The best PC games are forever!
Not all games can stand the test of time. Every once in a while, even those we have the fondest memories of turn out to be great disappointments the moment we try them again today.
But the history of gaming is an illustrious one, filled with titles that remain engrossing no matter how ancient they are. This article, which lists the 11 Best PC Games That Are Over 10 Years Old But Still Awesome, is a celebration of such games.
So join us on a trip down memory lane, beginning with game number…
11. StarCraft
A cold day in hell...
Who hasn’t heard of StarCraft? Before it was replaced by its sequel, it was the national sport of South Korea, for crying out loud! It even had a hand in the development of eSports into the cultural juggernaut we know today.
1998’s StarCraft is universally loved for good reason. Its story and characters are epic. Its playable factions – the Terran, Protoss, and Zerg – are perfectly balanced, despite being utterly different from each other. This makes the game a clash of diverse powers, each with unique strengths to exploit and weaknesses to overcome. Talk about real-time strategy at its finest.
Its expansion, Brood War, upped the ante by introducing new units, allowing for fresh tactics and even greater play style variation. What more can you expect from one of the best pc game franchises of all time?
Monster vs. machine
Preparing for a possible Zerg invasion
10. Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
A place to call home...
Transforming the red planet...
Today, we have Beyond Earth. But did you know the Civilization franchise set sail for the massive oceans between the stars more than a decade ago?
Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri is a direct sequel to Civilization. The space race culminates in the United nations sending the Unity expedition to colonize Alpha Centauri’s planet, Chiron. As humans are wont to do, the colonists aboard the spacecraft divide into 14 distinct factions based on ideology, and as the ship disintegrates, they find themselves scattered across Chiron.
Gameplay and major concepts carry over from Civilization games. But this being a sci-fi title, expect esoteric future tech and units. Chiron is also host to alien wildlife, which you can destroy, exploit, or establish a harmonious partnership with.
Released in 1999, Alpha Centauri remains one of the best pc games ever developed.
Congested as heck... this place is already starting to look a lot like Earth!
New challenges await...
9. System Shock 2
You just caught them in the middle of an embarassing dance number, and now they're mad!
These robots aren't here to help you
Not since Ridley Scott’s Alien have we been this scared of science fiction horror.
1999’s System Shock 2 is a first-person shooter/RPG hybrid that strands you aboard a starship populated by zombies and other nightmarish creatures. But even more frightening is the series’ primary antagonist, the malevolent A.I., SHODAN.
SHODAN taunts as you as progress through the claustrophobic corridors of the Von Braun. But with the ship under the control of the rogue computer XERXES, and an alien force that has turned the entire crew into mindless murderers, you have no choice but to work together.
The story of the Von Braun’s fall is told through haunting voice recordings scattered throughout the ship. Further lending a sense of dread to an already eerie atmosphere, monsters have a habit of popping out of nowhere, then stalking you until there’s nowhere left to hide. Truly a nerve-wracking experience.
And if you’re wondering about the “Shock” in the title, it’s because the game was designed by Ken Levine, the same guy behind the BioShock franchise. No wonder the game’s amazing!
Never underestimate the power of the stress ball!
Blast them away!
8. Rome: Total War
The color purple strikes terror into the bravest of hearts!
Look, a shooting star! Time to make a wi- Oh wait...
Despite their proclivity for wearing skirts and sandals, Roman soldiers sure knew how to kick butt. We’re guessing that’s why the third Total War game is set in the early Roman Empire.
After choosing to lead any of three Roman houses (Julii, Scipii, or Brutii), you initiate your plan of military conquest. This entails maneuvering large armies across enormous killing grounds, and countless troops skewering each other with swords and spears. Seriously, the epicness of such battles provides a high that’s hard to replace.
Achieving victory doesn’t solely rest on butchering the opposition in real time, though; you have to know how to play nice, too. Treat a city’s populace like dirt, and they’ll rebel, maybe even become a new faction.
Released in 2004, Rome: Total War is still a favorite among fans of the series, and we’re not surprised. The franchise’s disparate gameplay elements work in perfect cohesion in this game. Definitely one of the best pc games ever made!
Chain smokers' convention, circa 100AD
Here, catch!
7. Homeworld
Epic space battles!
Homeworld broke out of the real-time strategy box by giving us not two, but three dimensions to wage our massive space battles in. The result? A sci-fi epic for the new millennium and beyond.
Released in 1999, Homeworld puts you in control of the Kushan, a space-faring species living in a gargantuan “Mothership.” Your home planet has been destroyed, so your only hope is to sail in the vastness of the void until you find a new one. But the final frontier is one filled with danger. The occasional raider may be nothing more than a petty annoyance, but you’ve also got the Taiidan, an entire interstellar empire seeking your destruction.
Because you’re not limited to a flat plane, Homeworld boasts an unprecedented freedom of movement. More importantly, it brings whole new levels of tactics and strategy to the genre that hasn’t been emulated ever since. Truly one of the best pc games ever created – and we’re grateful it now has a remastered version for sale online.
Interstellar dogfight
Space sure is beautiful...
6. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
I think even their grandmothers felt that...
Too cool for lightsabers, eh?
Released in 2003, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remains an amazing RPG for reasons not limited to its incredible story, amazing characters, and immersive gameplay. And let’s not forget the mechanic it introduced that would become one of the genre’s most important features: player choice.
The story involves Darth Malak and his machinations, which have scattered the Jedi across the stars and embroiled the Republic in war. To put an end to his plans, you’ll have to form alliances and make many difficult choices. Your character’s morality is shaped by those choices, which in turn impacts your skills set, and how the tale ends. This game-changing feature would go on to influence a plethora of titles, such as a teeny-tiny game called Mass Effect.
