost unequaled variety of transformative mods at your disposal.
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI
Any of Sid Meier’s classic Civilization games are worth playing, but with the addition of the Gathering Storm expansion, Civilization VI has risen to the top of the list. From nomadic tribespeople to a massive near-future empire, Civ VI lets you direct your people’s journey with narration from the everlasting Sean Bean himself, like all five previous incarnations.
Cities are built in a unique way in this game, with significant structures like districts and Wonders erected on their own tiles, while climate change rules introduce new long-term environmental issues and threats that manifest in the later stages of the game. Although they are still far from perfect, the AI leaders of this latest game are some of the best in the franchise so far.
Diablo 3
Diablo 3 is an amazing action-RPG that has changed over time, not just because of its controversial debut. After a rocky start (including a real-money auction house that was eventually destroyed), Blizzard was able to turn Diablo III into an amazing and endlessly replayable co-op game about battling demons together.
After releasing its Reaper of Souls expansion in 2014, it became a game where the candy is shaped like a blade and the piatas are alive. Diablo 3 is still beautiful to look at, full of interesting choices and class synergies, and built to keep you engaged long after the credits have rolled out.
As of now, the next mainstream Diablo game, Diablo 4, won’t be out until at least 2023. However, Diablo: Immortal, a free-to-play PC and mobile game, is now available.
Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight is a top-notch modern Metroidvania. If you’re looking for something that’s both gorgeous and expansive, this is the one for you! This is a cruel world to enter, and Hollow Knight doesn’t do much to ease you in. As a result, many people give up on it early on, but once it does, it is impossible to put down.
You can choose from a variety of routes across the game’s huge tunnels, but no matter which direction you go, there are exciting boss battles and useful power-ups to help you get stronger. Even though it was already a blockbuster game when it was released in early 2017, Hollow Knight has only grown in popularity since then. The game’s creators, Team Cherry, have published numerous free updates that have included new regions and tougher bosses. However, whether you’re merely looking for the credits, the genuine ending, or something else else, Hallownest is a fascinating place to discover.
Hollow Knight: Silksong, a sequel for PC and Nintendo Switch, is currently under development.
Fallout: New Vegas
Fallout: New Vegas, with its Old West-inspired approach to the post-nuclear wasteland, game-changing decisions, and various methods to finish its tasks, established itself as not only the best Fallout game, but one of the best RPGs ever developed. There is more dark comedy and unique personalities in Obsidian, as well as interesting stat-dependent dialogue options that make each playing feel personalized to your character’s strengths and shortcomings.
Even more powerful than your climb to power is that you are an anonymous courier who has no name and is now in charge of an entire region. This gives you a true sensation of authority and power.
It will be released on October 19th, 2010 by Obsidian Entertainment and is currently ranked as New!
Doom (2016)
There was a time when the Doom series appeared to be on its way out. A legend buried in a grave. A 12-year gap elapsed between the original id Software team’s final Doom, Doom 3, and the Doom reboot in 2016. To their credit, Doom’s newest generation of id software engineers managed to modernize the original’s enjoyable gameplay while staying true to the spirit of the original.
This is the new Doom, and it’s all about fast-and-furious action and brutal monster hordes. Play this first, then move on to Doom Eternal, which takes the formula in new directions that are both clever and entertaining.
Into the Breach
A puzzle game disguised as turn-based strategy is Into the Breach. When faced with overwhelming odds and few options, each mission appears to be an insurmountable challenge. There is one wrinkle in the game that provides you an advantage over your foes, and it’s that every assault and other effect they will unleash on their next turn may be seen by you. You must solve a new puzzle every time you take a turn, making the most of the few actions you have. Sure, you could go in for the kill straight away… The alternative is to knock one enemy into the path of another’s assault, blocking damage from the second and killing it in one hit. This is possible.
A broad diversity of unit types, each with a distinct and demanding manner to maximize their potential, ensures practically unlimited replayability in this tactical strategy game.
In our top 10 list of the best roguelikes, we included Into the Breach.
Prey (2017)
When you encounter even the most mundane of inanimate items, Prey makes you worry for your life, and fewer still give you the ability to become those objects yourself. In appearance, it appears to be just another FPS/RPG set on a post-catastrophe space station, but this is one of the most unusual.
Prey equips you with a plethora of strange, unusual, and often exhilarating tools before letting you decide which ones you want to use to face the game’s constant threat of creatures that can appear to be anything until it is too late. Prey is a single-player PC game that should not be neglected, thanks to a tale that combines the best of both BioShock and Dishonored.
Vampire shooter Redfall, developed by Arkane Austin, will be released in the first half of 2023.
