9 Best Pc Cases Under 100 in 2022
9 Top Picks
4 Reviewers
40 Hours of Research
20 Options Considered
When building a gaming PC, the PC case will be the first thing that comes to every gamer’s mind. For any PC builder who has a low budget, the best PC cases under 100 will be an ideal choice. However, there are a lot of good cases on the market and each item has its specialty. So the problem is now how to get a suitable product?
3 Top PC Cases Under $100
1. [Best Overall]
NZXT H510 — CA-H510B-BR
Since the case is equipped with one 4.7/2 x 5.5 inches fan at the front, two Aer 4.7 inches fans (one front and one rear), and one 4.7/1 x 5.5 inches fan at the top, your PC will receive the most powerful airflow to avoid overheating, even when it runs many heavy applications for hours!
- Two powerful Aer (4. 8 inches) fans to keep your PC running cool and smoothly
- Ejectable radiators’ bracket for super easy mounting
- Seven slots for expansion for easy upgrades
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2. [Best For The Money] CORSAIR CARBIDE SERIES 175R RGB CC-9011171-WW
In detail, the case is designed with smooth curved edges, and a Corsair logo at the front, so that it will look fantastic next to your playing screen!
It can support up to six 4.7 inches (or four 5.5 inches) fans at one time.
- Smooth curved edges for brilliant aesthetics
- Asus, Gigabyte, MSI motherboards supported for great compatibility
- Six 4.7 inches or four 5.5 inches fans supported
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3. [Best For Durability] Thermaltake S100 CA-1Q9-00S6WN-00
With a 15.2 x 9.1 x 14.9 inches dimension, the case is suitable for any small room gamer. Also, the case is just 1.06 pounds heavy, so you can hold and carry it around without a problem!
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In this article, we’ll share with you our top 9 picks of PC cases under 100. Additionally, we also help you with an ultimate buying guide. Therefore, just read it, and you will be able to buy the right PC case!
Buying Guide — How to Pick a Good PC Case Under $100
Do you wonder why we can pick those best PC cases under 100 above? In fact, to determine if a computer box is good or not, we have to base on some criteria the most important of which is:
Size
Size plays an essential role in buying a PC case. Because the computers have many different sizes, you will need to find the right case size for it. Typically, the sizes of a computer box are divided into four categories, as follows:
Small form factor |
Mini tower |
Mid-tower |
Full tower |
We’ll cover more features which matter if you want to pick the right case below the reviews. Here’s our up to date line up!
Best PC Cases Under $100 Reviews
[Best Overall]
1. NZXT H510 — CA-H510B-BR
If you want to build a powerful computer for playing massive games, this NZXT H510 — CA-H510B-BR will be a good option!
Since the case is equipped with one 4.7/2 x 5.5 inches fan at the front, two Aer 4.7 inches fans (one front and one rear), and one 4.7/1 x 5.5 inches fan at the top, your PC will receive the most powerful airflow to avoid overheating, even when it runs many heavy applications for hours!
Besides, the air filters and the PC radiators’ bracket allow you to take them out easily for cleaning. Due to this reason, the cooling system of the case will be able to function well, as it has no dust or stain inside!
On the downside, the fans at the front of the case do not have much area for the air intake. Therefore, if you require strong airflow, we advise you to mount an extra filter to these fans’ top slot. That will increase the air pressure!
- Two powerful Aer (4.8 inches) fans
- Removable air filters
- Ejectable radiators’ bracket
- Mini-ITX, MicroATX, and ATX supported
- Seven slots for expansion
- Less air intake area for front fans
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[Best For The Money]
2. CORSAIR CARBIDE SERIES 175R RGB CC-9011171-WW
Do you need a gaming PC that looks beautiful? Or you only need a computer system that works efficiently? Well! You don’t have to answer because this Corsair Carbide Series 175R RGB CC-9011171-WW brings the best of both worlds!
In detail, the case is designed with smooth curved edges, and a Corsair logo at the front, so that it will look fantastic next to your playing screen!
Especially, because the Corsair logo can glow thanks to the RGB fan backlit, your PC will definitely look more modern and eye-catching than ever!
How about the function of the case? How great does it perform? In fact, this item can support up to six 4. 7 inches (or four 5.5 inches) fans at one time.
As a combination, the best PC fan will create powerful airflows in order to prevent the computer from getting hot. On the other hand, this case is compatible with many different motherboards such as Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, etc. So, feel free to customize and build your PC!
About the drawback, this case does not have a Restart button (only Power button). Therefore, every time you want to relaunch the computer, you will have to use it on-screen, instead of easy clicking the button. That may be a little bit annoying when you are in a hurry.
- Smooth curved edges
- Front backlit logo
- RGB fans
- Six 4.7 inches or four 5.5 inches fans supported.
- Asus, Gigabyte, MSI motherboards supported.
- No restart button
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[Best For Durability]
3.
Thermaltake S100 CA-1Q9-00S6WN-00
“Small but strong” is how we describe this Cooler Master Q300L Micro ATX MCB Q300L KANN S00!
With a 15.2 x 9.1 x 14.9 inches dimension, the case is suitable for any small room gamer. Also, the case is just 1.06 pounds heavy, so you can hold and carry it around without a problem!
Plus, even though the case is compact, it is very durable. As the materials used for constructing this item are steel and high-quality plastic, it can protect your computer system for a very long time.
Moreover, this Masterbox Q300L also features many magnetic dust and air filters. These tools will operate to keep your system clean and cool for hours! So, if you need to build a PC for long-hour tasks, this case will be the best choice!
Of course, due to the case’s small size, there is also a disadvantage that may annoy you. Specifically, its holes for mounting the fans are relatively small compared to other standard hole size cases.
Therefore, you may encounter some difficulties while mounting the cable from the power source to the fans. In this situation, drilling the holes to be bigger is our recommendation.
- Compact style with a dimension of 15.2 x 9.1 x 14.9 inches
- Lightweight of 1.06 pounds
- Steel and plastic as materials
- Magnetic dust and air filters
- Small holes for mounting the fans
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4. Cooler Master MB320L ARGB Micro-ATX MCB-B320L-KGNN-S02
In case you want easy cable management, put trust in the Cooler Master MB320L ARGB Micro-ATX !
Constructed with a big dimension of 17.15 x 8.56 x 16.14 inches, the case can provide much space inside for you to connect and control the cables.
Also, this product has a super large mesh that works to intake air. As a result, the dual ARGB fans will receive enough air to release strong flows, preventing the system from getting hot.
Even when you feel the airflow is not powerful enough, you get no problem in installing more fans to the case. Its spacious interior will permit you to do that!
And now is the downside of the case. As the advertisement says, you can change the ARGB fans’ color with the help of either your motherboard lighting software or an ARGB controller included in the product.
However, if your mainboard does not have an ARGB header, you cannot connect the case to it. As a consequence, you can only change the fan’s color by using the controller.
- Many space inside
- Easy cable management
- ARGB fans
- High air intakes
- The radiator is challenging to be mounted on the top
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5.
Lian Li Mid-Tower Chassis ATX LANCOOL 205
When it comes to a PC case that is easy to install, the Lian Li LANCOOL 205 will show all its advantages!
In detail, the brackets inside the case can be taken out quickly. Thanks to this feature, you can connect all the cables on the bracket at first, and then assemble it to the case later. This will save a lot of time for you in the mounting job.
On another side, the interior of this product is roomy.
Believe it or not, after assembling the mainboard to the case, you still have plenty of space behind to hide the wires.
Moreover, what you would get from this case are:
- 1x Input/Output essentials
- 2x USB ports 3.0
- 1x Power button
- 1 Audio In and Out on the top
With these ports, you can connect all your pieces of equipment such as controllers, speakers, headphones, etc. for the best gaming experience.
If you are looking for a Hard Disk Drive light connector, then you should buy another case. Unfortunately, the Lian Li manufacturer does not equip a HDD light connector in this product. Instead, there are only LED connectors and a power switch included.
- Removable brackets
- Big size case
- Cables can be hidden
- Many ports
- No HDD light connector
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6. S100 CA-1Q9-00S6WN-00
The next product on our list has arrived — the Thermaltake S100 CA-1Q9-00S6WN-00! One more time, we have a compact but super durable PC case. Let’s see what it has!
With a 16.18 x 8.66 x 17.36 inches dimension, the case is ideal for any PC builder to place on their table. Our advice: never underestimate this compact size. Although this computer case may look small, it can still support any mainboards used for big PC boxes such as uATX, or ITX.
In addition, because this product is constructed of 100% metal, it will protect your computer for a very, very long time. The glass panel, which allows you to see inside the box, is also tempered with 1/8 inches thickness for added durability.
For the installation, we want you to remember one thing! While installing, make sure that you choose the right position for the fans so that they have much space to spin. Otherwise, they may make a very annoying buzzing noise.
- Compact size
- uATX, ITX compatible
- 100% metal constructed
- Thick tempered glass panel
- Fans create loud noise if not exhaust
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7.
Bgears b-Voguish Front and Side BG01893
No matter if you want an air cooling or a liquid cooling system, this Bgears b-Voguish BG01893 functions in both ways!
Providing a height of 6.3 inches inside for a CPU cooler, this case allows you to mount to it three 4.7 inches fans or three 5.5 inches fans at the front, one 4.7 inches fan at its rear side, three 4.7 inches fans on its PSU cover, and two 4.7 inches or 5.5 inches fans on its top. Hence, your PC system will be able to receive the strongest airflow from all directions to stay cold for a long time of operation.
And for the liquid cooling system, you also have three places to install the water pumps. Specifically, you can assemble a 9.4 inches pump at both the front and top sides of the case, and a 4.7 inches one at its rear side. Thus, the cooling liquid will be able to reach all the hot spots inside your computer and prevent them from overheating.
However, no fan is included in this PC case set. So, if you decide to buy this product, better purchase some extra fans! Also, don’t forget to buy the right fan size that is suitable for the case!
- Nine fans in the case allowed
- Three cooling water pumps allowed
- E-ATX, ATX, MicroATX/ITX motherboards compatible
- No fan included
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8. Montech Flyer- White Micro ATX Mini-ITX
Cleaning a PC can be a difficult task, but it is nothing with this Montech Flyer!
Featuring a dust-prevention net at the power supply unit, the case will keep your computer system clean at all times! Besides, This net can be taken out quickly so that you can clean it with less effort.
Additionally, the PC box also has many ventilation holes that work to increase the air intake. As a result, the cooling fans will always be able to release strong airflow to both cool down the system and take out the dust inside the case.
With all these advantages, the Montech Flyer would be perfect if it supported all the motherboard types. Unfortunately, this box is only compatible with Micro ATX and ITX mainboards. So if you have an ATX one, then this Flyer may not serve you.
