Gaming Classics: 17 PC games that have aged well and you can play today

[Jos]

There are some classic PC games that are as good today as the day they were released. You may not have heard of all of them. After all, when a game has been out for a while, people generally stop talking about it. They are still out there though, waiting patiently for someone to pick them up and play.

Unlike with consoles, a game from 1995 may work on modern PCs just fine. In this article, we are looking specifically at games that are still fun to play, ten or more years old, and are the best of their style in their series. For example, Civilization 4 is not considered because Civilization 5 was better; but Fallout 2 is considered, because Fallout 3 and 4 looked and felt quite different. We've also considered remasters of games that fit that description.

Most of these games are available relatively cheap and will offer many hours of enjoyment, even on years old modest hardware.

Read the complete article.

 

[noel24]

I would add Max Payne games, first Mafia is still fun, maybe Red Alert 2, although I'm not sure it compatible with Windows today. And of course, mostly for the 80's climate and feel GTA: Vice City. Not sure it would be fun today, but I enjoyed IGI games, and was thinking to try and refresh them.

 

[money]

Respekt for including Commandos. I would add Deus Ex and Thief. I would not include adventures like Grim Fandango but I would recommend watching Let's plays of them.

 

[Legendle2007]

These are all great games. I especially loved the Commando and Command and Conquer Series. I find that the old isometric view like age of empires still look pretty good, more than passable.

 

[Fernando GC]

I just want to add Supreme Comander. Still fun and looks awesome.

 

[Satish Mallya]

Also I'm pretty sure age of empires doesn't use a territory system.

Damn. You're right. Serve me right for playing Civ:BE and Rise of Nations and just before writing this.

 

[Cycloid Torus]

Terrific article! Thanks, Satish.

Possible additions? Jagged Alliance? XCOM?

 

[Nero7]

The list is pretty meh.
Here's an idea go to GOG and pick anything (apart from Empire Earth 3 and the likes).

Not many people outside of germany now it but the first Sacred is imo to this day among the best ARPG out there.

And if one really wants to play on something with low specs and low space a GBA SNES emulator can come really in handy.

 

[Pinkie Pie]

Do remakes really count as classics that have aged well? Like Black Mesa for example, that's really a brand new game. Why not just list the original Half-Life; apart from graphics I find it just as much fun to play today as I did back then.

 

[cuerdc]

Battlefield 2, still play on occasion

 

[Satish Mallya]

Do remakes really count as classics that have aged well? Like Black Mesa for example, that's really a brand new game. Why not just list the original Half-Life; apart from graphics I find it just as much fun to play today as I did back then.

Remakes are generally more available, and have better QA on newer platforms, while maintaining the experience of the originals.
Black mesa has been mentioned specifically because it's free, even though it deviates some from the original. It maintains the 'feel' and that's what counts in my book.
Remakes are also generally cheaper than new releases.
Grim Fandango, for instance is unplayable in its original form.

 

[Nobina]

Wait, what? This list doesn't include all the games that I like? You gotta be kidding me. Worst article ever.

 

[Cryio]

You can add to that list System Shock 2, Deus Ex, Prince of Persia Sands of Time Trilogy, FEAR (you got to Splinter Cell's 2005 entry after all), Sacrifice and both Knights of the Old Republic.

 

[yRaz]

Why the F*** isn't Freespace 2 on here? Has Techspot forgotten the entire Decent series, one of the most influential series in early PC gaming?

Look up the Freespace 2 source code project and then revise your list. It was even fully voice acted, in 1999 no less!

 

[Tanstar]

both Knights of the Old Republic.

This!

 

[mcborge]

Wheres' Dawn of war. I still play that to this day.

 

[robb213]

I would add Max Payne games, first Mafia is still fun, maybe Red Alert 2, although I'm not sure it compatible with Windows today. And of course, mostly for the 80's climate and feel GTA: Vice City. Not sure it would be fun today, but I enjoyed IGI games, and was thinking to try and refresh them.

As far as I'd guess, they should work. I played Red Alert 2 under 7, same with Tiberian Sun. I know it doesn't guarantee they will work, but chances are good they'll work fine.

The only problem was resolution scaled everything, so playing at 1080P makes everything way too small.

 

[Satish Mallya]

You can add to that list System Shock 2, Deus Ex, Prince of Persia Sands of Time Trilogy, FEAR (you got to Splinter Cell's 2005 entry after all), Sacrifice and both Knights of the Old Republic.

I seriously considered Deus EX, but the series is alive and kicking, with Human Revolution having been released pretty recently.
I think I remember hearing of another one on the horizon.

 

[Brodo Laggins]

Great article and equally great list.

I am a huge fan of classic games, both console and PC titles. Just recently played through System Shock 2, got it via Steam. Also for those looking for a great all in one emulation app for console games, check out OpenEmu, it acts as an organizer too.

 

[AnilD]

Wait... 17 - 14 = 3. Half-Life 3!

 

[Cycloid Torus]

I seriously considered Deus EX, but the series is alive and kicking, with Human Revolution having been released pretty recently.
I think I remember hearing of another one on the horizon.

I can appreciate that approach, but I would encourage including games like Deus Ex as the story line / game mechanics still resonate well even today.

It is really sad to go back to a great game and find that the advance of technology murders it. I think the enhanced/revived remasters which make a game playable again deserve to be celebrated as well as long as they represent a high degree of duplication in the spirit of the original.

 

[Squid Surprise]

I loved the Wing Commander games - including Privateer

I believe there was a re-release of III or IV.... but WC2 (and it's various expansions and companion games) was my favourite.

 

[Squid Surprise]

Oh... and forgot to mention the X-Wing and TIE Fighter games.... those were tons of fun

 

[amstech]

It might have been Techspot that posted it I can't recall, but from what I've read they are finishing Black Mesa to include the rest of the game after your portal to Zen in Lambda's Core.
They said to do it right it will take a long time so fingers crossed.

 

[Nerf09]

Cool article. I have played Baldur's Gate 2 so many times it's ridiculous. I loved Diablo 1 & 2 as well. But my personal favorite, one that didn't end up on your list (too old?) has to be Heroes of Might & Magic 3. There are no games I played as much as this one. My ex-boyfriend and I could literally spend entire weekends binging on Heroes non stop, playing not only all the extensions of Complete, but also the hundreds my cousin had created over the years. The whole family and friends were hooked on it, playing 6-8 people at once during parties, taking turns. Good times!