Legendary PC games of all time. The best must-see game series The most famous game series
Series "Gothic"
Many people learned the word RPG from the first minutes around the world. famous game"Gothic" Released in 2001 from the little-known company Piranha Bytes, it conquered the whole world with its free gameplay for the first time. An open world, artificial intelligence that lived according to a daily routine, and a living world in which you could simply live, and not just complete quests.
In it you can play as anyone: a bandit, a guard, a hunter or a traveler. Before you is the real Middle Ages, which will not give you the path of a hero; survive and advance from the very bottom and achieve success in any skill. You not only need to improve your skills, but also try to fix the problems of the world in which you find yourself. All three parts of the series will give you not only many new sensations, but also an unforgettable adventure.
These three parts are harmoniously woven into the overall narrative, which will reveal all the secrets to you dangerous world. You have to save the mining colonies from the barrier created by the magicians, defeat evil in the form of dragons and dark magic, and also save the fate of Myrtana from the orc invaders. It’s worth plunging even for a couple of minutes into the unknown world of Gothic, and you will certainly become one of its inhabitants.
Dragon Age series
The well-known series of games from BioWare is filled with dozens of fascinating stories that you need to unravel. Immerse yourself in the fantasy world of Dragon Age, which will force you to defeat the dark forces of evil along with a team of loyal friends.
Collect from everything game world companions to defeat the invasion of Pestilence, which wants to destroy all living things. You are the bright hero who can save all the lands of different peoples and races. Create your own unique character, an elf mage or a human warrior and jump into an adventure filled with battles, betrayal and a whole bunch of events, the creator of which will be only you. Every choice will be yours, and every decision you make will have consequences.
All three parts will reveal to you a new page in the history of the inhabitants’ struggle against a danger that threatens absolutely everyone. You will be able to unite all the races that will fight on your side. Go through the story of all three parts and become part of the story that will be told from generation to generation. Your name will definitely be forever etched in the memorials for saving the world of Dragon Age.
Mass Effect series
First part " Mass Effect"was released in 2007 under the auspices of the same BioWare. If you are tired of elves and gnomes, you will have the opportunity to surf the distant galaxies of our universe. Take on the role of Captain Shepard from Earth, who has joined the ranks of the universal defense squad SPECTER.
At your personal disposal is a spaceship with the loud name “Normandy” and a whole team of loyal comrades. Just at this time, the threat of the complete destruction of all galaxies loomed over the universe in the person of unknown Reapers. Explore the galaxy, save cities and even entire planets. On each mission, you, as a captain, will be able to choose supporters who will willingly and truly not only protect you, but also help you make a choice.
Your main task is to find a way to protect yourself from the Reapers. But along the way, you will be able to make dozens of decisions that will affect the plot of all three parts of the series. Therefore, when making a choice in the first part, prepare for the consequences in the third. Now the fate of all worlds in space depends on you. If you are ready to take on such a burden, then you are welcome in detachment N7.
Fallout series
The Fallout series of games is of great importance to all fans of role-playing games. The world will appear before you after nuclear war. The American company Vault-Tech Industries managed to build missile defense shelters. You will play as one of the survivors who spent several decades in these shelters. Now you are not just given several paths to choose from, you can be anyone in a post-apocalyptic world of Fallout.
There are no game barriers in front of you, you teach your character anything. But, of course, there must be balance in everything. If you develop the character’s intelligence, he is unlikely to be able to hold a powerful nuclear rocket launcher in his hands. At the same time, pumping up his protégé as a powerful warrior with two guns in his hands, he will not connect even two words in dialogue with another character. Each of the quests will turn out to be something unusual and surprising for you. Each outcome of the story will shock, delight, or even baffle you. You can become a slave trader, become a wandering explorer of the nuclear wasteland, or play the role of a hero who is trying to bring back society.
Only here these laws do not work, even when saving some survivors from others, you have to make a moral choice. Now you won’t have the world or the universe in your hands, all you can do is kill a few mutants and save a couple of caravans from wasteland raiders. You are now one of the survivors of a nuclear war, and the question: is it worth going down the path of heroism, will flash in your head more than once. A whole series of games, starting from 1997, in each part will create new situations for you that cannot be solved by a simple fight.
Here you should not only show your strength, but also think about many decisions, namely their consequences. Feel the atmosphere of a world destroyed by nuclear war. Learn to act not only like a hero, but also like a real person. After all, in the world of “Fallout” there is no black and white, there are only those who were able to survive.
The Elder Scroll series
The Elder Scroll - legendary role play, which was developed by Bethesda Game Studios. It was with this game that everyone learned about a real open world in which you can go anywhere. Kill a guard for armor, or drive across hundreds of kilometers of the map to deal with thieves who robbed the settlement. The choice is yours.
Here you can see the real life of the Middle Ages, which plunged into the abyss of war and deception. Overthrow kings, defeat dragons, or start a war against dark demonic forces. Before you is the path not of a hero, but of a real inhabitant of a world in which everyone wants to snatch their own piece of power and might. Each part of The Elder Scroll series can give you its own unique experience. There is simply a huge world in front of you, in which you can make even your wildest dreams come true. They will help you lead a thieves guild or become the supreme master of magic.
Any roads are open to you, travel across vast kingdoms and lands of different nations. In this game, you can only spend hours reading into the unknown history of all races, past wars and truces. And after all this, you will be able to stop some kind of conflict or even start one. Discover the world of “The Elder Scroll” and find out how the history of our Earth could actually be built with your participation.
