The 26 Best Single Player Games You Need to Play Right Now

Elden Ring hit the ground running in 2022 - it quickly grabbed the gaming world's attention and morphed into a mainstream phenomenon that inspired hilarious memes and awesome gameplay clips. It did a commendable job of expanding upon the formula popularized by the Dark/Demon's Souls series through its implementation of a massive open world and tough yet fair combat scenarios. Exploring the varied biomes in this "Soulsbourne" action RPG in any order you see fit truly fits the description of "choose your own adventure." Prepare yourself for mind-blowing discoveries and significant boss fights as your "Tarnished" warrior so you can get your hands on the powerful "Elden Ring" and rule over the "Lands Between" as the new "Elden Lord."

Geralt of Rivia is a legend in these gaming streets thanks to his masterful exploits as a "Witcher" and a pretty suave ladies' man. If you grew to appreciate him and the Slavic mythology-inspired fantasy realm he inhabits beforehand, then seek out his latest and greatest entry to date. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition features a mammoth open world to explore as you take control of Geralt in an effort to protect a loved one from a vicious faction. You'll swing your blades, dole out magical attacks, and get embroiled in all sorts of political drama across the main campaign and the game's huge DLC add-ons within this feature-rich Complete Edition.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is regarded as one of Nintendo's greatest efforts, one of the best games in the series, and one of the most heralded games ever made. This open-world trek through the troubled kingdom of Hyrule enraptured fans at the time and is still worth dedicating all your playtime to if you haven't already - Link's offensive against Calamity Ganon transports him to tons of mini-dungeons that feature varied brainteasers that come with worthwhile rewards. The weapon-breaking system may not appeal to most players, but it definitely pushed us to experiment with all the different melee tools this game provides. Breath of the Wild's lush and gorgeous explorable world provides so much to do, see, ride, and head into battle with.

Rockstar Games is goated for producing the genre-defining Grand Theft Auto IP, but it's also known beyond the world of gaming for its definitive cowboy western simulator. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a tour de force that makes a very good argument for video games deserving of its classification as high art. Exploring its open world will truly make you feel like an outlaw that lives out his days riding horseback, pulling off train heists, and getting involved in some wild shootouts. You even get to participate in some memorable side missions and even play a round of poker to really get immersed in the Wild Wild West. Red Dead Redemption 2 is the perfect spaghetti western worth playing in video game form.

Saving the totality of the galaxy from complete deletion as the legendary Commander Shepard marks one of the greatest trilogies in gaming history. And thanks to this packaged trilogy, you'll get to relive or play out that historic spacetime crusade for the very first time. The Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is the best way to play this series since it comes with remastered versions of all three original games, along with all of their DLC. You might not be willing to pay more money for games you already own, but in this case, this compilation is the definitive version worth picking up and replaying. The plotline of the Mass Effect franchise, which centers on the galaxy's struggle to come to terms with the looming threat of the Reapers and the eventual battle against them, hits as hard as ever this time around. When you add in all the DLC expansions, Mass Effect's story becomes so much more satisfying.

The first journey that Kratos and his young son Atreus find themselves on will grab your attention for the first 30 minutes and convince you of its status as one of the best single player games of all time. That integral father-son relationship is disrupted by the petty Norse pantheon, which means it's up to you to aid Kratos and Atreus during their clashes with those same gods and a myriad of mythical beasts. From a third-person viewpoint, you'll navigate through different portions of Midgar and get caught up in some of the fiercest battles you'll ever get embroiled in.

After you've honored the final request of Kratos' wife and the mother of Atreus, you'll be empowered to head right into the next part of that duo's epic expedition. And this time your actions will lead to the beginning and end of the most epic war of them all, Ragnarök. This sequel to the aforementioned pick on our list of the best single player games adds more places to explore throughout Midgar, a second playable character that we won't spoil here, another powerful melee weapon for Kratos to wield, and a much larger variety of baddies to tear to shreds. It's time to gather your troops and bring an end to the harmful reign of Odin once and for all.

You've probably heard a thing or two about Aloy and seen her masterful hunting methods come into play against all those mechanized animals she runs into. If watching her pull off slick bow & arrow shots against merciless "Snapmaws" piqued your curiosity, then this definitive edition of Horizon Zero Dawn will amaze you. You'll love every portion of this game's lush and beautiful world as you use a wide array of gadgets to take down robotic animals. At the center of this game is an intriguing mystery concerning Aloy's origins and the source of the machines inhabiting her world. Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition features the main campaign, The Frozen Wilds expansion, and bonuses in the form of additional gear & resources.

Now that you've completed Aloy's debut adventure, you'll want to move on to the next leg of her post-apocalyptic trek. Horizon Forbidden West transports the experienced hunter to the Western portion of the United States. And with that change in scenery comes a whole new array of robotic creatures to take down and new enemy tribes to engage in battle with. As you make your way across California, Nevada, and Utah, you'll be treated to new mechanics such as being able to swim underwater, new tools to make use of during battle and exploration, and a refined mission structure that allows for more variety and better completion rewards.

