Most Demanding Games to Test Your PC's Mettle

As someone who’s been gaming since the days of the Atari 2600, I can confidently say that the current generation of video games is nothing short of miraculous. With that being said, there are a few titles out there that push even the most powerful rigs to their limits. Today, I want to talk about three such games: ‘Returnal’, ‘Cyberpunk 2077’, and ‘Microsoft Flight Simulator’.

There’s a lot of excitement online about games designed for computers with limited specifications. However, gamers with high-end systems might not be satisfied with playing games at lower quality settings. Interestingly, there are some games out there that can challenge even the strongest gaming hardware to its utmost capabilities.

These games not only call for a high-performance GPU, but they also place a significant emphasis on system memory and a powerful processor. Consequently, gamers might find it necessary to enhance their computer specifications in order to run certain titles optimally. Here’s a list of some graphically intensive PC games.

10 Forspoken

Athia’s Open-World Wonder

Most Demanding Games to Test Your PC's Mettle

Minimum CPU Requirements: AMD Ryzen 5 1600 / Intel Core i7-3770 or better
Minimum GPU Requirements: AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT 8GB / GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB VRAM

Initially, we have “Forspoken”, where players step into the role of a New Yorker named Frey. Caught off guard by a group of attackers, Frey is whisked away from New York to a mystical realm called Athia. The quest for Frey lies in finding her way back home, which requires battling monsters using diverse magical abilities. Similar to many open-world RPGs, players progress by finishing missions to collect experience points that can be utilized to enhance Frey’s fundamental attributes.

You might expect that the game is quite demanding in terms of resources. To play it smoothly at a 1440p resolution, you’d need a graphics card like an RTX 3070 or one with equivalent performance, along with a CPU such as the Core i7-8700K or a similar model. However, even under these specifications, the game aims for a frame rate of just 30FPS. Additionally, it consumes around 150GB of storage space and can use up to 24GB of RAM for an optimal gaming experience.

9 Black Myth: Wukong

A Visual Feast For High-End PCs

Minimum CPU Requirements: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or Intel equivalent
Minimum GPU Requirements: GeForce RTX 3060 or Radeon RX 6600 XT

In a whirlwind debut, Black Myth: Wukong swept across the gaming world, shattering record after record, and underscoring the enduring appeal of solo gaming experiences. The game draws its inspiration from Chinese folklore, particularly the timeless narrative of the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, as depicted in Journey to the West. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, Black Myth is one of the most visually stunning games to emerge recently, boasting breathtaking landscapes that truly showcase the capabilities of its development platform.

One might think this means that the game can only run on the beefiest of PCs, but that’s not the case. The minimum system requirements for getting Black Myth to run are only a GTX 1060 running on an Intel Core i5-8400 or better. However, for players who want to put their PC through its paces and push the game to 144 FPS at 4K, they’ll need something around the ballpark of a 3090 or a 4080 with an i9-14900K.

8 Ark: Survival Ascended

A Jurassic Survival Experience

Most Demanding Games to Test Your PC's Mettle

Minimum CPU Requirements: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, Intel Core i7-6800K
Minimum GPU Requirements: AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, NVIDIA GeForce 1080

Ark: Survival Ascended significantly enhances its forerunner, Ark: Survival Evolved, by making numerous improvements. The game has been completely reconstructed utilizing Unreal Engine 5, which enables the creators to showcase breathtaking graphics. It continues to develop upon its predecessor’s survival foundations and places players on an island teeming with dinosaurs. Players must engage in combat and domesticate these creatures in order to ascend the food chain.

The game is currently available in Early Access, but it has undergone numerous improvements in terms of user experience and visuals, such as updated UIs, physics, and more. Keep in mind that the game demands a significant amount of system resources, specifically 32GB of RAM. Additionally, to run the game smoothly at high graphics settings, you’ll need an RTX 3080 or a superior graphics card, along with an i5-10600K processor.

7 The Last of Us Part 1

A Beautiful Apocalypse

Minimum CPU Requirements: AMD Ryzen 5 1500X / Intel Core i7-4770K
Minimum GPU Requirements: AMD Radeon RX 470 (4 GB) / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 (4 GB) or better

The Last of Us Part 1’s PC port is no stranger to performance bottlenecks. In fact, the game was unplayable on GPUs with just 8GB of VRAM, resulting in immense performance jitters. The issues have since been smoothened, but the title remains among the most demanding PC ports. The game’s story is a bit of a roller coaster ride, too, with players experiencing the highs and the lows of Joel and Ellie’s journey as they make their way through zombie-infested wastelands, making friends and enemies along the way.

To ensure a smooth gaming experience on high graphic settings, Naughty Dog advises having either an RTX 2070 Super or an RTX 3060 graphics card with 8GB of video memory. Moreover, the game demands approximately 100GB of storage space and is optimally played on computers equipped with a Solid State Drive (SSD).

6 Alan Wake 2

Cinematic Horror That Demands High-End Hardware

Minimum CPU Requirements: Intel Core i5-8400 / AMD Ryzen 5 1600
Minimum GPU Requirements: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB / AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB

The upcoming game titled “Alan Wake 2” is the latest creation by Remedy Entertainment, continuing the thrilling tale of mysterious character Alan Wake immediately following the storyline of its precursor. This game delivers a chilling cinematic horror experience that grips players through compelling narrative and suspenseful tension-building rather than relying on traditional jump scares. The game is set within the Remedy Connected Universe, subtly incorporating elements hinting at the happenings in “Control” and the Federal Bureau of Control.

