They say wine gets better with age and while this is true of wine, the same can’t be said for other aspects of life. With age largely being a test/reminder of how outdated things are,there is little wonder why people are eager to gravitate towards more modern trends.However, they are few other ventures of life where the “older is better” rule actually holds true and the one I am personally more interested about is gaming. While it is a common thing for games to begin to show their age and limitations as we get better in the art of making games and stronger hardware keeps emerging, some few select games just keep getting better as they advance in age either because of some clever feature or mechanic included in the game that was way ahead of its time or just simply how well the game holds up graphically over the years. Included In this list are ten of such old games which I think were so good that they’re worthy multiple playthroughs even years after they first graced our shelves. All the games included in the list are at least 10 years old at the time of writing with the latest releasing as far back as 2009. Without further ado, here are 10 old games so good that they are deserving of a second playthrough:
1. HALF-LIFE 2 (2004)
Half-life 2, the 2004 follow up to its groundbreaking 1998 predecessor:half life 1 comes first on our list because of its relevance to the gaming industry as a whole. Valve’s take on this futuristic sci-fi shooter puts you in the boots of Gordon Freeman, a rogue scientist/physicist caught in between a disastrous teleportation experiment that sees the earth invaded by aliens. Half-life 2 sets itself apart from other games of the era with the inclusion of a robust physics system which gave players the freedom to manipulate the environment in various ways only thought of at the time prior to its implementation. Graphics-wise also, it was a technological powerhouse and a real beauty to behold. even till this day,the graphics still hold up in a way. Valve managed to nail every detail right from the dynamic cut-scene mechanic to the weapons and the legendary gravity gun to the story progression and overall atmosphere of the game. it sits up there in the hall of fame of greatest video games ever made.Half-life 2 is a game I come back to play every once in a while because I simply can’t get enough of the experience If you’re looking to go back into the game though, there are tons of graphics mods that make the game look even better than it originally does, the best in my experience being Cinematic mod by Fake factory.
2. RESIDENT EVIL 4: BIOHAZARD(2005)
Capcom’s flagship IP, Resident evil has come a long way ever since the title first graced the gaming world in 1996 since then, it has only moved from strength to strength thanks to a robust gameplay, excellent story telling and atmosphere .However, the crowning jewel of the series was hands down 2005’s Resident Evil 4:Biohazard. Originally released for the gamecube and later ported to various other consoles, Resident evil 4 played so well that it effectively wrote the rule book for survival horror as a genre. The gun play of the game was completely overhauled and perfected getting players more into the action than ever before. You play as special agent Leon S Kennedy, on a quest to rescue the U.S president’s daughter Ashley Graham from a seemingly abandoned Spanish village that was not so abandoned afterall. Resident Evil 4 is known for completely overhauling the series’s established gameplay mechanics introducing an over the shoulder aiming system and interactive QTE’s. Ever since its Gamecube release in 2005, resident evil 4 have been ported to several other platforms and consoles including an HD remaster in 2011 and ultimate HD remaster in 2014. However, to enjoy the game in full graphical fidelity, we suggest the RE4 HD Projekt mod.
3. SYSTEM SHOCK 2 (1999)
Long before there was bioshock, there was System Shock 2, a 1999 cyberpunk first person shooter that stole the hearts of many with its in-depth storytelling and gameplay. System shock 2 was truly revolutionary in its day. Featuring a very open ended gameplay with a lot of RPG elements, players could customize their own skillsets and play the game in anyway they deemed fit. You could choose to go all out guns blazing or you could take the stealth approach and quietly get past your enemies without them noticing. The variety of ways missions could be completed makes the game a very worthy candidate for multiple playthroughs. The storytelling portion of the game isn’t in anyway lacking also as it does a good job of getting players hooked to their seats throughout the whole experience. The story kicks off 42 years after the events of its predecessors and sees you play as an unnamed soldier as he battles his way through hordes of hostile mutant creatures that have overrun the starship in which he’s aboard. The antagonist of the first game, Shodan, a malevolent female AI whose aim is to merge both the physical reality and cyberspace is also present in the second game with even more tricks and wits up her sleeves to ramp up the fun!Though old and now graphically lacklustre, System shock 2 is definitely an old gem that is worthy of another playthrough if you’re willing to ignore its minor blemishes.
4. SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 (1994)
Sonic, Sega’s ‘speedy’ response to Nintendo’s Super Mario is one of gaming’s most influential characters of the 90s and even till date. So influential and relevant that it even got its own TV adaptation in 2020. The first and second installments while being revolutionary in the 90s console wars also remain a cult classic among fans but it was the third installment to the series that really stuck. It was a notable improvement over its predecessors and went on to become one of the best selling Sega Genesis games. Gameplay remains similar to previous entries with players traversing side-scrolling levels while combating enemies and collecting rings. Sonic 3 is definitely the sweet spot if you’re willing to experience some classic retro style side-scroller.