29.08.2016
Time magazine has compiled its list of the 50 best video games of all time. And in the first place in it is the Russian game.
Let’s immediately make a reservation that, like all the tops that claim to be “the best of all time,” the Time list raises many questions and looks very contradictory.
Time, of course, is an authoritative publication, but they selected the 50 best games from only 150 candidates, and for the top of all time they need to be sorted through about a thousand. It would be better if they tried to compile several separate tops by genre, era or platform - then the chance of objectivity would be much higher.
But all this will not stop us from being proud that Tetris, created by Russian programmer Alexei Pajitnov, came in first place. This is a game that everyone has truly played.
So, here are the 50 best video games of all time, according to Time magazine.
50. King's Quest III: To Heir Is Human (1986)
The game was released in 1986 for operating system DOS. According to the plot, Prince Alexander was kidnapped from his cradle by the evil sorcerer Mannanan, who calls him Gwydion. He has to escape from the sorcerer, understand who he really is and save his sister by fighting the dragon. You can see what the game looked like in this video:
Video: trailer for the game “King’s Quest III: To Heir Is Human”
Player review: “The whole game is ruined by the timer; if you don’t have time to complete the preparations before the wizard returns, it’s the end. When I was passing there was no Internet, no Fido, everything was found out at random, I looked up every word in the dictionary, it took a very long time, but it was a joy to finally escape from the clutches of the wizard and go explore the world.”
In 2006 and 2011, remakes of the game were released in VGA versions.
49. Dota 2 (2013)
Multi-user team game genre Multiplayer online battle arena, implementation famous map DotA for Warcraft games III in a separate client.
48. Angry Birds (2009)
A series of computer games developed by the Finnish company Rovio, in which (in the main line) the player must use a slingshot to shoot birds at green pigs placed on various structures.
The game was first released for the Apple iOS platform on December 10, 2009 in the App Store, after which it gained wild popularity. In less than two years since its release, the game was downloaded more than 500 million times, and by July 2015, the number of downloads reached 3 billion. The game received a crazy number of sequels, spin-offs and various special editions.
In April 2012, an amusement park was opened in Finland Angry Birds Land. In March 2013, Rovio released the animated series Angry Birds Toons, and in 2016, the full-length animated film Angry Birds at the Movies.
47. Guitar Hero (2005)
A musical game for the PlayStation 2 game console. The main task of the player is to press the keys on the neck of a special guitar-shaped controller at the right moment and hit the “string” key.
The game became a hit, received good reviews from critics and won many awards from various world publishers. The game marked the beginning of the Guitar Hero media franchise; all games in the series were sold for a total value of more than $1 billion.
46.Resident Evil 4 (2005)
Multiplatform computer game in the genres of third-person action and survival horror, the sixth game in the main series Resident Evil. In the story, government agent Leon Scott Kennedy goes on a mission to Europe. He must save Ashley Graham, the daughter of the President of the United States, who has been kidnapped by a mysterious cult. A trip to a rural village in Spain turns into a meeting with its bloodthirsty inhabitants.
45: Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec (2001)
A racing simulator with short competitions for beginners, multi-hour races and rally competitions with rivals. The main goal of the game is to win all races, championships, pass all driver's license tests and get 100% completion of the game.
As of 2009, 14.89 million copies of the game were purchased worldwide.
44. Super Smash Bros. (1999)
A fighting game with characters from various Nintendo game series - Mario, Pikachu, Donkey Kong, Link from The Legend of Zelda and others. At first, the game was supposed to be released for a CD drive for the Nintendo 64 CD, but due to the commercial failure of the device and competition, the game had to be published on a 128-megabit cartridge. Therefore, Princess Peach, Bowser, Princess Zelda, Ganondorf, Mewtwo, Pete and King Dedede and many levels had to be cut.
However, Super Smash Bros. became a successful game and spawned three sequels: Super Smash Bros. Melee on Nintendo GameCube, Super Smash Bros. Brawl on Wii and Super Smash Bros. 4 for 3DS and Wii U.
43. Call of Duty 2 (2005)
A first-person shooter where the player takes on the role of one of the soldiers of the Soviet, American and British armies leading fighting against German troops. Call of Duty 2 was the most popular game at the Xbox 360's launch, selling 250,000 copies in its first week. As of July 2006, the Xbox 360 had sold 1.4 million copies.
42. BioShock
First-person shooter with RPG and science fiction elements.
Bioshock takes place in 1960. The main character, a young man named Jack, as a result of a plane crash ends up in the underwater city of Rapture, hidden at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Rapture was created by millionaire Andrew Ryan as his ideal society. However, the discovery of a substance called adam, which gives people superhuman powers, split Rapture society and ultimately led to the fall of the utopia.
In addition to visual scenes, the plot is presented through found audio recordings, as well as radio conversations with a few friendly characters.
41. ESPN NFL 2K5 (2004)
An American football simulator with multiplayer and pretty decent physics and graphics for that time.
40. Pong (1972)
One of the earliest arcade video games and the first commercially successful game in history. Pong - tennis sports game using simple 2D graphics. Programmer Allan Alcorn created it as a skill training tool.
39. Castlevania (1986)
A typical representative of the platformer genre of the 8-bit era. The events of the game take place in fictional world series of games and tells the story of the confrontation between vampire hunters from the Belmont clan and the lord of the vampires, Dracula.
