7 Must-Have High-Spec PC Games You Need in 2025
In mid-2025, AAA titles increasingly leverage the full power of next-gen engines (Unreal Engine 5, RAGE 9, ID Tech 7…), delivering photorealistic graphics with path-traced lighting, advanced antialiasing, next-gen DLSS, and massive open worlds. That means PC gamers need multi-core CPUs, top-tier GPUs (RTX 30/40/50 or Radeon RX 6000/7000 series and above), at least 16–32 GB of DDR5 RAM, and NVMe SSDs for smooth performance and fast load times. Below are seven of the most demanding PC games you can’t miss in 2025.
Doom: The Dark Ages
Release: April 2025
Engine: Upgraded ID Tech 7 with DLSS 4 and real-time ray tracing
Ultra Nightmare (4K) Recommended Specs
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CPU: Intel Ultra Core 9 285K or equivalent
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GPU: NVIDIA RTX 5090
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RAM: 64 GB
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Performance: ~155 fps at native 4K (no DLSS); ~~344 fps with DLSS 4×4
As both a high-octane shooter and a PC benchmark beast, Doom: The Dark Ages pushes hardware to its limits.
Mafia: The Old Country
Release: August 8, 2025
Engine: Unreal Engine 5 with Lumen global illumination and Nanite geometry
High (1440p) Recommended Specs
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CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X or Intel Core i7-12700K
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GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT or NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti
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RAM: 32 GB
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Storage: ≥ 55 GB SSD
Mafia: The Old Country exemplifies how UE5 titles can overwhelm mid-range rigs.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
PC Launch: January 23, 2024
Engine: Proprietary Square Enix engine with DLSS and VRR support
Minimum Specs
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CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1400 / Intel Core i3-8100
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GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6600 / NVIDIA RTX 2060 (6 GB VRAM)
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RAM: 16 GB
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Storage: 155 GB SSD
Recommended Specs
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CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 / Intel Core i7-8700
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GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT / NVIDIA RTX 2070 (8 GB VRAM)
Though not a 2025 release, Rebirth still demands an RTX 20/30-series GPU for stable 1080p/60 fps.
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows
Release: Late 2024
Engine: Upgraded AnvilNext with ray tracing
1080p 60 fps High Preset Specs
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Min CPU: Intel Core i7-8700K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600
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Min GPU: GTX 1070 8 GB / RX 5700 8 GB
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Rec CPU: Intel Core i5-11600K / AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
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Rec GPU: RTX 3060 Ti 8 GB / RX 6700 XT 12 GB
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RAM: 16 GB
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Storage: 115 GB SSD
On Enthusiast (4K 60 fps, Ultra RTX), it even calls for an RTX 4090 and a high-end i7 13700K or Ryzen 7 7800X3D.
Grand Theft Auto VI (Expected)
Expected Release: Late 2025
Engine: RAGE 9 “next-gen” with 16K textures, advanced water sims, and AI NPCs
Rumored Specs
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CPU: Intel Core i9 14xxx / Ryzen 9 7xxx
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GPU: RTX 40/50 series or Radeon RX 7000 series and above
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RAM: 32 GB
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Storage: NVMe SSD > 100 GB
Even flagship rigs may sweat to maintain high settings in GTA VI.
Silent Hill 2 Remake
PC Launch: October 8, 2024
Engine: Unreal Engine 5
Minimum Specs
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CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600
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GPU: GTX 1070 Ti / RX 5700
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RAM: 16 GB
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Storage: 50 GB SSD
Recommended Specs
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CPU: Intel Core i7-8700K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600X
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GPU: RTX 2080 / RX 6800 XT
The remake’s UE5 visuals require hardware on par with modern AAA blockbusters.
7. Starfield
Release: September 2023
Engine: Creation Engine 2 for expansive space environments
Minimum Specs
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CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X / Intel Core i7-6800K
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GPU: RX 5700 / GTX 1070 Ti
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RAM: 16 GB
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Storage: 125 GB SSD
Recommended Specs
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CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X / Intel Core i5-10600K
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GPU: RX 6800 XT / RTX 2080
Even two years on, Starfield remains a hardware gauntlet for 1440p/60 fps interstellar travel.
Conclusion
To conquer 2025’s most hardware-hungry titles, aim for a multi-core powerhouse CPU (Intel Core i7/i9 or Ryzen 7/9), a top-tier GPU (RTX 30/40/50 or Radeon RX 6000/7000 series and above), 16–32 GB of DDR5 RAM, and an NVMe SSD. Mid-range rigs may manage minimum settings, but “High/Ultra” with ray tracing is firmly in flagship territory.