Head-to-head

The two giants of the MOBA world share a map layout and not much else.

League is the easier first hour: a smaller download, a shorter tutorial and quicker first matches. Dota is deeper and less forgiving, with more to learn about every hero and item.

On money, Dota is clearly ahead. Every hero is free, there is no premium currency and prices come straight from your Steam Wallet in pounds. League locks nothing important behind payment either, but RP bundles leave leftovers and its top skins are sold by random draw.

Same publisher, same business model, very different games.

Genshin is an open world built for exploring in real time, with climbing, gliding and elemental fights. Star Rail is turn-based, set across several planets and happy to be played in short sessions on a phone.

The money works identically: £4.99 monthly passes, £9.99 battle passes and character banners with a 0.6% base rate and a guarantee by 180 pulls. The difference is taste, not cost.

The two best paid games on our list, and both are pay once with no shop.

Elden Ring is real-time action in a vast, wordless world. It is hard, rewarding and happy to let you get lost. Baldur's Gate 3 is turn-based and story-first, with characters and choices at the centre.

Both cost £49.99 on PC. Elden Ring's expansion adds £34.99 if you want it later; Baldur's Gate 3 has no paid expansion at all. Online co-op is free on PC for both, and needs a subscription on consoles.

Two free team shooters, eighteen years apart.

Team Fortress 2 is the quickest start of our ten: a small download and a match within minutes. Delta Force is enormous by comparison, with huge battles, an extraction mode and a free co-op campaign, but it needs a large download, a separate account and more patience.

Neither sells power, but both lean on randomised cosmetics. TF2's crates need £1.85 keys with no published rates. Delta Force's store draws get dearer as you go. Both deserve a firm budget.

HoYoverse's action games side by side.

Zenless Zone Zero has the sharper combat: dodges, parries and chain attacks that feel great from the first fight. Genshin has the bigger world, with a true open world where Zenless has a city hub.

Costs are the same pattern in both: a £4.99 monthly pass, a £9.99 battle pass and character banners with a 0.6% base rate. Zenless is also on Xbox; Genshin is too, and both share progress across devices.

Two open worlds you buy once.

Cyberpunk is a dense city told through characters and missions, in first person, with guns, blades and hacking. Elden Ring is a wild fantasy world told through places and bosses, and much harder.

Cyberpunk is single-player only, so it never needs a console subscription. Elden Ring's online play does on consoles. Cyberpunk's expansion is £24.99, Elden Ring's is £34.99, and neither has an in-game shop.