The game consists of six levels with a boss at the end, which are completed in the only possible way, without plot branches or alternative levels. The game character is Simon Belmont, who is armed with a Vampire Killer whip.
38. Portal 2 (2010)
First person puzzle, continued Portal games(2007). The core of the gameplay remains the use of a portable portal-creating device, allowing the player to create two interconnected portals - gaps in space - through which he can instantly move from one place to another and transport various items. This is the basis for completing the game and solving game puzzles.
At GDC 2010, Valve director Gabe Newell said that Portal 2 is the best game in the company's history.
37. Braid (2008)
Puzzle platformer, main character who is trying to save the princess from the monster. The clues given in the plot allow us to give the story different metaphorical interpretations: from a simple separation from a lover to the development of a nuclear bomb.
In search of the princess, the main character travels through six fantasy worlds, each of which corresponds to a room in his house.
36. Fallout 3 (2008)
Action/RPG, the third canonical game in Fallout series. The action takes place in a world slowly reborn after a nuclear war in 2077. The game is set in 2277 and takes place 36 years after the events of Fallout 2.
The main character of the game is a Lone Wanderer, who from an early age lived in one of the underground shelters. Although in his mind the shelter has never been opened since the nuclear war, his father goes outside one day. A lonely wanderer goes in search of him to find out the reasons for his departure.
35. Galaga (1981)
A classic fixed shooter in the form of an arcade slot machine. Player controls spaceship located at the bottom of the screen. It can only move along a horizontal axis.
At the beginning of each level, the space around is empty, but over time, enemy ships arrive, lining up in formations and also moving along a horizontal axis. The player's task is to destroy all enemy ships. After this, the player moves to the next level.
34. Red Dead Redemption (2010)
An action-adventure Western from a third person with an open world and RPG elements. The action takes place in America in 1911. The game's protagonist, John Marston, a former thug who left the bloody trade, is forced to work for government agents to kill or capture alive his former accomplices, including his "old friend" Bill Williamson.
33. Super Mario Kart (1992)
Racing arcade game with characters from the Super Mario Bros. universe. By running over images with question marks on the track, it is possible to collect various upgrades for the kart and build traps for your opponents. Each of the computer-controlled characters also has their own unique abilities that they can use to gain an advantage in the race.
32. Wolfenstein 3D
First-person shooter developed for DOS. Mistakenly considered the founder of the genre. The player controls a soldier trying to escape from the Nazi fortress of the same name; He is confronted by many armed guards and guard dogs.
Due to the use of Nazi symbols and music by Horst Wessel, the PC and Atari versions were banned from sale in Germany in 1994. The ban was only lifted in September 2011.
31. The Sims (1999)
A life simulator in which the player controls one or more Sims, takes care of their well-being, develops their skills, strengthens bonds with other characters, advances their careers and furnishes their apartment building. The game has no storyline, and the game can theoretically be played "forever".
30. Pokemon Red & Blue (1996)
The player travels as a Pokémon trainer throughout the fictional region of Kanto, interacting with and battling other trainers. The goal of the game is to become the greatest Pokémon trainer in the region by defeating the region's other top trainers, the Elite Four. Another goal is to catch all 151 Pokémon and fill the Pokédex, an electronic encyclopedia about Pokémon, with information about them.
29. Myst (1993)
A graphic quest about traveling through an interactive world with a first-person view. Unlike most computer games, it is impossible to die here at the hands of enemies or unforced circumstances; The only problem for the player is the difficult puzzles.
To complete the journey, the player must visit all the worlds presented in the game, moving into them with the help of books.
Myst, along with its sequels, sold about 12 million copies worldwide and was the best-selling game for a long time.
28. Donkey Kong (1981)
One of the first platform games to be developed for an arcade machine. The main character of the game is a character named Jumper - a carpenter who must save his girlfriend (unnamed in the original, just “Lady”, later - Pauline) from the villain, played by Donkey Kong.
This was the first use in video games of the established "rescue the damsel in distress" scenario, which later became a template and was featured in many other computer games. Jumper, already in "Donkey Kong Jr." dubbed "Mario", featured in more late games Mario series and became the mascot of Nintendo.
27. Mortal Kombat (1992)
The developers originally had the idea of making a video game starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, but Mortal Kombat was created and released in 1992 instead. The original game was continued in subsequent games in the series and other adaptations, including films, cartoons, TV series, comics, card games, a tour with a costume show was also organized. Along with Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat is one of the most successful and influential fighting game franchises in video game history.
26. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty (2010)
Real-time strategy, sequel to StarCraft. The game takes place in the 26th century in a remote part of the Milky Way galaxy. The plot of the game is based on the interaction of three races: Terrans (descendants of exiled criminals who do not maintain contact with Earth), Zergs (a race of creatures whose warriors are mutated mammals or insect-like or reptile creatures of various planets, controlled first by the Overmind, and then by the Queen of Blades) and the Protoss (a high-tech race with pronounced psionic abilities).
25. Halo: Combat Evolved
A first-person shooter, the plot of which tells the story of a war between people represented by the forces of the United Nations Space Command (UNSC) and the religious union of several alien races - the Covenant.
People are struggling to survive, but still losing ground on all fronts. The last hope of humanity was the SPARTAN-II project - a program to create biologically improved super-soldiers who have become the most effective weapon in the fight against aliens.