- Removable dust filter
- Many ventilation holes
- Eight fans supported
- Not compatible with the ATX mainboard
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9. DarkFlash Micro ATX Mini ITX Tower MicroATX
In case you like modern computer boxes, you should consider buying this darkFlash Micro ATX Mini ITX Tower MicroATX. Why should you do that? Just have a look at its design!
The first great thing about the design is its door opening. Because this door functions magnetically, you can easily detach it from the case or install it without the help of any tool.
In addition, the case is constructed of two black glasses on two sides and a tempered invisible glass. While the black glasses can give the case a cool appearance with low-profile light effects, the tempered invisible one will allow you to see all the machine parts inside the box. In other words, the product is both beautiful and convenient to use.
Despite all the advantages, this PC box still has a point that makes us disappointed. In detail, the fans that come along with the product can not release strong airflow. Due to this reason, the system can easily get hot after a time of operation. As a solution to this situation, you should replace these fans with other items that have better quality.
- Magnetic door opening
- Black glasses on two sides
- Tempered invisible glass
- Low airflow
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Additional PC Case Info
Installation
When the PC arrives, you can not simply take it out and use it immediately. Instead, you have to mount the case with many pieces of equipment such as PC fans, water pumps, motherboards, graphics cards, LED lights, memory, etc. Of course, this mounting job is not easy at all!
If the edges or the panels of the case can be detached, then it is much better! You can wire all the machine parts on a single panel. When everything is completed, the rest is to assemble the panels together.
There are many modern PC cases today that have magnetic panels. With this feature, the installation process can be even much more simple!
Cooling
The cooling system is one of the most important factors that tell whether a PC box is good or not. Without this system, the computer may overheat and suddenly shut down. If this situation happens many times, the computer will then break down.
Normally, there are two types of methods that can be applied to cool down the computer. They are:
- Liquid cooling
- Air cooling.
In case you use the liquid cooling method, you will install a cooling water pump to the case. This pump will deliver the liquid to all hot spots of the computer and reduce the temperature.
On the other hand, if you choose the air method, you will mount some fans inside the box. The fans will release airflow to cool down the machine.
Price
You often hear the saying that you get what you pay for, right? In fact, a pc case with a high price will also provide better quality and more durability.
However, you should think about whether you really need a case that is too expensive? In fact, a computer case under 100$ is already enough to support your gaming PC for a long period.
The Aesthetics
In addition to being used for the purpose, you will also certainly expect a well-looking case. A beautiful and aesthetically pc case will make you want to use it for many years and preserve it well.
On the nowadays market, the PC boxes come in many different colors, styles, and shapes. Just choose the product that pleases you at best. On another side, you can decorate your case by sticking some cute stickers to it as well!
FAQs
Here are some common questions about the best PC cases under 100 that we have summed up and answered.
Is a big computer case better than a small one?
Our answer is yes. If the case is large, you can mount more fans to it to release strong airflow. As a result, you can prevent the computer from overheating.
Also, the large size gives you more choices when buying motherboards. Because each mainboard has a specific size, a big case will be able to support all, while the small one can not.
Should I leave my computer box open?
You should not leave your PC case open! Doing this will not only put your health, but also the computer at risk. Probably, you have not known, the cooling fans can only release strong wind in a small area. Due to this reason, if you open the case, the airflow would not be strong enough to cool down your computer.
What temperature is bad for your computer?
There is a limitation to the heat of your computer. If the temperature gets over 110°C, the computer may be overloaded and break down at any time. In this case, you should shut down the power source immediately and try to cool down the device.
Are big or small fans better for the PC box?
In fact, big and small fans can release the same amount of air. So there is no exact answer to this question.
If you are talking about the cooling ability of the fans, then you must notify the intake area of the case. A good case often has many ventilation holes for more air intake. Thanks to this feature, the fans can make strong wind to cool down the machine.
PC Case under $100 Closing Thoughts
Have our nine products impressed you? They are the best PC cases under $100 on the market that we have picked! With all the cool features, they definitely will serve you at best!
Also, make sure that you follow our guidance when looking for a computer box! Based on those criteria, you will be able to get the most suitable item!
For more questions about this topic, please get in touch with us. We will answer you in the fastest time.
And now, we will end our article. Many thanks for having read!
Top cases for your gaming PC
Why you can trust Pocket-lint
(Pocket-lint) — If you’re building a gaming PC and want something suitable to house it, you’re in the right place. We’ve been testing several cases while building all sorts of PCs — from budget to mid-range and even some extreme PC builds.
There are a lot of different things to consider — airflow, features, radiator and fan capacity and more. We’re also keen to highlight the key things to look out for when searching, such as how easy (or difficult) the case is to build in, and whether it has easy cable management. To that end, we’ve thoroughly poked, prodded and modded these cases to see if they’re worth buying.
We’ve built in these cases, crafting all manner of gaming PCs with different specs. We’ve then used them on a daily basis, benchmarked them, tested them and gamed with them, as well.
By doing this, we’re able to give you a breakdown of the best PC cases we’ve tried, along with the reasons why we recommend them.
- See more PC Gaming coverage in association with Nvidia GeForce RTX
What are the best PC cases?
- Fractal Design Torrent
- Lian Li O11 Air Mini
- Corsair 5000D Airflow
- Fractal Focus 2
- Corsair iCUE 5000T RGB
Best PC case: Our top pick
Pocket-lint
Fractal Design Torrent
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For
- Large capable fans included as standard
- Perfectly spacious for liquid cooling
- Roomy design
- Easy to keep
- Quiet running
Against
- The rear cable management space is lacking
- Limited install options
The Fractal Design Torrent is available in several different variations both with and without RGB and in white or black too.
It’s easily one of the best-looking cases we’ve tried, whether you choose the RGB models or not. More importantly, though, it’s well thought out and offers incredible airflow without masses of fan noise.
It comes with two 180mm front fans and three 140mm bottom intake fans as standard, which is generous considering the price. These offer excellent cooling and are some of the biggest fans you’ll see on a PC case.
There’s also a pre-installed fan hub, so it’s dead easy to plug in all the fans as well.
The Torrent is also incredibly roomy, being able to take E-ATX and SSI-EEB or SSI-CEB motherboards. You can easily mount a custom loop liquid system in this one as well. Though we will note that build options are limited. You either use an air CPU cooler or a liquid system. You can’t easily mount an all-in-one cooler because of the layout of the case.
It’s the little things that make the difference here though, like the tiny included GPU bracket that nicely stops your graphics card from sagging.
The only real downside is the lack of sufficient space for cable management at the rear.
Other cases to consider
We’ve tried plenty of cases and built all sorts of machines both with and without RGB, air and liquid coolers over the years. There are many excellent ones currently available and these below are great alternatives if our top choice doesn’t float your boat.
Pocket-lint
Lian Li O11 Air Mini
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For
- Excellent aesthetics
- Build quality that defies the price
- Surprisingly roomy
- Great cooling
Against
- No RGB fans included as standard
If you want a smaller case, but don’t want to sacrifice features or specs in favour of a smaller ITX or mini case, then the Air Mini is a superb option.
This is not only a great looking case but one that’s wonderfully spacious considering its «Mini» branding. It doesn’t take up as much desk or room space as other cases on this list, but can still hold an ATX power supply and ATX motherboard, as well.
We kitted it out with nine Lian Li Uni fans and an all-in-one cooler, but also tested it with a large Noctua Air cooler and saw excellent results in both.
There’s room in there for a large graphics card, and, despite its little stature, the Air Mini has a big place in our hearts.
It even comes with two 140mm front fans and a 120mm rear fan as standard, which is fantastic for the price.
Pocket-lint
Corsair 5000D Airflow
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For
- Solid build quality
- Various 360mm mounting options
- Excellent cable management
Against
- Lacks decent fans as standard
If you’re after a PC case with some serious build quality and excellent aesthetics, then the Corsair 5000D Airflow is a great choice.
This case has options to mount as many as two 360mm radiators in different positions, making it perfect for all-in-one coolers or full liquid cooling systems.
It’s also brilliantly roomy with mounting points for multiple HDDs and SSDs. You can also reposition things easily to suit your needs so it’s well thought out.
Cable management is also a breeze thanks to a roomy rear panel and cable hiding door.
Pocket-lint
Fractal Focus 2
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For
- Wonderfully affordable
- Spacious enough for large GPUs
- Easy to build in
- Reasonable cabling room
- Solid build quality
Against
- Feels cheap compared to others
- No PSU shroud
- No USB-C front panel
If budget matters, then the Fractal Focus 2 might be a good choice. This is a surprisingly solidly built mid-tower case (considering the price).
It comes with two 140mm fans as standard and room for two HHDs and two SSDs.
The layout is a bit odd though, as the power supply unit is mounted on the front side of the case, so it’s visible through the glass and doesn’t have any sort of shroud to cover it. Still, if your cable management skills are good enough it won’t matter.
We found it remarkably easy to build in, making it a good choice for new builders. Though there is a lack of USB-C front panel connection as standard — you need to purchase an upgrade accessory if you want that — which is fairly unusual in the modern era.
Still, for the money, this is a great case with simple looks but solid quality and good airflow. What more could you want?
Pocket-lint
Corsair iCUE 5000T RGB
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For
- RGB galore
- Includes useful extras
- Very snazzy on the eye
Against
- Expensive
If you’re feeling a bit flush, then the Corsair iCUE 5000T RGB could be on your radar.
This is a case that really means the business. It packs in multiple RGB lighting strips as standard, along with three LL120 RGB fans and a Commander Core XT to control the power and lighting.
If 208 individually controllable RGB LEDs don’t get you excited, well, what will? Think of the 5000T as a fancier version of the 5000D Airflow and you’ve got an idea of what you’re buying.
This is a brilliantly configurable case and one that really looks fantastic as part of your gaming setup.
How to choose the right PC case
You’ve made the decision to build a gaming PC. Obviously, the case is a big part of the process. It’s important to choose the right one. You want something that will look at home in your gaming area, but also a case that will keep your machine running cool and quiet.
What will you be installing?
Buying a PC case you need to plan out your build. Think about what you’re going to put in your gaming machine. This is a key part of the process and something to think about before you buy. If a powerful, high-end CPU is part of your build then you might want to consider a large 360mm all-in-one cooler or even a full liquid cooler. This means you’ll need a big case with room for such a thing.
As a rule of thumb, the bigger the radiator, the cooler the CPU. If you’re overclocking, the bigger the better. If you’re running CPU intensive games, video editing or doing other CPU intensive things then the same logic applies.
Also, check the specs of your intended parts. Some high-end motherboards are E-ATX format, which means they’re larger than average. Not all cases will be compatible with these boards and you don’t want to gather all your parts and then find they won’t fit together.
