Whether your connection is unreliable or you’ve just lost service for a while, there’s no shortage of games to spend time with on your PC. For this list, we did our best to present a wide range of genres while avoiding games with heavy online components, even if they also work offline (sorry Elden Ring). So, if you think you’ll be off the grid anytime in the future, it’s a good idea to have a few of these downloaded and ready to go. It never hurts to have a few games saved up for a rainy day.
What are the best offline PC games?
Celeste
This rock-solid platformer’s movement and level design hold up under the pressure that comes with treading the same ground as everyone’s favorite Italian plumber. Celeste’s story, which reflects developer Maddy Thorsen’s struggles with anxiety and depression, is touching and universal. The hook, though, is how it weaves its themes and movement into a singular purpose, deepening the connection between audience and protagonist in a way only games can.
Doom (2016)
Awash in cartoonish gore and heavy metal bombast, this series refresh brings Doom’s trademark speed and aggression up to date with remarkable clarity. Infusions of vertical movement and gruesome executions add a pound of meat without an ounce of fat. The kicker, though, is how effortlessly the hordes of demonic baddies push you to make varied and strategic decisions, proving once and for all that the Doom Guy isn’t just the toughest dude in hell; he’s also the smartest.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
Set near the beginning of the 20th century (a pivotal moment in Japan’s history due to a loosening of restrictions on foreigners), this 2 game compilation jumps continents and cultures to tell the story of a young lawyer who’s finding his footing in a profession that’s new to both him and his home country. If you’re new to Ace Attorney’s spry blend of absurd comedy and dramatic whodunnit, there’s no better place to start.
Hades
Though it borrows heavily from the roguelike format, Hades’ long-term hooks (progression, story, and romance) have more in common with a traditional RPG. Sure, the action is tight, and the builds are interesting, but the real prize is getting to the bottom of the tangled mess of family drama and romantic intrigue at the center of it all. None of it would land, either, without the game’s cast of compelling, nuanced, brilliantly voice-acted characters, each one thirstier than the last.
Hollow Knight
It’s hard not to be overcome by the sheer atmosphere of Hollow Knight’s opening moments, with its howling wind, cryptic messages, and meandering score. It all beckons you into the unassuming well that transports you to the ruined Kingdom of Hallownest. As you dig further, the mystery takes shape while the world tries harder to reject you. Beneath all the Metroid-inspired coldness, though, there’s a persistent undercurrent of warmth. No matter how hostile the environment becomes, there’s always something — or someone — worth saving.
Into the Breach
A lesson in addition by subtraction, Into the Breach, hones its turn-based strategy to a razor’s edge by removing any shred of unnecessary clutter. Even the maps are floating in an empty void. Rather than oversimplifying the game, though, the sparsity just makes the layers of decision-making clearer. Like a kaiju rising from the ocean, each move sets off a series of complex, unpredictable waves. You can either capsize in their wake or ride them safely to shore.
Outer Wilds
Based on nothing but exploration, Outer Wilds is astonishing. One moment you’re navigating your way to a tiny moon while trying to avoid getting trapped by the gravitational pull of the sun, the next, you’re crash landing on an ocean planet only to be tossed unceremoniously skyward by a roving cyclone. But on top of the planet-hopping excitement of it all, Outer Wilds offers something just as rare: a cosmic mystery so tragic and existential it may just keep you up at night.
Return of the Obra Dinn
Where Ace Attorney uses classic detective tropes as a delivery mechanism for its true prize — the story — Obra Dinn is a detective game in the truest sense. Playing as an insurance adjuster with the ability to see the last moments of people’s lives, you’re left to unwind the mystery of what befell the deceased crew of the game’s titular ship. The trick, simple as it sounds, is you have basically no guidance whatsoever. This makes the game stubborn (especially at first), but it also makes even the tiniest discoveries feel like monumental accomplishments.
Stardew Valley
What better way to spend your time off the grid than by playing a game about unplugging? Between mornings watering crops, afternoons socializing in town, and rainy days in the mines, the rhythm of Stardew Valley’s loop is remarkably soothing. Nothing is ever too bad, but you’re never quite done with all your projects, either. Idealized though it may be, Stardew Valley’s vision of farm life always feels like home.
TowerFall
Maddy Thorson’s second entry on this list may have been hampered initially as an exclusive on the ill-fated Ouya. Now available on PC and elsewhere, it shines. Employing an ultra-quick time-to-kill reminiscent of Duck Game, Bushido Blade, and Modern Warfare, TowerFall’s 2D, bow-based PvP is a hoot and a half. The breakneck speed has the dual benefits of leveling the playing field for less skilled players, while turning each split-second move into a frantic life-or-death decision.
