Control the Game: Enhance Your PC Gaming Experience

Generally, PC gaming is synonymous with keyboard and mouse control, and for good reason. Genres like first-person shooters and strategy games benefit significantly from the precision these input devices offer. Adapting to alternative controls in these genres can be challenging. Grand strategy and real-time strategy games, long absent from consoles due to perceived control limitations, now frequently appear on PlayStation and Xbox, though they often excel on PC.

While most PC games strive for robust keyboard and mouse support, some titles are better suited to controllers. Games emphasizing fast-paced movement or intense melee combat often pair perfectly with gamepads. Similar to keyboard and mouse, certain genres are intrinsically linked to controllers, especially those originating on consoles and later ported to PC. What are the top controller-friendly PC games?

Updated January 7, 2025 by Mark Sammut: 2024 concluded with several notable releases, including Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Infinity Nikki, Marvel Rivals, Path of Exile 2, and Delta Force, all debuting within a short timeframe. Most of these titles are not only playable with keyboard and mouse but arguably superior with them. However, Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered might offer a slightly better experience with a gamepad, though the difference is minimal.

Several upcoming PC game releases (within the next month) appear well-suited for controller use, though this remains to be confirmed:

Freedom Wars Remastered – A PS Vita revival echoing the Monster Hunter formula, making controller use logical.
Tales of Graces f Remastered – The Tales series consistently benefits from gamepad controls, and this remaster is expected to follow suit.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth – The PC version of the remake played better with a controller, and Rebirth's combat system closely resembles its predecessor.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 – Another PS5 exclusive transitioning to PC, typically implying controller priority, although keyboard and mouse should function adequately.

A 2024 Soulslike game has also been included in this list. Click below to jump to this entry.