So how do you categorize a beast like gaming on the PC? With decades of titles to pluck from (and the first port of call for most indie titles, too), there's so much to choose from. Gaming on your PC adds the benefits of (nearly always flawless) backward compatibility and console-beating graphical performance -- if you've got the coin for it. The whole idea of what a PC is and where you can play it is shifting, too, with the rise of handheld "consolized" PCs like the Steam Deck. We've tried to be broad with our recommendations here on purpose – there are so many great games out there for your PC, consider these some starting points.

Welcome back to Pushing Buttons, folks. In case you're wondering where I've been, I was on secondment from video games for a week covering Glastonbury. Thankfully, a decade-plus of E3 coverage prepared me well for the fragrant crowds and inevitable liveblogging tech issues. Thank you to our ever-brilliant games correspondent Keith Stuart for covering for me while I screwed my head back on after the festival. Pride events took place in London last weekend, and among the million people lining the streets for the event's 50th-anniversary were parade contingents from PlayStation, Microsoft and Square Enix, among other game publishers and developers.

Upon its 2020 release after a lengthy early-access stage, indie game Hades immediately captured the love of gamers and critics alike, hitting over a million sales shortly after official release, collecting award nominations from a slew of gaming shows, and appearing on numerous year-end lists. The roguelike from developer Supergiant follows Greek demigod Zagreus as he attempts to escape from the underworld run by his titular father while interacting with a host of other Olympian gods and legendary figures pulled from Greek mythology. Besides tight and enjoyable gameplay and gorgeous art, what really makes Hades shine is its excellent and nuanced writing. This extends to the game's romance options, which smartly and positively feature elements of relationships rarely touched on well in games, namely depicting polyamory and kink better than many of its peers. Hades features three characters that players can have Zagreus woo: Dusa, a floating gorgon head residing in the game's resting area between runs; Thanatos, the Greek personification of death who appears to offer Zagreus challenges and rewards during a run; and Megaera, one of the Fury sisters who appears alongside her siblings as the boss of the first section of the game.

For nearly a year now, the coronavirus pandemic rendered most summer vacations and holiday getaways impossible, rerouting itineraries to our living rooms. But there is a silver lining for those seeking a change of scenery amid our extended staycations. Already these past 12 months we've seen a rise in those spending their idle hours in video games, and certain titles can actually help scratch that itch to travel. Some games fit that need to hit the skies literally, such as "Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020," which lets players fly a plane across a hyper-realistic Earth crafted from satellite imagery. Still, this doesn't replicate exploring a foreign country's culture or taking in the sights and sounds of a bustling city far from home.

"Game About Inescapable Hellscape Really Resonating With People Now For Some Reason," a recent headline from the satirical video game news site Hard Drive read. The story was referencing Hades, Supergiant Games' hit action game in which Zagreus, prince of the underworld, tries repeatedly in vain to escape his father's realm. Every attempt--even the ones where you beat the final opponent standing in your way--ends in Zagreus' death. This is how I've tried to relax in recent weeks, with a controller in my hand and hell on my mind. "We live in hell" is a common internet rejoinder (social media flattens rhetoric as well as discourse), a mantra for our choose-your-own-disaster era wielded by those privileged enough to comment on it.