FTL: Faster Than Light
FTL: Faster Than Light is the only game that truly captures the experience of piloting a spaceship by the seat of your trousers. In this game, you’re more likely to be blasted out of the sky by an opposing spacecraft or boarded by a horde of huge killer insects who slaughter your whole crew than you are to survive. Somebody could try to hack into your life support system and make everyone die.
Even if you lose, the point of FTL is to tell stories. You can tell stories about how you got a fantastic beam-weapon combo that sliced through enemy ships while your ship remained cloaked, or how you let loose on an invading party while laughing in the safety of your ship’s reinforced bulkhead doors. Never-ending tactical battle, random events, and new ships keep each game fresh and exciting, and you’ll be forced to adapt your strategy on consecutive rounds. And who knows? You might even be the winner once in a while.
Dota 2
As a result, MOBAs have developed a reputation for being thick and difficult to understand, yet they can be extremely strategic for those who put in the time. You’ll see why after spending some time with Dota 2. With more than 100 characters and millions of item combos, each round seems unique despite taking place on a single battlefield and having a single goal.
Even if a match appears to be moving at a snail’s pace, it is always exhilarating because every second counts. No, I’m not mining for it. Is the enemy on your tail? Which option would you rather take? Going back to the base to recuperate? Those who persevere will be rewarded with some of the most strategic gameplay in the industry.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 begins with Arthur Morgan’s epic narrative of loyalty, conviction, and the price of infamy. There are more activities, unlockables, and unbelievably fine features in the wide landscape thanks to Rockstar’s wonderful PC port. The stunning wild western ambiance was completely reworked and enhanced in this wonderful PC port. For a single-player PC game, it’s one of the most expansive to date and includes a robust multiplayer feature.
The PC edition adds more missions, treasures, gear, and more on top of the 60+ hours of story content in the main game. That’s not even taking into account all the Red Dead Online multiplayer frills, much alone the mods that allow players to further tailor their experience. Anyone with a powerful enough PC should make a point of playing RDR2 as soon as possible.
In our most recent ranking of the finest open world games, Red Dead Redemption 2 came in at number five.
Final Fantasy XIV Online
It’s not only the best MMO out there right now; it’s also an excellent Final Fantasy game in and of itself. FFXIV has evolved from a simple good vs. evil story to a huge, political, and fantastical drama over the course of its relaunch and subsequent three expansions. Shadowbringers, the game’s most recent addition, delivers both satisfying resolutions to long-running character arcs and a stand-alone plot that surpasses the greatest in the Final Fantasy franchise.
Don’t let the fact that it’s online scare you away. Despite being an MMO, Square-Enix has made it so you don’t have to play with other people if you don’t want to. Instanced dungeons now allow you to enter with computer-controlled party members instead of being forced into a group with strangers. Story missions are intended to be performed solo. A fully-fleshed MMO, it also has end-game raiding that can range from easily accessible to excruciatingly difficult.
Final Fantasy 16 has just been slated for Summer 2023, so it’s a must-have for lovers of the series.
Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium reimagined classic CRPG mechanics for a brand-new generation of gaming consoles. Dungeons and Dragons’ dice-rolls and extensive dialogue possibilities have been transplanted into a noir-detective environment, as well as new ways to play, such as debating against 24 parts of your own brain, each representing a particular talent or personality.
It’s not only the ending that’s satisfying, but the journey you take to get there as its ludicrously rich environment and cast of characters propel it along, bolstered by some of the best writing seen in a game. This is one of the best video games I’ve ever played. Disco Elysium is a completely new experience on the PC, and it’s unlike anything you’ve ever played before.
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut adds new adventures and full voice acting to the popular RPG. Final Cut raises Disco Elysium from an already excellent RPG to a true must-play masterpiece,” said IGN, who scored it a 10/10.
NieR: Automata
Nier: Automata is a game that shouldn’t exist, according to everyone who has played it. Original Nier director Yoko Taro’s 2010 video game was widely panned, but the game’s fandom has grown — and for good reason. For the most part, Nier: Automata achieves what the first game set out to do, learning from its mistakes and building on its achievements to create a hybrid of tough and fluid action, bullet hell shoot ’em up sequences, and visual novel stylings. Everything comes together to form something completely new.
While the PC port of Nier: Automata was irritating and required the all-but-mandatory FAR mod to be fixed, the game’s enduring appeal lies somewhere in its philosophical reflections on humanity, pain, and the capacity to find humor in the midst of it all. Composer Keiichi Okabe provides a disturbing score for each of the film’s major plot points. Nier: Automata is an experience that needs to be completed from beginning to end, and not only at the end of the first level. It’s something no other video game has ever attempted, thanks to those many endings (with apologies to the original Nier). …But this one really resonates in a different way, don’t you think?”