24. Final Fantasy VII (1997)
A Japanese role-playing game set in a dystopian fictional world set in a science fiction setting with fantasy elements. The plot of the game tells how the group of eco-terrorists "AVALANCHE", which includes the main character Cloud Strife, fights the mega-corporation "Shin-Ra", whose activities are leading to the depletion of the source of planetary energy. In the future, the heroes face a greater danger to the planet and themselves - the main villain of the game, Sephiroth.
23. Microsoft Flight Simulator X (2006)
A flight simulator that includes hundreds of existing airports in the world and hundreds of existing civil aviation aircraft of the most different types, starting from small single-seat gliders without an engine, ending with giants like the Boeing 747.
22. GoldenEye 007 (1997)
A first-person shooter based on the seventeenth Bond film, GoldenEye. The player controls James Bond and must complete the mission's objectives. The game has earned high marks from many publications. The multiplayer mode was especially praised.
21. Diablo II (2000)
The legendary Action/RPG, which was awarded an entry in the Guinness Book of Records (in the “2000 edition”) as the fastest selling game. It sold more than 1 million copies in the first two weeks, and by January 2001, it had sold 2.75 million copies worldwide.
20. Zork (1978)
A series of text (later graphic-text) adventure computer games from Infocom.
19. Space Invaders (1978)
Originally created for arcade games slot machines, the game in many ways became the founder modern games and helped grow the gaming industry into one of the largest in the world. During its initial release, the game was very successful and popular, causing a temporary shortage of 100 yen coins. Space Invaders is the best arcade game according to the Guinness Book of Records.
18. Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015)
An RPG/platformer in which Lara Croft sets out to find the city of Kitezh, also known as the “Russian Atlantis.” She travels to snowy Siberia with a partner named Jonah Maiava, known from the previous part of the series. Discovering her thirst for adventure, Lara sets out to discover a secret in the mythical city. endless life and eternal youth
17. Half-Life 2 (2004)
A sci-fi first-person shooter in which Gordon Freeman finds himself on a train arriving in City 17, unarmed and without his protective power suit, which served as his faithful assistant and saved his life several times in the first part of the game.
Soon the situation begins to clear up: City 17 is under the rule of a totalitarian government, the head of which is Wallace Breen, as it turns out later, a former administrator of the Black Mesa research center. But Brin, in turn, is himself a pawn in the hands of the leaders of a powerful union - the Alliance.
By the way, waiting for the third part of the game has long become a meme.
16. Grand Theft Auto III (2001)
The first 3D game in the series Grand Theft Auto. The events take place in the fictional American city of Liberty City, based on New York. The protagonist of the game is an unnamed criminal who has become a victim of a criminal conspiracy between his girlfriend Catalina and Miguel, a member of a Colombian drug cartel.
The game contains elements of a car simulator and a 3rd person shooter.
15. Counter-Strike (2000)
Mega-popular team first-person shooter, which originally appeared as a modification Half-Life games. The main idea of the game is a confrontation between two teams - terrorists and counter-terrorists. Each player, when entering the game, selects the team for which he wants to play, or the opportunity to be an observer, if this is provided for by the game server settings.
14. Quake (1996)
A first-person shooter that made a breakthrough in 3D technology, implementing a fully three-dimensional world instead of a two-dimensional map with height information (as was the case in Doom).
With the advent of the first Quake, the concept of “e-sports” was born, a large community arose, major championships began to be held, and the concept of tricking in relation to computer games arose: the use of some game bugs in the character’s movement to achieve superpowers professional players, specially adjusted in professional fashions.
13. SimCity 2000 (1993)
A game that has become a classic example for city planning simulators. In total, it sold about 4.23 million copies.
12. Final Fantasy VI (1994)
This Japanese role-playing game takes place in a fictional fantasy world with well-developed technology, the setting is reminiscent of the period of the second industrial revolution. The plot describes the journey of a group of heroes opposing an aggressive, tyrannical empire.
11. Sid Meier's Civilization IV (2005)
Continuation of one of the most popular and successful series of global turn-based strategies. The total circulation of the series currently totals more than 6 million copies. The player is given the opportunity to control one of the empires. You start the game in 4000 BC. e. with a settler and one warrior, and gradually develop into a superpower.
10. World of Warcraft (2004)
A massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. According to the Guinness Book of Records, it is the most popular MMORPG in the world. In January 2014, it was announced that over 100 million accounts had been created throughout the game's life.
By controlling the game character, the player can explore the area, wander around famous places, fight monsters, and also carry out various assignments given by computer-controlled characters. In addition, fights with other players are possible.
9. The Oregon Trail (1971)
An educational computer game about the life of American pioneers, widely used in schools in North America. The name of the game is associated with the Oregon Trail, which actually existed in the 19th century.
The player controls a group of immigrants with a specific profession and traveling in a conestoga. The success of the game led to several sequels.
8. Super Mario Bros. (1985)
Listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the best-selling game in history. The main characters of the game are the plumber Mario and his brother Luigi (as a playable character for the second player). The goal of the game is to travel through the Mushroom Kingdom, eluding or destroying the soldiers of the turtle King Koopa (also known as Bowser) in order to rescue the Princess he has captured.
