PC Gamer Annual - UK (2022)

COUNTER-STRIKE:

GLOBAL OFFENSIVE

RELEASED 2012 | LAST POSITION No change

Rich: I still play Counter-Strike on a weekly

basis and, even when the likes of Siege or

Valorant have tempted me away for a time,

I always come back. The competition is full

of gadgets and powers and classes, but

CS:GO’s absolute purity and dedication

to a core that works so well remains

irresistible. And while I’ve heard some

awful stuff on team chat, I’ve also made a

lot of good buddies over the years: when

you have a little ‘crew’ that’s on regularly,

this game goes to another level.

Evan: It’s the most popular FPS in the

world, an almost decade-old giant that

stands on the shoulders of arguably the

most successful mod of all time (sorry,

D OTA). It’s one of my most-played games

ever. But in 2021, it’s aging. Is it really the

shooter I’d recommend to someone first

right now? No way. Recent experiments

like adding a battle royale mode have only

revealed the greying tech it sits upon.

Nat: I’m not a CS:GO player. But as a

veteran Source mapper, I have endless

respect for the way it’s kept the torch of

community map-making lit all these years.

Source may be dated, but Counter-Strike’s

mappers are doing incredible things with it.

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40

BATTLETECH

RELEASED 2018 | LAST POSITION 29

Fraser: One of my favourite tactics games

of all time, B a t t l eTe c h is an exciting romp

through a galaxy full of intrigue, ambitious

nobles and giant mechs. There’s a good

campaign tying all the fights together, but

brawling with steel monstrosities is what

keeps the grin on my face. You can build

your mech dream team – axe-wielding

behemoths with jetpacks, gargantuan

mobile weapon platforms, precious wee

scouts – and then fling them into tricky

battles. To the victor goes the scrap.

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LEAGUE OF

LEGENDS

RELEASED 2009 | LAST POSITION 28

Steven: Dota 2 players will crucify me for

it, but League of Legends is the only

MOBA you should play today. It’s just

so much more accessible, without

sacrificing any of the crazy high-level

teamplay, and its emphasis on skilful

solo play makes for ridiculously exciting

moments when a single player can

swing the game in their favour. It’s also

fun being a part of a cinematic universe,

with Legends of Runeterra and

Teamfight Tactics.

The Top 100

FE ATURE

PREVIEW

Morgan

Park

KNOCKOUT

CITY

If you told me

months ago that

EA would put out

a dodgeball game

that’d consume

my life for a

month, I’d laugh.

Still, Knockout

City really is that

good. Its unique

combat system

looks like a

kid-friendly

shooter at first,

but it’s all about

timing, fakeouts,

and coordination.

PERSONAL PICK

PREVIEW

Chris

Livingston

WEST OF

LOATHING

Truly funny games

are rare, and in

WoL everything

from the dialogue

to the item

descriptions are

brilliantly witty, so

much so you’ll

spend extra time

playing just to

make sure you’ve

found every last

bit of text. And

despite the stick

figure art, it’s a

true, open-world

Western! Yeehaw!

PERSONAL PICK