25 great games to play on a weak computer

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Fun projects that will run seamlessly on your old PC or laptop.

If you do not have money for a gaming computer, this does not mean that you cannot entertain yourself with an interesting game. Developers have released and continue to release projects, for the smooth operation of which an old PC is more than enough. So drop the boring Klondike Solitaire and start exploring the real gems of the video game industry.

1. Into The Breach

The creators of the space simulator FTL: Faster Than Light have released a turn-based game that can be described as chess with kaiju. In Into The Breach, you need to protect cities from underground monsters.

The project is very exciting, but far from simple: often you have to sacrifice something in order to live another day. And thanks to randomly generated improvements, interesting challenges and the ability to unlock combat robots, you will not get bored of the game very soon.

2. Owlboy

A colorful puzzle platformer that has been in development for nine years. The problems in the game cannot be called super-difficult, but their solution still brings a lot of satisfaction. However, the main advantage of Owlboy is memorable and lovingly created characters.

3. Starbound

2D planetary exploration game in which you create your own entertainment. You can build intricate fortifications, explore alien races, search for treasures, fight ferocious enemies, or assemble the perfect team for your spaceship.

Starbound has the ability to play as many different races, alone or with a friend. In addition, a lot of modifications have been released for the game, which make it even more diverse.

4.80 Days

An adventure with a carefully crafted scenario in which you must travel around the planet in 80 days. More than 150 cities with their own characters, secrets and plots are available for research. You have to constantly monitor the consumption of money and items and decide where to go next, which is not so easy when the whole world is at your feet.

5. Devil Daggers

In Devil Daggers, there is only you and endless hordes of demons that must be killed to the bitter end. The project is a tribute to the classic first-person shooters, in which the most important thing is to shoot accurately and run fast.

6. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth turns an already great game into something really big, especially when you buy additional content. Like the first part, Rebirth is a kind of shooter with randomly generated locations, in which you make your way into the depths of a godforsaken basement. It contains your deepest fears, which must be dealt with with the help of hundreds of strange objects.

You can play dozens of hours in a project, but still periodically find something new in it. Together with unlockable characters, challenges and the ability to play in co-op, this makes The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth the game with one of the highest replay value.

7. Undertale

At first glance, completely nondescript, Undertale is a very sophisticated game in which any battle can be avoided using the gift of eloquence. This is important, because many characters simply do not want to be killed - they are too unique.

The project is partly a shooter, periodically breaks the invisible fourth wall between the player and what is happening on the screen and evokes a lot of strong feelings.

8. Borderlands

An open world shooter in which you loot weapons to get even cooler weapons. You can do this either alone or with three friends.

Borderlands' humor may be a bit outdated, but attacking a boss to knock out valuable items can still get your adrenaline rush.

9. Shadowrun: Dragonfall

The perfect game for those looking to dive into the atmospheric, evocative world of classic RPGs. Shadowrun: Dragonfall is like Fallout or Divinity: Original Sin, but in the cyberpunk genre.

The project is attractive because of the tactical possibilities that open up during turn-based battles. But the most interesting thing about it is the thoughtful storytelling.

10. Celeste

Technically, Celeste is a hardcore platformer. It is designed, like classic 8-bit games, to frustrate players with its complexity. But Celeste, unlike other representatives of the genre, cares about the user. The difficulties in it are justified by the plot: the hero wants to be cured of a mental illness, a dangerous climb is needed precisely for recovery.

When a player fails, the game helps him to get back on his feet and continue on his way. But if you still want to test your nervous system for strength, then Celeste has a set of optional levels and items, which can take more than one evening to complete and collect.

11. Flinthook

A platformer about a space pirate trying to steal treasures. Locations that are randomly generated are mostly traversed with a grappling hook.

Flinthook can seem like a sweet and innocent game. But dodging enemies and environmental hazards as you navigate the confusing levels is far from as easy as it might seem.

12. Hearthstone

Hearthstone has a ton of pros and cons, but the free card game that is available on most modern and lesser platforms is surprisingly difficult to master.

