From revolutionizing game engines to launching global phenomena, Epic Games has been a titan in the video game industry for decades. Founded in 1991 by Tim Sweeney, this powerhouse has evolved from a small shareware studio into a digital empire that shapes how we play, create, and interact with virtual worlds. While many know them for the cultural juggernaut Fortnite, Epic’s legacy is built on a rich history of groundbreaking titles that have defined genres and pushed the boundaries of interactive entertainment.
This article will take you on a journey through the very best games developed or published by Epic. We’re not just talking about the Epic Games Store, but the incredible library of games that bear the Epic Games seal of quality. We’ve meticulously researched and ranked the top 20 titles that have delivered unparalleled fun, innovation, and unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re a fan of gritty shooters, captivating RPGs, or mind-bending puzzlers, this list will help you discover your next great gaming adventure.
How We Chose the Best Epic Games
Ranking games from such a diverse and storied developer is no small task. Our selections are based on a combination of critical acclaim, player reception, commercial success, and lasting impact on the industry. We considered how each game pushed technology forward, defined its genre, and continues to be remembered and played by fans today. Now, let’s dive into the ultimate list of the top 20 Epic Games for ultimate gaming fun.
20. Jazz Jackrabbit (1994)
Genre: 2D Platformer
Why It Stands Out: Before Unreal Engine, there was Jazz. This fast-paced 2D platformer was Epic’s answer to console mascots like Sonic and Mario. Playing as the green, gun-toting rabbit, Jazz, you blasted your way through vibrant levels to rescue the princess from turtle terrorists. The game was praised for its smooth, speedy gameplay, colorful graphics, and catchy soundtrack, showcasing Epic’s (then Epic MegaGames) early knack for creating polished and engaging action games. It was a PC gaming classic that proved the platform could deliver console-style fun.
Gameplay Experience: Jazz Jackrabbit is pure, unadulterated 90s action. The gameplay is all about running, jumping, and shooting everything in sight. Its fluid controls and emphasis on speed created an exhilarating experience that holds up surprisingly well. For many early PC gamers, this was a formative title and a glimpse into the creative potential of its ambitious developers. Play Jazz Jackrabbit (1994)
19. Shadow Complex (2009)
Genre: Metroidvania, Action-Adventure
Why It Stands Out: Shadow Complex arrived on the Xbox Live Arcade and instantly became one of the most acclaimed digital-only titles of its generation. Developed by Chair Entertainment in partnership with Epic, this 2.5D Metroidvania was a masterclass in level design and satisfying progression. Players explored a massive underground military complex, gradually unlocking new abilities and weapons that opened up previously inaccessible areas. The game was powered by Unreal Engine 3, boasting impressive graphics and physics that were unheard of for an “arcade” title at the time.
Gameplay Experience: The core loop of exploring, finding an upgrade, and using that upgrade to explore further is incredibly addictive. The controls are tight, combat is satisfying, and the sense of discovery is constant. Shadow Complex felt like a full-fledged AAA experience packed into a downloadable game, setting a new standard for the format. .
18. Bulletstorm (2011)
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Why It Stands Out: Developed by People Can Fly and published by Epic, Bulletstorm was a bombastic and creative response to the wave of serious military shooters dominating the market. The game’s “Skillshot” system was its brilliant central hook. It encouraged players to dispatch enemies in the most creative and stylish ways possible, awarding points for moves like kicking an enemy into a giant space cactus or launching them into the air and riddling them with bullets. It was violent, hilarious, and refreshingly original.
Gameplay Experience: Bulletstorm is a playground of destruction. The combination of your character’s energy leash, powerful boot, and diverse arsenal of weapons turns every combat encounter into a puzzle of stylish carnage. The writing is unapologetically crude and funny, and the campaign is a rollercoaster of over-the-top set pieces. It’s a game that never takes itself seriously and is all about having pure, unadulterated fun.
17. Alan Wake (2010)
Genre: Action-Thriller, Survival Horror
Why It Stands Out: While developed by Remedy Entertainment, Epic Games later acquired the publishing rights and has become the champion of this beloved title. Alan Wake is a psychological thriller that plays out like a season of a high-concept TV show. You play as a bestselling author suffering from writer’s block who finds himself living out the plot of a horror story he doesn’t remember writing. The game’s central mechanic of using light to weaken shadowy enemies before finishing them off was both unique and deeply thematic.
Gameplay Experience: Alan Wake excels at building atmosphere. The foggy forests and eerie small town of Bright Falls are incredibly immersive. The narrative is a compelling mystery that keeps you hooked, with manuscript pages found throughout the world that predict future events. It’s a story-driven experience that masterfully blends tense action with a gripping, supernatural plot.