7. The Legend of Zelda (1986)
The game takes place in the fictional kingdom of Hyrule. The army of the powerful Prince of Darkness Ganon, who invaded Hyrule, plunged the kingdom into chaos; Ganon himself captured the Triforce of Power, a magical artifact that grants its owner great power. Princess Zelda of Hyrule, who owned another artifact, the Triforce of Wisdom, divided it into eight fragments and hid them from Ganon in the kingdom's secret dungeons.
The main character of the game, Link, decided to save Zelda. But in order to fight Ganon, he must first find and collect together the fragments of the Triforce of Wisdom scattered throughout the country.
The game became a bestseller on the Nintendo platform, selling 6.5 million copies.
6. Minecraft (2011)
An indie sandbox game with elements of a survival simulator and an open world. Minecraft provides the player with a three-dimensional procedurally generated world made entirely of cubic blocks, and gives the player the opportunity to freely rebuild it, creating complex structures from the blocks - this feature of the game makes Minecraft similar to the LEGO constructor.
The game does not set any clear goals for the player, but offers him many opportunities and activities: for example, the player can explore the world, create a variety of structures and objects, and fight with various opponents.
Video: Time magazine's 5 best games of all time
5.Ms. Pac-Man (1982)
Arcade game published by Midway Manufacturing (Illinois). Ms. Pac-Man was released a year after Pac-Man and became one of the most popular computer games of all time, leading Namco (the owner of the rights to Pac-Man) to recognize it as part of the official line.
4. Doom (1993)
A first-person shooter that is one of the most significant and influential computer games in the history of the industry. Its popularity largely determined the further development and spread of the genre.
The game "Doom" takes place in a sci-fi setting using horror film techniques. The player takes on the role of an unnamed space special forces soldier. The plot is simple and is revealed only in the user manual, and in the game itself there are only short messages for the player between episodes.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)
Another part of the popular The series Legend of Zelda. Link goes on a journey to stop Ganondorf (the main enemy of the princess and the main antagonist of the games in the series, in the first games he was called Ganon).
Ganondorf, in an attempt to take over Hyrule, seeks to acquire an artifact known as the Triforce, which has the power to grant the wishes of those who wield it. To stop him, Link travels through time using a musical instrument, The Ocarina of Time.
2. Super Mario 64 (1996)
Technically, the first "3D" game in the Mario series was the platformer Mario Clash on the Virtual Boy, in which the player could move Mario between the foreground and background. But in Super Mario 64 introduced true 3D for the first time, with free-direction movement, 3D polygonal models instead of 2D sprites, and large open spaces to explore.
1. Tetris (1984)
Tetris was first written by Soviet programmer Alexei Pajitnov on the Elektronika-60 computer. While working at the Computing Center of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Pajitnov worked on problems of artificial intelligence and speech recognition, and used puzzles, including the classic pentomino, to test ideas.
Pajitnov tried to automate the placement of pentominoes into given figures. However, the computing power of the then equipment for rotating pentominoes was not enough; it had to be debugged on tetrominoes, which determined the name of the game. In those experiments, the main idea of Tetris was born - for the figures to fall and the filled rows to disappear.
, .Computer games appeared almost immediately with the advent of computers as entertainment for employees servicing these devices. In the late 80s and early 90s, professional studios began to appear. It was then that such hits as Doom, Wolfenstein and other 3D shooters appeared. By the late 90s and early 2000s, the industry had grown into a significant entertainment industry. It was at this time that hits appeared that determined the direction of development of video games. This article shows the top legendary games of all time on PC, which have become standards in their genres.
Release date: 1999
Genre: network shooter, eSports
Developer: id Software
Publisher: id Software
The legendary Quake III Arena sends gamers to training grounds where bloody and fierce battles take place. The game does not have a plot or classic character development in the generally accepted sense.
The players’ task is to win in the arenas, increase their rating, receive points and purchase equipment and weapons for them. The peculiarity of the arena is its particular cruelty. Gamers turn each other into mincemeat using a variety of weapons (there are grenade launchers, chainsaws, etc.). When entering the arena, each hero is responsible only for himself. Victory goes to the last survivor.
Release date: 1998
Genre: first person shooter, Sci-Fi
Developer: Valve
Publisher: Valve
A game that was way ahead of its time. Dozens of similar projects were created based on Half-Life, but it was the game that won the minds and hearts of gamers around the world.
To survive in the harsh world of single player, the player will have to constantly think through a strategy for passing. Most monsters can become deadly if you just relax for a while and let your guard down. In addition to Half-Life, a multiplayer mode has been released, where players from anywhere in the world can play together or against each other.
Release date: 1997
Genre: historical real-time strategy
Developer: Skybox Labs, Hidden Path Entertainment, Ensemble Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Strategic Series Games Age of Empires invited players to move into an exciting world of historically significant events. The plots of the games in the series repeated events that took place in the real history of mankind. Gamers are invited to take one side of the opposing conflict, develop an army, increase power and participate in battles with artificial intelligence.
The AI of the series has been constantly evolving; in order to defeat cunning opponents, the player needs to think through clear tactics for developing and waging war.
Release date: 1998
Genre: Isometric RPG, post-apocalypse
Developer: Black Isle Studios
Publisher: Interplay Entertainment
The famous Fallout 2 pulled out genre RPG games from dark dungeons and fantasy forests, moving the game action to a dynamic world after a nuclear war. The game has a special atmosphere of an apocalyptic world, where hordes of mutants come out to meet the character.
