What older PC games still hold up well today?

[Veronica Winston]

Looking for classic PC gems that have stood the test of time. Games like 'Deus Ex' (2000) with its immersive cyberpunk world and player choice, or 'Planescape: Torment' (1999) with its rich storytelling. What other older titles do you think still deliver a great gaming experience today?

 

[BeardyHat]

I don't want to take up all the choices, so I'll list just a few:

Command & Conquer, though the AI is abysmal. There are some mods to make it better, but I'm pretty incompetent when it comes to strategy games, so I get bowled over.

OpenTTD: technically I guess it's a new game, but it's based on the original Transport Tycoon Deluxe. I'll be real honest, I'm more of a Transport Fever fan, but this one is always sitting in the back of my mind as one I need to delve more into.

A good portion of old Shooters. Half-Life, Quake, Doom. The gameplay is so simple, it's tough for it to age poorly.

 

[Rhysling]

I mean, the game I turn to will always be Age of Empires 2. Not the first one, or the third with 3D graphics, but the second one in the series. That game is my butter and bread. I've been playing that since I could walk.
Now they're revamping it, adding things to it, it's cool to see the upgrades, and they're promising Age of Empires 4, but I don't know if it's going to live up to the hype.

 

[McStabStab]

There's one game I always go back to no matter how far along we get down the road, and that's the original X-Com: UFO Defense from 1994. It's not an easy game, and the graphics are rough, but it holds up for sure.

Once you start seeing Chryssalids, sh*t gets real.

 

[Pifanjr]

There's one game I always go back to no matter how far along we get down the road, and that's the original X-Com: UFO Defense from 1994. It's not an easy game, and the graphics are rough, but it holds up for sure.

Once you start seeing Chryssalids, sh*t gets real.

I think I've tried that one, at least one of the old X-Com games, but I couldn't deal with the UI. It was a struggle to just look over the map to see where enemies were and a pain to get your units to do what you wanted them to do. At least compared to the modern XCOM games.

 

[Colif]

Simcity 2000 & 3000 are still worth playing, it was before EA messed up the game.
SC 3k was the first game I ever bought on PC.

 

[Zimbaly]

God there's so many, but I won't go crazy with a giant list.
The old Xwing/Tie Fighter games.
Since it's on PC now Final Fantasy 6. Still a classic RPG that I love.
Jedi Knight series.
Also now on PC Grandia.
It's not as old as others, but Peggle is a great classic time killer game.
Windows old pinball game.
Scorched Earth, Worms and the old Gorillas game on Dos.

 

[Zloth]

Pong hasn't aged a day. It plays just as it did eons ago and is just as fun. On the other hand, we weren't quite as demanding back then - just being able to make something change on your screen (other than waving a magnet over it) was pretty cool. See this ancient advertisement for context:

View: https://youtu.be/_eA36HwOR5A?si=puuZvyxkIny5ALqX

 

[Brian Boru]

A lot of the non-graphical non-action games—Card games, Minesweeper, Yahtzee… anyone for Text Adventures?

If 2000s are classics now, then Half Life 2, Civ4 BtS w mods, Crysis + Warhead, Supreme Commander FA, Far Cry 1 & 2, C&C Generals ZH.

Then there's the original Prince of Persia and Lemmings from 90s.

 

[Rhysling]

I just remembered a great side-scroller. I was a simp for the main character of this game before I even knew what having a crush is. Claw, or as is famously known Captain Claw, is a gem of a video game where you play as a pirate captain CAT.

That tomcat has got guns and a saber, and my undying devotion.

Released in '97, so it definitely qualifies as an old game that stood the test of time.

 

[ElvenNeko]

Resident evil Remake and Zero both look like games like could come out today and hardly anyone would notice the difference.

 

[Veronica Winston]

I don't want to take up all the choices, so I'll list just a few:

Command & Conquer, though the AI is abysmal. There are some mods to make it better, but I'm pretty incompetent when it comes to strategy games, so I get bowled over.

OpenTTD: technically I guess it's a new game, but it's based on the original Transport Tycoon Deluxe. I'll be real honest, I'm more of a Transport Fever fan, but this one is always sitting in the back of my mind as one I need to delve more into.

A good portion of old Shooters. Half-Life, Quake, Doom. The gameplay is so simple, it's tough for it to age poorly.