16. Subnautica (2018)
Genre: Survival, Adventure
Why It Stands Out: Developed by Unknown Worlds Entertainment and offered for free on the Epic Games Store during its launch week, Subnautica helped put the platform on the map. This underwater survival game drops you into a vast and beautiful alien ocean after your spaceship crashes. You must gather resources, craft equipment, build bases, and explore deeper and deeper to uncover the planet’s mysteries and find a way home. The game is known for its incredible atmosphere, which shifts from serene beauty to heart-pounding terror in an instant.
Gameplay Experience: Subnautica is a masterclass in exploration and environmental storytelling. The sense of wonder you feel when discovering a new biome teeming with alien life is matched only by the pure fear you experience when a giant Leviathan appears out of the murky depths. It’s a survival game that focuses less on combat and more on discovery, creating a truly unique and unforgettable adventure.
15. Control (2019)
Genre: Third-Person Action-Adventure
Why It Stands Out: Another stellar title from Remedy Entertainment published by Epic, Control is a surreal and visually stunning journey into the unknown. You play as Jesse Faden, who enters the headquarters of a secretive government agency, the Federal Bureau of Control, just as it’s being invaded by a paranormal entity. Armed with a shape-shifting service weapon and a growing set of telekinetic powers, you explore the bizarre, brutalist headquarters known as The Oldest House.
Gameplay Experience: The gameplay in Control is a power fantasy. Tearing chunks of concrete from the walls and hurling them at enemies, levitating through the air, and zipping around with a dash ability is exhilarating. The game’s world is filled with intriguing lore and environmental destruction that makes every firefight a spectacle of flying debris and particle effects.
14. Slime Rancher (2017)
Genre: Life Simulation, Adventure
Why It Stands Out: Offered on the Epic Games Store, Slime Rancher is one of the most charming and relaxing games ever made. You play as Beatrix LeBeau, a young rancher who moves to a planet far from Earth to start a life wrangling slimes. You explore a vibrant world, collect dozens of different types of adorable slimes, grow crops, and build up your ranch. The game is a pure delight, free of stress and full of color.
Gameplay Experience: The core loop of exploring, collecting slimes, and managing your ranch is incredibly calming and satisfying. There’s a constant sense of progression as you unlock new areas of the world and upgrade your equipment. It’s a game that proves you don’t need high-stakes conflict to create a compelling experience.
13. What Remains of Edith Finch (2017)
Genre: Walking Simulator, Narrative Adventure
Why It Stands Out: Published under Annapurna Interactive and later featured prominently on the Epic Games Store, this game is a masterpiece of interactive storytelling. You play as Edith, the last surviving member of the Finch family, as you return to your colossal and eccentric family home. You explore the house and relive the final moments of each of your family members through a series of short, surreal, and incredibly creative gameplay vignettes.
Gameplay Experience: What Remains of Edith Finch is an emotional and unforgettable experience. Each family member’s story is told with a unique gameplay mechanic and art style, from a story that plays out in the panels of a comic book to a sequence where you control a shark rolling down a hill. It’s a poignant and beautiful exploration of family, life, and death that will stay with you long after you finish it.
12. Infinity Blade (2010)
Genre: Action RPG, Fighting
Why It Stands Out: Before Fortnite made Epic a mobile gaming king, there was Infinity Blade. Co-developed with Chair Entertainment, this game was a technical marvel that demonstrated the true gaming potential of the iPhone. It used the Unreal Engine to deliver visuals that were on par with home consoles at the time. The gameplay, based on a “one-on-one” dueling system of swipes and taps to dodge, parry, and attack, was perfectly tailored for touchscreens.
Gameplay Experience: The game was built on a brilliant loop. You fight your way through a castle to face the God King. You lose. Then, you are reborn as your own descendant, retaining all the skills and equipment from the previous generation. This cycle of progression and rebirth was incredibly addictive, and the visceral, tactile combat felt amazing on a touchscreen. Infinity Blade set the standard for what a premium mobile game could be.
11. Hades (2020)
Genre: Roguelike, Action RPG
Why It Stands Out: Developed by Supergiant Games, Hades became a flagship indie title for the Epic Games Store, where it was an early exclusive. You play as Zagreus, the prince of the Underworld, as you attempt to escape your father’s domain. The game blends lightning-fast, incredibly polished combat with a compelling story and unforgettable characters from Greek mythology. Each escape attempt is different, with randomized rooms and boons granted by the gods of Olympus.
Gameplay Experience: Hades perfects the roguelike formula. Dying is not a punishment but a core part of the narrative progression, as you return to the House of Hades to interact with characters and advance the story. The combat is fluid and deep, with six different weapons and countless combinations of divine boons that make every run feel unique. It’s a game that respects your time and rewards every single attempt.
