The best single-player games to play right now

The best single-player games take you on the most memorable solo adventures in all kinds of different virtual landscapes. With many telling some of the best game stories around, there’s no shortage of interesting characters to meet as you set out on action-packed journeys, make tough choices, and much more besides. From big, sprawling open-world RPGs that are ripe with exploration – with some even counted among our pick of the best RPG games – to story-driven choice-based adventures, and uniquely atmospheric roguelikes, you can expect tom find a broad range on offer when it to the best single-player games you can tuck into. 

In our selection, you’ll find picks across all platforms, so you’re sure to find something to suit you. So join us as we take you through the best single-player games you can play right now. 

25. Hitman 3

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Developer: IO Interactive
Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

If you’re missing the thrill of exploring the world right now, then Hitman 3 is the perfect antidote. With each Hitman level suddenly throwing an out of place 47 into a new country for a brief stint, there’s only just enough time for him to get in and hastily get the job done before he’s suddenly whisked away to his next ‘business trip’. Sending players everywhere from a cavernous Berlin club to a strange country manor, this endlessly inventive arcade-like sandbox is a wonderfully varied global murder fest. With more tools for destruction at your disposal than ever before, this endlessly replayable action game lets you be as creative as possible, offering players a litany of hilarious ways to dispatch your marks. Move over Microsoft Flight Simulator, Hitman 3 is the true virtual MVP travel experience.

24. Life is Strange Remastered

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Developer: Dontnod
Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch

If you’re looking for a fantastic story-driven single-player experience, Life is Strange is a great place to start. In the fictional setting of Arcadia Bay, you play as Max Caufield, a teen with aspirations of becoming a photographer who gets caught up in a series of unusual events at the Blackwell Academy. Upon discovering you have the power to rewind time, you can use this power to go back on the initial choice you made to truly consider what direction you want to go in. With a cast of memorable characters to fall in love with and an engaging story that will surprise and delight you, Life is Strange is worth a look – and there’s never been a better time to give it a go thanks to the remastered re-release. 

23. Returnal

(Image credit: Housemarque)

Developer: Housemarque
Platform(s): PS5

Part old arcade school shoot em up, part Hideo Kojima-esque narrative opus, Returnal is a bizarre, ambitious and utterly enthralling ride. It’s also unrelentingly brutal. Light on save points and big on punishment, this all-consuming PS5 exclusive definitely isn’t an easy ride. Yet thanks to its slick-feeling movement, all-consuming sense of atmosphere,  and brilliant sense of intrigue, it’s a game that constantly beckons you to return. Blending a sickeningly detailed Aliens-esque aesthetic with some of the most satisfying combat this side of Platinum games, this story-led sci-fi roguelike is a creation that’s refreshingly unique.  Whether you’re new to the genre or are an old hand, Returnal is a gorgeous, ambitious, and completely essential experience.

22. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

(Image credit: Electronic Arts)

Developer: Respawn Entertainment
Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

If you’re itching to wield a virtual lightsaber after binge-watching the Mandalorian, then look no further. Taking its cues from Dark Souls and Hollow Knight, Jedi Fallen Order is a giddy blend of Uncharted-esque cinematic adventure and challenging Metroidvania. Yet more crucially for Star Wars stans, the tale it tells is entirely cannon. Featuring characters from Rogue One and tying neatly into the events of Rebels, the Bad Batch and The Clone Wars, Fallen Order is a must for anyone who’s found themselves falling back in love with a galaxy far, far away.

21. Cyberpunk 2077

(Image credit: CD Projekt)

Developer: CD Projekt Red
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

It may not have got off to the best launch, but make no mistake – Cyberpunk 2077 is still well worth your time. For the murky background behind its development and its (initial) litany of game-ruining bugs, Cyberpunk’s Night City is undeniably an exhilarating place to explore. Featuring a brilliant soundtrack, industry-leading voice acting and enough side quests to shake a Bloody Baron at, Cyberpunk 2077 is about as epic as an open-world epic can get. Receiving a constant stream of patches and a full current-gen upgrade after its disastrous launch, it’s an experience that is only getting better over time. Sure, it’s not The Witcher 3, but if you fancy a dystopian sci-fi RPG, there are few better.

