Best games
Best PC games of 2008
The 101 best PC games released in 2008, ranked from 24,126 critic and player ratings.
The best PC game of 2008 is The Orange Box, with a critic score of 94/100 — updated August 2026.
01
The Orange Box
94
/100
02
Burnout Paradise
Evolve or die. For Paradise, we knew we had to change everything. Burnout was a killer arcade driving game, but for a new generation of hardware and connected player Burnout had to become something more ambitious. Closed tracks made way for an expansive, open city, and we seamlessly synced your friends into the action and let you loose on a heap of cool challenges that unsurprisingly rewarded you for driving like a lunatic. Hey, it’s us after all.
93
/100
03
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
91
/100
The Orange Box
94
/100
02
Burnout Paradise
Evolve or die. For Paradise, we knew we had to change everything. Burnout was a killer arcade driving game, but for a new generation of hardware and connected player Burnout had to become something more ambitious. Closed tracks made way for an expansive, open city, and we seamlessly synced your friends into the action and let you loose on a heap of cool challenges that unsurprisingly rewarded you for driving like a lunatic. Hey, it’s us after all.
93
/100
03
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
91
/100
04
Portal: Still Alive
90
/100
05
Fallout 3
Fallout 3 from the creators of the award-winning Oblivion, featuring one of the most realized game worlds ever created. Create any kind of character you want and explore the open wastes of post-apocalyptic Washington D.C. Every minute is a fight for survival as you encounter Super Mutants, Ghouls, Raiders and other dangers of the Wasteland. Prepare for the future. The third game in the Fallout series, Fallout 3 is a singleplayer action role-playing game (RPG) set in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC. Combining the horrific insanity of the Cold War era theory of mutually assured destruction gone terribly wrong, with the kitschy naivety of American 1950s nuclear propaganda, Fallout 3 will satisfy both players familiar with the popular first two games in its series as well as those coming to the franchise for the first time.
89
/100
06
Left 4 Dead
From Valve (the creators of Counter-Strike, Half-Life and more) comes Left 4 Dead, a co-op action horror game for the PC and Xbox 360 that casts up to four players in an epic struggle for survival against swarming zombie hordes and terrifying mutant monsters.
89
/100
07
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV is an action-adventure video game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the eleventh title in the Grand Theft Auto series, and the first main entry since 2004's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The game is played from a third-person perspective and its world is navigated on-foot or by vehicle. Throughout the single-player mode, players play as Niko Bellic. An online multiplayer mode is included with the game, allowing up to 32 players to engage in both co-operative and competitive gameplay in a recreation of the single-player setting. Two expansion packs were later released for the game, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, which both feature new plots that are interconnected with the main Grand Theft Auto IV storyline, and follow new protagonists.
88
/100
08
Mega Man 9
Mega Man 9 brings the series back to its old school roots with retro gameplay, music and classic 8-bit style graphics! Mega Man fans, your wait is over! The classic Blue Bomber that debuted in 1987 is back with the ninth installment in the classic series. It's a new adventure for Mega Man all done in an 8-bit style -- graphics, music, and gameplay are all like you remember them!
88
/100
09
King's Bounty: The Legend
King's Bounty: The Legend is a Real-time / Turn-based Strategy with RPG elements. In a fairy tale fantasy world of fearless knights, evil mages, wise kings and beautiful princesses the player controls a hero. Leading their character through the game world, exploring it, commanding armies in battle and accomplishing various quests can mean great reward or huge defeats.
87
/100
10
GRID (2008)
87
/100
11
FINAL FANTASY IV: THE AFTER YEARS
87
/100
12
World of Goo
87
/100
13
Braid
87
/100
14
Dead Space (2008)
86
/100
15
The Witcher: Enhanced Edition Director's Cut
86
/100
16
Bionic Commando: Rearmed
86
/100
17
The Witcher: Enhanced Edition
86
/100
18
Far Cry 2
85
/100
19
AudioSurf
85
/100
20
Valkyria Chronicles
85
/100
21
Sam & Max: Episode 204 - Chariots of the Dogs
85
/100
22
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 Gold
85
/100
23
Prince of Persia
84
/100
24
Crysis Warhead
84
/100
25
Call of Duty: World at War
83
/100
26
Pure
83
/100
27
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization
83
/100
28
FIFA 09
83
/100
29
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky
82
/100
30
Spore
82
/100
31
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
82
/100
32
NBA 2K9
82
/100
33
Devil May Cry 4
81
/100
34
Saints Row 2
81
/100
35
Mirror's Edge
81
/100
36
Defense Grid: The Awakening
81
/100
37
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Platinum
81
/100
38
PixelJunk Eden
81
/100
39
LEGO Batman
80
/100
40
Toki Tori
80
/100
41
Assassin's Creed: Director's Cut Edition
80
/100
42
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Soulstorm
80
/100
43
Sam & Max: Episode 202 - Moai Better Blues
80
/100
44
Assassin's Creed: Director's Cut Edition
79
/100
45
King's Bounty: The Legend
79
/100
46
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway
79
/100
47
Tales of Vesperia
79
/100
48
Sam & Max: Episode 203 - Night of the Raving Dead
79
/100
49
NHL 09
79
/100
50
Castle Crashers
79
/100
Portal: Still Alive
90
/100
05
Fallout 3
Fallout 3 from the creators of the award-winning Oblivion, featuring one of the most realized game worlds ever created. Create any kind of character you want and explore the open wastes of post-apocalyptic Washington D.C. Every minute is a fight for survival as you encounter Super Mutants, Ghouls, Raiders and other dangers of the Wasteland. Prepare for the future. The third game in the Fallout series, Fallout 3 is a singleplayer action role-playing game (RPG) set in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC. Combining the horrific insanity of the Cold War era theory of mutually assured destruction gone terribly wrong, with the kitschy naivety of American 1950s nuclear propaganda, Fallout 3 will satisfy both players familiar with the popular first two games in its series as well as those coming to the franchise for the first time.