How many fans do you really need?
Some of the cases on this list only come with a couple of basic fans. Others are incredibly well-stocked. More fans don’t necessarily mean better though. Too many may just get loud and annoying. Look at the specs of the case you’re buying and plan out what you want it to look like when you’re finished.
If you’re eying up a case, you might also be planning out the fans you want to install. A case may seem cheap at first, but if you’re putting 10 fans in that you’re buying separately then things suddenly add up.
More about this story
Every product in this list has been tested in real-life situations, just as you would use it in your day-to-day life.
Buying and building a gaming PC is a big investment, so we’ve carefully tested these cases to make sure they’ll fit the need. Both in terms of build quality and performance.
Of course, pricing is a big factor, as is build quality and reliability.
As with any roundup, it’s not possible to deliver a list that works for every type of user, but we lean on the experiences and opinions of the wider Pocket-lint team — as well as thoroughly assessing the areas above — in order to do our best in this regard.
What we always tend to avoid when compiling these picks are needless spec comparisons and marketing lines; we just want to provide an easy to understand summary that gives you an idea of what each gaming laptop is like to use. Our verdicts are concise, but this is purely in the interest of brevity. Rest assured all the things on this list have been fully tested.
Writing by Adrian Willings.
The best mini-ITX PC cases for 2022
Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?
By
Kunal Khullar
The most significant advantage of having a mini-ITX PC case is that it takes up less space than traditional mid-tower or full-tower cases. That gives you more desk space for other peripherals and accessories and makes it more portable for taking to LAN parties or a friend’s house.
If you want to build a great ITX PC, then you really need one of the best mini-ITX cases. Here are our favorites.
Contents
- Cooler Master Masterbox NR200
- SSUPD Meshlicious
- Lian Li A4-h3O
- Fractal Torrent Nano
- Phanteks Evolv Shift XT
- NZXT h2 V2
Cooler Master Masterbox NR200
Great value for novice PC builders
Jump to details
SSUPD Meshlicious
A premium full-mesh mini-ITX case
Jump to details
Lian Li A4-h3O
Mini-ITX case
Jump to details
Fractal Torrent Nano
Best mini-ITX case for air cooling
Jump to details
Phanteks Evolv Shift XT
A unique extendable mini-ITX case
Jump to details
NZXT h2 V2
Best vertical mini-ITX case
Jump to details
Cooler Master Masterbox NR200
Great value for novice PC builders
Pros
- Easy to build in
- Good drive support
- Excellent value
- Great cooling support
Cons
- No USB Type-C header
Why you should buy this: Value-for-money mini-ITX case offering the best performance.
Who’s it for: First-time PC builders looking for an affordable and performance-oriented mini-ITX case.
Why we chose the Cooler Master Masterbox NR200:
The Cooler Master Masterbox NR200 is one of the highest-rated mini-ITX cases on the market. With a starting price of just under $100, the NR200 is an 18.25-liter case that is available in standard black or white color options. It is also available in cyan blue, orange, pink, and purple colors for a slightly higher cost. Then there is the NR200P, which comes with a tempered glass side panel along with the standard mesh panel.
The case can accommodate a mini-ITX or mini-DTX motherboard with an SFX or SFX-L power supply and up to a triple-slot GPU. The GPU can also be mounted vertically, but that limits the overall size. Fan support includes two 120mm fans on the top and bottom, a 92mm on the rear, and two 120mm or 140mm on the side panel bracket. It can fit air coolers up to 155mm tall, and it supports watercooling radiators up to 280mm on the side or 240mm on the bottom.
Storage mounting is actually pretty decent for a mini-ITX case as you can install a total of three 2.5-inch drives or two 2.5-inch and one 3.5-inch drive. The case also comes bundled with two 120mm fans to mount on top and a rear 92mm fan depending on the model you purchase. If you can push your budget, there is also the NR200P Max that comes with a pre-installed 280mm AIO cooler, an 850W SFX Gold PSU, and a PCIe Gen 4 riser cable.
Cooler Master Masterbox NR200
Great value for novice PC builders
SSUPD Meshlicious
A premium full-mesh mini-ITX case
Pros
- Premium steel build
- Full-mesh panels
- Support for up to 280mm radiator
- Support for SFX and ATX PSU
Cons
- Down-facing GPU I/O
- Can accumulate dust
Why you should buy this: An excellent tower-style mini-ITX case with robust expandability options.
Who’s it for: Mini-ITX PC enthusiasts looking for the best thermal performance.
Why we chose the SSUPD Meshlicious:
The Meshlicious comes from SSUPD (Sunny Side Up Designs), a sub-brand of popular case maker Lian Li. It features high-quality powder-coated steel mesh panels all around, including the sides, front, and top. Available in white or black color options, you can purchase the case in full mesh or a single tempered glass side panel to show off your components. Featuring a sandwich-style layout, the motherboard and power supply are mounted on one side and the GPU on the other. The most unique feature of this case is that it can accommodate up to a 280mm AIO liquid cooler on the front, which is impressive for a sub-15-liter case.
It also offers a special bracket to mount three 2.5-inch drives or two 3.5-inch drives, provided you are using a small-form-factor GPU. Available with a PCIe Gen 3 or Gen 4 riser cable (for an extra cost), the Meshlicious can accommodate up to a 336mm four-slot GPU in a standing orientation and up to 211mm in a vertical orientation (without a radiator). The case supports SFX or SFX-L power supplies and, if you are brave enough, an ATX PSU with very little wiggle room for cable management.
Offering excellent thermal performance, the Meshlicious is one of the top mini-ITX cases that can surprisingly accommodate a lot of components. However, the build process can be tricky, and the fact that the GPU I/O is at the bottom may be an issue for some users.
SSUPD Meshlicious
A premium full-mesh mini-ITX case
Lian Li A4-h3O
Mini-ITX case
Pros
- High-quality construction
- Compact footprint
- Supports triple-slot GPU
Cons
- Limited storage mounting
Why you should buy this: A highly compact yet functional premium mini-ITX case.
Who’s it for: Those who are looking for a small-form-factor mini-ITX case with liquid cooling capabilities.
Why we chose the Lian Li A4-h3O:
This case is an update for the DAN A4-SFX and can accommodate a 240mm AIO liquid cooler and a triple-slot GPU despite its 11-liter capacity. Featuring a minimalistic design, the case has an aluminum exterior and stainless steel interior available in matte black or silver color options.
All the panels are easy to remove, while the top, sides, and back are well-ventilated for fresh air intake. The case can accommodate mini-ITX motherboards with SFX or SFX-L power supplies and triple-slot graphics cards of up to 322mm. The case can be purchased with either a PCIe Gen 3 or Gen 4 riser cable, allowing you to mount the GPU behind the motherboard. There is also space up top for a 240mm radiator, although it can get tricky to install one, especially if the tubes are rigid. In our opinion, the Lian Li A4-h3O is an excellent choice if you are particularly looking for a case that is very well made and is as small as a gaming console.
Lian Li A4-h3O
Mini-ITX case
Fractal Torrent Nano
Best mini-ITX case for air cooling
Pros
- Excellent airflow performance
- Large air-cooler clearance
- Easy to build in
- Good build quality
Cons
- Not the smallest ITX case
Why you should buy this: A simple tower-style mini-ITX case offering the best and unrestricted airflow.
Who’s it for: Those who want a mini tower case that is optimized for airflow.
Why we chose the Fractal Torrent Nano:
The Torrent series of cases from Fractal is pretty impressive, and the smallest of the lot is the Torrent Nano. Having the same design and structure as the Torrent and Torrent Compact, the Nano is basically a squeezed-down version. It isn’t the smallest ITX case, but thanks to its traditional tower-style design, it can fit an air cooler with a clearance of up to 165mm. Thus, the Fractal Torrent Nano is the best mini-ITX case if you are looking for an air-cooled build.
The case comes with a bunch of dust filters and a large 180mm fan at the front. There are also additional brackets that allow you to remove that large fan to install two 120mm or 140mm fans or even a 240mm radiator. One can also install two additional 120mm or 140mm fans or up to a 240mm or 280 mm radiator at the bottom. Lastly, there is a mounting option for a 120mm fan at the rear. Apart from mini-ITX, you can also install a mini-DTX motherboard, and for storage mounting, there is a bracket on the top for either a 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch drive and two additional mounting locations behind the motherboard for 2.5-inch drives.
Fractal Torrent Nano
Best mini-ITX case for air cooling
Phanteks Evolv Shift XT
A unique extendable mini-ITX case
Pros
- Innovative extendable design
- Good range of cooling options
- Solid metal and tempered glass construction
- Mesh filtration
- ARGB lighting
Cons
- Bulky PCIe Gen 4 riser cable
Why you should buy this: It is one of the most versatile mini-ITX cases that can expand for improved cooling.
Who’s it for: Enthusiasts looking for a premium mini-ITX case.
Why we chose the Phanteks Evolv Shift XT:
The most innovative mini-ITX case in recent years, the Phanteks Evolv Shift XT is an attempt to solve some of the issues faced while building a mini-ITX PC. Thanks to its unique top section, the case can literally evolve to accommodate better cooling solutions. Thus, you can go for a single air cooler with up to 72mm clearance, add two additional 120mm fans on top, or even add a full-size 240mm AIO radiator and fans for the best thermal performance.
The case comes with a premium aluminum exterior with two removable panels on the front and two large pieces on the top and bottom holding the inner chassis in place. Featuring a traditional sandwich-style layout, you can install a mini-ITX motherboard, an SFX/SFX-L power supply, and up to a triple-slot 342mm GPU. As mentioned above, you can transform the case according to your needs with its three-level mounting options. There is also a single storage mounting option to install a 2.5mm SSD, and for RGB lovers, there is an infinity mirror at the front of the case with ARGB lighting.
Phanteks Evolv Shift XT
A unique extendable mini-ITX case
NZXT h2 V2
Best vertical mini-ITX case
Pros
- Elegant design
- Included AIO and power supply
- Lesser steps to build
- Pre-routed cabling
Cons
- Limited RAM clearance
- Expensive
Why you should buy this: A good-looking mini-ITX case that takes very little desk space.
Who’s it for: Those who have limited desk space or want an easy-to-build mini-ITX case.
Why we chose the NZXT h2 V2:
The NZXT h2 V2 is a gorgeous-looking vertical tower mini-ITX case that takes up very little space on your desk. The V2 specifies that it is the revised version, as the original NZXT h2 came with a faulty PCIe riser cable that was prone to fire hazards. Nonetheless, the new version is much improved with an updated PCIe gen 4 riser cable, a larger volume of 15.6-liter (opposed to 13.6-liter), tinted tempered glass on the front, a built-in 140mm liquid cooler, a 750W 80+ Gold rated power supply unit, and an additional 92mm PWM fan. In this case, building is actually quite simple, as you only need to drop in the motherboard and the graphics card. Speaking of which, this case can accommodate a graphics card with up to 324mm in length and 58mm in thickness.