It’s an epic sci-fi game set in a galaxy far, far away, and one of the best pc games in history.
Someone's about to lose an arm. Or a leg. Or a head.
Point-blank range
5. World of Warcraft
"That little green thing looks like dinner!!"
World of Warcraft was launched way back in 2004. The fact that it has outlived most MMORPGs – even those released more recently – says a lot about its immense staying power.
WoW, as it is called by fans, follows the events of WarCraft III: The Frozen Throne. The major races of Azeroth have formed two rival factions: the Alliance and the Horde. After players choose a side and create their character, the world is theirs to explore and enjoy.
Aside from quests, PvP, leveling up, raids, parties, and guilds, WoW is chockfull of activities. Remember that time Azeroth was plagued by a highly contagious disease? Heck, that made the mainstream news! You’ve also got fishing tourneys, zombie invasions, romantic festivals, and more. And then you’ve got those glorious expansions.
Blizzard’s dedication to the WoW community is evident in the endless stream of new stuff it gives players to enjoy. For that, we think it’s one of the best pc games ever released.
Killer breath
A pirate's life is for me!
4. Grim Fandango
Can you kill someone who's already dead?
Remember those point-and-click adventure games of the 80s and 90s? While they’re virtually non-existent now, back then, they were all the rage, especially if you were looking for quality storytelling.
But, as the saying goes, nothing lasts forever. 1998’s Grim Fandango was the genre’s swan song, and what a masterpiece it was, combining wit, humor, and mind-bending puzzles in a single package. Set in the afterlife’s Land of the Dead, players fill the shoes of Manny Calavera, the most charismatic skeleton you’ll ever meet. As a travel agent, his job is to ferry departed souls into the Ninth Underworld. Not as easy as it seems, of course! Aside from troublesome customers, he’ll have to contend with conspiracies and other unexpected plot twists.
Thankfully, Grim Fandango has been remastered for the new era, so you can get the game without complications. Now’s your chance to see what all the fuss was about!
Time for a cruise...
This roller coaster ride is a killer...
3. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
In Vice City, crime and style go together
Love open world crime sprees? 2002’s Grand Theft Auto: Vice City will make you smile.
You play as Tommy Vercetti, who’s just been released from prison. While your former boss Sonny Forelli is aware of your loyalty to the Forelli family, he’s worried that your newfound freedom will increase tensions between the crime families of Liberty City. So he sends you to Vice City to help him expand his criminal empire. What follows is the story of your rise to the top of the underworld.
You’ve got hundreds of cars to steal, countless civilians to kick to the curb, and loads of criminal endeavors to carry out. Vice City, which is based on Miami, is a beautiful tropical playground replete with palm trees, beaches, tall buildings, vibrant neon lights, and of course, strip joints! It’s also a trip down memory lane for those missing the colorful culture of the 80s, making it a must-play for older gamers.
One of the best pc games from the GTA franchise!
Bird's eye view of the city of sin
He probably just wants to cut down some trees...
2. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
It isn't a fantasy without a good old dragon encounter
Released at the dawn of the new millennium, Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn is an epic fantasy set in the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons universe. It combines wonderful storytelling, deep character customization, glorious tactical combat, and that isometric perspective we’ve all come to love.
It kicks off with one of the most harrowing openings in any RPG. Stuck in a dungeon, where you and your friends are being tortured and experimented on? Yikes!
As the mortal progeny of the God of Murder, you’ve piqued the interest of the evil wizard, Jon Irenicus. Thankfully, you’re not alone in your quest to thwart his schemes. Up to five heroes can join you. Behave like a wicked douchebag, however, and your righteous companions will freak out. Play the nice guy, and prepare for a storm of sarcastic insults from your evil-doing followers.
Together with the side missions, the game can take you hundreds of hours to complete. Time well spent, if you ask us!
This place looks ancient...
A peaceful locale...
1. Half-Life 2
And you thought headcrabs were bad...
Half-Life transformed the first-person shooter from a mindless killathon to a medium capable of telling compelling stories, pulling you into realistic worlds to explore, and giving you an experience that doesn’t sacrifice your IQ for action.
2004’s Half-Life 2 builds upon the original, and gives us more goodies to drool over, including amazing physics, even more intelligent enemies and well-crafted scenarios, and Alyx Vance – a charismatic, believable companion who offers such invaluable aid that we can’t imagine the Half-Life franchise without her.
The game has you, as Gordom Freeman, siding with the Lambda Resistence – an underground movement meaning to overthrow the Combine, the multidimensional empire enslaving Earth and humanity. The struggle even has you allying with the previous game’s extraterrestrial foes, the Vortigaunts. Interesting times sure make for the strangest bedfellows!
We don’t know what the gaming industry would be like today had Half-Life 2 never been made – making it one of the most important, not to mention best pc games of all time.
"Calm down. It's just a giant robot... gorilla alien... thing."
That chopper is toast
Now it’s your turn, readers! Which classic titles do you think deserve to be called the best pc games in existence? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
And if you want to read more about classic games from Blizzard, feel free to check out Top 10 Best Blizzard Games, Ranked Best to Worst, and the related article, 10 Most Legendary Heroes from Blizzard Games.
We’ve also got your favorite Total War games covered in All Total War Games, Ranked Best to Worst.
Or are Warhammer 40k games more to your liking? We’ve got an article about that, too, which we’ve called Top 10 Best Warhammer Games, Ranked Best to Worst.
If you want to know about some upcoming games from 2K Games, head on to 2k Games A List of The 10 Best 2k Games To Play in 2015 and 2016.