To complete Fallout 2, you need to go through the storyline, learn how to control the selected character, properly upgrade and dress him. Otherwise, the harsh post-apocalyptic world will perish completely, and the unlucky hero will not be able to achieve his goal.
Release date: 2000
Genre: Isometric RPG, fantasy
Developer: BioWare
Publisher: Interplay Entertainment
Baldur's Gate II pleased players with the appearance of 3 additional classes to those in the first part. The game is a classic RPG in the D&D style. Also, this part of Baldur's Gate confronts the player with many new types of enemies. You will have to cope with monsters and move forward in the plot in rather difficult conditions.
In Baldur's Gate II, the bar for gaining experience has been raised, the combat system and the extraction of equipment have been complicated. All these indicators make the gameplay interesting, but the gamer needs to show all his skill to reach the end.
Release date: 2009
Genre: RPG about space with a non-linear plot
Developer: BioWare
Publisher: Electronic Arts
The darkest, most atmospheric and exciting part Mass series Effect resurrects Captain Shepard to once again send him to fight for the fate of the galaxy. The gamer is offered female and male variations of the main character, as well as several basic classes, with which the fighting style and skills of the captain change.
According to the plot, new crew members appear on the captain's ship, with whom the player will have to interact throughout the game. Many events, including the ending, depend on the moral choices and decisions of the gamer.
Release date: 1991
Genre: global economic strategy
Developer: MicroProse, Firaxis Games, Westlake Interactive, Aspyr, BreakAway Games
Publisher: MicroProse, Koei, Hasbro Interactive, Infogrames, MacSoft, Aspyr, Atari, 2K Games
The large-scale series of Civilization strategies invites the player to manage human civilization from its inception to the present day. To go the full way from newly emerging people to modern beautiful cities, it is necessary to rebuild cities and manage them. Some parts of the series supported network mode, where players could fight not only with artificial intelligence, but also with each other for new territories and resources.
To lead his civilization to flourish, the player needs to master the skills of tactics, diplomacy, and the basics of analytical thinking. Only thoughtful civilizations with a clear development structure will come to victory.
Release date: 2000
Genre: global strategy with RTS elements
Developer: The Creative Assembly
Publisher: Electronic Arts, Activision, Sega
Strategy Total War won the love of gamers thanks to its detailed, large-scale battles. Total War can be played both in single-player mode and online. Players take the side of one of the factions, develop it in order to win wars with artificial intelligence or other gamers.
Depending on the playstyle, units acquire unique character traits and skills. The characteristics of the army, generals, and faction rulers directly affect the ability to win wars with opponents.
Release date: 2004
Genre: Fantasy MMORPG
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
MMORPG World of Warcraft has rightfully become one of the most popular in the history of world gaming. More than 100 million accounts, constantly filled servers, regular updates with new locations and characters - all this speaks of the constant development of the game. World of Warcraft is focused on group game. Gamers, in order to upgrade and equip their characters, must constantly enter into alliances and conflicts with other people.
You can achieve results only with perseverance and the ability to work in a team. Players are encouraged to visit raid dungeons and events daily to get top gear.
Release date: 2003
Genre: Fantasy MMORPG
Developer: NCSoft
Publisher: NCSoft
Unlike most MMORPGs, Lineage II does not throw the player into one of the factions immediately after character creation. Having chosen a class and started leveling up, the gamer will be able to make an informed decision about who he wants to join. The PvP component in the game is given a large space, but players will also have to battle with monsters controlled by AI.
A huge part of the gameplay is dedicated to duels between players. To win, you need to carefully use the offered talents, gain experience in battles with AI and dress your character well.
Release date: 2000
Genre: online team first-person shooter
Developer: Valve Corporation
Publisher: Valve Corporation, Sierra Entertainment
The multiplayer game Counter-Strike is a kind of arena with several training grounds for battles. Players play for 2 sides: terrorists, special forces. To win, gamers need to complete the map's signature task and destroy as many opponents as possible. The reward for kills and completed tasks are coins, for which you can purchase new equipment and weapons.
How better weapons in the hands of the character, the easier it is for the player to achieve success in the arenas. Requirements for gamers change on different servers, as does the number of available factions (you can’t be an observer everywhere).
Release date: 2013
Genre: MOBA
Developer: Valve Corporation
Publisher: Valve Corporation
One of the most popular games in the world - Dota 2. The action takes place in the battle arena, where 2 teams of players (light and dark) collide. Each player controls one character. Dota 2 offers dozens of different characters with unique skills. Heroes need to be controlled in different ways, so the overall outcome of the game depends on the skill of the gamer.
In case of victory in the arena, the player receives coins and a rating increase. For gold you can buy new equipment and weapons for greater effectiveness in battle.
Release date: 2002
Genre: open world fantasy RPG
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Gamers' love for Morrowind appeared everywhere after the game's release. Morrowind is a role-playing game, the main feature of which is the open world and the removal of restrictions from the gamer. The player is free to go wherever he wants and whenever he wants, without corridor locations. Storyline is present, its completion is mandatory for victory.
The player needs to select a suitable character, dress and upgrade him. Exploring the colorful world of Morrowind takes place along with battles with monsters and interesting side quests.