Performance-wise, it is actually better than the original h2, as there is more room on the inside and an exhaust fan near the GPU chamber. There are certain things to consider, though, especially when it comes to the memory and motherboard clearance. It is also quite expensive, but the case comes with a liquid cooler and a power supply, so it evens out if you don’t already have those components.
NZXT h2 V2
Best vertical mini-ITX case
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BEST PC GAMES — Top 10 Most Anticipated 2022 List
Whereas before, gamers wanted more action, gunplay, and explosions, they now gravitate toward elaborate story-driven games. Also, they do not think to give up positions of the multiplayer concept in the ranking of games on the PC.
We collected TOP PC games that are still in trend. And we will announce those that are expected during the year.
The best PC games you can play today
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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Three reasons why you should pay attention to the game: ticks.
Game development studio CD Projekt Red has always been known for making good games. And the Witcher series has literally become the visiting card of the Polish studio. And «Witcher 3: Wild Hunt» is the kind of game where you savor every second of the passage, since here you can interact with almost every object. Just like in the real world!
The first location «White Orchard» is small — you pass quickly, there are not so many quests. But then a huge medieval game world opens up before the player: there are forests and hills, rivers and snow-capped peaks. And all this is flavored with hordes of magical monsters, marauders, dozens of residential and abandoned villages and several large cities.
The main thing when passing is not to spray yourself on additional tasks. Here, literally around every turn, Geralt (the main character) is waiting for new tasks and opportunities. It is up to the player to decide if the Witcher (hero) is ready to accept them, or if he is better off doing «basic» tasks. However, fans of side quests (tasks that do not relate to the main storyline) should take into account that after completing the story, they will not receive additional assignments.
Sometimes decisions in secondary quests will affect the plot and the game world as a whole. For example, if Geralt angers the villagers, they can arrange a «witch hunt» to prevent the hero from getting there again.
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Grand Theft Auto V
Three aspects of the value of the game:
- A game classic that is constantly updated.
- Open world — every second there are thousands of actions regardless of the player.
- Possibility to get several simulators at once in one game: the first-person view in a car will replace the driving simulator, while hand-to-hand you can feel like a fighter, and when shooting, it will give a realistic shooter.
GTA 5 is Rockstar’s most popular game, breaking every conceivable record in the gaming industry. The story «sucks» so much that you can spend the day without noticing how it ended. The entire game world is open at once — no need to wait until a certain area becomes available. You can sit in the car and explore the entire map at a time.
There are 3 main characters in the story part: Michael and Trevor are inveterate bandits, dark-skinned Franklin has just started on the «slippery slope» of the criminal world. Each of them has its own superpower:
- Franklin can slow down time in a car,
- Furious Trevor deals double damage,
- Michael slows down time when shooting.
Some missions require you to switch between heroes. They will go on a mission together. While one will rob, the second will stand “on the alert”, guarding the partner, the third will travel around the district looking for law enforcement officers.
One and the same mission can be completed in different ways: throwing grenades head-on, thinking through multi-moves. It is especially good to use it in the online version. There the variability of approaches to one task is maximum. Vehicles and weapons are mastered quickly, after a few minutes the player fully masters them.
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Red Dead Redemption 2
The game is catchy because it is a Rockstar brainchild with a Wild West atmosphere. As in GTA V, there is a well-developed plot and powerful multiplayer. You can hunt bad guys, rob the rich for the benefit of the poor, and run away from the sheriffs.
Red Dead combines an open world, hundreds of activities, a detailed storyline and hundreds of side missions. That is why the game is in the top 10 best games of the 21st century. To make sure — sit for an hour in RDR 2.
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Resident Evil 2: Remake
Two features of the game cling to the soul.
- This is a slow horror game that gamers miss. The survival-horror genre has evolved into a fast-paced shooter, and players love stories with an escalating atmosphere.
- All difficulty modes are immediately available — from easy to maximum.
An updated version of one of the most iconic games will delight fans of the series with realistic graphics, convenient controls and superpowers of the characters. Here, just like in the original, you have to think a lot. Moving around locations and between locations without loading screens: no need to sit and wait for the terrain to load.
Auto aim is only available on easy difficulty: in other levels, you will have to aim at the monsters’ heads yourself. Also, the zombies began to stagger more from side to side. At the same time, even the undead that was already lying on the floor can “wake up” from a shot. The only way to be sure that the «walker» does not attack is to break his skull. In all other cases, the player can expect unpleasant surprises.
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Half-Life: Alyx
The tricks of the game are three things.
- This is a VR game where you can use controllers to interact with items inside the game. Also, the gamer will have to move in real life.
- Convenient teleport system — the player does not have to run around the room, just take a couple of steps back and forth.
- The main playable character spoke actively. You can learn about the thoughts of the hero. The dialogue sounds believable, as the protagonist is not afraid to argue with everyone.
This part of the game starts 5 years before the events of HL:2. Young Alyx Vance has not yet met Gordon Freeman, but is already fighting against the forces of evil. In one of these battles, the opponents take her father prisoner. The girl already has to pick up guns, powerful gravity gloves and go to deal with the monsters.
The developers could instruct scary screamers (and in virtual reality it would be scary), but they acted smarter — the events of the game gradually build up fear. And only by busting it, the hero and the player will be able to defeat the forces of evil.
You have to think about where exactly to put the inventory — if it is in the left glove, it is difficult to reach it with the right hand. There are no “endless pockets” in the game, you will have to regularly lay out the excess along the way. It is better to remember the places with the abandoned inventory — you will have to return to them often.
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Mass Effect 2
The game is worth attention for two reasons:
- Small decisions in side quests affect the plot. You need to think about every decision you make.
- This is a long but addictive game. Even if you skip secondary tasks and cutscenes (in-game videos without gameplay), you still get 40-50 hours of gaming experience.
Despite the considerable age of the game, it is still popular — the graphics are solid, the controls are familiar and understandable. You can play with a joystick, on the keyboard in tandem with the mouse.
The game takes place in the distant future, where the player needs to fight the Cerberus organization and protect the universe from the return of the Reapers (a particularly dangerous civilization that destroyed all the civilizations of the Milky Way 50 thousand years before the start of the story).
The game can be played several times. Every gaming experience will be different. Players who strive to play the game according to the rules of morality (without killing and intrigues) have a chance to chat up opponents and complete the game with the least losses. Fans of cruel treatment of enemies must constantly dodge enemy bullets.
Depending on the style of passing, the genre of the game can change: fans of side missions will turn ME2 into a well-thought-out role-playing game where you need to think about every action. If you go strictly according to the plot, the game will become a fast shooter.
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Horizon Zero Dawn
Features of the game are as follows:
- Huge game world divided into climatic zones: from desert to temperate and icy climate . The player must adapt to the weather and animals.
- To get a powerful weapon, the player will have to sweat: go to the store and buy the necessary equipment will not work. You will have to calculate in advance how many weapons of different types you need to make.
- When fighting robots, tactics and player skills are important. With the right approach, you can defeat a powerful monster even with a weak inventory.
The world of Horizon Zero Dawn is a medley of events and technology. And although the game itself is approximately the year 3000, here prehistoric hunters with spears run after armored 5-meter robots. And these robots, in turn, shoot deadly lasers. Such is the dystopia of the world where machines have won.
History is striking in scale. Such a huge game world and the number of unique heroes is rarely seen anywhere. Usually NPCs are made twins of each other — to save disk space. But this spoils the impression of the game, as constantly duplicating characters break the illusion of naturalness. Here, even the NPCs differ from each other — you can chat with most of them, they will give you some kind of inventory.
The main character Aloy is a female version of Batman and Iron Man in a strange future. All the main «superpowers» she provides the ability to handle technology. That is why she is able to see the vulnerabilities of machines, calculates the movement of «electronic animals», reads information from machines made in the XX-XXII century. The story takes place approximately in the year 3000, so our times for the game characters seem like a distant past.
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Battlefield 3
The title is valuable because of three points.
- A well-developed plot and the possibility of a multiplayer game.
- Beautiful graphics that look modern even years after the premiere.
- Realistic battles.
The focus is on realistic battles. It seems that the developers provide players with a movie in the mockumentary genre — pseudo-documentary shooting, where the characters know that they are being filmed and are not afraid to fool around. But don’t let the jokes of the companions relax — the opponents here are evil and kill one or two.
All game episodes are connected by a single plot. The protagonist, Sergeant Henry Blackburn, recalls recent military events during interrogation. And the player becomes a part of these events, fighting enemies in the Middle East, Paris and New York.
The only disappointment is checkpoints that have not been worked out (save places — if the hero is killed, he returns not to the beginning of the level, but to this place). The control points are far apart, which is why it is not always possible to save at the right time. Complex tasks sometimes have to be completed instead of 15 minutes for an hour.
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Elder Scrolls 5 is considered the main medieval game of the decade. The plot is bursting with the saturation of events within the game world. There are dozens of quests, interesting characters and beautiful nature.
Weapons and spells are assigned to both hands, which means that powerful blows can be shuffled in any order and dealt with enemies in a convenient way. The main thing is to think over the strategy of defense and attack. Well, have a gaming keyboard with a quick response so that commands are transmitted without delay.
It is better to combine possibilities, because in one stealth mode (quiet furtively) the passage can be difficult and boring. And if you combine it with a medieval shooter with arrows, it becomes more dynamic and more fun!
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Assassin’s Creed 2
What is special: Niccolo Machiavelli and others.
The game takes place in medieval Italy. The young Florentine Ezio Borgia leads a wild life of golden youth, which has to be interrupted because of the threat to the life of his father and siblings. They are suddenly seized on false charges of mass conspiracy and executed in the central square. The main character could be next.
The goal of the player is to find out who is to blame for such a sad fate of his family. To understand the scale of the situation, let’s say that in the final the player will reach the Vatican and achieve an audience with the Pope.
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The Most Anticipated PC Games of 2022 List
We’ve rounded up the best new PC games of 2022 yet to be released. Sit back, stretch your wrists and get ready to see the best gaming stories of the year.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl
Release date: April 28, 2022.
Why it is worth waiting for:
- The game conveys the hopelessness of the post-apocalyptic world.
- A huge number of weapons — more than 30 types of firearms are planned.
- Dynamic change of weather and time of day.
Continuation of the most iconic Ukrainian game. GSC Game World has been working on this project for many years, so it is expected that every detail of the game will be made with love.
And judging by the available information, players will be able to wander around the open seamless world (no need to wait for 3-5 minutes at the «loading screen») as if they were transported to Pripyat. The Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the village of Novichkov and most of the secret objects are preserved here.
