While a gamepad provides an ideal level of comfort, a keyboard and mouse offer superior performance. Particulargenres are better suited for a mousebecause of its DPI (dots per square inch). This gives better precision for first-person shooters or any other game that has to target in an isometric view.
While the following games can be played with either a keyboard and mouse or controller, a keyboard and mouse setup is invariably better. Here are some greatPC games that are worse with a controller.
Updated on June 25, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra:Most people love the idea of playing games with a controller instead of having to worry about a ton of button maps that they can forget at any given moment.
However, there are times when the added benefit of a mouse and keyboard is simply unmatched, no matter how relaxing it might be to use a controller instead. Here are some great examples of PC games that simply work way better with a mouse and keyboard.
15Wildermyth
Wildermythisone of the most unique turn-based strategy games around. The game uses procedural storytelling to set up narrative blocks that come together in a pretty seamless manner.
WhileWildermythhas received controller support, using a gamepad to play this game is nowhere near as intuitive as a mouse and keyboard. There’s a reason why this game constantly needs updates to make the controller more viable to play while the mouse and keyboard controls have remained fairly intact and preferred by many.
14Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077is experiencing a comebackthat is pretty deserved indeed. The game is blast to play through in its current state and employs many different playstyles to cater to most players.
Given the first-person viewpoint of this game, it’s easy to see why using a keyboard and mouse is optimal for players who employ guns. Of course, melee players don’t really need to do the same since they can just swing wildly in the vicinity of most enemies.
13Fallout: New Vegas
Fallout: New Vegasis held in high regard by many as one of the best games in the entire series. It combines the role-playing aspects of past Fallout games with the technical achievements of later 3D titles to make for an experience that is genuinely the best of both worlds.
Given the complex systems inFallout: New Vegas, it’s easy to see why the added benefit of a keyboard and mouse is so important here. Of course, another reason to use this control scheme is that most mods don’t really support controllers either, which is a bummer.
12Dishonored
Dishonoredis one of the greatest immersive sims ever made. It’s easy to see why this stealth-action title played a huge part in turning Arkane Studios into a mainstream company.
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There’s no denying thatDishonoredcan be played from start to end with a controller. However, the keyboard and mouse is simply more accurate and lets players carry out actions quickly and more efficiently.
11Superhot
At a glance,Superhotseems like a game tailor-made for controllers. Aiming in first person is challenging, andSuperhotmakes things slightly easier by slowing down time to a crawl as players try and nail the best shot possible.
However, this wouldn’t been applicable if time completely stopped inSuperhot. Instead, time moves at an extremely slow pace when players are standing, meaning that a bullet coming towards them can still hit them if they take too much time to aim — something that won’t happen if players use a mouse and keyboard instead.
10The Elder Scrolls Series
Although many players prefer a controller forThe Elder Scrolls,the keyboard and mouse combination is more intuitive. As a game with a variety of spells to switch between, the keyboard and mouse are incomparable.
Most people would even go as far as to say thatThe Elder Scrollsis a great keyboard and mouse learning game. If players have never tried the keyboard and mouse, and they’reitching to play a role-playing game,The Elder Scrollsis appealing. It doesn’t have too many key bindings to make it needlessly complicated.
9BioShock Trilogy
Players are divided over whether the keyboard and mouse or the controller is the better peripheral for theBioShockseries. The first reason to use the keyboard and mouse combination forBioShockis that it is a first-person shooter.
However,BioShocksimplifies controls when using a controller.Players can’t go wrong with either, but keyboard and mouse win for being easier at higher difficulties.
8Half-Life 1 & 2
TheHalf-Lifeseries is recognized as one of thegreatest game series of all time.The latest entry,Half-Life: Alyx, is a virtual reality exclusive and is incompatible with a keyboard and mouse setup. This is a series that is continually pushing innovation with gameplay way ahead of its time.
BothHalf-LifeandHalf-Life 2play better with a keyboard and mouse. While the controller is more comfortable, a mouse can have different DPI settings and extra buttons. A mouse can pinpoint locations easier, making it the best match forHalf-Life.
7Portal Series
The decision to add thePortalseries is potentially a divisive opinion. Whether someone prefers a keyboard and mouse or a controller is mostly a personal preference.
Portalcan be used for either peripheral. SincePortalis a first-person game, the intuitive decision would be a keyboard and mouse. However, since the game doesn’t place players under a time limit and lets them complete it at a relaxing pace, a controller isn’t a bad option either.
6Minecraft
It’s hard to ignore the apparent advantages of playingMinecrafton PC versus a console. With more customizable textures, versions that are several ahead, and an endless wave of mods to integrate into thevanilla game,PC is the definitive platform.
This raises the question, what is the better peripheral forMinecraft?It can definitively be said that a keyboard and mouse combination is far superior. It makesMinecraft’scontrols more complicated, but the changes are well worth it.
