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Best PC games of 2012

The 92 best PC games released in 2012, ranked from 31,402 critic and player ratings.

The best PC game of 2012 is Journey, with a critic score of 94/100 — updated November 2026.

How this ranking is built
  • Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
  • A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
  • Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
  • Release window covered: 2012.
  • 50 games are listed on this page, carrying 31,402 ratings between them.
  • Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 13 November 2026.

Top 50

Played them? Give your tier with the + next to each game. No account needed to try — create one to keep your tiers.

01 Journey Journey 2012 · 1,191 ratings · finished by 31% A third-person adventure game in which the player, controlling a robed figure, makes a pilgrimage through a desert landscape to a rugged mountain with a beacon of light in the distance while uncovering the history of their people, rescuing and cooperating with friendly creatures, avoiding predatory ones and communicating with other travelers. 94 /100
02 Ōkami HD Ōkami HD 2012 · 113 ratings Experience the critically acclaimed masterpiece with its renowned Sumi-e ink art style in breathtaking high resolution. Take on the role of Amaterasu, the Japanese sun goddess who inhabits the form of a legendary white wolf, on a quest to defeat Orochi, an eight-headed demon and tyrannical monster responsible for turning the world of Nippon into a ruined wasteland. 92 /100
03 Mark of the Ninja Mark of the Ninja 2012 · 317 ratings · finished by 12% Mark of the Ninja is a side-scrolling action stealth video game developed by Klei Entertainment and published by Microsoft Studios. It was announced on February 28, 2012 and later released for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade on September 7, 2012. A Microsoft Windows version was released on October 16, 2012. It follows the story of a nameless ninja in the present day, and features a themed conflict between ancient ninja tradition and modern technology. Cutscenes for the game are rendered in Saturday morning cartoon animation style. 91 /100
04 Batman: Arkham City - Game of the Year Edition Batman: Arkham City - Game of the Year Edition 2012 · 1,477 ratings · finished by 19% 91 /100
05 Mass Effect 3 B Mass Effect 3 2012 · 1,858 ratings · 1 Tier vote · finished by 53% Earth is burning. The Reapers have taken over and other civilizations are falling like dominoes. Lead the final fight to save humanity and take back Earth from these terrifying machines, Commander Shepard. You'll need backup for these battles. Fortunately, the galaxy has a habit of sending unexpected species your way. Recruit team members and forge new alliances, but be prepared to say goodbye at any time as partners make the ultimate sacrifice. It's time for Commander Shepard to fight for the fate of the human race and save the galaxy. No pressure, Commander. Fight smarter. Take advantage of new powers and combat moves. Shepard can now blind fire at enemies and build tougher melee attacks. Plus, when you fight as a team you can combine new biotic and tech powers to unleash devastating Power Combos. Build the final force. Build a team from a variety of races and classes and combine their skills to overcome impossible odds. You'll be joined by newcomers like James Vega, a tough-as-nails soldier, as well as EDI, a trusted AI in a newly acquired physical form. Keep an eye out for beloved characters from your past, but beware. Some may not survive the final battle... Face off against friends. Enjoy an integrated co-op multiplayer mode and team up with friends online to liberate key conflict zones from increasingly tough opponents. Customize your warrior and earn new weapons, armor, and abilities to build war preparedness stats in your single player campaign. 91 /100
06 Spelunky S Spelunky 2012 · 189 ratings · 1 Tier vote · finished by 4% Spelunky (also known as Spelunky HD) is a remake of Spelunky (now known as Spelunky Classic), an open source indie platformer video game created by Derek Yu and originally released as freeware for Microsoft Windows. The player controls a spelunker who explores a series of caves while collecting treasure, saving damsels, fighting enemies and dodging traps. The caves are procedurally generated, making each run through the game unique. Spelunky is one of the first examples of a roguelike-like, borrowing concepts from the roguelike genre, and was the influence for many later roguelike-like games. 91 /100
07 Far Cry 3 A Far Cry 3 2012 · 2,243 ratings · 11 Tier votes · finished by 38% · 16 h to beat Explore an island playground as stunningly beautiful as it is diverse – from mountain ranges to swampy grasslands and white sandy beaches. Fight your way through the island’s towns, temples, river ports and more. Encounter a diverse and realistic cast of characters, including one of Far Cry’s most notorious villains: Vaas Montenegro. Dive into this deep and enriching story where morals are questionable and hope is all but abandoned. 90 /100
08 Max Payne 3 S Max Payne 3 2012 · 1,166 ratings · 2 Tier votes Max Payne 3 is a third-person shooter in which the player assumes the role of its titular character, Max Payne. A new feature to the series, introduced in Max Payne 3, is the cover system, which allows players to gain a tactical advantage, and avoid taking damage from enemies. To progress through the linear story, players take on enemies throughout levels. The game features interactive cutscenes which transition seamlessly into continuing gameplay; there are no loading screens across gameplay and cutscenes. 89 /100
