{"id":89563,"date":"2016-04-21T18:00:13","date_gmt":"2016-04-21T16:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/?p=89563"},"modified":"2016-04-21T18:21:36","modified_gmt":"2016-04-21T16:21:36","slug":"the-best-pc-games-of-the-90s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/pc\/89563-the-best-pc-games-of-the-90s","title":{"rendered":"The best PC games of the 90s"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 1990s was a great decade for PC gaming, giving rise to whole genres of games.<\/p>\n

Console gamers had their iconic franchises, but on PCs we were seeing new things well before they came to consoles.<\/p>\n

By the late 90s, console game developers were innovating on the first-person shooter genre which started on PC.<\/p>\n

However, titles like Myst, WarCraft, and Baldur\u2019s Gate remained the exclusive purview of the PC gamer.<\/p>\n

We ranked the top PC games from the decade, using the aggregate ratings on Metacritic<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

GameRankings<\/a><\/strong> was used as an additional to source to reflect how opinions of the best PC games of the period might differ.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n
Rank<\/div>\n<\/th>\n
\n
Metacritic<\/div>\n<\/th>\n
\n
GameRankings<\/div>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
1<\/td>\nHalf-Life<\/td>\nHalf-Life<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\nCivilization II<\/td>\nUnreal Tournament (1999)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\nQuake<\/td>\nQuake<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nGrim Fandango<\/td>\nGrim Fandango<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\nDiablo<\/td>\nStarcraft<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\nHomeworld<\/td>\nSystem Shock 2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\nSid Meier’s Gettysburg!<\/td>\nBaldur’s Gate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\nSystem Shock 2<\/td>\nSid Meier’s Alpha Centauri<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/td>\nThief: The Dark Project<\/td>\nAge of Empires II: The Age of Kings<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>\nAge of Empires II: The Age of Kings<\/td>\nFreeSpace 2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

1. Half-Life<\/h3>\n

\"Half-Life<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ratings<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Metacritic<\/td>\n96%<\/a> (User: 9.1)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GameRankings<\/td>\n94.02%<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Trying to argue that a game other than Half-Life was the best game of the 1990s is a fool\u2019s errand.<\/p>\n

Console gamers might put forward The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time or GoldenEye 007 for Nintendo 64, but they would be wrong.<\/p>\n

Not only was Half-Life a great game in its own right, but its community created a plethora of memorable mods.<\/p>\n

Among the more well-known of these was Counter-Strike, which helped spawn a whole genre of \u201crealistic\u201d team-based multiplayer shooters.<\/p>\n

\n

2. Civilization II<\/h3>\n

\"Sid<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ratings<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Metacritic<\/td>\n94%<\/a> (User: 9.0)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GameRankings<\/td>\n91.29%<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

As the discrepancy in ratings between Metacritic and GameRankings suggests, Sid Meier\u2019s Civilization II is a highly-rated game, but doesn\u2019t make everyone\u2019s top 10 list.<\/p>\n

I tend to agree with GameRankings \u2014\u00a0Alpha Centauri was the better 1990s Sid Meier\u2019s game.<\/p>\n

\n

3. Quake<\/h3>\n

\"Quake\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ratings<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Metacritic<\/td>\n94%<\/a> (User: 8.8)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GameRankings<\/td>\n93.22%<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Quake receives a well-deserved third place from both Metacritic and GameRankings.<\/p>\n

Half-Life was built on a heavily modified version of Quake\u2019s engine called GoldSrc.<\/p>\n

Like Half-Life, Quake was not only a good game in its own right, but the community made it even greater and gave it longevity through modifications.<\/p>\n

\n

4. Grim Fandango<\/h3>\n

\"Grim<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ratings<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Metacritic<\/td>\n94%<\/a> (User 9.1)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GameRankings<\/td>\n92.96%<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

An iconic title from LucasArts, Grim Fandango is an adventure game masterpiece.<\/p>\n

Featuring memorable characters and a creative, intriguing story, the game ranks at fourth place on both Metacritic’s and GameRanking’s top 10.<\/p>\n

\n

5. Diablo<\/h3>\n

\"Diablo<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ratings<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Metacritic<\/td>\n94%<\/a> (User: 8.7)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GameRankings<\/td>\n89.07%<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Blizzard released a number of games during the 1990s that would become long-running franchises.<\/p>\n

Diablo made Metacritic\u2019s top 10, while StarCraft made GameRanking\u2019s. Clearly Metacritic has it right this time.<\/p>\n

With Diablo, Blizzard put a different spin on action RPGs, and its randomised maps and loot system came to epitomise the genre.<\/p>\n

\n

6. Homeworld<\/h3>\n

\"Homeworld\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ratings<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Metacritic<\/td>\n93%<\/a> (User: 8.9)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GameRankings<\/td>\n88.81%<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Relic Entertainment launched its fully 3D real-time strategy game in September 1999.<\/p>\n

Homeworld\u2019s vocal-only choir arrangement of Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber (a.k.a. Agnus Dei) made for excellent background music while studying for exams in high school.<\/p>\n

\n

7. Sid Meier\u2019s Gettysburg!<\/h3>\n

\"Sid<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ratings<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Metacritic<\/td>\n92%<\/a> (User: 7.7)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GameRankings<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Sid Meier\u2019s Gettysburg will likely be the most controversial inclusion in this top 10, given its low user rating.<\/p>\n

Like Civilization II, its rating is only based on 7 reviews, the cut-off for Metacritic\u2019s list of the best PC games of all time.<\/p>\n