The Batman: Arkham trilogy has made development studio Rocksteady Studios a respected entity among DC fans and gamers alike. The three mainline series entries are exceedingly amazing and embody everything about playing as Gotham's dark protector. Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, and Arkham Knight are all included in this definite collection packed to the brim with all the DLC content released for each title. The graphics have been cleaned up in each game to bring the dark and brooding vibes of each game up to par on more powerful consoles. So everything will look that much better as you control Batman and come to blows with his iconic Rogues Gallery.

No need to panic, people - this game isn't attached to any recent Spider-Man film. Respected development studio Insomniac Games clearly studied years and years of established Marvel lore and arrived with their own unique take on the tumultuous life of the world's most celebrated web crawler. The best way to play this Spidey simulator is through this remastered rendition, which includes the base game, all of the extra costumes, and DLC campaigns that include Spidey's encounters with even more villains. The first time you swing through New York City and pull off a backflip in midair before you even touch the ground will blow your mind. Once you've wrapped up Spidey's clash with the "Sinister Six" here, hop into Miles Morales' equally "amazing" adventure ASAP!

Now as you make your way through the last game we mentioned on this lineup of the best single player games, you'll run into a familiar face named Miles Morales. His own superhero story comes into focus in this standalone Spider-Man game that hits the same high notes as its predecessor. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales sees the young web crawler come into his own as he confronts familiar villains, a longtime friend turned enemy, a diabolical tech corporation, and a vicious resistance group that wants to take down that same company. Miles' newfound electrified abilities and swift melee mastery make him an extremely fun superhero to swing around New York City with just like his mentor Peter Parker. Miles' days as his own neighborhood Spidey is an amazing gameplay experience, for sure.

Gamora, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, and Drax the Destroyer always spring into action to assist their captain Peter Quill aka "Star-Lord" into the farthest reaches of space to take on any job. In Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, you'll take the lead with your laser blasters close by as you attempt to take down an intergalactic cult that wants to subdue the rest of the galaxy. This shockingly great third-person action/adventure game features a cool combat system that lets you call out commands to your teammates, lets you talk up your comrades, and gives your ears pure nostalgic joy thanks to a soundtrack composed of classic 80s tunes. Gathering everyone up to boost your team morale while Europe's "The Final Countdown" blares in the background feels so gratifying.

The bioweapon epidemic in the world of Resident Evil has been brought on by the sinister organization known as the "Umbrella Corporation." The original adventures that'll introduce you to the special squad of cops thrown into action against Umbrella's monstrous creations are available in this double pack. The Resident Evil Origins Collection features HD remasters of Resident Evil 0 (which follows the terrifying trek of Rebecca Chambers and Billy Coen) and the memorable Nintendo GameCube Resident Evil remake (which follows the initial adventure of S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team members Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield).

The original Resident Evil 2 is a remarkable survival horror game that stands out as one of Capcom's finest efforts. The 2019 remake of that legendary game is definitely worth seeking out as it improves on the original's graphics and modernizes its gameplay to turn it into a captivating third-person shooter. We crown the RE2 remake as one of the best single player games you need to play ASAP thanks to its immense jump scares, tense encounters with lab-produced monstrosities, and interesting storyline that follows two of the most beloved characters in RE history. Let us know how you felt when you ran into "Mr. X" for the very first time, by the way!

The OG version of Resident Evil 4 is quoted by many as one of the greatest video games ever made. Thanks to the notable remake ability of Capcom, that game has gotten even better somehow someway. Leon S. Kennedy makes his grand return in this new survival horror action-adventure game that tasks him with retrieving the president's kidnapped daughter from a village of crazed cult followers. This one has its fair share of shocking scares, but there's a bigger focus on the action here as you'll need to wipe out ruthless hordes of cultists that take some powerful gunfire to put down permanently. Tread carefully, make sure you're fully loaded, and blast everyone that tries to get in between you and the president's daughter Ashley Graham.

Those horrifying Necromorhps look and sound a million times worse now that they're given an HD upgrade job in this remake of the very first Dead Space. In this version of one of EA's best single player games, space engineer Isaac Clarke (who actually talks here!) makes his return and forces players to relive the deformed terrors crawling around the "USG Ishimura." With the graphical facelift and introduction of side missions, this Dead Space remake gets all the kudos in the world for being one of the greatest survival horror remakes we've ever played. Blasting the limbs off vicious Necromorphs is always a great time, especially in this new and improved version of Dead Space.