Release date: 2012
Genre: open world first person shooter
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal, Massive Entertainment, Ubisoft Shanghai
Publisher: Ubisoft
The action game with RPG elements has gained immense popularity among players. Far Cry 3 sends the main character to a picturesque tropical island where he will have to fight for survival. The main boss of the game is a charismatic psychopath who intrigues the player throughout the entire playthrough.
A cooperative mode is available, where players will have to team up to complete all tasks and battles. In cooperative mode, you can choose from various characters, not only the main character. The ultimate goal of the game is to survive by killing all enemies.
Release date: 2015
Genre: third person shooter open world, crime
Developer: Rockstar North
Publisher: Rockstar Games
A dynamic adventure game that combines elements from all popular genres of our time. In the fifth part, players got the opportunity to control not just one protagonist, but three. To fully complete the game's plot, you should switch between characters and use the unique abilities of each of them.
Also, the game contains universal skills that are useful in battle. The outcome of the exciting story depends on how the gamer distributes talents between the characters and what style of play he uses.
The world's very first computer game is considered to be a rocket simulator, which had no name, but was patented as a “cathode ray tube amusement device”, or, in Russian, “an entertainment device based on a cathode ray tube” (1947). Then the programmers managed to develop an algorithm chess game, however, for its full launch, power was required that was unattainable at that time.
The first “truly computer game” can be called “Tic Tac Toe” (OXO), which appeared in 1952 and ran on an EDSAC computer, which consisted of about 3 thousand lamps. It was the first device of this type with the ability to store a program in memory. The commercial use of games began only almost 20 years later - in September 1971, the Galaxy Game and the first arcade machine appeared. This moment can probably be called the beginning of the era of computer and video games.
Almost 42 years have passed since then, and gaming industry has become a huge force and big business. During this time, “one-day” games arose and projects were born, which then dictated the development of a new direction of entertainment.
We have compiled a rating of “long-running” game series and franchises that date back to the last century and still exist today. It is impossible to list all worthy projects, but we can mention some of the most notable ones.
10. Oh sport, you are life!
We decided to include the FIFA series in the rating for its regularity. Since 1993, Electronic Arts has been systematically releasing new football games. For people far from sports, FIFA Soccer 95 will differ from FIFA 14 only in graphics and controls.
Those who are familiar with the most popular sport will fundamentally disagree, in which we support them. Moreover, real players from existing teams take to the field. In 2004, gamers were allowed to create own character, later the physical model was significantly improved. As often happens, there is no limit to perfection, which fans of the series regularly remind the developers of, poking them into various flaws. Game makers nod, do it their way and continue to regularly release new games. For now - once a year.
9. Brave New World
The concept of “civilization” has been known since antiquity, but the global turn-based strategy came out much later - in 1991. Here you can’t get by with watering the garden, as in “ Happy Farm", you will not limit yourself to building a city, as in SimCity, or establishing economic relations between regions, as in Settlers. Everything must be global, and ancient times alone will not get by.
The series is still alive and well. Despite the fact that last game, Civilization V, was released in 2010, the developers deliver interesting and voluminous additions: Gods & Kings was released in 2012, and Brave this year New World. Critics greeted the release of the add-on with laudatory odes to Firaxis Games: they say that they do not rest on their laurels, they work for the good of civilization.
8. Awarded here
The oldest series in our rating and the same age as many current gamers is SimCity. It was developed by Will Wright, who founded the Maxis studio, which released the urban planning simulator. Wright gave people of all ages the opportunity to play in the sandbox by building his own toy and interactive world, who will live forever. Game SimCity So good and thoughtful that some are calling for it to be used as a teaching tool for aspiring mayors to help them learn the ropes of running a city.
With each new game the series became more mature and diverse, more complex and beautiful. Over time, the gamer received more and more freedom of action, which resulted in growing responsibility. The success of SimCity led to critics becoming overly picky about it. However, it did her good.
The 2013 game became more technologically advanced and received fashionable social features in the form of interaction with other gamers. The fly in the ointment can be called the greed of Electronic Arts (or its desire to fight windmills, that is, fans of pirate games). As a result - eighth place.
7. Milla Jovovich and everything, everything, everything
Of course, the Ukrainian Milla Jovovich has no direct connection either with the survival horror genre or with Shinji Mikami, who was fond of the work of George Romero. However, the actress, who fights movie zombies year after year, is part of the franchise.
So, in seventh place is Resident Evil. Films, cartoons, comics, novels, video games - “scarecrows” and “horror stories” for every taste. The original game was released in 1996 on the PlayStation and later came to PC. The very prolific Capcom effectively keeps dead and decaying creatures alive by generating interest in them through the release of various media content. The company sees its target audience as all gamers, so it not only offers games for consoles, but also ports them to personal computers.
Just the other day, Capcom admitted that it was not particularly pleased with Resident Evil 6 and next game series, it will “return to the roots of the survival horror genre.” Let's believe it, but the same thing was said shortly before the release of RE6.
6. Little green men
The first game in the X-COM series appeared in 1993, it was developed by Mythos Games and published by MicroProse, which was discontinued in 2003. The action of the sci-fi X-COM: UFO Defense took place not on distant planets, but on native Earth in the near future. Strategy with role-playing elements was a representative of “smart” games that required taking into account many different nuances.
During the existence of X-COM, only six games were released, including a remake of the original game (2012). At the end of 2013, the tactical shooter XCOM is expected to be released.
The series may not boast huge sales, but its legacy is difficult to overestimate. Some studios tried to exploit it, but not very successfully.
