Best Mac games in 2024

Summary

• MacOS Sonoma is the best version for gaming on Mac in years, with an optimization feature called Game Mode for gaming.
• Divinity: Original Sin 2 offers an open-world RPG experience with customization options and multiplayer gameplay for Mac users.
• Gris, a relaxing puzzle game for Mac, focuses on emotional healing with no enemies or death, providing a calming experience.

Macs aren't the best gaming computers out there, mainly because only a small number of games support macOS. Nonetheless, many depend on the latest Macs for their work or studies, and users will be happy to learn that macOS Sonoma is the best macOS version for gaming in years. Aside from Apple's big bet on Apple Arcade, macOS Sonoma also includes an optimization feature called Game Mode just for gaming. While you will likely enjoy a superior gaming experience and a larger library on other platforms, there are still plenty of excellent games on macOS. To help you with your hunt, we've compiled a list of the best Mac games currently available.

10 Divinity: Original Sin 2

If you're looking for a packed RPG you can play for hundreds of hours, then Divinity: Original Sin 2 is the title to go for. In this game, you have to build your own hero and personalize it based on your preferences. Though keep in mind that the world will react accordingly, and your personal customizations will have relevant consequences.

What's really fun about Divinity: Original Sin 2 is your ability to roam freely and do whatever you feel like. So you're not limited to a preset track that you should strictly follow. This allows you to explore at your own pace and even kill NPCs if that's your thing. That's not to mention that it supports multiplayer gameplay, allowing you to enjoy its offerings either locally or online.

9 Gris

If you're tired of frustrating games with endless grinding and death, then Gris could help you wind down peacefully. You play as Gris, a young girl trying to deal with some negative life experiences. As you navigate, Gris starts to heal and grow emotionally, unlocking new parts of this world in the process.

In this game, there are no enemies, danger, or death. You just explore at your own pace and solve easy puzzles. The platformer also includes some skill-based challenges, but they're optional if you're not up for them. It's also gorgeous; the graphics mimic watercolor paintings that are both artistic and visually appealing.

Gris is an overall light game for your Mac that aims to deliver an immersive experience through mesmerizing graphics and animations. And, more importantly, it runs excellently on the latest Macs.

8 Disco Elysium

Another PC classic, Disco Elysium is also available on macOS. You play as an alcohol- and drug-addicted detective who wakes up in a trashed motel room with no memory of how he got there. The guy hanging from a tree in the back turns this game into quite the mystery right away. As you play the game, you’ll choose your own path, investigating the murder in different ways and determining who you will become in the process of doing so.

Disco Elysium is a Mac game about choice. Each encounter can be approached in a number of violent or peaceful ways. Maybe you want to shoot the sarcastically condescending motel clerk, or sweet talk him into unlocking a door in the back. No matter how you choose to approach each situation, Disco Elysium bends the game world around the decisions you’ve made, creating a unique and unforgettable experience each time you play it. No two players will have quite the same experience in this unique game.

7 Stardew Valley

If you liked FarmVille back in the day, you'll probably love Stardew Valley on your Mac. Stardew Valley brings a sense of comfort to life in its quiet, lush farmland. With plenty of activities to fit your experience level and the perfect music to complement the time of day, Stardew Valley is so rich you’ll want to spend days just exploring your new home. It's the perfect game for winding down after a long day of work. The story is relaxing, the soundtrack is calming, and the action is addictive.

Even the general progression of game difficulty feels smooth, with new crops to plant, skills to unlock, and items to find becoming available at balanced intervals. Stardew Valley became an instant classic when it first arrived. At this point, it’s available for all major platforms. So everyone can jump onto the farm and take over their grandfather’s old plot of land. Raise animals, grow crops, meet some interesting townsfolk, woo the town life away, and more in the charming Stardew Valley.

Stardew Valley is an immensely satisfying experience, one that draws you in slowly but surely. Season to season, your curiosity about the townspeople grows, even more so when you begin forming friendships with them. When each new crop arrives, you get excited all over again, knowing that summer is right around the corner. And then there are also festivals, which are some of the most fun times in Stardew Valley.

6 Hades

Supergiant Games' Hades is an incredibly fun action game with a unique setting. You play as Zagreus, the “son” of Hades — it’s complicated, but we’ll let the game explain — who’s trying to escape the Underworld. As you die and die again, you can bring Darkness, Gems, and more back to purchase upgrades, making you stronger for future runs. If you enjoy playing Hades on the Nintendo Switch, the macOS version also supports cross-platform saves, so you can play on both systems and not miss a beat.