20. Outer Wilds

(Image credit: Mobius Digital)

Developer: Mobius Digital
Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

Not to be confused with Obsidian’s sci-fi RPG, The Outer Worlds (more on that later), Mobius Digital’s indie darling is also set in the far flung reaches of space, yet offers an entirely different narrative experience to the game it shares two thirds of a title with, and indeed any other title out there. 

Outer Wilds puts you in the astronautical boots of a newly trained spacefarer for an alien race, but it just so happens your first day on the job also coincides with a solar supernova wipes out the entire galaxy. I’ll refrain from spoiling anything else beyond that, but suffice to say that what follows is a daring, deviously clever investigation into time and space that will have you awe-inspired from the moment you take off. 

19. Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Developer: Square Enix
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5 

Final Fantasy 7 Remake achieves what we thought was impossible. It takes just the first section of Square Enix’s 1997 JRPG, stretches it out into a full, 50 hour experience, switches up turn-based combat for real-time action, and subverts everything you thought you know about the original story. 

And yet, even with those daring, potentially controversial changes, Final Fantasy 7 Remake is incredible, and arguably an even more timeless and magical experience than the beloved title it’s inspired by. If this is just the beginning for a multi-game re-imagining of one of Japan’s most beloved stories, then count us in for every new chapter. 

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, a shinier, enhanced and upgraded version of the previous year’s base game, landed on June 10, 2021 for PS5. 

18. Half-Life: Alyx

(Image credit: Valve)

Developer: Valve
Platform(s): PC

Owning a PC set up alongside a VR headset costs a pretty penny, which is what you’ll need in order to jump into Valve’s unexpected prequel to its Half-Life series. That being said, it would be criminal to ignore the achievements that Half-Life: Alyx makes for immersive storytelling, and the VR platform as a whole, making this a must buy if you happen to own a headset and PC right now. 

Not only is it a brilliant experience on its own merit, however, Alyx makes important statements about the future of Half-Life itself, with our titular scavenger’s adventure connecting to the series’ overarching narrative in jaw-dropping ways. Here’s hoping Valve brings out a non-VR port sometime soon. 

17. Pokemon Legends Arceus

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Developer: Nintendo
Platform(s): Switch

Pokemon Legends Arceus shows us a different time in the history of Pokemon and shakes up the formula by putting us in the Survey Corps. Instead of setting out to earn badges, you’re instead tasks with putting together the very first Pokedex and researching all of the critters that roam out in the wild. Set in the Hisui region, which will soon become known as Sinnoh, you get to catch Pokemon in open areas dotted around the map. With a satisfying sense of progression, some new region-specific Pokemon, and a chance to see a new side to the lore, Pokemon Legends Arceus feels like a welcome breathe of fresh air for the long-running series. 

16. Psychonauts 2

(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

Developer: Double Fine Productions
Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5

Psychonauts 2 is an unlikely sequel to a cult classic that was released in 2005, funded by fans in 2015, and published in 2021. To this end, Double Fine walked a winding path to get Psychonauts 2 into the world – something which is reflected in the consistency, quality, and unabashed weirdness of the overall experience.

Which is to say: Psychonauts 2 is what you get when a talented team has no choice but to go all-in on the hand it has been dealt by the house. And, wow, was this vision of a sequel worth the decade-and-a-half wait! 

15. The Outer Worlds

(Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment)

Developer: Obsidian
Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch

If you’ve never played an Obsidian game before, you’re in for a treat with The Outer Worlds. The studio’s latest new IP is a ragtag, zigzap tour through the future of the final frontier, one where corporations are in control, and as jovial and joyous in tone as it is cynical in satire. 

Obsidian’s talent for classic role-playing immersion is firing at full throttle here, complete with branching storylines, deep and robust character customisation, and a whole cast of companions to befriend and explore the galaxy with. Hopefully The Outer Worlds is just the start of many a new adventure in Halcyon, because we already love what Obsidian has shown us so far. 