The game will remain a first-person survival shooter. To better understand all the references of the new part, it is better to go through the original trilogy before this. In total, more than 60 km will be available to the player for research, which is comparable to the size of the regional center. You will have to build relationships with random passers-by and be prepared to meet with representatives of different gangs and mutants.
Horror and RPG elements are to be expected. Fans of horror and dreary atmosphere in games about the savior of the Zone will appreciate the new part. Here the «pressing» and dangerous atmosphere will become clearer. Each bonfire will become more significant — there will be less fire in the new part, which means it will be much more difficult to restore strength after battles.
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- The main focus on the story: a rarity in modern games.
- For the first time in the Metro universe, it will be possible to play online.
So far, little is known about the continuation of the cult action saga. It is known that it will be available for Windows 10 PCs and 9th generation consoles (Xbox X/S or PS 5). By working only on systems with powerful hardware, it will get even better graphics than the current Metro: Exodus, which many mistake for the fourth part.
It is also known that this is a first-person shooter and the main focus will be on the story-driven single player campaign. Given that most developers focus on multiplayer online stories, such a move from 4A Games deserves respect.
Multiplayer will appear in the new Metro. This will be the first multiplayer game in the series. So fans of online interactives and lovers of single-shot monsters will be satisfied.
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Mafia 4
Release date: late 2022.
Why you should play:
- Players are transported to the criminal Las Vegas of Scorsese’s time — you can feel the atmosphere of those times for yourself.
- The ability to play on the side of the «guardians of the law» and criminals.
- You can influence the appearance of the city.
The sequel to the popular action shooter in the open world is expected. According to insider data popular on the Internet, the game will take place in Las Vegas and Chicago in the 70s of the last century — the time and place that Martin Scorsese made famous in his films. So fans of Taxi Driver, The Goodfellas and The Irishmen will feel the familiar atmosphere of the films of their favorite director.
The story will last for a decade — from the end of the hippie era to the start of the bright eighties. Unlike Mafia 3, there will be no flashbacks here. As well as monotonous missions, which Mafia fans did not like so much in the third part. Useful mechanics of past games have become a novelty: the same renovation of buildings, for example, when a casino can be built from a dilapidated basement, etc.
In the fourth part, the game will have 2 main characters: the corrupt policeman Hein, who will be involved in a gambling scam; and judge. He will decide the fate of the gangsters who were involved in crime in the «old times» (from the 40s to the end of the 70s of the twentieth century). Players will have to choose their «camp»: for or against the mafia.
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Techland’s long-term construction will see the world in 2022. The horror premiere was postponed for 2 years, and now, finally, the developers have set a release date.
Events take place 15 years after the outbreak of a dangerous virus: during this time, people have rolled back in development to the level of the XVII-XVIII centuries. Communication (and even then bad) is only among the cream of society, the old weapon has become a real treasure, they are ready to kill for control over electricity.
There are no firearms, there are almost no people left who can make guns. You will have to make melee and ranged weapons yourself or spend a lot of money and time on the purchase.
A key feature of the second part of the Dying Light is the variability of decisions and their impact on the world within the game. Even one dialogue or a swing of a dagger can completely change the course of the game.
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Starfield
Release date: November 11, 2022.
- This is a game from the developers of Fallout and Skyrim, so you should expect puzzle and action elements.
- A single title will give you the opportunity to explore space and build new civilizations.
Space-themed action adventure. The action takes place in the distant future on a spaceship. Players will experience a story in the style of Mass Effect — with a journey through space between clusters and galaxies, communication with representatives of star systems.
A huge part of the gameplay is devoted to the study of space anomalies, fantastic creatures and uncharted places in the universe. At the same time, the Starfield and Fallout games are in the same game universe: the actions of the space saga take place when the nuclear war has already died down and humanity has managed to recover from it.
According to Todd Howard (Head of Game Studio Bethesda), it will be a single player story. The player will be able to go through it at their own pace, without adjusting to the style of friends. And judging by the leaks, the game begins with the character leaving his planet. Then 4 large and detailed planets await him, and a dozen, maybe even hundreds of mini-planets and satellites. They will be more modest, but also interesting.
The combat system is similar to Fallout 4: here the gamer will have a large selection of ammunition, armor and equipment. You can download each item. Also, the player will be able to assemble his team through sets of co-party members of different races and planets.
The probability of multiplayer is minimal, but it should not be denied. Most of today’s games have the possibility of a multiplayer session — a tribute to the time when people often can not gather in one room, but want to play with their friends.
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Corsairs Legacy — Pirate Action RPG
Why you should play it:
- This is a game from Ukrainian developers — Studio Mauris. Playing this game means supporting a domestic manufacturer.
- Exciting RPG in a tropical setting — such a bright and optimistic atmosphere is rare.
As the name implies, this is an adventure role-playing game in which the player will have to play as «Masters of the Sea» — pirates and corsairs. The plot starts in 1689 — when Captain Blood’s odyssey came to its logical conclusion — the corsair was able to reach unprecedented career heights and become the governor of Jamaica.
Now the Caribbean needs new brave heroes who are ready to sow fear among the Spanish invaders. By the will of fate, Jack Rackham becomes such a hero — an inconspicuous smuggler who earns his living by criminal cases. During one of these jobs, he gets into big trouble, the only way out of which can be found if you take the situation into your own hands.
So far, the developers are announcing a story with a lot of character dialogue and an updated combat system. Maritime enthusiasts will love the fact that over the course of the story, they will have to handle a lot of sailing watercraft, given the whims of sea weather.
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God of War: Ragnarok
Release date: during 20220003
- Huge open universe where you can better explore the cities of the past.
- A well-thought-out plot with many difficult moral choices.
The 2018 update to the God of War series was so successful that after a while it is still considered one of the best games of the decade. The developers decided to consolidate their success and release a new part of the God of War: Ragnarok.
Game designer Corey Barlog (he worked on the first part of GoW and is working on a new one) promises players that the story of 2022 will be the biggest and most epic part. The game will start with active gameplay and a pinch of drama. The characters of Crates and Atreus have become even deeper, the player will be able to get acquainted with their inner demons and directly influence changes in the worldview of the characters.
During the passage, gamers will visit all 9 game worlds, including Asgard, Vanaheim and even Svartalfheim from the first part. You will have to look for allies, learn new combat skills and fight the secret fears of the heroes.
The god of thunder Thor and the goddess of love Freya will act as irreconcilable opponents. It is in this part that Kratos will have to choose what is more important: the safety of the family or the kingdoms. Which side he ends up on is up to the player to decide.
Virtual world: 10 and 1 best PS VR 9 game0003
Elden Ring
Premiere date: February 25, 2022.
Why you should play:
- An open game world is a rarity for FromSoftware. Previously, all game events took place in corridors, narrow rooms and labyrinths — this made it possible to save system power. The new game is optimized so that large spaces open up in front of the player without overloading the computer or console.
- Non-combat mages have in their inventory good armor, a shield and pumped-out skills of blows. If desired, even the most peaceful character will be able to fight back against strong enemies alone.
One of the most anticipated games from the creators of Dark Souls promises to be a one-off version of Dark Souls. Now, instead of narrow corridors, game battles will be transferred to spacious fields. The gamer will immediately understand where it is better for him to go: control points can be seen from afar, you can easily escape from unwanted battles.
The developers call the game a completely new story, but judging by the screening that took place in November 2021, gamers believe that this game is a «cousin» of the familiar «Dark Souls». Players get similar mechanics, animations, different sound effects, and even a story about the «decline of a once great kingdom.»
The only solid difference from the studio’s previous games is the simplified gameplay. He remains at a high level, but fans of hardcore missions may be disappointed. Fighting opponents is much easier here, the main character now knows how to jump and even attack while jumping. A player may not be afraid to fall off a cliff if his height does not exceed 7-12 meters. The hero, although his health will deteriorate, he will still remain alive. In Dark Souls, such a fall would lead to the instant death of the protagonist.
Horizon: Forbidden West
Release date: February 18, 2022.
What is the feature of the game:
- Aloy has even more equipment and abilities in her arsenal: she can kill enemies while flying on a makeshift hang glider.
- Accessories make it easier to find enemies and move around the game world.
This is a continuation of the above Horizon Zero Dawn. Here, gamers will still need to play as the “strong and independent” Aloy, only now she has even more options. At the preliminary presentation of the gameplay, the audience was subdued by a technological hang glider and a huge 7-meter mechanical elephant.
In the story, Aloy travels to the Forbidden West to stop a mysterious corruption from carrying out its plan to kill all life on planet Earth. The presentation showed how her partner Erend was rescued from captivity, and he gave Aloy a special device with a built-in map, which leads to a particularly dangerous place.
The mechanics of the previous game have been noticeably upgraded: the heroine now has focus vision for quickly finding climbable places. Wearing a special mask, Aloy will be able to stay underwater several times longer. A hang glider can be used even in battles: so the heroine will be able to quickly move across the battlefield.
The table shows the expected release dates of the games:
The level of coolness of the expected games is in no way inferior to the TOP stories of this decade. The trend towards storytelling is still preserved, players are fed up with multiplayer games and are returning either to old proven stories, or they expect new well-developed stories from developers. Everything is relative. As far as games will appeal to you, it will be clear by the end of the year. In the meantime, we are waiting for the exit and getting ready for a hot fight!
Read: The best zombie games on PC: 7 top-notch kills
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1. Warcraft III
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This — the first three-dimensional game from Blizzard and one of the best strategies in principle.
When it was released in 2002, Warcraft III had it all. Wonderful graphics that look good even now thanks to the unique style, addictive role-playing gameplay that influenced the entire RTS genre, a gorgeous story in a well-thought-out universe, and mod support.
If not for Warcraft III, there would be no DotA, no MOBA genre as such.
Buy for PC →
2. XCOM: Enemy Unknown
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Tactical strategy game on PC in which you have to protect the Earth from aliens.
The main thing in XCOM is the constant need to make difficult decisions. Whom to send on a difficult mission: a veteran who will have a better chance of winning, or a rookie who is not so sorry to lose? Which of them should be given more powerful armor or a gun? Order the fighters to attack the strongest alien or deal with small enemies first?
Every aspect of the game — managing the base, changing the equipment of the characters, and the battles themselves — is incredibly exciting.
Buy for PC
On the surface, this is the most ordinary strategy about the Second World War, but in fact, Company of Heroes is one of the most humane war games. This is because the player rarely has more than a few squads (unlike several dozen units in traditional RTS). You worry about the fighters as if you were yourself and build tactics in such a way as to ensure their survival.
With an advanced graphics engine for its time and thoughtful missions, Company of Heroes shows the brutality of war. No matter how hard you try, people still die — such is the price of victory.