If you're up for a big challenge by way of a quality roguelike game, then feast your eyes on Returnal. This third-person shooter places players in the space boots of Selene Vassos, a space pilot who ends up trapped on a planet named "Atropos." And in the process, she finds herself stuck in a time loop. And the only way to escape it is by defeating the extraterrestrial threats in her vicinity. Every time you die, you go right back to the first biome. But upon being revived, you can utilize shortcuts to get back to where you died and obtain new weaponry with useful abilities that'll keep you alive during some extreme bullet hell battles.

It was only a matter of time before Star Wars games took delved into the thriving "Soulsbourne" sub-genre of action-adventure games. That fruitful mashup resulted in one of the best single player games with a sole focus on wielding the blossoming powers of a "Jedi Padawan." Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order puts forth a perilous journey that takes players to several planets, pits them against difficult foes, and places them in the middle of a fascinating Star Wars storyline. The focus on single-player helps this game thrive as a rewarding experience that has no need for tacked-on multiplayer, loot boxes, and needless microtransactions.

Square Enix finally fulfilled the wishes of Final Fantasy VII fans everywhere by giving them the first part of a grand remake project. And to make matters even better, this epic action RPG comes with a special expansion adventure that features the sneaky "Materia" thief Yuffie as she gets into some trouble of her own before she meets Cloud Strife and the gang. The main campaign featured here will take you into the slums of Midgar, Shinra's headquarters, and more as you come to blows with the iconic antagonists that have it out for the game heroic party (be wary of that man Sephiroth!). Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is the best way to play this incredible remake.

NierR: Automata is one of the most deeply emotional and thought-provoking games you'll ever play. Its plot is delivered in some pretty mindblowing ways and its various endings will stay with you long after you've discovered them. On the gameplay front, PlatinumGames made sure to infuse this action/adventure campaign against rogue machines with some of the slickest and most mesmerizing melee combat the genre has ever seen. As the three YoRHa battle android units 2B, 9S, and A2 you'll command, you'll swing a nice variety of small swords and large swords that have unique designs with all three fighters. You haven't lived until you've cut down a horde of machines with some flashy slashes with the "Virtuous Treaty", "Faith," or "Type-40 Blade" in hand.

The HBO live-action adaptation has grabbed the attention of so many non-gamers thanks to its mix of high drama, an enthralling cast of characters, and some gruesome-looking infected monsters. For those of you who want to actually be actively involved in the emotional and cruel events of the actual game, it's best for you to hop into the full remake. The Last of Us Part 1 cleans up the PS3 exclusive to a great degree in the visual department. And on the gameplay front, you'll be introduced to some memorable scenarios full of sneaking, shooting, looting, and brawls that pit you against unrelenting survivors and cannibalistic creatures.

You're going to feel every bit of Ellie's pain when a super traumatic event takes place in front of her very eyes. And once that moment takes place, The Last of Us Part II will convince you to dive deep into its story fueled by revenge. You'll get thrown into two different campaigns here and be pitted against even more infected, rival survivor groups, and a brand new fanatical cult. We'll always hold TLOU II up as one of the best single player games thanks to its improved gameplay mechanics that allow for better sneaking, shooting, and close-quarters combat encounters. The post-apocalypse is not a kind place, obviously - this game makes that abundantly clear.

Mario first jumped into the world of 3D open spaces in Super Mario 64. Then he continued hopping and bopping within that spacious realm with Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy. After you've spent some time playing those games to death, then it's only right that you do the same for the Nintendo Switch-exclusive Super Mario Odyssey. As one of the home/handheld hybrid console's best single player games, this platformer sees Mario going all over the globe and using his trusty hat "Cappy" to copy the abilities of his foes. Along with some lively 3D platforming, this game also features a cool nod to Mario's 8-bit side-scrolling days that will leave your jaw on the floor the first time you encounter one.

Remedy Entertainment developed an amazing third-person shooter that basks in hallucinatory sci-fi storytelling a la Alan Wake and features some wild Max Payne-like shootouts. You take “control” of Jesse Faden, a curious woman who ventures into a mysterious building connected to the "Federal Bureau of Control." While in search of her missing brother, Jesse encounters a dangerous entity known as the "Hiss" and must eliminate them as she makes her way deeper into the strange building she's now trapped within. Getting to the bottom of the FBC’s paranormal troubles involves a whole lot of shooting, levitating, and telepathic powers that make Control’s combat encounters grandiose on every occasion.

One of the most praiseworthy PS4 exclusives can now be experienced on PS5 with plenty more content to get lost in. Sucker Punch Productions' open-world adventure game embraces the epic age of the samurai - this game's breathtaking experience will take you through the vast locale of Tsushima Island. In order to properly quell the first Mongol invasion of Japan, you must take on the role of Jin Sakai and simultaneously embrace the ways of the samurai & guerrilla warfare. That means you'll be cutting down your foes with focused strikes, engaging in nail-bitingly tense duels, and pulling off sick multi-kills in mere seconds with your katana in hand. Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut is the best way to play thanks to its inclusion of the story expansion DLC, multiplayer component, and enhanced visuals.