PC games saw huge leaps forward in terms of quality and just what was possible for gaming on the platform throughout the 1990s. From the explosion of first-person shooter titles to real-time strategy games becoming more popular, PC titles grew more diverse and sophisticated during the decade. Other genres, like interactive story games and turn-based strategy games, also improved considerably during this period. Looking back, PC gaming as we know it today really took shape thanks to technical advances in the ’90s.
With that in mind, we’re looking back at and celebrating the best PC games released during the ’90s. These are the games that we keep coming back to decades later and define their respective genres. More than just standing the test of time or breaking new ground, these games are still a ton of fun to play. These are the five best PC games of the ’90s ranked, each well worth checking out today.
5. Doom II
The original “Doom” set the gaming industry on its head upon its release in 1993, popularizing everything from first-person shooter gameplay to local area network multiplayer. The game received a direct sequel 10 months later, with “Doom II” going even bigger and better than its predecessor. The game’s story has the forces of Hell invade Earth, with the Doomguy serving as humanity’s only hope from total annihilation.
With a noticeably improved presentation, a wider variety of weapons and enemies, and greater emphasis on multiplayer functionality, “Doom II” definitely raises the bar for the franchise. Competitive deathmatch multiplayer modes also make a return, with better support provided for online functionality compared to its predecessor, which received the feature later.
Beyond all these bells and whistles, the game is just a moodier and darker follow-up that really embraces the series’ hellish premise. As a testament to its enduring quality, “Doom II” got a new official level almost 30 years after the game’s original launch. While the original “Doom” opened the door, its 1994 sequel blew expectations away with how it elevated the experience.
4. Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
Another game from the 1990s that aged flawlessly is 1999’s “Age of Empire II: The Age of Kings.” Whereas the game’s 1997 predecessor focused on prehistoric and classical history, the sequel depicts various factions primarily during the Middle Ages. The base game has 13 different playable civilizations to choose from, each with their own unique units, like the Britons and the Japanese. DLC has subsequently added to this considerably, while improving the multiplayer modes and additional single-player features compared to its predecessor.
That “Age of Empires II” has continued to receive post-launch support 20 years after the game’s initial release underscores how much it still resonates with fans. What subsequent remasters of the original wisely recognize is its base appeal, only subtly improving the presentation rather than overhauling the experience. The sheer scope that the sequel undertook and rewarding depth in gameplay set a bar for the series that it has yet to surpass. One of the definitive real-time strategy games of the ’90s, “Age of Empires II” is only outdone by one other RTS title on this list.
3. Grim Fandango
Interactive story games were prolific in the ’90s, with series like “King’s Quest” and “Monkey Island” bringing the point-and-click action. But the best interactive story game of all time is “Grim Fandango,” a 1998 title originally published by LucasArts and developed by much of the team behind “Monkey Island.” The game is a noir adventure, set in an afterlife inspired by the aesthetics surrounding the Mexican Day of the Dead, with protagonist Manny Calavera helping escort the deceased to peace. Manny stumbles across a wider conspiracy involving criminal underworld figures within the Land of the Dead as he searches for his own absolution.
“Grim Fandango” was actually a commercial flop for LucasArts when it debuted in 1998, but became a cult classic in the years since. The game has one of the most distinct art designs of a title within its genre and a genuinely intriguing mystery at the heart of its story. The overall presentation, compared to other point-and-click games of its era, allows for a more cinematic feel for players to get thoroughly immersed in. Quietly setting the bar for interactive story games moving forward, “Grim Fandango” helped inform the Telltale Games boom that followed its release.
2. Half-Life
While games like “Doom” and “Duke Nukem 3D” took the first-person shooter genre to popular heights, “Half-Life” mixed an engrossing story with the format’s thrills. The 1998 game features protagonist Gordon Freeman, a scientist at a remote research facility that becomes overrun by extradimensional monsters after a lab accident. While trying to survive, Freeman is shocked when the government sends in the military to cover up the incident at all costs, intending to leave no witnesses. The game also features an online multiplayer mode, with mods of its engine producing titles like “Counter-Strike.”
“Half-Life” spawned an entire universe and rethought what a first-person shooter experience could be, particularly on PCs. The game provided players with a continuous gameplay sequence, rather than dividing up the action with levels and extended cutscenes. This story is elevated by how smoothly the gameplay itself handles, along with a detailed and engaging presentation. The best first-person shooter released for PCs in the ’90s, “Half-Life” feels like more than just an FPS but a masterclass gaming experience.
1. StarCraft
“StarCraft,” along with the preceding two titles on this list, proves that 1998 was the best year in gaming, certainly as far as ’90s PC games are concerned. While Blizzard Entertainment refined the real-time strategy genre with its “Warcraft” titles earlier in the decade, it took things to the next level with “StarCraft.” The 1998 game has players choose between three different factions in a futuristic setting, each with their own units, structures, and gameplay strategies to succeed. In addition to each faction having its own story mode campaign, the game offers an impressive online multiplayer experience, with fans still playing it today.
Blizzard developed the perfect RTS balance between the three playable factions in “StarCraft,” opting to go deeper rather than bigger with the gameplay breadth. Recognizing this, the company quite smartly opted to not add any additional factions with its expansion or 2010 sequel “StarCraft II.” While “Age of Empires” and “Warcraft” certainly provide engaging RTS gameplay, there’s something unbeatable about optimized presentation, mechanics, and balance that “StarCraft” brings to the table. Arguably the greatest strategy game of all time, the original “StarCraft” still holds up beautifully today and remains an international sensation.