Buy for PC →
4. Starcraft II
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in the world. Every millimeter of the map, every special ability of the character, every building available for construction — everything is mathematically verified to generate the most exciting matches. It’s not for nothing that the game tournaments are held almost every couple of weeks, and the prize pools in them reach up to $700,000.
If microcontrol and multitasking aren’t your thing, StarCraft II also has a great single player campaign. It has an excellent story about the confrontation of three races and various types of missions. Plus, you don’t have to click so much to complete it.
Buy for PC →
5. HomeWorld: Deserts of Kharak
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A prequel to the acclaimed space strategy game Homeworld, set on the sandy planet of Karak.
Despite the change in setting and transition from 3D to 2D battlefields, Deserts of Kharak has managed to retain the spirit of the original. Here, too, there is no base as such, but there is a carrier ship — the most important unit, the loss of which means defeat.
The game has an exciting single-player campaign, each mission in which is connected to the previous one: in any new task, the player has exactly the same number of vehicles as they had left at the end of the previous one.
Deserts of Kharak is also a very beautiful game. It’s hard not to admire when you see how the iron colossus furrows the sand dunes.
Buy for PC A spiritual successor to Total Annihilation that improves and expands on the ideas of the original. In fact, this is a game about the leisurely battles of huge robots on giant maps.
Matches in Supreme Commander rarely last less than an hour. This time is needed to build a base with a balanced economy and prepare enough combat units to destroy the enemy.
Supreme Commander is a massive strategy game in every sense. The number of fighters on one side sometimes reaches a thousand, and you need to think through actions at least 10 minutes ahead.
Buy for PC →
7. Total War: Shogun 2
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It’s hard to choose the best game in the Total War series, but Lifehacker chose Shogun 2. the most complete, concentrated and understandable even for beginners.
In Total War: Shogun 2, the player takes on the role of the head of a clan in medieval Japan. The goal is to take over the entire country. To do this, you can use diplomacy, economics, and even intrigue — send assassins and spies.
But the main thing is, of course, epic battles, in which it is very important to correctly place your troops on the location.
Buy for PC →
8. Age of Empires II HD
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In Age of Empires II, the player has to lead a civilization through several eras: the Dark Ages, Feudalism, the Castle Age, and so on. You can play as one of several factions such as Japan, Mongolia or the Celts.
The main feature of the game is the combination of resource management with military operations. During the battle in Age of Empires II, it is not enough just to raise an army, you also need to build a powerful economy by building houses, quarries and sawmills and cultivating fields.
Thanks to such an emphasis on the economic component, you can feel like a real ruler leading his country to prosperity.
Buy for PC →
9. Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2
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Unlike many other parts of Command & Conquer, Red Alert 2 is not about confronting GDI factions and NODs, but about combat between the allies and the USSR.
According to the plot of the game, Hitler was erased from history with the help of a time machine, which allowed the Soviet Union to significantly develop its technologies. As a result, in the second half of the 20th century, he attacked the United States.
Red Alert 2 makes fun of many Cold War clichés. What is only the Soviet super-soldier Boris, who walks in a hat with earflaps and with AKM. There were also some classic cut-scenes for the series, filmed in the studio with real actors. Only here they are twice as funny thanks to the insane setting.
During the battles, however, there is no time for laughter. Especially when you see a pair of Kirov airships approaching your base with dozens of powerful bombs on board.
Buy for PC One of the main strategies of the generation, a bright representative of the 4X subgenre. In Civilization V, the player must develop their civilization and bypass all others. To do this, you can use both brute force and diplomacy, technological and economic development.
The gameplay is divided into turns, due to which matches can sometimes last for several hours. Civilization V has a lot of mechanics. It can take a long time to get used to it.
But it’s worth it. No game here is like the previous one. And even if you spend several hundred hours in this strategy, it still will not cease to amaze you.
Buy for PC →
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top games with the most interesting storyline
In this selection, we decided to compile a list of PC games with the most interesting and twisted plot.
All these games belong to different genres and came out at different times. They are united only by the fact that the events in them unfold like a good book, all the characters have a well-written personality and motivation, and hackneyed clichés like “enemies burned their native village”, “the ancient Evil woke up”, “The main character is the reincarnation of a god / an ancient hero / dragon/Devil’s dogs» are either used very rarely, or they are coolly played up.
Contrary to popular stereotype, games with an interesting storyline do not have to have eight-bit console-quality graphics and be voiced by the programmer who wrote them. Some of the projects included in our list are quite AAA games with a multi-million dollar budget, modern (for the year of their release) graphics and professional voice acting. Of course, there was a place in our top for more modest projects that are well suited for weak PCs.
RPG
The Witcher 9 Series0013
The Witcher trilogy was created based on the masterpiece of the dark fantasy genre — the eponymous series of novels by the Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski. And even though Pan Andrzej did not personally participate in writing game scripts, the literary headquarters of the CD Projekt RED studio managed to preserve the spirit of the books, and at the same time fully convey the atmosphere of the world, in which people sometimes turn out to be much scarier than monsters.
The gameplay here will come down not only to alternately brandishing a silver and steel sword, studying signs and drinking potions in unhealthy amounts, but also to unraveling complex socio-political conflicts within individual villages and entire states.
Buy
Divinity: Original Sin
The first part of this series of turn-based RPGs is great because here you can fully play two characters at once, between which a variety of relationships can develop — from true love to burning hatred. The sequel, unfortunately, abandoned this chip, but there is something to enjoy. After all, the characters that get into your team have their own personality and can even quarrel with each other. The plot of both parts is based on attempts to resist wizards who practice the dangerous magic of the Source.
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Planescape: Torment
A selection of games with a good story is inconceivable without mentioning the game, which is still considered the standard of originality, plot coherence and the quality of the literary component.
Waking up in the mortuary of a strange city located at the intersection of different worlds, our nameless character will have to realize his own immortality, meet many super-colorful characters like a flying skull or a magician with pyromaniac tendencies, and delve into the terrible secrets of his own past.
Buy
Fallout series
Another recognized masterpiece of the RPG genre included in our TOP will delight gamers not only with a unique role-playing system, thoughtful post-apocalyptic game world and corporate humor, but also with a huge influence of your character’s parameters on the features of the passage. As a result, none of the races will be similar to the previous one, and the charismatic smart guy will have completely different dialogues than the tight strong man or the clumsy lucky one.
Buy
Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines
Although Troika Games’ «Swan Song» turned out to be a little crumpled, the story told in it is definitely worthy of attention. You have to immerse yourself in the intricate and mysterious life of underground communities of vampires who were able to integrate into the realities of the modern world and successfully hide their existence from mere mortals.
And if you download the patch developed by the gaming community (which is called «Unofficial Patch»), then the game will take on a look that is close to the original idea of the studio.
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Mass Effect
This epic action-RPG space-opera from the acclaimed masters of BioWare tells the story of the end of an era of galactic civilizations, which, one by one, fall victim to the invasion of huge AI ships known as the Reapers.
We will get used to the role of Captain Shepard of the Systems Alliance, who is one of the first to encounter the Reapers and is struggling to save the intelligent races of the universe from destruction. As a bonus, there are a lot of interesting characters, the ability to have a romance with party members, and a save import system, thanks to which the entire trilogy is combined into one narrative.
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Dragon Age Series
BioWare games have always been regarded as the epitome of how storylines should be written, and the Dragon Age series is no exception. This means that here you will find well-written characters, a system of relationships between party members and the opportunity to have romances with associates.
At the same time, each decision made during the passage and even the features of the character you chose at the start (for the first game) and the events that occurred in the previous parts of the series (for the sequels) play a huge influence on the development of the plot. A proprietary save import system allows you to turn the passage of all parts of the series into one coherent epic story.
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Baldur’s Gate series
Despite the fact that the plot of this classic isometric RPG plays on a quite banal move about the «incarnation of the ancient God», this status not only does not bring special joys and bonuses to the main character (or heroine), but on the contrary, it exposes the life of our character to a constant threat. In addition, the game takes place in a universe familiar to fans of Dungeons and Dragons board games and Robert Salvatore’s novels.
Buy
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
This open-world RPG is almost the only game that allows you to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the Hussite wars that shook Europe in the 15th century and laid the foundation for the Reformation.
Despite the rather banal plot in the spirit of «enemies burned down their native village», the plot of Kingdom Come is full of unexpected twists, epic battles, colorful characters, unexpected betrayals and acts of true heroism. And all this splendor is complemented by a carefully designed combat, which recreates in detail the fencing styles adopted in Europe at that time.
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The Deus Ex series
The games in this series are not for nothing that are considered a cyberpunk icon — because they have a dystopian future waiting for you, when corporations, secret societies and terrorist organizations fight for power over the world, and ordinary citizens die from hunger and disease despite unprecedented advances in technology. The developers managed to cram into the script all the conspiracy theories that were popular at the time of the release of the game, thanks to which you will always be haunted by paranoia and a sense of hopelessness.
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Disco Elysium
A role-playing game in which the story is the main component. You will learn the story of an alcoholic police officer who went to the fictional town of Revachol to investigate a murder. But the work is not a wolf — it will not run away into the forest, and the hero gets drunk again, but this time it is completely unconscious. After waking up in the hotel, he will have to remember who he is, why he came and why a corpse is hanging on a tree in the yard of his lodging for the night.
Unlike other RPGs, Disco Elysium does not have a combat system — the story progresses entirely through dialogue. By pumping various skills, the player will be able to open up new options in conversations, which will help him understand what is happening.
Buy now
Grimshade
In terms of plot twist and game world sophistication, this game is in no way inferior to the recognized icons of the RPG genre. In this turn-based old-school RPG, you will find a world where magic and high technology, monocles and energy weapons, gloomy monsters and humanoid raccoons side by side. And thanks to the rejection of the ability to create your own party as the story progresses, we will assemble a squad of colorful characters with a unique personality and motivation and will use it to save the world, starting with our hometown.
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Tyranny
Obsidian’s classic isometric style RPG is good because it allows you to look at a typical fantasy story from a completely unexpected angle. The world, as always, is trying to capture the great and terrible evil wizard, and our main character is one of the Arbiters of Fates who help him in this difficult mission.
At the same time, at the very beginning we have to fill out a small questionnaire (how exactly the villain captured the world and how much our hero helped him in this), and many twists and turns of the plot awaiting us will depend on the answers.
Buy
Wasteland III
Wasteland III combines post-apocalyptic and dark humor, and players will take on the role of rangers that roam the Wasteland and keep order. The action of the new part of the series takes place in Colorado, where the main characters adjoin the local ruler to help him end the internecine war.
The game is full of interesting missions and unexpected jokes, and the gameplay does not let you down: tactical battles do not get bored, and post-apocalyptic lands constantly throw up new surprises.
