Remember the good old days when video games used to just hit the right spot? There is no denying the technological advancements that have been made in the gaming industry. Yet many gamers who have played video games since the 2000s will agree that modern video games just don’t hit as close to home as the simpler games did back in the earlier years. We have already discussed in detail why modern AAA games suck, here we will reminisce and count back to 6 of the best video games that we believe are still worth playing.
A quick disclaimer, this list is in no specific order and is purely based on my personal opinion and experience.
Best Old Video Games to Play in 2024
Far Cry 3
Release Year: 2012
Though this one is relatively modern compared to other old video games on this list, it still deserves a spot here. I have been playing video games since I was 14 and it was not until I played Far Cry 3, that I realized that video games could be much more than just a way of killing time. I fell completely in love with the incredible journey of Jason, the main character of this game. From the gameplay mechanics to the breathtakingly beautiful open world, everything about this game was perfect.
Far Cry 3 follows the story of Jason who along with his friends is marooned on an Island during his vacation. He is not a fighter but he must learn to overcome his weakness and turn into a powerful warrior if he is to liberate his friends and loved ones. Something about his transformation has stuck with me to this day.
The way learning new skills slowly makes you more and more powerful and you go from trying to hide from the bad guys to eventually mowing down groups of them, makes you actually connect with the main character. This is something that has been missing in all of the proceeding Far Cry games. Which is why even after more than a decade, Far Cry 3 is still the game in the entire series.
Prince of Persia Trilogy
Release Year: 2003 – 2005
Talking about old video games, one can not forget about the original Prince of Persia trilogy from Ubisoft. This was the time when Ubisoft was at its peak and had everyone’s respect. The original trilogy included Price of Persia: Sands of Time, Warrior Within, and The Two Thrones. This series took the original platforming mechanics and implemented them into a third-person action-adventure game.
While most people remember Sands of Time as the face of the franchise, I personally loved The Warrior Within the best. It had the best combat mechanics of all the other games in the series. I can still feel my heart skip a beat when I think back to those feverish Dhaka chase sequences.
The Two Thrones was the final step in the Prince’s journey and in my opinion the last good Prince of Persia game. Being games of the early 2000’s the graphics obviously do not compare to the modern games but once you get over the graphics, you will certainly fall in love with these games.
Total Overdose
Release Year: 2005
Total Overdose was released in the same year as The Two Thrones and many other great video games and thus was overshadowed so much so that most gamers have not even heard of this game. Total Overdose was exactly what it sounds like – an overdose of mayhem and madness. The game follows the delinquent son of a DEA agent who has to go undercover and work with the DEA to take down the Drug Cartel.
It is an open-world third-person shooter game much like Grand Theft Auto but with some special Loco Moves. These are special moves that you can perform giving yourself badass and downright hilarious powers. It is a shame how underrated this game is but if you want to play an older game that allows you to have unhinged fun, we cannot recommend a better entry.
Max Payne 2
Release Year: 2003
Many of you might have played the 2012 Max Payne 3 and probably loved it, but believe me when I say, it does not even hold a candle to its predecessor Max Payne 2. Max Payne 2 was developed by the same studio that made, Alan Wake 2 and Control. The game despite being an early 2000s game had decent graphics and an impeccable soundtrack. The overall vibe of the game was dark and much like any detective noir genre, quite bleak. But it only worked in the game’s favor as it helped keep the immersion intact.
Max Payne 2 was a third-person shooter game with intricate level design and quite an engaging story. If you have not played any of Remedy’s games, we recommend starting with Max Payne 2.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Release Year: 2007
Call of Duty has recently been falling out of grace for many gamers with how lackluster their modern games have been. Especially what they did with the rebooted Modern Warfare series is disrespectful and insulting to the original Modern Warfare series. Back in 2007, when COD 4: Modern Warfare was first released, it quickly developed a Cult Following that has somehow kept the series still relevant. The first MW game was without a doubt a masterpiece and the series only got better with MW2 and MW3 in terms of graphics and gameplay.
Despite being one of really old video games, COD 4 still had incredible visuals, storytelling and a great multiplayer. There were missions in these games that I still remember to this day by heart. If the modern COD games have left a bad taste in your mouth, I highly recommend checking out the original MW trilogy to see what the true essence of COD was.
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
Release Year: 2010
Recently Spiderman fans have been eating well with 2 amazing Spiderman games from Insomniac and the incredible animated Spider-verse movies. However, what many of the fans do not remember is a video game that combined the best of both of these series and did it 10 years before them. In Spider-man: Shattered Dimensions you play as 4 different Spider-men from 4 different realities to save the Spider-verse.
The playable characters are Spiderman 2099, Spiderman Noir, the Amazing Spiderman, and the Ultimate Spiderman. Each of the Spider-men has a different playstyle so it is not just 4 different skins for the same character. For example, you would want to play stealthily when playing as Noir and be more confrontational when playing as Ultimate Spiderman.
Aside from the 4 playable spider-men, several other beloved Marvel characters make an appearance in the game, like Deadpool, Madame Web, etc. Given there are elements that were not as refined as modern spider-men games, Shattered Dimensions was still leaps and bounds ahead of its time compared to other action games of that time.
