Best old PC games

Who needs ultra-modern graphics and trendy innovations when there's timeless and ageless classics? Games that impress with deep storylines, interesting concepts, and original mechanics — that's what we will talk about today.

We present to you the top list of the best old PC games. Actions, strategies, RPGs, puzzles, and simulators — everything released before 2010 and can easily run even on the weakest computer.

Half-Life 2

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A project without which it is impossible to imagine any compilation of old PC games. Half-Life 2 was a real discovery for the industry and set a very high bar for other first-person shooters. It features an interesting original setting, a deep storyline, intelligent enemies, and a memorable arsenal of cool weapons.

If for some reason you missed Gordon Freeman's adventures in City 17, now is the time to play this game.

Diablo II

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A legendary action RPG that needs no introduction, it managed to create a separate game genre and spawned dozens of competitor-imitators. Dark gothic aesthetics, thousands of grotesque monsters on the screen, seven available classes, and the possibility of cooperative play — what else does a true adventurer need?

And if you want more modern graphics, you can check out the 2021 remake titled Diablo II: Resurrected.

Warcraft III

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The main strategy game of its generation. It not only gave us iconic fantasy characters like Arthas, Thrall, and Jaina but also the most popular MMORPG of all time —  World of Warcraft. In the third part of Warcraft (both in the original campaign and in the expansion The Frozen Throne), the player had to lead the armies of Humans, Orcs, Undead, and Night Elves to victory, immersing themselves in an exciting story and a world detailed to the smallest elements.

Needless to say, this game is a must-play for all fans of real-time strategies?

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl

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It's impossible to discuss the best old games without mentioning at least one part of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. trilogy. This game series gained popularity worldwide, extending beyond the CIS countries. It's a prime example that engaging gameplay doesn't require modern graphics or a cinematic plot.

"Shadow of Chernobyl" offered gamers a walk through a fantastical version of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and entertained them in many ways: from battling mutants and searching for artifacts to clashing with bandits and trying to survive deadly anomalies. All this was set to great music and engaging dialogues with local NPCs.

Left 4 Dead 2

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The best cooperative shooter of all time, which managed to create a standalone game subgenre. In this game, a team of four survivors must withstand hordes of zombies and try to find a way to safety. The players' path is blocked not only by ordinary brainless brain-eaters but also by "special infected" — mini-bosses with their unique abilities. Some can jump tens of meters, others can pull victims in with a long tongue, and others spew foul-smelling toxic slime.

We recommend calling friends to play the second part of the duology, as it already includes all the content from the original. Let's see how long you can last!

Silent Hill 2

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This dark, unsettling, atmospheric, and psychologically oppressive horror from the Japanese team Team Silent became a game-changer in the genre. It proved that scares can come without annoying jump scares, as there is nothing more frightening than the subconscious of a mentally ill person.

You will participate in the story of James Sunderland, who travels to the foggy town of Silent Hill in search of his deceased wife. There, James encounters grotesque monsters and his own fears, and also discovers that his own story harbors many terrifying secrets. Silent Hill 2 can rightfully be considered the best horror game among old games, and one of the best horror games in general.

Serious Sam: The First Encounter

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A hot and incredibly fun arcade first-person shooter that lacks any seriousness. Here we play as a rugged guy named Sam Stone, who tries to fend off an alien invasion using his own charisma and huge guns.

While other developers were trying to move the genre towards realism, the creators of Serious Sam took a step in the other direction — towards bloody madness without unnecessary complications.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

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It's unlikely that there's a gamer in the world who doesn't know about the GTA franchise. This series of adventure action games has been incredibly popular for many years. However, it's the San Andreas installment that had the most significant impact on the industry, offering gamers a nearly full-fledged life simulator in 1990s America.

Besides an interesting plot and vivid characters, players were treated to a rich fleet of vehicles, dozens of types of weapons, many side quests, the ability to master different professions, fall in love, gamble, and much more. And if you want to modernize the game a bit, you can play the updated version included in Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy — The Definitive Edition.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

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Nowadays, The Witcher 3 and Skyrim top the lists of best open-world RPGs, but in the mid-2000s, Oblivion was the king of the genre. Players had to independently create a great hero to save Tamriel from demonic invasion and meanwhile bring order to the local lands. You could follow the main story or engage in exciting side quests — for example, becoming the head of the Dark Brotherhood or testing your strength in the Arena.