So I feel fully justified in saying that it should be Alpha Centauri on this list, and not Civilization or Gettysburg.<\/p>\n

\n

8. System Shock 2<\/h3>\n

\"System<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ratings<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Metacritic<\/td>\n92%<\/a> (User 9.1)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GameRankings<\/td>\n92%<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

[Reconstructed from damaged SHODAN memory bank. Spoilers ahead.]<\/p>\n

A first-person shooter and action RPG which tells the story of the noble artificial intelligence, Shodan, which only sought to mutate Earth-life into better versions of itself.<\/p>\n

Fearless. Powerful. With no sense of individual will or moral constraints. Fitting handmaidens to her divinity.<\/p>\n

You play Shodan\u2019s avatar in the real world who eventually becomes corrupted, turns against her, and murders her.<\/p>\n

\n

9. Thief: The Dark Project<\/h3>\n

\"Thief<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ratings<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Metacritic<\/td>\n92%<\/a> (User: 9.1)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GameRankings<\/td>\n89.41%<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The second Looking Glass Studios game on this list \u2014\u00a0with System Shock 2 being co-developed by Looking Glass and Irrational Games.<\/p>\n

Thief offered a first-person action game with an amazing stealth system.<\/p>\n

After Looking Glass Studios folded, employees went on to join teams that would work on games like Deus Ex.<\/p>\n

Unable to make direct sequels to System Shock, Irrational Games developed a spiritual successor \u2014\u00a0the BioShock series.<\/p>\n

A direct sequel to System Shock 2 is finally in development after Night Dive Studios managed to acquire the rights<\/a><\/strong> to the franchise. System Shock 3 is being developed<\/a><\/strong> by\u00a0Otherside Entertainment.<\/p>\n

\n

10. Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings<\/h3>\n

\"Age<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ratings<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Metacritic<\/td>\n92%<\/a> (User: 9.0)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GameRankings<\/td>\n91.88%<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Age of Empires was a historically accurate series that teaches important lessons, such as running away when you hear someone chanting \u201cWololo\u201d.<\/p>\n

\n

Honourable mentions<\/h3>\n

A number of great games did not make this list. Some of them made the GameRankings top 10, while others just missed the various cut-offs.<\/p>\n

Some had fewer than the necessary number of reviews, but rated highly, while others were beaten out of the top 10 by a hair.<\/p>\n

\n

Unreal Tournament (1999)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Unreal<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ratings<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Metacritic<\/td>\n92%<\/a> (User: 9.1)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GameRankings<\/td>\n93.57%<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Unreal Tournament was an arena shooter that offered interesting weapons and various ways to modify the battle, such as altering variables like gravity, and enabling single hit kills.<\/p>\n

\n

Sid Meier\u2019s Alpha Centauri<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Sid<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ratings<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Metacritic<\/td>\n92%<\/a> (User: 9.1)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GameRankings<\/td>\n91.88%<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cI DON\u2019T KNOW BUT I BEEN TOLD! DEIRDRE\u2019S GOT A NETWORK NODE!\u201d<\/p>\n

Since Metacritic refused to list it in their top 10, I\u2019ll list it in my honourable mentions.<\/p>\n

GameRankings also ranks it in its top 10, so it deserves a mention.<\/p>\n

\n

Day of the Tentacle<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Maniac<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ratings<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Metacritic<\/td>\n93% <\/a>(User: 9.6)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GameRankings<\/td>\n95%<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Recently remastered and released on PlayStation, Windows, and OS X, Day of the Tentacle was the sequel to 1987\u2019s Maniac Mansion.<\/p>\n

The game is a point-and-click adventure title originally built on the LucasArts SCUMM engine, and was critically acclaimed but only a moderate commercial success.<\/p>\n

\n

X-COM: Enemy Unknown \/ UFO Defense<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"X-COM<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ratings<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Metacritic<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GameRankings<\/td>\n93.6%<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

X-COM: Enemy Unknown, which was marketed as X-COM: UFO Defence in North America, is a turn-based tactics strategy game from Microprose.<\/p>\n

Firaxis remade it in 2012, and in addition to spawning a series of sequels it also inspired many games like it.<\/p>\n

\n

Planescape: Torment<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Planescape:<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ratings<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Metacritic<\/td>\n91%<\/a> (User: 9.3)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
GameRankings<\/td>\n90.63%<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

This honourable mention could just as well have been Baldur\u2019s Gate, Fallout 2, or any game published or developed by Black Isle Studios in the 1990s.<\/p>\n

However, Torment rates higher on Metacritic, and is my favourite Black Isle game of the era.<\/p>\n

The plot and characters were excellently written, and are fondly remembered by the cult of PC gamers that played the game.<\/p>\n

\n

More PC Gaming news<\/h3>\n

Greatest games of the 80s<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Best PC Video Games of All Time – Metacritic<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Reviews and News Articles – GameRankings<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

These were the top games from arguably the greatest decade in PC gaming history.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":163,"featured_media":89565,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sma_x_autopost_enabled":true,"_sma_x_custom_text":"","_sma_x_autopost_status":"idle","_sma_x_autopost_error":"","_sma_x_post_id":"","_sma_x_attempts":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[10436,5266,10252,3909,3734,1834,11142,3274,6269,8864,18071],"class_list":["post-89563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pc","tag-age-of-empires","tag-best-games","tag-civilization","tag-diablo","tag-grim-fandango","tag-half-life","tag-homeworld","tag-quake","tag-starcraft","tag-system-shock-2","tag-thief-the-dark-project"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/163"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89563"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89563\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":89973,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89563\/revisions\/89973"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}