Great Games to Play on Crap Gaming PCs
Peter Donnell / 5 years ago
Are you sitting there cuddling your RTX 2080 Ti, your flagship Ryzen or Intel CPU and your stunning 4K monitor? Are you then also waking up in a cold sweat at the realisation you have none of those things? I feel for you, we’ve all got to start our PC gaming adventure somewhere. That may be a hand-me-down laptop, your parents Dell PC crap-box, or something you pulled out of a skip at work. The fact is, you may need a bitchin PC to max out the latest games, but you don’t need much to enjoy some truly amazing gaming experiences these days.
Let’s not muck about any longer, let’s just jump right into the games. Here are my top picks for those of you stuck on a laptop, old PC, or budget hardware. Think you can do better? Tell us all your games in the comments section!
Stardew Valley
You’ve inherited your grandfather’s old farm plot in Stardew Valley. Armed with hand-me-down tools and a few coins, you set out to begin your new life. Can you learn to live off the land and turn these overgrown fields into a thriving home? I bet you can, this game is properly addictive and goes way beyond just running a farm; you’re in for many surprises!
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
One of the most popular entries in the ESO franchise runs rather well on older hardware. Remember, this game is a lot older now than people realise. It’s eight years old this month! Explore a huge land for 100’s of hours of fun and beyond!
Minecraft
It may be an old game, but Minecraft still feels as fresh as ever. Continuously updated and with endlessly innovative gameplay, custom worlds and more. Honestly, if you’re new to PC gaming and you haven’t played it, this is essential gaming right here for ALL ages!
Sid Meier’s Civilization V
One of the most engrossing and deep PC games ever experienced. Personally, I only got into the franchise this year, and while it was a lot to learn, once you’re in, it hooks you with a fierce grip. Build your empire, crush everyone else’s.
FTL: Faster Than Light
Ever wondered what it would be like to command a space ship in a roguelike exploration game? Wonder no more! FTL is unforgiving and utterly rewarding. Not only is it easy to run on very old hardware, but it’s also by far one of the most engrossing games of the last ten years.
Fallout 3
Sure, we may have Fallout 4, but 3 is not only easier to run on older hardware, but I think it’s also the better game of the two. Explore the wasteland, set off a nuke or two, and shoot everything else. This game has depth, but it’s really what you make of it too. Plus, despite the age, there are some amazing mods that are still friendly to older PCs too. If you hated Fallout 76, take a step back and find out what made the series brilliant.
World of Warcraft
The big names in the MMO world just refuse to die. If anything, this one recently chose to be reborn in its original form. Regardless of modern or classic WoW, this is a huge gaming experience that’s sure to provide plenty of fun for any new PC gamer.