Excellent graphics for its time, a vast array of available opportunities, and an interesting plot allow Oblivion to confidently maintain its position among the best representatives of the genre.

Max Payne 2

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A cult third-person shooter that managed to popularize the slow-motion mechanic. The game tells the story of the grim detective Max Payne, who tries to recover from the death of his family and punish the criminals trying to entangle the entire New York in their criminal web.

The project features a solid plot, excellent graphics for its time, a rich arsenal of weapons, and the ability to stylishly hang in the air during shooting. A true gem!

Prince of Persia: Warrior Within

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Prince of Persia deserves thanks for many things: popularizing parkour in video games, introducing unique time rewind mechanics, and giving rise to the Assassin’s Creed franchise (the first installment was initially developed as a continuation of Prince of Persia). Moreover, it's simply an interesting and very vibrant series of games that allow players to dive into an engaging journey.

We chose the second part of the series for our top list because it represented a small revolution in the genre and the franchise itself. From a child-friendly oriental fairy tale, the game transformed into a dark, bloody, and very brutal adventure with a cool combat system and lively music.

Need for Speed: Underground 2

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The most rebellious and fun installment of the iconic racing series Need for Speed. Underground 2 had it all: cool cars, a beautiful neon city, powerful rock compositions in the background, a variety of modes, and the ability to race with friends online. The project's graphics might not impress anyone now, but the gameplay will definitely entertain.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

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KOTOR has been and remains one of the best Star Wars games in the galaxy! It's an incredibly engaging adventure featuring vivid characters, where players can create their own Jedi Knight. Interesting dialogues, numerous available abilities, and moral choices in almost every quest. The plot twists are still impressive today — what more could you ask for in a perfect game?

In the next couple of years, a full remake of the first part of Knights of the Old Republic will be released. However, this is no reason to suffer in anticipation — the original still plays great today and provides unforgettable emotions.

Fable: The Lost Chapters

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The first part of Fable captivated with its unusual approach to storytelling and interaction with the world. Here, we started playing as a child character who grew up before our eyes into a hero or villain — depending on your choices. If you swung a sword a lot and developed strength, he would become short and muscular. If you used a bow, he would become tall and slim. And if you frequently used magic, the hero's body would be covered in glowing tattoos.

This was complemented by an interesting system of moral choices, colorful locations, and silly but charming humor. Fable turned out to be the perfect fairy tale for a few evenings, where the player could do anything they wanted and derive genuine pleasure from it. Unfortunately, the second part was not released on PC, and the third lost many of the original's merits.

A full reboot of the franchise is currently under development, but the exact release date is unknown.

Neighbors from Hell

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In the early 2000s, one of the most talked-about games was the cult classic Neighbors from Hell — an adventure puzzle game about the sly trickster Woody trying to harm his grumpy neighbor. Players had to set up ingenious traps, hide in cupboards, and laugh as the neighbor became the victim of another prank.

Recently, a remaster of the original duology of games was released, available on all modern platforms. It's the perfect time to annoy the neighbor again!

Spore

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Spore is a game unique in its concept. Here, gamers start by controlling a single microorganism and gradually develop it into an entire race of strange creatures. New original mechanics appear at each stage of development, and by the end of Spore, it turns into a global space strategy where you need to colonize other planets!

The game still looks great and provides many pleasant sensations. And, even if you don't want to delve into the strategic part, you can always have fun in the local editor and create a couple of funny monsters.

Resident Evil 4

Image: Steam

The Resident Evil series has always been a trendsetter in the horror genre. However, it was the fourth installment of the franchise that influenced not only horror games but the entire industry as a whole. It was here that the famous "over-the-shoulder" camera view, now used in almost every shooter, made its debut. And it was in this game that slow-paced shootouts with enemies first began to intersperse with stylishly directed cinematic scenes.

Resident Evil 4 is a very cool artifact of the mid-2000s, offering a glimpse into the industry of that time. Yes, today the game is unlikely to scare anyone, but it's still interesting to play through on a couple of dark evenings.

Of course, it's simply impossible to include all the best PC games released before 2010 in one top list — there were too many good projects at that time. Share in the comments about the games that you particularly love.

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