“Top of old games” on the computer is remembered by those whose youth came in the late nineties and the beginning of the two thousandth, when everyone heard such cult shooters as Serious Sam and races like Need For Speed. More details in the article.
A bit of history
The so-called zero children still remember the days when computer clubs were opened, where there were no longer those Sega or SonyPlay Station consoles, and the first real personal computers with bulky monitors with a resolution of 800 x 600 pixels were standing.
Then everyone heard such cult games as Need For Speed: Underground, shooters like Unreal Tournament, Counter Strike and Serious Sam, as well as strategies like WarCraft and StarCraft.
Separately, it is worth talking about those masterpieces that boldly fit the category of “top old games on the PC”, which attracted the attention of owners of their own PCs for dozens of evenings.
Heroes of Might and Magic III
A turn-based strategy, better known as "Heroes 3" was one of the first "stick-ons" that attracted the attention of fans. For many lovers of strategies as such, this game is firmly settled in first place in the ranking of "top 10 old games."
The plot from one addition to another tells of battles with armies of mythical creatures, the capture of cities, the erection of buildings that contribute to the hiring of the army and the development of new territories.
In this series, players encountered a system of accumulating resources and mastered ways to search for artifacts to strengthen the main character.
Warcraft
Strategy, but not turn-based. If someone is not obsessed with "Heroes", he will definitely lose his head from WarCraft. The story of the confrontation between orcs and people (the very first versions of the game), which was continued in additions to the third part. It is noteworthy that the third part was more fond of due to the high-quality graphics, new races and entertaining storylines that tell about opposing the invasion of the Burning Legion.
Those who in the "two thousandths" boldly included this game in the "top 10 old games on the PC" are now probably for months stuck in World of Warcraft, not wanting to leave the life of their beloved game universe.
Serious sam
This action movie was for every owner of a personal computer. The game pulled out a clear first place not only in the "top ten", but also in the "top 100 old PC games" among gamers.
The plot is very non-trivial: someone Sam must shoot a bunch of monsters, saving humanity from an alien threat - a certain Mental. The game mechanics are also straightforward - to run and shoot, destroy everything in its path, keep the screaming kamikazes out of the way, bring down giant overgrowth bosses who strive to flatten the main character.
STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl
Another blockbuster that spawned an army of fans of post-apocalypse, abandoned structures and radiation fields. If you ask the avid "stalkeroids" about the old games of the top 100, then if this project is not in the top ten, then it definitely falls into the hundred best. And far from always the game is inferior to the western franchise called Fallout.
The plot of "Stalker" tells about the life and life of the so-called artifact hunters (and just soldiers of fortune) in the exclusion zone - not far from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. According to the version of the gaming universe, under the sarcophagus of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant there is a certain executor of desires. And a stalker nicknamed "Shooter" found a way to get into Pripyat, and from there just to this "performer". But suddenly he did something wrong ...
Now the hero of the first part, known as "Tagged", was given the task of killing Strelka. And at the same time to restore lost memories.
Despite the fact that the developers have long since "collapsed", the game does not release the minds of millions of fans. Were released:
- prequel "STALKER: Clear Sky";
- and the sequel "STALKER: Call of Pripyat."
The project, known as STALKER 2, was never completed due to the closure of the company for unknown reasons.
However, in 2015 it became known that the company continued to operate, a project such as “Cossacks 3” was released, so fans still have hope for the successful implementation of Stalker.
Dragon Age: Origins
You can not ignore this "thunder from a clear sky" from the company BioWare. The coup made by this game, with full confidence, allows us to say that the "Dragon Age" scattered the whole crowd of applicants for first place not only in the top 10 or 100 games, but also in the thousand best projects for PCs, tearing themselves a well-deserved first place.
It was the first game with carefully crafted facial expressions of characters, ornate dialogs and storylines, amazing battle mechanics and an exciting storyline. And the army of fans was pleased with the presence of romantic lines. All of the above features, the game won the right to be in the category of "top old games."
The plot tells about the struggle of the Order of the Gray Guards with the invasion of the creatures of darkness. In fact - an army of the living dead, led by the Archdemon - a half-dead dragon, once the Ancient God.
Passage (together with all side missions) takes about 50 hours. Each character is unique. He has his own character, habits, manner of dialogue. If they are the companions of the protagonist, they can interact with each other in every way. Moreover, both sympathy and mutual hostility can arise between them. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to the selection of people in the squad.
The level of sympathy for the main player can affect the performance of the satellite itself. The smallest value can lead to the character completely leaving the squad.
Subsequently, sequels of the storyline were released - Dragon Age 2 and Dragon Age: Inquisition.
Mass effect
Another masterpiece from the same company, which has occupied its gaming niche in the nomination “top of old games”. If BioWare couldn’t arouse fantasy for gamers thanks to Dragon Age, they aroused their love of space adventures with Mass Effect.
The same story of the confrontation between mankind (and other organic races) to great evil, only in an intergalactic role.
The study of characters on top. The player has to solve complex puzzles, carefully think through the answer in ornate dialogs, and also go to deal with conscience. The plot of the game is absolutely non-linear. Any step and decision will be reflected in further events, as well as on the attitude of others to the main character. Each companion requires a unique approach to his personality, and also has individual tasks, the implementation of which contributes to the growth of Shepard’s authority and strengthening the characteristics of the companion himself.
The end?
Many more games excited the minds of young people chained to monitor screens. Among them are horror films from the Resident Evil series, Driver 2 races and The Elder Scrolls series, Command an Conquer strategies (Red Alert, Generals and Tiberian Sun).
Of course, it is worth mentioning FlatOut and GTA with a top view. The notorious “Max Payne” and “Hitman” shared a niche of popularity in the nomination “top old games”.
But there were also projects that could hardly fall into the hundred best and undeservedly devoted to oblivion. An example of these is partly turn-based, and partly a real-time strategy called Lethal Dreams. In the domestic version of "Deadly Dreams." Studio Boolat Games did not bring the game to mind, because gamers had to be content with a crude version of the product, which greatly disappointed the latter.
Meanwhile, the plot is very, very interesting: the universe is blown up, the worlds have scattered into parts and now exist in the form of small islands - fragments of civilizations - along which the main character travels, choosing one of six schools of magic.
Only two patches were released that partially correct the existing bugs (crashes, freezes, lack of sound when casting spells) and add a number of new ones (all the same errors, but in other places). The battle system worked out only at the initial stage. In fact, the outcome of any duel is decided in favor of the one who called the greater number of monsters to his side. Multiplayer is missing.
Of course, if this is not the “top of old games”, then this game deserves at least special attention, solely because of the idea.
That example, when poor-quality implementation ruins a brilliant idea. One can only hope that someday the game will be re-released.