XCOM 2
Brilliant, high stakes tactical action from XCOM: Enemy Unknown and its expansion War of the Chosen make XCOM 2 even better than it already was. With the continual fear of the permanent death of your tailored warriors looming over every decision, it’s like going from a technologically inferior underdog to a mighty war machine.
XCOM is now a guerilla force fighting to liberate the world from alien occupation, which amplifies the sense of desperation in protecting the Earth from these invading forces. Replayability is a major priority in this larger, deeper sequel, with new and more powerful army classes and equipment, as well as aliens. Tactical missions are kept fresh by procedurally generated battlefields, while random occurrences on the strategic map cause you to rethink your construction and research priorities. There are also mods galore.
On October 7, Marvel’s Midnight Suns will be released by Firaxis.
Grand Theft Auto 5 / GTA Online
GTA V’s expansive, yet beautifully detailed, map remains the benchmark for open-world games. This massive game is chock-full of engaging stuff, from the driving and shooting to the three protagonist stories that make up its campaign, not to mention the countless optional activities. It has everything you’d expect from a bustling metropolis, right down to the sordid underbelly.
Grand Theft Auto Online and the single-player PC game, as well as the wonderful creative tools and mods, are absolutely amazing on several levels. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is no exception. Aside from that, there’s no hint that Grand Theft Auto V will be retired anytime soon, especially with the Cayo Perico update, which adds a new solo heist and island to the map.
As of today, Rockstar has confirmed that GTA 6 is indeed being worked on.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Definitive Edition
The Definitive Edition of Divinity: Original Sin 2 has solidified its status as one of the finest role-playing games of all time. A well-balanced mix of classic RPG systems and newer innovations makes it seem both familiar and fresh at the same time. By adding new and more complex mechanics while also simplifying and smoothing out the clunkier parts of the first game’s combat, the sequel has improved on what was already a great experience.
There’s also a plethora of games to choose from. This enormous role-playing game has more than enough to keep you coming back for more than seven4,000 lines of fully voiced dialogue and six different starting characters.
Slay the Spire
Roguelikes are all about variety: For far longer than they should last, the turn-based combat in Slay The Spire feature ever-changing decks of ability cards, powerful relics, and three very different playable characters. For some, it is like saying goodbye to a buddy that you were just beginning to know as your character progresses through the three chapters of its story.
It is, of course, impossible to resist the temptation to start a new game, and the randomized Daily Climb runs give even the most seasoned players a fresh and exciting way to play each day.
Half-Life: Alyx
After 13 years, Valve’s return to the Half-Life franchise reminded us of why we had been eagerly awaiting it. Similarly to the first and second Half-Life games, which proved you could tell a story in first-person without sacrificing camera control, and to Half-Life 2, which pioneered physics-based challenges and combat, Half-Life: Alyx has set a new bar for polish in virtual reality shooters and is an unforgettable experience for those who own a VR headset.
There are alien warriors, zombies, headcrabs, 3D puzzles, and even the simple act of reloading your weapon becomes a harrowing life-or-death struggle in the game’s full-length campaign. Finally, the wait was almost worth it because of the beautiful finale.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the best RPGs ever made for the PC, and it’s hard to think of a better example than it. For both its scope and density, the game’s expansive open-world environments shine. They’re crammed with fantastical monsters to be defeated as well as intriguing mysteries and personal stories to uncover.
As a whole, it is one of the most outstanding video game productions ever, with several well-written lines, a fantastic voice cast, and graphics that are both technically and artistically impressive.
Q4 2022 is the new release date for the “visually and technically upgraded” edition of The Witcher 3. Witcher 3: Wild Hunt sold an incredible 40 million copies to date, and now CD Projekt Red has revealed it is working on a new Witcher game utilizing Unreal Engine 5.
Portal 2
Because no other video game in the last decade has struck so many chords so flawlessly, Portal 2 takes the top slot. Never has a game done so much in such a short time. Simply completing it, with its flawless level design, delightful personality, and amazing and varied puzzle mechanics, makes us feel smarter already. In addition, the game’s co-op narrative necessitates a unique set of skills, making it one of the greatest options for playing with friends in multiplayer.
As a result, the games developed by Valve have an air of permanence about them. This is probably due to the length of time it takes to make them. The puzzles and world-building in Portal 2 feel as fresh and innovative as they did in 2011, when the game was first released. If you haven’t already, you should make playing Portal 2 your top priority right now.
