Fans of PC games still remember the “golden age” with fondness. The emergence of many great PC games in the 2000s made the platform’s development the main focus.
At the start of this amazing decade, PC games rapidly rose. There were a lot of great first-person shooters, which were common at the time, and some really creative games that pushed the limits of what was possible in games. Today, we’ll countdown our picks for the Top 10 computer games from the 2000s! Come and see how many of these 20 games have you played!
NO.10: The Sims 2
As the first game in the computer games from the 2000s, the Sims 2 has the deepest life stages for me. Each is unique and different and is amazing in its own way. Plus, combine it with Wants and Fears, Memories, Hobbies, Interests, Turn on and Turn offs, Reputations, Dating, and Deep Personality, then you have a game with each sim that is special, unique, and humorous.
While I do play The Sims 3 and 4, The Sims 2 feels special because of all the depth they gave to our Sims. The only life stage where I can see the studio did so well in later games was Toddlers in The Sims 4. But other than that, the systems that made sims unique are lacking.
Hopefully, they can make it happen again. Only time will tell.
NO.9: Command & Conquer: Generals
This is a game that I think any hardcore RTS fan will be happy to see on this list!
The US and China have been fighting to rule the world in Command & Conquer: Generals. A new group called GLA is after both. Join this battle for power between three groups and become a General to lead your side to victory.
Each group has its specialties and different approaches to combat. The Americans with air power and technology. For example, a particle beam can be considered overwhelming as it can strike at things such as the GLA scud storm. The Chinese, with their numbers and tank rush strategies. The GLA with their chemical weapons and stealth and tunnels.
The plot lines were pretty basic. Build up and deny supplies to the enemy. Destroy the power weapons, etc. However, I must admit the same strategy couldn’t always be used.
NO.8: The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
In Morrowind, things feel a lot more like in a tabletop RPG. You are more restrained by the character class and the race you choose regarding your abilities. There are many more different skills, and there is no perk tree. You can also miss attacks (in Oblivion and Skyrim, if you are within range of your enemy, you will always hit them).
The magic system also looks very detailed, and there seems to be a crazy amount of things you can do (a few hours in, and I already got a magic scroll that allows me to make giant leaps into the sky).
I saw that there’s no level cap system in the open world, so be ready to die often.
So, is The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind worth it?
Absolutely! However, I would play Oblivion first as a stepping stone to Morrowind. It is quite dated, and having Oblivion as a sort of bridge between the two is what I think is best. But definitely download Morrowind now since it’s free.
NO.7: Eve Online
As the 3rd game we recommend in the “computer games from the 2000s”, Eve is a really revolutionary product in the mass of MMO clones.
It is a bold sci-fi role-playing game where players have to stay alive in a world full of traders, pirates, corporations, and cops. There are more than 5,000 star systems to discover in the huge playable universe.
There are almost infinite choices for you! You can stay on the edges of the game as a pirate and raid other players’ ships, mine for a company as a privateer or help protect other players’ ships from pirates, trade, make ammo, weapons, or tools, and more.
NO.6: Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos
Warcraft III and its expansion are still the most fun I’ve ever had playing an RTS campaign, and the animated cutscenes are still absurdly high quality of computer games from the 2000s, even all these years later.
In Warcraft III, you can play as one of four different races: Orcs, Humans, Night Elves, or Undead. Each race has its own units, special skills, and war weapons to use in battle as it continues to fight for supremacy.
Players will be in charge of their elite troops as they go on adventure fights, complete quests, and interact with other characters. The war over Azeroth is still going strong, and players need to be ready for any shocks that come their way and come up with plans to beat their opponents.
NO.5: Deus Ex
Deus Ex is a first-person shooter and a role-playing game at the same time. They let you play a role in creating your character’s skills and how the story moves along.
Deus Ex isn’t a series for everyone, but if you dig cyberpunk-themed things or are a Metal Gear fanatic (that’s me). Do yourself a favor and buy Human Revolution and then this.
The games aren’t perfect, but the story and gameplay are tons of fun. Go guns blazing, or be a cyborg Stealth Operative. Kill or no-kill, a great selection of lethal and non-lethal weapons.
NO.4: World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is an addictive game of computer games from the 2000s. It has often been compared to Drugs.
To most, World of Warcraft is just a hobby to kill time with.
To few, it’s a way to escape the hardships of life, a world where you can respawn after you die, a world where what you do changes the world.
Like other MMORPGs, World of Warcraft lets players make an avatar for their character and explore an open world in either third- or first-person view. They can explore the landscape, fight monsters, complete tasks, and interact with other players and non-player characters (NPCs).
NO.3: Command & Conquer Red Alert 2
RA2 is one of my all-time favorite computer games from the 2000s. It’s also the first RTS game I’ve ever played.
I love this game. I love how Yuri’s army is themed around being spooky. I love how massed Prism Tanks become this unstoppable blob of destruction. I love spamming Conscripts to choke superior tech and firepower through the sheer mass of bodies until only a few hardened veterans remain standing, screaming “For Mother Russia” across a charred battlefield.
I love it when Kirovs reports in. I love it when a British Sniper headshots a bunch of Yuri clones from a mile away and frees your Chrono Legionnaires from his psychic thrall so they can finish erasing the monument to godless Communism that is the enemy base from existence. I love the insane pileup of explosions, flailing human torches, screams, gunfire, and luminous green goo that is a truly epic battle. I love RA2!
NO.2: Diablo II: Lord of Destruction
Diablo II: Lord of Destruction is the best Diablo game ever made. Among the series of computer games from the 2000s, I would definitely recommend it. It’s a timeless classic. You’re missing out on a lot if you haven’t played it yet.
It improves the best hack-and-slash RPG of its time, adds a lot, and makes some good improvements. In gameplay, there are some neat improvements like, for example, a bigger item storage, hirelings can now kept through the whole game, a higher resolution, and an alternative weapon slot (Useful for some classes but not equally for all).
It is no wonder that fans have wanted a remaster for years and that there is still a loyal fan base for the game.
NO.1: Half-Life 2
Finally, we have arrived at the top 1 computer games from the 2000s series: “Half-Life 2”! It is a timeless masterpiece. I think everyone should try it, and you’ll come back and thank me.
The graphics: Half-Life 2 is a game that came out in 2004. And to no one’s surprise, it still holds up to this day. If you are using today’s standard, it may look weird, but the model, the character, the environment, and the weapons still look good. It is also full of details, the splash effects of the water, the seagulls’ poop on your car, and many more.
The story: I don’t want to spoil anything, so that I won’t analyze the story itself (it is good). The environment is also jam-packed with different details. Instead of just telling you everything, it lets you see it for yourself and lets you think about it.
The design: Hot damn, it is amazing. The game respects the player’s intelligence by not showing everything. Valve cleverly uses the environment as an invisible tutorial to teach players everything they need.
The flaws: A few very minor flaws personally bug me. The vehicle’s control sucks, and the rocket launcher sucks, a weapon that only holds three ammo, while most enemies can only be killed with more than four shots.
Conclusion: Go to Play the game!
Final words
I hope some of you enjoy the games I listed out. And why are computer games from the 2000s nostalgic?
I think It’s far more likely you just miss the mindset you had as a kid. Life was simpler then, and homework was the only real struggle.
So, fire up that old gaming rig and relive those digital memories – after all, nostalgia isn’t just a feeling; it’s a ticket to the past!