5. No Prisoners, No Survivors
The vast and enduring Command & Conquer franchise began with C&C: Tiberian Dawn in 1994. Like Fallout, whose ancestor was Wasteland, the C&C series arose from Dune 2. Those who know what it is computer games, you've probably heard about the Brotherhood of Nod and GDI, remember Tanya Adams from the series Red Alert and “Joseph Stalin,” demanding that no prisoners be taken or left alive. Fans are familiar with the unusual shooter C&C: Renegade, which allowed us to take a closer look at everything that in the original RTS looked like a bunch of pixels (from today's point of view).
Westwood Studios helped create an entire genre and successfully worked in this direction, releasing several series in parallel. Later, EA Los Angeles got down to business (the good Electronic Arts absorbed and then liquidated WS), releasing several interesting projects.
We're expecting a new Command & Conquer in 2013. Previously, it was known as C&C: Generals 2, however, following new traditions, EA decided to restart the series and “start all over again.” We'll find out how successful it is in the fall, but for now - fifth place in the rankings.
4. The theme of the tombs is not revealed
Computer archaeologist Lara Croft was born in 1996, that is, relatively recently. The British woman was initially in a very advantageous position: all her advantages were striking, and for several generations of gamers she probably even became a sex symbol. At some point, the baton was picked up by Angelina Jolie, who embodied Croft on the big screen.
Game Tomb Raider became one of the founders of 3D shooters, but it mixed several genres, which made it extremely addictive. This affected the sales of the original Tomb Raider - they became the largest for the entire series.
Lara's long journey continues to this day - Tomb Raider, updated in every sense, was recently released. The heroine became closer “to the people”, turning into an ordinary person (for which we must thank the lead screenwriter Rhianna Pratchett, who worked on BioShock Infinite, Mirror's Edge and other projects).
Unfortunately, the game released in 2013 could not repeat the record of its ancestor. However, the next reboot did the series good, so - fourth place.
3. Game of catch-up
Third place went to Need series For Speed. Cult racing is playing catch-up with itself. It is no longer the benchmark for racing; this title is still confidently taken away by other projects, including those from Codemasters. Since 1994, no less than 19 games have been released; the anniversary, 20th, Need for Speed: Rivals will begin to delight gamers in November.
It seems incredible now, but Road & Track Presents: The Need for Speed has been optimized for monitors with a resolution of 320x200 and 640x480 pixels. There were only eight available cars and one secret one - Warrior with some incredible characteristics. The race achieved recognition, with critics praising the graphics and realism of the cars' behavior on the road.
Notable milestones in the development of the series include the release of NFS III: Hot Pursuit (1998), NFS: Porsche Unleashed (2000), NFS: Underground (2003) and NFS: Most Wanted(2005). After NFS: Carbon (2006), the developers apparently got bogged down in experiments or decided to change strategy. From that moment on, some kind of throwing began, the invention of the bicycle. The NFS: Shift project corrected the situation somewhat, but then there was a “miscarriage” in the form of NFS: World (2010).
The success of the series decided to follow a sine wave: “good game” - “average” - “horror” - “average”, etc. Sometimes there was a feeling that all efforts were thrown into marketing, and the gameplay and everything else faded into the background. At the same time Need For Speed is making good attempts to become the best, and NFS: Rivals will probably help it with this. Also, a feature film based on the series may be released in the near future (Fast and Furious is officially not related to NFS).
2. Bright future of the post-apocalyptic world
We gave second place to Wasteland and Fallout. Fallout game is called an unofficial sequel and spiritual successor to Wasteland, which is created by Interplay Entertainment. The latter is the publisher of Fallout, released in 1997 and developed by the recently revived Black Isle Studios. If you follow life path both games, analogies arise with “Santa Barbara”, everything looks so confusing and dramatic.
The Fountain of Dreams project, which was supposed to be the official continuation of the brainchild of Brian Fargo, Alan Pavlish, Michael Stackpole and Ken Andre, appeared a few years later. But the publisher, Electronic Arts, at the last moment refused to position the game as a sequel. Additionally, no one from the Wasteland team worked on Fountain of Dreams. Work was carried out on Meantime - it used the same engine and described events in the same fictional world. The project died at the beta stage.
In 1997, Fallout appeared, but EA refused to transfer the rights to the name "Wasteland" to Interplay, which likely had an impact on the future fate of the series. Many elements migrated to new branch, got to Fallout 2 (1998). Later came Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel (2001), then Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel (2004). “New Time” was marked by the release of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas who are not like their ancestors.
Carmageddon was released in 1997. Final Fantasy VII, Redneck Rampage, X-COM: Apocalypse, Fallout, Ultima Online, Tomb Raider II, as well as many other games, among which, at the end of the year, Grand Theft Auto was presented.
From documents “declassified” in 2011, it became known that the action adventure game was originally named Race’n’Chase, but later the name was changed. Development of the project began in the spring of 1995 and was completed in July 1996. Upon release, the game was criticized for its graphics, but praised for its sound and soundtrack. As a result, GTA became a bestseller in the UK, everyone was talking about it, everyone was buying it.
In 1999, DMA Design Limited released Grand Theft Auto 2, in 2001 - Grand Theft Auto III. The game acquired three-dimensional graphics and set a sales record, making itself known even more loudly. Later additions ( Vice City, San Andreas and others) was developed by the already well-known Rockstar North.