The game has beautiful animation, tons of tactical options and, as a bonus for Warcraft fans, a lot of interesting characters. Even several years after its release, Blizzard continues to add new cards and modes to Hearthstone.

13. Darkest Dungeon

If you love gothic horror and turn-based RPGs, then Darkest Dungeon is for you. You control a group of adventurers who explore caves full of monsters.

So that the heroes do not go crazy and die, you must control their mood. In addition, each character can acquire new, both positive and negative traits, which also affects his effectiveness.

14. Stardew Valley

The project is inspired by the legendary Japanese farm simulation series Harvest Moon. In Stardew Valley, developed by a single man, you'll farm, fish, mine, and maybe even get married. This is a huge project that you can play endlessly - there are so many possibilities in it.

15. Spelunky

The game is about a man who makes his way through caves that change with each new launch. Dungeons are not only full of treasures, but also snakes, traps and other dangers. There is even a deity trying to kill the hero.

The protagonist can defend against enemies with a whip and jump over obstacles, but he is not destined to get to the end. You are free only to try to delay the moment of death as much as possible. Thanks to these attempts, with each new playthrough, you will move further and further.

16. Hyper Light Drifter

A charming challenging action RPG with a world structure reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda. The game has several zones of different colors, full of strange creatures and secrets. The main character is a vagabond who suffers from a mysterious illness.

The mechanics of Hyper Light Drifter are simple and elegant: one button is responsible for the dash, the other for the attack with the sword. By killing monsters, you load firearms. The battles are moderately difficult, so every victory is enjoyable.

17. Sid Meier's Civilization V

The fifth part of "Civilization" is so good that many fans of the series still prefer it to the sixth. You can run the strategy on a fairly old computer. But be prepared for the fact that the more your card grows, the more the game will slow down.

18. SUPERHOT

The SUPERHOT concept is simple: time only advances when your character moves. This idea allowed the developers to create an outwardly minimalistic shooter similar to The Matrix, Max Payne, and John Woo's films.

The game has not only a plot, which, perhaps, is too serious, but also additional challenges. Thanks to them, you can enjoy the project for a very long time.

19. West of Loathing

A comedy cowboy game, in which, first of all, it is not its role-playing component that attracts, but the ubiquitous humor. Many locations can be traversed in several ways, each of which carries its own unique joke. At West of Loathing you will not be able to do without English, but this knowledge will be rewarded at its true worth.

20. Invisible, Inc

While most turn-based tactical games involve killing someone, the developers of Invisible, Inc. went a little different way. The game focuses on theft, stealth and the need to take a good look at the location before starting to wade through it. Everything is like in classics like Commandos, only instead of soldiers - cool cyber warriors.

21. NEO Scavenger

NEO Scavenger is a survival game in which you travel through post-apocalyptic Michigan and try not to fall into the clutches of mutants. The project has simple graphics, but complex inventory and crafting systems: you will carry a significant portion of the belongings in your hands. The battles in the game are communicated through text, but still cause tension.

22. Gunpoint

The main goal at Gunpoint is to steal data, trying not to reveal themselves. The hero is able to reconfigure the electronics of buildings and thus remotely control doors, lights and alarms, using them against the enemy.

Sometimes you will feel like the coolest strategist, and sometimes you will wonder how you could have such an idiotic plan in your head.

23. Crawl

A creepy but adorable one-room project in which monster players take turns punching a single human player. If you dealt the last blow, then you yourself become a victim.

In Crawl, you can select and pump monsters. You, for example, are free to play as a skeleton or a mud monster. If you have not been able to be a human, then you get points of anger, which you can spend on strengthening your character.

24. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky

If you are looking for a massive Japanese RPG game that will take you long and long, The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky is one of the best options. Each character here is unique and interesting, and the world around rewards the most careful. This makes the project a lot of fun.

Trails in the Sky is the first in an extensive series, with virtually every title available on PC.

25. Terraria

Minecraft slows down, but the urge to build, destroy and explore is irresistible? Try Terraria, a 2D clone of the hit game from Mojang with a lot of personality.

You can explore deep caves, fight enemies, and build entire cities. This is just a small fraction of the possibilities of the game, which takes place in a randomly generated colorful world.