5. PORTAL (2007)
Yet another Valve masterpiece, Portal, released in 2007, is a comedic puzzle platform game which sees players try to solve a series of puzzles by teleporting objects or the player’s character with the help of a special portal gun. Portal is well known for its originality, unique gameplay and how it managed to tell a rather dark story in a humorous and comedic way. The antagonist, Glados, Another malevolent female AI is wildly acclaimed by fans as one of the best video game antagonists ever. With a very sizeable sense of humour and great potential for anything evil. Her dialogues as you traverse the levels are what really brings the game to life. Charismatic as she is evil, she’s definitely a voice/personality you never get enough of. Thankfully, we could always play through the game and enjoy the levels all the while having a good laugh courtesy of a psychopathic rogue AI that is trying to kill us the whole time. I say not weird at all.
6. ASSASINS CREED 2 (2009)
After a very good first installment, Ubisoft were hungry to please fans with a second installment and they actually struck gold with Assassins creed 2.The second installment in the series and the best assassins creed game in my opinion, Assassins Creed 2 follows the story of Ezio Auditore da Firenze, an Italian noble scholar as he seeks revenge of those who betrayed his family. Assassins creed 2 brought notable improvements and changes to the series that have since persisted to even more recent games. The AI was made more ruthless and unforgiving compared to the previous game and a lot more mission types and side quests have been introduced to give the game a lot more variety. Players can choose to play the game In any approach they deem fit. Although, they have been many more installments to the series since 2009, it is safe to say assassins creed peaked at Assassins Creed 2 because of how good it played at the time and how well it hold up even today. It is also a game worthy of multiple playthrough as missions could be carried out in a variety of different ways.
7. STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC (2003)
Arguably the best star wars game ever made, Knights of the old republic is a game that wouldn’t be leaving the hearts of star wars fans and gamers alike anytime soon. With its gripping narrative and exceptional story telling, Bioware’s take on the hugely succesful sci-fi franchise was primed to perfection from the start. It is one of the few games that gave players the freedom to act autonomously and actually feel like a real person with the help of an extensive character building system and numerous dialogue trees. The game features a morality system where specific actions push the player’s character either towards the ‘light’ or the ‘dark’ side allowing for a wide range of moral choices and options so that even after multiple playthroughs, you could still discover new content. KOTOR is simply a classic RPG gem that deserves another playthrough because of its open ended nature and the variety of ways in which the story could end depending on how you play the game.
8. HALO 2 (2004)
Infamous for its cliffhanger ending and famous for being one of the best ever xbox games, Halo 2 was at the top of its game in its generation and even beyond bagging numerous ports to newer generation of consoles and even PC. It was the first Halo game to take players online in what was simply a robust multiplayer experience. It is also famous for having one of the best and unforgettable campaign in the series howbeit ending in a cliffhanger. Still, the ride Halo 2 took us on was simply unforgettable. It is the first game to implement the concept of matchmaking that is used by literally every multiplayer games today. Halo 2 was a huge improvement over its also very impressive predecessors bringing new exciting mechanics to the game and setting a high standards for future and similar games. Though originally released for the xbox, it is backwards compatible with the xbox 360. It was also remade for the xbox one in 2014 as part of the Halo: Master chief collection and of course, it can be enjoyed on a PC. With all said, if you haven’t experienced Halo 2 then you should hurry up and get into the fun classic like yesterday!
9. CASTLEVANIA: SYMPHONY OF THE NIGHT (1997)
Hands down the best castlevania game of all time, Symphony of the night was revolutionary to the castlevania franchise and the metroidvania subgenre as a whole(Metroidvania: a term coined from castlevania and metroid prime). The events of the game kicks off from its immediate predecessor, Rondo of blood. Symphony of the nights casts players into the boots of Alucard in a thrilling 2D horror platformer-adventure like no other. It takes a different approach to the formula of the series introducing RPG elements and a new darker/Gothic character art style. Players now had access to more weapons as opposed to previous installments which provided the whip lash as the only weapon. Originally released for the playstation, the success of the game has seen it find its way to even more modern consoles and platforms such as the xbox 360, playstation vita, android and IOS. If you’re looking to get the old 2D platformer metroidvania vibe of the 90’s, you should definitely consider Symphony of the night for a playthrough.
10. METAL GEAR SOLID 3: SNAKE EATER (2004)
Hideo Kojima, Creator of the Metal Gear Series is no doubt one of the most creative minds and most wildly acclaimed video game creator and director the industry has seen yet. Being the creator of both the MGS series and the shiny new Death stranding, it is safe to say he has one of the sickest ideas known to the industry.The best being 2004’s MGS3: Snake Eater. Being the third installment to the metal gear series, Snake eater was a blast in every ramifications. Popularly thought of as a response to the criticisms of MGS2: Sons of Liberty, there is little wonder why Snake eater outdid the previous installments. The graphics were revamped and turned around by a completely new game engine, the gameplay became more open ended to also ramp up the overall experience and it was indeed a major improvement over its predecessors to say the least.Set in the cold war era, You play as a top operative Naked Snake as you undergo a series of undercover/special missions to keep the soviet union and the United States from all-out nuclear war. If you’re fan of tactical stealth game, then look no further than the metal gear series. Unfortunately, the Metal gear solid 3 can not be enjoyed on a PC, it is however available for every other major console.
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