Buy now
Cyberpunk 2077
Okay, Cyberpunk 2077 had serious management and marketing problems, and the development of the game, in a good way, should have been extended for another six months. Another masterpiece was expected from the creators of The Witcher, but it turned out … just a good game.
And one of its best sides is the plot. The story of the mercenary V, who got into an incredible mess and got a chip that stores the identity of one of the coolest rockers and dangerous terrorists, definitely deserves attention, and the side episodes turned out to be no less interesting than the main scenario. Bugs will be fixed, modders will take care of gameplay shortcomings, and the adventure will remain exciting even after many years.
Buy now
NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139…
Yoko Taro games always attract attention and acquire cult status, despite not always perfect game design and beautiful graphics. This also applies to the RPG NieR Replicant, the remaster of which has acquired the postscript ver. 1.22474487139…, as well as NieR Automata, which also deserves a place in our selection.
A complicated story awaits you, revealing its details only on the second to tenth playthroughs. Don’t worry about getting bored: when you start a new game after the ending, you will see completely different scenes and learn more details about the characters and the game world.
Buy now
Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning
Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning is notable for being written by fantasy novel author Robert Salvatore and comic book creator Todd McFarlane. The protagonist is free to write his own destiny in a world whose fates are predetermined, and this sends him on an unforgettable adventure full of battles.
Despite the game’s MMO roots stretching its gameplay, Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning is captivating. And the remaster, released on modern platforms, allows you to run this RPG at high resolution and stable frame rates.
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Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
BioWare has taken the D&D role-playing system into its Star Wars universe, as it turns out, fantasy game mechanics blend well with space opera. Players are waiting for the usual Star Wars battles using blasters and lightsabers, and their actions will affect the balance of the protagonist between the light and dark sides of the Force.
But the most powerful part of the game is its script: it intertwines the stories of the Jedi and the Sith, the plot takes incredible turns, and the final part of the game allows the story to turn in two opposite directions.
Buy now
Dark Souls series
Despite the extremely minimalistic presentation of the plot in the games of the series, when information about the world has to be drawn from dialogues with NPCs and a few cutscenes, the developers managed to create a coherent and interesting game world that is experiencing a cataclysm of hitherto unknown proportions. The fact is that people in this world gradually stop dying, instead of constantly being reborn in a form that is getting closer and closer to the mindless undead.
Buy
Actions, shooters
Half-Life series
At first glance, the inclusion of a shooter in a selection of games with an interesting plot seems accidental. Nevertheless, the plot may well give odds not only to other representatives of the genre, but also to other RPGs. And although our protagonist is silent and mysterious, the sudden turns and colorful characters here could be enough for several other games.
A separate bonus is a gradually growing sense of hopelessness, because no matter what Gordon Freeman does, the situation for humanity eventually only gets worse. The series even has something in common with A Song of Ice and Fire — the bearded men in the body, who created each of the masterpieces, are ready to do anything, so as not to tell the story to the end.
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BioShock Series
The games in this series have become the headliners of the biopunk genre. The story told in them shows us how the best of intentions can gradually turn the lives of thousands of people into a real hell. After all, Andrew Ryan, who created the underwater utopian city, initially just wanted to realize his ideals of an absolutely free society, where every inhabitant can maximize their abilities.
The result is a brutal dictatorship in which most of the inhabitants have turned into mindless mutants, and the few people who retain their humanity sometimes turn out to be more dangerous than the most vicious monsters.
Buy now
Halo: Reach
Halo: Reach is a first-person shooter game from the Halo series. The plot is based on the events described in the novel Halo: The Fall of Reach. It is in this part that the players will learn about the last hours of the life of the planet, which is the last frontier to Earth.
In addition to the intriguing plot, the game contains a truly epic gameplay — dynamic scenes and action await you almost at every turn. The scenery also stands out — their beauties can be enjoyed for hours.
Halo: Reach averaged 9-9.5 points out of 10, and we recommend playing it for those who have heard about this series for the first time.
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Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
The plot of this action game in general terms resembles an inverted version of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, but Senua’s Sacrifice can rightfully be considered the most original project of recent years.
Hellblade tells us about the adventures of the Pictish warrior Senua, who is forced to simultaneously fight both quite real and her inner demons. The most remarkable feature of this game is that the «voices» that are periodically heard in the head of the heroine are important not only for the plot, but also for the gameplay. For example, by the calmness of your voice, you can judge how full the HP scale of your character is — which is especially useful, given the fact that there is no HUD in the game.
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Max Payne Series
Innovative for its time, this shooter is not only made in the visual style of the film noir genre, but its entire plot corresponds to the canons of this genre.
Our hero, a policeman named Max Payne, one far from perfect day loses his wife and daughter, who become victims of the revenge of drug dealers. This event forces Max to go to the dangerous work of an undercover agent and almost single-handedly destroy the entire New York drug mafia. In the course of a personal vendetta, the former policeman will have to face the underside of the nightlife of the metropolis and try to get out of a seemingly hopeless situation when his former colleagues open the hunt for him.
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Red Dead Redemption 2
The cowboy action sequel finally made its way to PC, and many more users were able to learn the story of Arthur Morgan, a member of the Dutch Van der Linde gang that sows fear throughout the Wild West. The life of the gang comes to an end, and Arthur sees that their activities are taking a toll on his adopted family. Whether the hero will be able to get out of the water dry, and what his adventures will lead to — we invite you to find out for yourself.
The game is an action game in an open world, in which special attention is paid to various details. The gameplay in the game is leisurely, and therefore, if you expect non-stop gunfights in the Wild West, you may experience disappointment from the passage.
Buy
L.A. Noire
As befits any work in the noir genre, this game tells us about the life story of detective Cole Phelps, who, by the will of fate, becomes involved in the investigation of the activities of the drug mafia.
In the course of the game, our character will have to face dark shadows from his own past, go through a personal drama and face the corruption that permeated all layers of post-war American society. Everything even ends here exactly as a black-and-white film about a heroic detective filmed in the late forties would have ended.
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Alan Wake
This gripping action-thriller tells the story of a writer named Alan Wake, who finds himself in a place where the characters he created come to life and the scenarios he invented are realized. And everything would be fine, but Alan specializes in writing horror, which means that a meeting with his own creations does not prepare him for anything good.
In addition to a great storyline, the game also pleases with a well-thought-out way of presenting it — it is all divided into episodes, each of which is similar in structure to a full-fledged series of a television series.
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A Plague Tale: Innocence
A Plague Tale: Innocence tells the story of children who find themselves alone in the Black Death. The plot will send you to France in 1349. In the role of the girl Amicia, you have to find your place in this cruel medieval world, take care of your younger brother Hugo and fight back against the Inquisition.
This game was the «black sheep» on the spring 2019 release calendar, but it managed to «shoot» properly. Players praise the story, gameplay mechanics, sound and atmosphere, and gaming publications are generous with positive ratings.
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Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven
The iconic Mafia is a game standard with the perfect combination of interesting gameplay and an outstanding scenario. The classic rags-to-riches story, the indescribable atmosphere of the United States during the Great Depression and Prohibition, exciting shootouts and chases — the game had all the introductory elements to become great, and it did not miss its chance.
Due to its advanced age, the original game now looks very unpretentious, but modern gamers can get acquainted with the remake — Mafia: Definitive Edition, which received some changes in the script and significant graphics improvements.
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Death Stranding
Death Stranding is controversial in terms of gameplay, but for the world around it and the well-developed story, it is only praised. The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic future, and gamers will play the role of a «postman» who delivers various goods and establishes communications between settlements.
The plot is much deeper than this superficial description, and the roles of the characters were played by various Hollywood stars — Norman Reedus, Guillermo del Toro, Troy Baker, Mads Mikkelsen and others.
Buy
Horizon Zero Dawn
Horizon Zero Dawn pleases gamers with an excellent storyline, dynamic gameplay and non-standard setting. The player will assume the role of a red-haired girl, Aloy, who discovers that she is the «chosen one». She has to go on adventures and find answers to various questions.
While people are armed with spears and bows and arrows, giant robots and mechanical predators roam the game world, which the player will have to hunt. This is another great game in our selection that deserves the attention of users, regardless of genre preferences.
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Metal Gear Solid Series
The icon of the stealth action genre invites us to plunge into the fascinating world of showdown between private military corporations of the near future. The series is notable for the fact that in the end, everything in it may not be what it seems — the closest friends will turn out to be traitors, and outright villains may end up sacrificing themselves for the greater good.
The theme of unprincipled politicians who are ready to sacrifice the lives of thousands of ordinary soldiers for the sake of their own ambitions and intrigues runs through all the games in the series.
Buy now
Yakuza series
A highly acclaimed series of action-adventure games (depending on the release, it can be both beat’em’up and, for example, jRPG), dedicated to the underworld of Japan of relative modernity (the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century ).
The main characters are hooligans and criminals, which, however, does not prevent one from being imbued with their stories and even empathizing with them. And the dramatic plot is perfectly diluted with humorous inserts and funny mini-games.
Buy
Days Gone
Days Gone is a long, sometimes discordant, but still addictive game, the authors of which did a good job of revealing the well-worn trope of «search for a lost loved one.»
Biker Deacon St. John survives the apocalypse and travels the roads of devastated America in the hope of finding his wife, while encountering other survivors, crazed fanatics and infected monsters along the way. The game combines the thick atmosphere of a devastated world, thrilling bike rides and heated melee combat.
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Wolfenstein: The New Order
The Wolfenstein series is an arcade shooter with an invincible protagonist that uses a wide arsenal of weapons to destroy hundreds and thousands of Nazis. And if you expect that the plot of the franchise is only an excuse for endless shootouts, then you are deeply mistaken.
Just in the setting, the whole point of Wolfenstein: the action takes place in an alternative universe where the Nazis won World War II, and the Resistance is waging a liberation struggle with varying success. The scriptwriters came up with a convincing universe, described in detail the influence of the occupiers on world culture, and during the adventure, players will visit different places on the Earth, and even go to the Moon and Venus!
Buy now
Guardians of the Galaxy
Can a superhero game have a great storyline? How, and this proves the action Guardians of the Galaxy, which won in the nomination «Best Storytelling». It’s an exceptionally single-player game with a well-thought-out story that will seem banal at first, but with every hour it accelerates, overtaking its cinematic competitors, and reaching its climax in the end.
A lot of attention is paid to the development of each character thanks to the main guy, who uses the weaknesses of people to enslave them. You will learn about the secret desires and fears of each member of the «Guardians», which you could not even think of while watching the films.
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Batman: Arkham Series
Batman games are one of the most successful superhero games. The developers from the Rocksteady studio managed to find a balance between an interesting narrative and exciting gameplay, filling the projects with fights, puzzles and stealth episodes.