14. Resident Evil 2 Remake 

(Image credit: Capcom)

Developer: Capcom
Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5

Capcom’s initial announcement of Resident Evil 2 Remake was naturally met with some scepticism at first, but we couldn’t have been more off-base. The studio’s loving recreation of its 90’s survival horror classic is the perfect example of how to modernise an old game while staying true to its roots. 

Leon’s harrowing gauntlet through the Raccoon City Police Department is one of the scariest, toughest campaigns we’ve ever had the joy of running through, completely accessible to series newcomers yet still littered with easter eggs to delight the Resi faithful. This is how horror is done, and proves just how much life there is in Capcom’s seminal franchise yet. 

Resident Evil Village arrived with much fanfare on May 7, 2021, but, while excellent in some parts, didn’t quite hit the same heights as the second main series entry’s reimagining. 

13. Spider-Man: Miles Morales

(Image credit: Sony)

Developer: Insomniac Games
Platform(s): PS4, PS5

The current crop of consoles may have got off to a bit of a shaky start, but Spider-Man Miles Morales was a clear launch highlight. Picking up where 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man left off, this 15-hour standalone adventure puts players in the shoes of the other Spider-Man. Not only is Insomniac’s second Spidey outing drop-dead gorgeous, it’s an utter joy to play, too. Stepping up the level of cinematic storytelling and giving players a toybox full of new suit upgrades to play with, Miles Morales’ Christmas-time Harlem is an utter joy to swing through. If you’re after something fun and story-led, then look no further. 

12. Ori and the Will of the Wisps

(Image credit: Moon Studios)

Developer: Moon Studios
Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch

Ori and the Will of the Wisps is magical. There are moments where you’ll ponder just how a platformer has managed to pull off such a wonderful experience. From the very start, you’ll be weeping like a willow as you’re re-introduced to Ori, Naru, Sein, alongside equally adorable new character, Ku. 

Gameplay-wise, Developer Moon Studios also manage to refine and finesse everything that was great about 2014’s Ori and the Blind Forest, bringing new depth and joys to combat, exploration, and platforming. A mesmerising adventure from start to finish. 

11. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Developer: Eidos Montreal
Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is an absolute blast. In your role as Star-Lord, you’ll soon find yourself swept up in a quest to save the very galaxy from impending doom alongside your ragtag crew of fellow heroes. Piloting the Milano ship is a true joy thanks to how well Eidos Montreal brought it to life as a lived in space, with fantastic storytelling driving the adventure. With choices to make, weird alien blobs to shoot down, and much more besides, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is full of surprises, laughter, heartfelt moments, and some brilliant characters to bond with. Get ready for one wild ride. 

10. Control

(Image credit: Remedy)

Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

Remedy’s latest delve into new weird is perhaps the studio’s strangest, and finest, work yet. Putting you in the boots of the Federal Bureau of Control’s newly appointed Director, Jesse, it’s up to you to journey into the depths of its HQ, the Oldest House, which is as creepy, magical, and mysterious as it sounds. 

With its supernaturally flavoured third-person shooter combat, delectably off-kilter story, and genuinely jaw dropping visuals, Control is a preternatural pill of kaleidoscopic carnage, with every moment managing to top the last in its pure, surreal wonder. Oh, and without getting too spoilery, Alan Wake fans do not want to pass this one. 

9. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Developer: Nintendo
Platform(s): Switch

Who’d have thought that of all games, the Zelda series would be the one to introduce one of the best open worlds of all time? Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is Zelda’s first… sorry, Link’s first journey on the Nintendo Switch and it’s one of his best ever. There’s so much to do! From searching for the 900 Korok Seeds to hunting down Guardians and completing shrines, Breath of the Wild is perhaps the best RPG available on Switch right now.

8. God of War

(Image credit: Sony)

Developer: Sony Santa Monica Studio
Platform(s): PC, PS4 

The God of War franchise has always been great, but God of War PS4 has taken things to the next level. It’s gone from linear storytelling to a semi-open world, where players control Kratos and explore worlds taken straight from Norse mythology. It’s brutal, bad ass, and bafflingly beautiful, which is why we called it one of “PlayStation’s finest moments”.

7. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Developer: Ubisoft
Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5

To say that Assassin’s Creed has become stale in recent years would be an understatement. Thankfully, for its 12th mainline adventure, Ubisoft heard our grumbles. Dropping the series tedious forced stealth and fully committing to a grin-inducing historical power fantasy, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla lets players embrace the fury of a blood-soaked Viking. Following years of climbing towers and walking really slowly behind enemies, Valhalla’s head cleaving, fortress toppler is a breath of fresh air. Offering up the most life-like and varied Ubisoft open world to date, and refreshingly weighty combat, Valhalla’s Ye Olde England is a world to really lose yourself in. 

6. Super Mario Odyssey

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Developer: Nintendo
Platform(s): Switch

Everyone’s favourite plumber leapt onto the Nintendo Switch with a purpose with Super Mario Odyssey, along with his new best pal Cappy. Embark on another treacherous journey across multiple worlds to save Princess Peach from Bowser’s clutches and meet numerous friendly and fearsome characters along the way. Super Mario Odyssey retains the charm and captivating gameplay from previous instalments, while keeping up with modern gameplay elements and introducing new mechanics of its own.

5. Elden Ring

(Image credit: From Software)

Developer: FromSoftware
Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5

FromSoftware’s action RPG takes you to a sprawling open-world setting of the Lands Between as the Tarnished. With dungeons to explore, great big foes to conquer, and all manner of challenges to overcome, Elden Ring delivers a rich, engrossing experience that will hold your attention. While you can expect to be in for several tough fights, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of emerging victorious when you take down a particularly strong enemy. And with character customization and an impressive fantasy landscape to discover, Elden Ring quickly become one of the biggest games of 2022 and is counted among the best FromSoftware games around. It even managed to shift over 16 million copies since launch as of August 2022.

4. Red Dead Redemption 2

(Image credit: Rockstar)

Developer: Rockstar
Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, PS4

Is there a better way to kick off this list than with Rockstar’s western epic? A prequel to the first game, Red Dead Redemption 2 places you in the shoes of Arthur Morgan. Explore the staggeringly beautiful wild west on horseback, hunt animals, play poker, go fishing and more as you saunter around as part of Dutch van der Linde’s gang. When you’ve finished with the 80+ hour journey, jump into Red Dead Online for even more wild west action.

3. Horizon Forbidden West

(Image credit: Sony)

Developer: Guerrilla Games
Platform(s): PS4, PS5

Robot dinosaurs. Need we say anything else? Probably not, but we will anyway. As the expansive sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn, you once again take control of Aloy in an vast, lush, open-world setting brimming with mysteries to uncover, collectibles to find, and dangers to overcome. As a story-driven RPG, the picks up where Zero Dawn left off, you once again go up against robot dinosaurs that inhabit the landscape, from small Watchers to terrifying Snapmaws, Thunderjaws, and more. While the climbing can be a little finicky, Forbidden West delivers an engrossing experience that will pull you right in. 

2. The Last Of Us 2 

(Image credit: Sony)

Developer: Naughty Dog
Platform(s): PS4, PS5

To be fair, we could easily have named The Last Of Us here, but its sequel, the neatly named The Last of Us 2, took the original formula and improved it across the board. Like its predecessor, expect themes of love, loss, and more breath-taking moments than you can shake a makeshift Molotov cocktail at. The first Last of Us venture was hardly lacking in themes of humanity and morality, but number Two dials those levels up to 11, and is all the better for it. 

1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

Developer: CD Projekt Red
Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, PS4, Switch

If you can get your head round a brand new style of combat that does away with most conventions seen in other games, the rest of The Witcher 3 could be considered perfect. You are Geralt of Rivia, a Witcher – also known as a monster slayer to you and I. There’s so much to do and see in The Witcher 3, it may seem overwhelming at first, but after you complete your first few monster contracts and begin Geralt’s journey to find the ones he loves, you will not put the game down until you’ve reached the end and slain thousands of enemies.

Look ahead to future upcoming single-player games with our roundup of new games for 2022 and beyond.