In terms of the actual gameplay, Hades is a hack-and-slash roguelike, which is excellent since Supergiant’s frantic pace makes each encounter engaging, no matter how many times you defeat the same enemy. Outside the core gameplay, Hades keeps things interesting with a unique Boon system. As you progress in your run, you’ll be able to accept boons from various Greek gods and goddesses, granting you increased damage and new perks, among other things.

5 Fortnite

Perhaps one of the most popular games in the world right now, this battle royale is a cross-platform treat you can enjoy on just about every device you own. Thankfully, that also includes your Mac.

The free-to-play shooter mixes tense last-man-standing shootouts with building mechanics, creating something that is easy to pick up but incredibly hard to master. With faster fights than competitors like PUBG, it manages to offer an incredibly unique and addictive experience in the gaming space, and you can easily sink hours into it in a single sitting.

What makes Fortnite so exciting and popular though, besides its great gameplay, is its cosmetics. It's partnered up with tons of famous movies, TV shows, and other IP to add costumes, characters, and dances for customizing your avatar. It's the only game where you can watch Goku take on Master Chief.

Epic Games is no longer actively updating the Mac version of Fortnite. You should still be able to access and play the base game. However, if you're experiencing issues, perhaps consider giving a game streaming service a try.

4 Frostpunk

Frostpunk is a resource management game but on the scale of an entire post-apocalyptic civilization. This is a city-building game with its main focus on decision-making and societal management. On the surface, Frostpunk has all your basics, building, maintaining, and expanding. But problems pop up as the game progresses.

There are many tough decisions to make here. Will you choose to mobilize child labor when you don't have enough workers? Should you let your people eat well but risk not having enough food to last? Or maybe starve your people for your supplies to last longer? This is one of those games where each of your decisions has consequences for the future, and it's not easy to decide which way to go at any given time.

Even worse, the game has a mechanic where your citizens feel hope or discontentment. Keeping your citizens hopeful can help them push through the worst of times through their sheer belief in you. On the other hand, discontentment can drag you down into a pit of never-ending troubles.

Frostpunk is incredibly immersive, with its constant icy diorama setting alongside the difficult decisions you’ll have to make throughout the game.

3 Minecraft

There isn't much to say about Minecraft that hasn't already been said. It's one of the most popular games in the world for a reason. Armed with nothing more than a pair of hands when starting the game, you’re given absolute freedom over an enormous, randomized map.

One of the simplest games, but also the most satisfying. You'll be building towering skyscrapers and labyrinth-style mine shafts with ease in no time. Its pixelated, 8-bit graphics may turn some people away, though the gameplay is enough to please gamers of all ages and skill levels.

2 Portal 2

The original Portal is one of the most popular puzzle games ever. While the game was made famous on the PC, you can play the equally fun and popular sequel on your Mac.

Portal 2 returns players to Aperture Science in this addictive first-person puzzle game where you once again attempt to break out of the giant Aperture research facility and claim her freedom. Your task is to work through various rooms outfitted with unique puzzles, armed with nothing more than the iconic portal gun. You’ll use various environments and objects alongside time and space to advance through the facility.

While the puzzles are perhaps the main draw of this series, you also get an intriguing storyline and plenty of comedy relief in this game. If you enjoy games that keep you entertained and intellectually stimulating, give Portal 2 a try today.

1 Resident Evil Village

Resident Evil Village, as you might expect, is a horror survival game. In this addition to the long-running series, you play Ethan Winters, whose daughter was kidnapped and is being held in a snowy village occupied by monsters. Just like its predecessors, you have to scavenge different areas for items and resources you need. Though, in this version, there's more emphasis on combat, and you'll have to deal with a greater number of enemies.

Speaking of enemies, the monsters you fight here can be smart and unpredictable. This means they could wield weapons and attack you collectively as a pack. Of course, in many cases, you can just run away, as sometimes that's wiser than wasting the scarce ammunition on them.

Just like in previous editions, you get an attaché case to store your belongings. You can rotate and reorganize your stuff to make the most of your space. You also get to buy and upgrade items from the merchant. If this all sounds appealing, get scares and fun by getting it directly through Apple.

Which Mac game is for you?

Those are our top picks for games to play on your Mac. Regardless of your preferred genre, there's something on the platform for you. Sure, it's not the premier way to play video games on a computer, but it's better than it used to be, and there are more options than ever. For example, if you want an amazing puzzler, Portal 2 is honestly tough to beat. It has all the intellectual stimulation you need, along with an interesting story to keep you engaged. If you just need a quick game to take your mind off work, Minecraft is one of the best out there and incredibly popular among users of all age groups.