Join us as we open up the archives and take a look at the best old PC games that have shaped the industry during the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. Most of the names we’ve listed below are responsible for some of the widely loved and played series and some of them are still alive and kicking till date. From real-time strategy to first-person shooters, to role-playing titles, these releases have won the hearts of many through the immersive gameplay they offer.
1. Command & Conquer:
The original Command & Conquer game was launched way back in 1995, making it almost two decades old. This title is one of the first RTS releases and it laid foundation for an entire franchise which is alive till this day. The gameplay involves constructing a base and acquiring resources in order to raise various buildings and also create troops and vehicles.
The graphics aren’t anything to boast of compared to even modern mobile game, but they were pretty good for the time. EA planned to release a reboot of the original this year, but canceled the development back in October.
2. Quake:
Duke Nukem, Doom and Quake are some of the greatest FPS. Developed by id Software, Quake made its debut in 1996, after the first two titles, and it featured some pretty good 3D graphics. Its wide success and popularity game birth to three new titles and various spin-offs. In singleplayer mode, you are sent into 28 levels filled with monsters and secret locations.
There is a good deal of weapons available and they are carried forward to new levels. Online multiplayer was one of the main highlights here and owing to support of mods a well as add-ons, new experiences were possible.
3. Half-Life:
Half-Life is Valve’s very first title and it was a smashing hit, landing a ridiculous number of awards over the years. The FPS game was originally launched for Windows and was later ported over to the PS2, but only landed on Linux and OS X earlier this year.
The title follows Dr. Gordon Freeman who’s a theoretical physicist is one of the survivors of the Black Mesa incident where an experiment goes wrong and creates a rip between dimensions. With aliens entering the facility, the protagonist fights his way to find survivors and put an end to the invasion by entering the alien world. A sequel was launched in 2004 felled by two Episode add-ons.
4. Counter-Strike:
Counter-Strike was nothing more than a mere mod for Half-Life and it’s one of the few add-ons to get transformed into a standalone release. The game won the hearts of many FPS fans around the globe and it is still being enjoyed by a large number of players. In spite of newer titles being release such as Condition Zero, Source and Global Offensive, the 1.6 version is still in popular demand.
Multiplayer is the main focus here where two teams, terrorist and counter-terrorist, fight it out in objective based maps where the CT forces can win the by defusing the bomb and rescuing hostages apart from killing all terrorists. The title also comes with support for mods where new modes such as zombie infection, gun game and Deathmatch have been made available by the community.
5. Age of Empires 2:
The initial Age of Empires title which was launched 1997 earned quite a lot of popularity, but it was the second release that actually gave the franchise wide success. The gameplay was pretty much the same as its predecessor’s, but there were many new features which delivered a better experience. You’ll be presented with various campaigns that are based on real historical events. There are thirteen playable civilizations and different types of terrains where gathering resources and building towns is the primary goal.
Victory is based on multiple user-defined factors such as conquest, constructing a wonder, collecting relics and more. Age of Empires II: HD Edition was released on Steam earlier this year and Microsoft also announced a new expansion called The Forgotten for the enhanced version.
6. Deus Ex:
Deus Ex is not your ordinary FPS title. This is one of the most unique releases of its time offering a blend of role-playing, simulation and adventure in a single package. The game puts you in the shoes of JC Denton who’s an anti-terrorist operative of the US with super human capabilities thanks to nanotech augmentation. Set in the year 2052, the story revolves around various ancient conspiracy theories. Players have the choice of completing objectives as seem fit, through stealth, force or hacking.
Additionally, choices here affect the outcome of the narrative. There are various character enhancements available through skill points where different abilities such as efficiency with weapons, hacking skills or lock picking can be improved. A sequel to the game was launched in 2003, while a prequel made its debut back in 2011.
7. Battlefield 1942:
Battlefield 1942 is the first of the long running series from DICE. Set during World War II, this FPS offers a single player mode where you set foot on several maps that are based on the major theaters of the war. Here, you can join the Axis Powers or the Allies, both of which offer 5 character classes such as scout, assault, medic, anti-tank and engineer. Each type has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Online multiplayer was the main highlight here and the ability to drive different vehicles and planes as well as operate guns, made the release all the more appealing. Multiple expansion packs were launched for the title, introducing new content. A couple of months back, EA announced that the game is available for free through its Origin network.
Conclusion:
As you can see, we haven’t included all of the best old PC games on this roster, just our own personal favorites. If you like to share your own recommendations, then feel free to shoot them our way.