The sequel to Alan Wake, titled “Alan Wake 2”, is quite resource-intensive for PC gaming and suggests a minimum setup of either a GeForce RTX 3060 or Radeon RX 6600 XT graphics card, paired with an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X processor, to ensure a smooth gameplay experience. For players aiming to boost the ray tracing and fully immerse themselves in the game’s visual splendor, it is advised to have hardware similar to the 7900 XTX graphics card combined with a 14th-generation i9 CPU.

5 Hogwarts Legacy

A Magical World With PC-Testing Graphics

Minimum CPU Requirements: Core i5-6600 or AMD Ryzen 5 1400
Minimum GPU Requirements: GeForce GTX 960 4GB or Radeon RX 470 4GB

Experiencing the authentic atmosphere of being a student learning magic at Hogwarts is challenging to put into words, but the game Hogwarts Legacy does an excellent job of capturing that feeling. In this game, players take on the role of a new fifth-year student, immersing themselves in the magical world. The game maintains all the elements that made the books and films popular, featuring detailed character development as well as accurate depictions of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. Players can also explore the open world and visit nearby hamlets and villages.

It’s no surprise that the game’s expansive open-world might cause high-end gaming rigs to struggle. Developers suggest using a GeForce RTX 3090 Ti or AMD Radeon 7900XT graphics card to play the game at 4K resolution smoothly. As for the processor, they recommend an Intel i7-10700K, AMD Ryzen 5800X, or a more powerful option instead.

4 Starfield

A Space Odyssey For The Most Advanced PCs

Minimum CPU Requirements: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X / Intel Core i7-6800K
Minimum GPU Requirements: AMD Radeon RX 5700 / NVIDIA GeForce 1070 Ti

Bethesda Studios has earned a reputation for creating immersive, expansive worlds, showcased through the popular franchises like Fallout and Elder Scrolls. Their newest venture, Starfield, continues this trend by allowing players to assume the role of a space traveler venturing into galaxies far beyond our solar system. Set in the year 2330, the game boasts more than 1,000 planets that can be thoroughly explored. Additionally, players have the freedom to command and customize their spaceship as they see fit.

The game offers a realistic experience, enabling you to customize the ship’s weaponry or allocate crew for extra advantages. It’s not only immersive but also challenging, necessitating either a Ryzen 3600X or an i5-10600K CPU, coupled with an RTX 2080 graphics card. Moreover, it consumes substantial storage and occupies approximately 125GB of your hard drive space.

3 Returnal

Time Loops And Stunning Visuals

Minimum CPU Requirements: Core i5-6400 / Ryzen 5 1500X or better
Minimum GPU Requirements: GeForce GTX 1060 (6 GB) / AMD Radeon RX 580 (8 GB) or better

Most Roguelike games can operate smoothly on computers with moderate hardware specifications. However, that’s not the case for Returnal, which demands a powerful RTX graphics card and ample RAM to function effectively. The game’s main character, Selene, is an astronaut who ventures towards a restricted planet named Atropos in response to a mysterious signal. Upon crashing on the planet, Selene becomes trapped within a time loop.

Following each death in the game, the setting and layout will shift, encouraging players to experiment with various tactics to understand the game’s events better. The game’s breathtaking visuals and intense combat can cause the frame rate to drop significantly. Therefore, for those aiming for optimal graphics, a RTX 2080 Super or an equivalent processor like the Ryzen 2700X is recommended.

2 Cyberpunk 2077

Ray Tracing Visual Feast In Night City

Minimum CPU Requirements: Core i7-6700 / Ryzen 5 1600 equivalent
Minimum GPU Requirements: GeForce GTX 1060 6GB / Radeon RX 580 8GB / Arc A380

Among the games listed, Cyberpunk 2077 stands out as one of the most challenging due to its high demand on system resources. At its initial release, there were significant issues with console versions, including frequent crashes, unstable frame rates, and performance drops. However, since then, numerous updates have significantly improved the game’s performance. The game is set in a fictional Cyberpunk world, where players will assume the role of V, a mercenary character.

In this game, V’s mind becomes intertwined with another, and the challenge lies in untangling them to prevent loss of V’s memories and individuality. The game is indeed challenging, even for advanced PC systems. Although the minimum CPU and GPU specifications are not particularly impressive, CD Projekt Red advises using a powerful RTX 3080 GPU along with a Ryzen 7800X3D CPU, complemented by 20GB of RAM, to run the game smoothly at 2160P resolution.

1 Microsoft Flight Simulator

Graphics To Push Rigs To New Heights

Minimum CPU Requirements: Intel i5-4460 / AMD Ryzen 3 1200 or better
Minimum GPU Requirements: GTX 770 / AMD Radeon RX 570 or better

For those who love aviation, Microsoft Flight Simulator offers a highly immersive experience. This game boasts some of the most authentic and true-to-life flight simulations available today. It features intricately detailed cockpits equipped with precise instruments and navigational tools. Moreover, players can take to the skies and visit airports worldwide, including renowned locations such as Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Princess Juliana International Airport, and many others.

In addition to guidance, the game allows players to fully pilot the aircraft themselves. Experiencing realistic weather patterns and physics, Microsoft Flight Simulator offers a challenging gaming experience, enhanced by stunning visuals.

2024-10-07 00:54

Most Demanding Games to Test Your PC’s Mettle