89
/100
06
Left 4 Dead
From Valve (the creators of Counter-Strike, Half-Life and more) comes Left 4 Dead, a co-op action horror game for the PC and Xbox 360 that casts up to four players in an epic struggle for survival against swarming zombie hordes and terrifying mutant monsters.
89
/100
07
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV is an action-adventure video game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the eleventh title in the Grand Theft Auto series, and the first main entry since 2004's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The game is played from a third-person perspective and its world is navigated on-foot or by vehicle. Throughout the single-player mode, players play as Niko Bellic. An online multiplayer mode is included with the game, allowing up to 32 players to engage in both co-operative and competitive gameplay in a recreation of the single-player setting. Two expansion packs were later released for the game, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, which both feature new plots that are interconnected with the main Grand Theft Auto IV storyline, and follow new protagonists.
88
/100
08
Mega Man 9
Mega Man 9 brings the series back to its old school roots with retro gameplay, music and classic 8-bit style graphics! Mega Man fans, your wait is over! The classic Blue Bomber that debuted in 1987 is back with the ninth installment in the classic series. It's a new adventure for Mega Man all done in an 8-bit style -- graphics, music, and gameplay are all like you remember them!
88
/100
09
King's Bounty: The Legend
King's Bounty: The Legend is a Real-time / Turn-based Strategy with RPG elements. In a fairy tale fantasy world of fearless knights, evil mages, wise kings and beautiful princesses the player controls a hero. Leading their character through the game world, exploring it, commanding armies in battle and accomplishing various quests can mean great reward or huge defeats.
87
/100
10
GRID (2008)
87
/100
11
FINAL FANTASY IV: THE AFTER YEARS
87
/100
12
World of Goo
87
/100
13
Braid
87
/100
14
Dead Space (2008)
86
/100
15
The Witcher: Enhanced Edition Director's Cut
86
/100
16
Bionic Commando: Rearmed
86
/100
17
The Witcher: Enhanced Edition
86
/100
18
Far Cry 2
85
/100
19
AudioSurf
85
/100
20
Valkyria Chronicles
85
/100
21
Sam & Max: Episode 204 - Chariots of the Dogs
85
/100
22
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 Gold
85
/100
23
Prince of Persia
84
/100
24
Crysis Warhead
84
/100
25
Call of Duty: World at War
83
/100
26
Pure
83
/100
27
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization
83
/100
28
FIFA 09
83
/100
29
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky
82
/100
30
Spore
82
/100
31
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
82
/100
32
NBA 2K9
82
/100
33
Devil May Cry 4
81
/100
34
Saints Row 2
81
/100
35
Mirror's Edge
81
/100
36
Defense Grid: The Awakening
81
/100
37
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Platinum
81
/100
38
PixelJunk Eden
81
/100
39
LEGO Batman
80
/100
40
Toki Tori
80
/100
41
Assassin's Creed: Director's Cut Edition
80
/100
42
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Soulstorm
80
/100
43
Sam & Max: Episode 202 - Moai Better Blues
80
/100
44
Assassin's Creed: Director's Cut Edition
79
/100
45
King's Bounty: The Legend
79
/100
46
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway
79
/100
47
Tales of Vesperia
79
/100
48
Sam & Max: Episode 203 - Night of the Raving Dead
79
/100
49
NHL 09
79
/100
50
Castle Crashers
79
/100
FAQ
What is the best PC game of 2008?
The Orange Box currently tops the ranking with a score of 94/100 across 328 ratings. Ranking updated August 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.