Okie!

I mean, the game I turn to will always be Age of Empires 2. Not the first one, or the third with 3D graphics, but the second one in the series. That game is my butter and bread. I've been playing that since I could walk.
Now they're revamping it, adding things to it, it's cool to see the upgrades, and they're promising Age of Empires 4, but I don't know if it's going to live up to the hype.

Okie!

There's one game I always go back to no matter how far along we get down the road, and that's the original X-Com: UFO Defense from 1994. It's not an easy game, and the graphics are rough, but it holds up for sure.

Once you start seeing Chryssalids, sh*t gets real.

Okie!

Simcity 2000 & 3000 are still worth playing, it was before EA messed up the game.
SC 3k was the first game I ever bought on PC.

Okie!

God there's so many, but I won't go crazy with a giant list.
The old Xwing/Tie Fighter games.
Since it's on PC now Final Fantasy 6. Still a classic RPG that I love.
Jedi Knight series.
Also now on PC Grandia.
It's not as old as others, but Peggle is a great classic time killer game.
Windows old pinball game.
Scorched Earth, Worms and the old Gorillas game on Dos.

Yes the list is very big

Pong hasn't aged a day. It plays just as it did eons ago and is just as fun. On the other hand, we weren't quite as demanding back then - just being able to make something change on your screen (other than waving a magnet over it) was pretty cool. See this ancient advertisement for context:

View: https://youtu.be/_eA36HwOR5A?si=puuZvyxkIny5ALqX

Okie!

A lot of the non-graphical non-action games—Card games, Minesweeper, Yahtzee… anyone for Text Adventures?

If 2000s are classics now, then Half Life 2, Civ4 BtS w mods, Crysis + Warhead, Supreme Commander FA, Far Cry 1 & 2, C&C Generals ZH.

Then there's the original Prince of Persia and Lemmings from 90s.

Okie!

I just remembered a great side-scroller. I was a simp for the main character of this game before I even knew what having a crush is. Claw, or as is famously known Captain Claw, is a gem of a video game where you play as a pirate captain CAT.

That tomcat has got guns and a saber, and my undying devotion.

Released in '97, so it definitely qualifies as an old game that stood the test of time.

Now this is the comment i was looking for

Resident evil Remake and Zero both look like games like could come out today and hardly anyone would notice the difference.

Okie!

 

[georgge]

There are several older PC games that are still a lot of fun to play today. For example, games like “The Secret of Monkey Island” and “StarCraft” are still popular because they offer engaging gameplay and bring back a sense of nostalgia. “Half-Life” is another classic that continues to impress me with its innovative storytelling and immersive experience. If you prefer something simpler but still addictive, “Minesweeper” is a timeless option. I’ve also found that https://www.1000mines.com/ has a variety of Minesweeper-inspired games that stay true to the original while adding new elements so you may click there. These games are noteworthy not just for their historical importance, but also for their ability to keep players entertained even after all these years.

 

[Frag Maniac]

I'm not sure if this response applies, but I recently played RealRTCW, Mass Effect Legendary Edition, and Black Mesa (Half Life remaster), and they were all quite good. Some might say, but they are not the originals, true, partly, they DO have updated graphics, but the most important part, the gameplay, is still the same, and still holds up well after all these years.

[EDITED]
Come to think of it, I would be remissed if I didn't mention Halo: The Master Chief Collection. I thoroughly enjoyed every one of the games in it. This collection is graphically reworked, but, again, the gameplay remains the same. I had left off many years ago never having beaten Combat Evolved on anything higher than the default mode, and knew it would probably be one of the tougher titles in the collection on Legendary, if not THE toughest.

I worked this time on equipping my squad well with good weapons, and pacing myself. I also focused more on draining enemy shields with plasma weapons, then finishing them off with ballistic weapons. As a result, my squad lasted much longer, and I had plenty of ammo. So I was able to finally after all these years not only beat Combat Evolved on Legendary, but every title in the collection.

 

[Blind Dog]

I'll always toss NASCAR2003 in the ring. With mods, its physics engine is legendary, and the graphics are quite good. Last I heard, IRacing, F1 teams, and others, still use modified versions of the physics engine. The game is free, and imo the most realistic feeling driving/racing sim. Talented mod community keeps it relevant.