10. Fall Guys (2020)
Genre: Battle Royale, Party Game
Why It Stands Out: Developed by Mediatonic and later acquired by Epic Games, Fall Guys took the battle royale concept and turned it into a clumsy, colorful, game-show-inspired obstacle course. Sixty players compete in a series of mini-games, with a portion of the field eliminated each round until only one winner remains. The game’s adorable bean-like characters and chaotic, physics-based gameplay made it an instant viral hit.
Gameplay Experience: Fall Guys is pure, unadulterated fun. The simple controls (run, jump, dive, grab) make it accessible to everyone, but the unpredictable nature of the physics and the chaos of 59 other players ensures that no round is ever the same. It’s a game that generates as much laughter from failure as it does excitement from success. Since becoming free-to-play under Epic, its community has only grown larger.
9. Unreal (1998)
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Why It Stands Out: This is the game that started it all. Unreal was not just a fantastic single-player shooter; it was the debut of the Unreal Engine, the technology that would become the backbone of Epic’s business and a cornerstone of the entire game industry. The game dropped players onto the alien planet of Na Pali after a prison ship crash, tasking them with surviving a hostile world. It was lauded for its stunning graphics, intelligent enemy AI, and incredible sense of atmosphere.
Gameplay Experience: Compared to its contemporaries like Quake II, Unreal was a different beast. It focused more on exploration and atmosphere, with vast outdoor environments and cleverly designed interiors that felt like real, lived-in places. The weapon design was creative, and the enemy AI was smart, often dodging shots and working together. It was a landmark title that pushed the boundaries of what a first-person shooter could be.
8. Rocket League (2015)
Genre: Sports, Action
Why It Stands Out: Developed by Psyonix and acquired by Epic Games in 2019, Rocket League is a game built on a brilliantly simple concept: soccer with rocket-powered cars. Two teams face off in an arena, trying to boost, flip, and fly their cars to knock a giant ball into the opposing goal. It’s a concept that is easy to understand but has an incredibly high skill ceiling.
Gameplay Experience: Rocket League is one of the most purely skill-based competitive games on the market. The physics are perfectly tuned, and mastering aerial maneuvers and precise shots takes hundreds of hours of practice. The short, five-minute matches make it incredibly addictive. Since going free-to-play under Epic, it has become one of the most popular and enduring esports titles in the world.
7. Unreal Tournament (1999)
Genre: Arena First-Person Shooter
Why It Stands Out: While Unreal was a single-player showcase, Unreal Tournament (UT) was built from the ground up for multiplayer mayhem. Released in the same year as its main competitor, Quake III Arena, UT distinguished itself with a wider variety of game modes (including the iconic Assault and Domination), incredibly intelligent bots that felt like human players, and a diverse arsenal of satisfying weapons, each with a primary and secondary fire mode.
Gameplay Experience: UT99 is the gold standard of arena shooters. The movement is fast and fluid, the weapons are perfectly balanced, and the map design is legendary. Whether you were facing off in a one-on-one duel on Facing Worlds or battling for control points in Domination, the gameplay was pure, skill-based perfection. It defined an era of competitive PC gaming and its influence is still felt today.
6. BioShock (2007)
Genre: First-Person Shooter, Immersive Sim
Why It Stands Out: Developed by Irrational Games (which included many Epic alumni) and built on a heavily modified Unreal Engine 2.5, BioShock is widely regarded as one of the greatest games ever made. Its opening sequence, which takes players from a lighthouse in the middle of the ocean down to the leaking, art-deco dystopia of Rapture, is iconic. The game masterfully blended a gripping narrative, deep philosophical themes, and innovative gameplay that gave players a choice of guns, special abilities called Plasmids, and environmental hacking.
Gameplay Experience: BioShock is a triumph of world-building and atmosphere. The underwater city of Rapture is a hauntingly beautiful character in its own right, filled with audio diaries that slowly piece together its tragic downfall. The gameplay encourages creativity, allowing you to combine Plasmids and weapons in unique ways, like shocking a pool of water to electrocute a group of enemies. Its famous plot twist is one of the most impactful moments in video game history.
5. Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009)
Genre: Action-Adventure, Stealth
Why It Stands Out: Developed by Rocksteady Studios and powered by Unreal Engine 3, Arkham Asylum finally answered the question: what would it feel like to be Batman? The game’s “Freeflow” combat system was revolutionary, allowing players to seamlessly chain together attacks, counters, and dodges to take on large groups of thugs. This was paired with a “Predator” stealth system that let you use gadgets and fear to pick off enemies one by one from the shadows.