09 FTL: Faster Than Light FTL: Faster Than Light 2012 · 426 ratings · finished by 10% In FTL you experience the atmosphere of running a spaceship trying to save the galaxy. It's a dangerous mission, with every encounter presenting a unique challenge with multiple solutions. What will you do if a heavy missile barrage shuts down your shields? Reroute all power to the engines in an attempt to escape, power up additional weapons to blow your enemy out of the sky, or take the fight to them with a boarding party? This "spaceship simulation roguelike-like" allows you to take your ship and crew on an adventure through a randomly generated galaxy filled with glory and bitter defeat. 89 /100
10 XCOM: Enemy Unknown XCOM: Enemy Unknown 2012 · 560 ratings XCOM: Enemy Unknown will place you in control of a secret paramilitary organization called XCOM. As the XCOM commander, you will defend against a terrifying global alien invasion by managing resources, advancing technologies, and overseeing combat strategies and individual unit tactics. The original XCOM is widely regarded as one of the best games ever made and has now been re-imagined by the strategy experts at Firaxis Games. XCOM: Enemy Unknown will expand on that legacy with an entirely new invasion story, enemies and technologies to fight aliens and defend Earth. You will control the fate of the human race through researching alien technologies, creating and managing a fully operational base, planning combat missions and controlling soldier movement in battle. 88 /100
11 The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings - Enhanced Edition The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings - Enhanced Edition 2012 · 241 ratings · finished by 19% · 7 h to beat 88 /100
12 Halo 4 Halo 4 2012 · 547 ratings · finished by 29% 88 /100
13 Hotline Miami A Hotline Miami 2012 · 1,274 ratings · 1 Tier vote · finished by 25% · 5 h to beat 86 /100
14 Darksiders II Darksiders II 2012 · 299 ratings · finished by 13% 86 /100
15 Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward 2012 · 151 ratings 86 /100
16 Torchlight II B Torchlight II 2012 · 322 ratings · 1 Tier vote · finished by 11% 86 /100
17 Fez Fez 2012 · 460 ratings · finished by 11% 86 /100
18 FIFA Soccer 13 FIFA Soccer 13 2012 · 214 ratings 85 /100
19 Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition A Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition 2012 · 1,266 ratings · 1 Tier vote · finished by 18% 85 /100
20 Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair 2012 · 267 ratings · finished by 27% 85 /100
21 Dishonored A Dishonored 2012 · 1,924 ratings · 2 Tier votes · finished by 37% · 12 h to beat 85 /100
22 Need for Speed: Most Wanted Need for Speed: Most Wanted 2012 · 451 ratings · finished by 74% 85 /100
23 The Walking Dead S The Walking Dead 2012 · 1,754 ratings · 2 Tier votes · finished by 26% · 8 h to beat 84 /100
24 Diablo III D Diablo III 2012 · 947 ratings · 2 Tier votes · finished by 54% 83 /100
25 Super Hexagon Super Hexagon 2012 · 139 ratings · finished by 7% 83 /100
26 PlanetSide 2 PlanetSide 2 2012 · 112 ratings · finished by 2% 83 /100
27 Botanicula Botanicula 2012 · 135 ratings · finished by 14% 82 /100
28 Orcs Must Die! 2 Orcs Must Die! 2 2012 · 115 ratings · finished by 7% 82 /100
29 Sleeping Dogs Sleeping Dogs 2012 · 678 ratings · finished by 24% 82 /100
30 Need for Speed: Most Wanted - A Criterion Game Need for Speed: Most Wanted - A Criterion Game 2012 · 645 ratings · finished by 22% 82 /100
31 Dust: An Elysian Tail Dust: An Elysian Tail 2012 · 175 ratings · finished by 8% 82 /100
32 World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria 2012 · 169 ratings 82 /100
33 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dragonborn The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dragonborn 2012 · 120 ratings 82 /100
34 Assassin's Creed III A Assassin's Creed III 2012 · 1,507 ratings · 5 Tier votes 81 /100
35 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive C Counter-Strike: Global Offensive 2012 · 1,353 ratings · 6 Tier votes · finished by 8% · 64 h to beat 81 /100
36 The Cat Lady The Cat Lady 2012 · 164 ratings · finished by 12% 81 /100
37 Borderlands 2 Borderlands 2 2012 · 1,875 ratings · finished by 18% · 11 h to beat 81 /100
38 LEGO Batman 2 DC Super Heroes LEGO Batman 2 DC Super Heroes 2012 · 159 ratings · finished by 13% 81 /100
39 Crusader Kings II Crusader Kings II 2012 · 256 ratings 84 /100
40 STREET FIGHTER X TEKKEN STREET FIGHTER X TEKKEN 2012 · 94 ratings · finished by 8% 80 /100
41 Assassin’s Creed III Assassin’s Creed III 2012 · 2,201 ratings · finished by 42% 80 /100
42 Alan Wake's American Nightmare Alan Wake's American Nightmare 2012 · 280 ratings · finished by 13% 79 /100
43 Euro Truck Simulator 2 S Euro Truck Simulator 2 2012 · 424 ratings · 1 Tier vote · finished by 5% 79 /100
44 Skullgirls Skullgirls 2012 · 92 ratings · finished by 3% 79 /100
45 Syndicate (2012) Syndicate (2012) 2012 · 137 ratings 79 /100
46 Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 2012 · 118 ratings 79 /100
47 Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning 2012 · 194 ratings · finished by 12% 79 /100
48 Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition 2012 · 100 ratings · finished by 8% 78 /100
49 Strider Strider 2012 · 333 ratings · finished by 4% 78 /100
50 FIFA 13 FIFA 13 2012 · 170 ratings 78 /100
Browse all the best PC games

Other years

Best PC games of 2026Best PC games of 2025Best PC games of 2024Best PC games of 2023Best PC games of 2022Best PC games of 2021Best PC games of 2020Best PC games of 2019Best PC games of 2018Best PC games of 2017Best PC games of 2016Best PC games of 2015

Same year, other platforms

Best Xbox 360 games of 2012Best PlayStation 3 games of 2012Best Mac games of 2012Best Linux games of 2012Best iOS games of 2012Best Android games of 2012Best PS Vita games of 2012Best Wii U games of 2012Best Nintendo 3DS games of 2012Best Wii games of 2012

Nearby rankings

Best PC games of 2011Best PC games of 2013

Catalog statistics

Most abandoned gamesMost completed games

Frequently asked questions

What is the best PC game of 2012?

Journey currently tops the ranking with a score of 94/100 across 1,191 ratings. Ranking updated November 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.