Each part of the Batman: Arkham series tells a new story about the adventures of Batman and his partners, confronts the hero with notorious villains and subjects him to difficult trials. Well, the local version of the Joker has become one of the best: the crazy clown prince of the underworld inspires fear and surprises with unpredictable antics. Well, it’s all the more interesting to watch the development of relations between him and his implacable antagonist in a bat suit.
Buy
Binary Domain
Binary Domain is often in the top underrated games: a third-person action movie with voice control and an unusual setting failed to attract a large audience and failed in sales, which many gamers still regret — from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and SEGA turned out to be a very cool project with an ambiguous plot.
In the near future, the world has changed dramatically: global warming has led to the destruction of cities and entire countries, and robotics has developed so much that some machines have become indistinguishable from people. Players will lead a squad of operatives and go to Japan, where they are waiting for battles with robots and unexpected plot twists.
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Platformer
Ori and the Blind Forest
Before the release of Braid, the platformer genre seemed to have died completely and irrevocably. Since 2008, the situation has changed, and now games in this half-forgotten genre are released with enviable regularity. Each of them seeks to impress players not so much with ultra-modern graphics, but with a twisted plot and unique game mechanics. And in this competition, Ori and the Blind Forest comes out the winner, even despite the fact that its heroes are forest animals and magical bundles of energy.
This seemingly childish game manages to tell us a magical story in which there is a place for devotion and betrayal, heroism and revenge, love and atonement for sins.
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Valiant Hearts: The Great War
This game tells us the story of a great war through the eyes of little people. And not only are the events of the First World War, which not so long ago attracted the attention of game developers, taken as the setting, but also the main characters of the story told from the very beginning find themselves on opposite sides of the barricades.
Passing through this exciting hybrid of a platformer with a now forgotten genre of quests, we have to look at the grandiose meat grinder from different angles and play as representatives of the Entente, as well as for the soldiers of the German army.
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It Takes Two
It Takes Two is an adventure game from the main bully of the gaming industry — Yusuf Fares, the head of the Hazelight studio, which created the equally masterpiece Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and A Way Out.
In this not-so-childish tale, you and your partner take on the roles of a married couple, Cody and May, who have been turned into dolls. As the characters travel through the miniature world, they will experience many crazy adventures, and you will be impressed by the hilarious jokes and crazy situations that will please them.
Buy now
Psychonauts 2
Psychonauts 2 is a 2005 platformer game developed by Double Fine and Tim Schafer that tells the adventures of heroes who travel through the recesses of other people’s subconscious, fighting their inner demons. Full of jokes and battles, the game tells an interesting story about a split within the organization in which the protagonist is a member.
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Neon White
Overly fast-paced action platformer in which you race at breakneck speed, jump over towers in the clouds, and use cards to attack your enemies. It seemed that there was a place for the plot, but it is there and pretty good.
Intense gameplay is often interrupted by visual novel-style cutscenes — we play as an assassin «White» who finds himself in Paradise. To stay, you have to compete with other hunters, but they are people from the past life of the protagonist.
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Hollow Knight
Acclaimed by everyone, atmospheric metroidvania platformer that tells the story not directly, but through objects, hints, location features and other details. Don’t just skim through the levels, but give Hollow Knight a chance to pique your interest, and you’ll discover the history of the abandoned insect kingdom of Hallownest that isn’t as straightforward as it first appears.
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Celeste
An exhilarating platform game that forces players to climb to the top of Mount Celeste through challenging levels that require precise character control. However, the essence of the game is not that you break the keyboard, but in the deep story of the main character Madeline, who went to the mountain to overcome her inner demons. Celeste is recognized as one of the best games of 2018 for its atmosphere, storyline, soundtrack and a host of other features.
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Quests, interactive movies, adventures
Telltale’s The Walking Dead
This horror quest is one of the few examples of how a comic book game can match the quality of its original source. As in the comic book of the same name, we have to survive in a world that has survived the zombie apocalypse. At the same time, if in most games about zombies the gameplay boils down mainly to the methodical genocide of brain-eaters, then here we will have to show secrecy and ingenuity, entering into direct collisions with «alternatively metabolizing» citizens only in some cases.
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What Remains of Edith Finch
What Remains of Edith Finch tells the story of a girl, Edith Finch, who is the only representative of her kind. She goes to the family mansion, where several generations of her ancestors lived, in order to find out facts about the lives of her relatives.
In 2017, the game won the Best Storytelling nomination at The Game Awards
During the game, the gamer will have to explore the old house and look for various notes that will shed light on the fate of the heroine and her relatives. After interacting with the items, he will observe and participate in various flashbacks (each has a unique gameplay).
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Firewatch
At the heart of Firewatch is the story of fire tower keeper Henry as he faces the aftermath of the 1988 Yellowstone fire. The only person he can talk to on the walkie-talkie is Delilah’s supervisor. The player will have to monitor the relationship of these heroes and influence them, as well as find out who and for what purpose broke into Henry’s hideout while he was watching the forest.
In terms of gameplay, this is a walking simulator with a great atmosphere and a deep storyline. The player will have to enjoy the views of wildlife, as well as reveal various secrets during the passage.
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Heavy Rain
Heavy Rain is an interactive movie that came to us on PC from PlayStation consoles. At one time, the game managed to wreck a lot of awards and blur the line between movies and games, which subsequently influenced the gaming industry.
Players learn the story of Ethan Mars, whose son was kidnapped by the origami master maniac. The heartbroken father decides to personally conduct an investigation, but what it will lead to — we invite you to find out personally.
The player influences the plot with his decisions in dialogues and actions — as a result of wandering through the forks, you can come to one of 18 endings. In this case, the player will play not only Ethan Mars, but also 3 other heroes.
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Detroit: Become Human
Detroit: Become Human is another interactive movie from the same developers, but this time gamers will have a fantastic plot. In the near future, people created androids that were supposed to perform routine work. But some of them rebelled and challenged the «system».
The story can be seen from the perspective of three different characters whose destinies are rapidly intertwined. As a result of the actions and decisions of the player, the characters can die altogether.
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Last Stop
Last Stop is a rather poor game in terms of gameplay. By and large, this is an interactive movie with rare interspersed with QTE and a choice of lines in the dialogues. However, its plot is captivating: it is a mystical tale with elements of comedy and horror, an elusive light mood and an unpredictable narration. And the «serial» presentation only fuels interest in what is happening.
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Life Is Strange Series
The Life Is Strange games are stories about completely different characters, lifelike and exciting, and even an admixture of the supernatural does not affect their earthiness: such events could happen to any of us.
The main character of the first part of the line can rewind time, the brother of the protagonist of the sequel has telekinesis, and the girl from the third part feels the emotions of others. But the main thing here is not this, but the relationship of the characters and the atmosphere of the place where the action takes place.
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Deponia
A comedic adventure awaits you in Deponia’s cartoon quest about poor Rufus, who lives in a junkyard. One day, happiness falls on him, literally — from the celestial town where the rich live, the mysterious girl Ghaul falls. Deciding to help her and thereby pave the way for himself in high society, the hero falls in love with her and begins to change before his eyes. This is a simple and funny story with life themes.
The game was praised for the story, but scolded for the absurd and non-obvious puzzles, so we recommend turning off the logic when passing.
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Horror
SOMA
Horror from the authors of the unforgettable Penumbra invites us to try on the role of a man who not only survived the tragedy, but also found himself in a strange body a hundred years after the era in which he lived. Our hero will have to find out what happened to humanity, what he himself has become and why various terrible monsters roam around. The style and plot of SOMA have much in common with such recognized masterpieces as BioShock and the film trilogy «The Matrix».
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Silent Hill Series
It’s far from certain that the events of all parts of the series generally take place in the same universe. Nevertheless, each of them tells us a fascinating story full of pain and difficult decisions. In each of the games, the protagonist experiences a terrible loss and goes to the mysterious and always foggy city of Silent Hill, where he hopes to find answers to his questions. Instead, each of them will have to enter into an uphill battle with their own fears and sins.
Games in the series are not available on PC in Russia
Little Nightmares
Both parts of the Little Nightmares dilogy are games with a plot full of omissions and mysteries, but nonetheless exciting and motivating to move to the end of the story. The adventures of children surviving in a brutal surreal universe where nightmares come to life are impressive, and the gameplay is captivating with interesting puzzles.
After completing Little Nightmares and Little Nightmares 2, you will discuss the emotions that these games gave you for a long time, and when you visit them again, be sure to notice details that you have not seen before.
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The Dark Pictures Anthology
A series of interactive horror films that invites you to relive various frightening stories and directly influence their development with your decisions and words.
In Man of Medan, a group of teenagers find themselves on a mysterious ghost ship during a storm, and the plot is inspired by the real-life legend of the Ourang Medan. In Little Hope, you will find yourself in the abandoned city of Little Hope, where a witch trial was held in the past and, as it turns out, is still being held. In House of Ashes, the most successful game so far, a group of soldiers, hiding during the war in an old temple, face a threat worse than the enemy on the other side of the front.
Man of MedanLittle HopeHouse of Ashes
Detention
Detention seems to be another Japanese horror about school, trying to scare with screamers and scary monsters from local legends. As you progress through the story becomes much more complicated: the events of the White Terror and the culture of Taiwan are woven into it, and the game is not at all about just scaring you. If we talk about the story in more detail, then there is a high risk of spoiling, so we will leave everything a secret and advise you to go through this indie masterpiece as quickly as possible.
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The Evil Within
A horror film from Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami tells the story of detective Sebastian Castellanos, who finds himself in an alternate world full of monsters while investigating a mass murder in a hospital. The first and second parts are connected by a single plot. We do not guarantee that your psyche will not go to distant lands along with the psyche of the main character — the games are quite creepy.
At the same time, they turned out to be difficult — ammunition is constantly in short supply, and most battles are best avoided. For excessive complexity, the first part received stones in the garden, in the second this shortcoming was corrected.
The Evil WithinThe Evil Within 2
Inscryption
One of the best indie games of 2021 has become famous for breaking the fourth wall, and more than once. This is a horror movie, and it begins in Leshy’s hut, who offers to play his card game for life. However, you can not follow his rules and get up from the table, wander around the room and look for an alternative way to escape. And when you manage to win or escape, the next scene will be non-credits. And what exactly — we will not tell.
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Strategy
Iron Harvest
Iron Harvest is interesting not so much for its gameplay (it’s a familiar RTS with a standard set of mechanics) as for its setting: the events of the project unfold in an alternative reality of 1920+, where another world war is fought using dieselpunk -robots, and in the outlines of fictional countries the Russian Empire (with splashes of the USSR), Poland and Germany are easily recognizable.
The game’s story campaign spans missions for each of these nations, and the scenario features many memorable characters.