These excellent games from the past, including World of Warcraft and Halo 2, still merit your time and attention.
HIGHLIGHTS
Modern gamers still enjoy 20-year-old titles like Half-Life 2 because of their superb gameplay and subtle complexity.
Far Cry stands out as the beginning of a significant franchise because of its entertaining plot and open-world adventure.
Among the series, Need for Speed Underground 2 stands out thanks to its captivating plot and driving style reminiscent of an arcade.
These days, it appears to be a given among players that an AAA game need not always be fantastic just because it took ten years or longer to produce. There’s nothing worse than tracking a game’s development and then playing it when it’s out and finding it lacking. How many video games from now will be played in ten or even twenty years? Is it even feasible to do that? Does anyone still play games that are 20 years old? Indeed, a great deal. These titles cover a wide range of genres, and several are regarded as industry benchmarks for game design.
What unites all of the 20-year-old, still-popular games? First of all, great playability. However, these older games frequently have a hidden complexity that some newer games may not have. There is a secret depth to the game that is only revealed once it has developed, and players keep coming back to it for further plays.
Half-Life 2
Defining A Genre
Valve launched the first Half-Life in 1998. It was favorably reviewed, although it was still using outdated game engine technology. Not until 2004’s release of Half-Life 2 did Valve transition to the now-famous GoldSrc engine.
Currently referred to as the source engine, this signifies a significant advancement in PC 3D graphics. Valve had a winner on its hands when you factored in the really well-written story and a few amusing nods to the original Half-Life game and its spinoffs. The game is still rather good now.
Far Cry
The Start Of A Major Franchise
One of the bigger gaming franchises is Far Cry, which started with the 2004 release of the first Far Cry game. Using CryEngine1, Ubisoft Montreal created the first open-world shooter that let the player traverse a single, sizable environment, shocking the whole gaming community.
Although the plot was cleverly constructed, this wasn’t the main factor in the original Far Cry’s popularity. Exploring the peculiar island in the Micronesia Archipelago, where the player was left stranded at the beginning of the game, was enjoyable. Far Cry is still very much worth playing through.
Need For Speed Underground 2
Arguably The Best Need For Speed Game
Many gamers still consider Underground 2, which was developed by EA Black Box and published in 2004, to be the best game in the whole Need for Speed series. This is due to a valid cause. The latest Need for Speed game to employ a driving paradigm more akin to an arcade was Underground 2. Subsequent titles in the series switched to a driving simulation using physics.
From the first time the player picks up the Nissan 350Z in the airport parking lot to the very last meetings with The Wraiths, a rival street racing group, the plot was entertaining. One shouldn’t look past Underground 2 for an enjoyable open-world driving game with some difficult racing.
World Of Warcraft
The First Themepark-Style MMORPG
Is there anything to say about this? In 2004, Blizzard brought the much-anticipated World of Warcraft to the world. As they say, the rest is history. WoW fundamentally changed the genre in a market formerly dominated by MMORPGs like Dark Ages of Camelot and Ultima Online.
It remains one of the most popular MMORPGs ever made, if not the most, even to this day. after nine different expansions and the return of “classic” servers. Do you still think it’s worth playing World of Warcraft 20 years later? Many respond in the affirmative.
Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines
One Of The Most Compelling RPG Stories
Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines, one of the earliest action role-playing games, was created by Troika Games and released by Activision in 2004. This game, which has first- and third-person play modes, shows how role-playing games may transcend the sluggish, turn-based gameplay mechanics of earlier titles.
Bloodlines was enjoyable to play through for reasons beyond merely the gameplay. Based on the World of Darkness, the player was thrust into the position of a young vampire in contemporary Los Angeles thanks to an amazing plot and storyline. Even now, the plot of Bloodlines is worth playing for its own sake.
Driv3r
Action Adventure Meets Driving
Atari released Driver 3, or Driv3r, as it was jokingly titled, in 2004. It was the third game in the Driver series. The intricate, captivating plot of Driv3r was its most noteworthy feature. The narrative transports the player around many nations while they assume the role of an FBI agent looking into a smuggling ring.
Of course, the driving component of the game must also be discussed. In the shooter genre, very few games have succeeded in delivering anything more than foot-based action. Driv3r is among those. There are some very dramatic vehicle chase moments. Arguably, one of the greatest driving games ever released is Driv3r.
Grand Theft Auto San Andreas
Simply Quality Gameplay
Among the most cherished franchises among gamers is Grand Theft Auto. GTA 5 is one of the most popular video games ever made. But Rockstar Games refined the Grand Theft Auto series with several game releases, starting with GTA San Andreas in 2004.
GTA San Andreas’ free-roam mode is more well-known than its story mode, despite the latter being excellent. the same game mode that hundreds of hours are spent on by the majority of GTA 5 gamers. Yes, this is the main focus of the Grand Theft Auto franchise. While GTA San Andreas may not have the same stunning visuals as more recent games in the series, it still features excellent gameplay.
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
Continuing The Story
The Sith Lords, created by Obsidian Entertainment and released by LucasArts, was the sequel to the hugely popular Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR). And even though it mostly just added extra features and extended the plot, Star Wars enthusiasts still think it’s a must-play.
KOTOR was an excellent game. It was more of the same in KOTOR: The Sith Lords. These days, its graphics seem a little out of date. However, if novice players can get over that, they will discover a rich role-playing game. It obviously contains lightsabers as well!
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War
An RTS Game With A Twist
There were some fantastic Real Time Strategy (RTS) brands that were still in existence two or three decades ago. Red Alert and Command and Conquer are two examples. Relic Entertainment, however, approached RTS in a rather different way. The tabletop wargame Warhammer 40,000 served as the inspiration for the creation of Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War.
Dawn of War places greater emphasis on a few key hero troops than it does on the player creating dozens of units to achieve story objectives. Providing a small change to the gameplay to keep RTS enthusiasts engaged while maintaining a familiar feel.
Halo 2
More Of The Same But Great
The creators of Halo: Combat Evolved, Bungie, determined that more of the same was what the world needed based on the same technology. And when Microsoft Game Studios launched Halo 2 in 2004, it accomplished just that.
The Halo plot developed, and new vehicles, weaponry, and non-player opponents were included. However, the fact that Halo 2 executes First Person Shooter (FPS) gameplay so superbly makes it worthwhile to play overall. Twenty years after its release, not many games still have a strong fan base, but Halo 2 does. In fact, one of the most cherished shooter franchises is the Halo series.