Gameplay Experience: Rocksteady nailed the Batman fantasy. Moving through the dark and twisted corridors of Arkham Island, using detective vision to solve puzzles, and grappling up to a gargoyle to survey your enemies feels incredible. The game is a perfect blend of brutal combat, tense stealth, and engaging exploration, all wrapped in a fantastic story featuring iconic villains. It set a new standard for superhero games that has rarely been matched since.
4. Gears of War 2 (2008)
Genre: Third-Person Shooter
Why It Stands Out: While the first Gears of War introduced the world to cover-based shooting, Gears of War 2 perfected it. Developed by Epic Games as an Xbox 360 exclusive, this sequel took everything that made the original great and amplified it. The campaign was bigger, more emotional, and packed with jaw-dropping set-piece moments. The multiplayer was refined, and the new “Horde Mode,” a five-player co-op survival mode, became an instant phenomenon that would be copied by countless games for years to come.
Gameplay Experience: Gears 2 is a blockbuster experience from start to finish. The “stop and pop” cover shooting is refined to near perfection, and the campaign features unforgettable moments like riding a Brumak and battling inside a giant Riftworm. Horde Mode provided endless replayability, forcing you and your friends to work together to survive 50 increasingly difficult waves of Locust enemies. It was the complete package and a high watermark for the genre.
3. Mass Effect 2 (2010)
Genre: Action RPG, Third-Person Shooter
Why It Stands Out: BioWare’s sci-fi epic, powered by Unreal Engine 3, reached its zenith with Mass Effect 2. The game shifted its focus to be a tighter, more action-oriented experience, refining the clunky shooting of the first game into a polished cover-based system. The game’s narrative structure is its crowning achievement: a “suicide mission” that requires you to recruit a diverse squad of specialists from across the galaxy. The choices you make and the loyalty you earn from your crew directly impact who lives and dies in the climactic final mission.
Gameplay Experience: Mass Effect 2 is a masterclass in character-driven storytelling. Building your team and earning their trust through personal “loyalty missions” is deeply engaging. The combat is punchy and satisfying, but it’s the story and characters that make the game a masterpiece. The pressure of the final mission, where any of your beloved squadmates can be permanently killed due to your decisions, is one of the most thrilling and nerve-wracking finales in all of gaming.
2. Gears of War (2006)
Genre: Third-Person Shooter
Why It Stands Out: Few games have had as much impact on a single console generation as Gears of War. Developed by Epic Games, this title didn’t just popularize the cover-based shooter; it defined the look, feel, and sound of Unreal Engine 3 for years to come. The gritty, “destroyed beauty” aesthetic, the weighty feel of the characters, the satisfying “pop” of a headshot, and the visceral brutality of the Lancer’s chainsaw bayonet were all instantly iconic. It was the killer app that sold countless Xbox 360s.
Gameplay Experience: The core mechanic of sticking to cover was revolutionary. It slowed down the pace of shooters and added a new layer of tactical depth. The campaign was a dark and desperate story of survival, perfectly suited for two-player co-op. It was a technical and design powerhouse that established a formula so successful it would dominate the shooter landscape for the next decade.
1. Fortnite (2017)
Genre: Battle Royale, Sandbox, Third-Person Shooter
Why It Stands Out: No game in Epic’s history has had the cultural, financial, or technological impact of Fortnite. What began as a co-op survival game (Save the World) morphed into a global phenomenon with the release of its free-to-play Battle Royale mode. The game’s unique combination of third-person shooting and on-the-fly building created a dynamic and incredibly high-skill ceiling that set it apart from its competitors. But its true genius lies in its evolution into a social platform.
Gameplay Experience: Fortnite today is much more than a game. It’s a metaverse. It hosts live concerts from major artists, movie premieres, and countless user-created experiences in its Creative mode. The core Battle Royale gameplay is constantly evolving with new seasons, map changes, weapons, and mechanics like Zero Build mode, which removes the construction element for a more traditional shooter experience. It has redefined what a “live service” game can be and has become an integral part of modern pop culture, making it unequivocally the most significant game in Epic’s storied history.
Conclusion: A Legacy of Innovation
From the early days of 2D platformers to the genre-defining power of the Unreal Engine and the creation of a cultural metaverse, Epic Games has consistently been at the forefront of the industry. This list represents a legacy of creativity, technical excellence, and, above all, fun. The games developed and published by Epic have not only entertained millions but have also provided the tools for countless other developers to build their own dreams.
Whether you’re revisiting a classic like Unreal Tournament or dropping into Fortnite for the first time, you’re experiencing a piece of gaming history. The common thread through all these titles is a commitment to quality and a desire to push the medium forward.
What are your favorite Epic Games? Did we miss a title you think deserves a spot on this list? Share your thoughts in the comments below
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