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The 15 Best Pick Up and Play Games on GOG That Are Over 10 years old

by snide

Here is a list of the 15 games I would buy if I were a younger gamer looking to check out some classic games on Good Old Games. Note that this isn't a list of 15 best games from a historical context, or games that nostalgists should revisit, but the 15 best games that just about anyone can still pick up and play within reason. I choose the games based on the following rules.

  1. The game doesn't have an extremely complicated control system (example: the older Ultima games).
  2. The game is not so difficult to require digging into PDF manuals. I've knocked down games that aren't difficult to play, but difficult to learn like Baldur's Gate...etc.
  3. The game was released 10 or more years ago.

Showing 1-10 of 15 items

Freespace 2

1. Freespace 2

Buy an old flight stick on ebay for $5 and this game. Enjoy one of the best games of all time. Had a great story, epic scope and tight mission design. It's completely playable today.

Giants: Citizen Kabuto

2. Giants: Citizen Kabuto

If you enjoy British comedy you'll have a great time with Giants. The combat is simple, but there is absolutely nothing to get in the way of breezing through this game so that you can enjoy the laughs.

The Longest Journey

3. The Longest Journey

My favorite non Lucas Arts adventure game not named Blade Runner. The second game isn't nearly as good and the first game's graphics and setting still hold up really well.

Arx Fatalis

4. Arx Fatalis

The only game of its time period that is comparable to Morrowind. It had a pretty nifty magic system that required you to draw runes with your mouse.

Jagged Alliance 2

5. Jagged Alliance 2

The finest tactical TBS game ever made. If you're looking for something similar that gets you into the action faster and doesn't require as much management, Fallout: Tactics is a perfectly good substitute.

Nox

6. Nox

Great Diablo style clone that really deserved to become a franchise.

Shogo: Mobile Armor Division

7. Shogo: Mobile Armor Division

Fantasic anime-inspired first person shooter from the Monolith guys. It never got enough credit when it was released, but holds up pretty well. If anime isn't your thing and you like more blood and guts, check out Blood II, which is based on the same Lithtech engine.

Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger

8. Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger

It's got all the FMV goofiness of Marc Hammil and a bunch of tiger puppets without being a shit game. If you're looking for pure gameplay though and don't mind your graphics a bit aged, Wing Commander: Privateer is the better game. WCIII though is the historical, this was big-shit back then, game that everyone should play.

Divine Divinity

9. Divine Divinity

Imagine if Diablo had some humor and a decent story. Make sure to pick the original game, and not the sequel, which featured the bad Death Knight buddy mechanic and some sore thumb 3d on 2d graphics. It's a great little action RPG.

Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

10. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

Yes, yes, it's one of my favorite games of all time, but I put it here in the middle because unless you grew up around DnD I think it's probably a very difficult game to actually pick up and play. For those that are familiar with CRPG gaming enough to enjoy Dragon Age though, this is probably your best RPG bet of the bunch.

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