Childhood. Oh, the nostalgia. The good mornings of the weekend, no school, cereals with milk and your favourite game. Curled up in bed playing on the TV thanks to the long cord of the controller. Or at the desk, on your computer, running just barely when turning on GTA San Andreas. But running. A blast, having the latest games, a gift that kept on giving forever.
And when we say forever, we mean it. A game that’s well made doesn’t have to ever die. Regardless if it came out 5 or 15 or even 25 years ago, if the game is truly legendary, it will keep on giving forever. And no matter your preferences there are plenty of games that have made your childhood great. Games that still exist and can be played, that entertain, and excite.
The 2000s And Gaming
The 2000s were a particular set of years. As a species, we’ve been able to come up not just with the most incredible inventions, like the smartphone, but also with some of the better releases when it came to entertainment. For example, movies that were made in the first 10 years of the millennia are still being replayed by millions across the globe. Hei, Frodo!
>In this article, we will focus on what many consider the golden age of gaming. The period between the start of the 2000s and way into the first 10 to 15 years of it. A time when we, the 30s generation of today, lived the releases of some of the most important and successful games ever made. And the best part is, most of them are still here, up and ready to be played again!
Ten Nostalgia-Inducing Games
Unreal Tournament - The name, and simply saying it, will mostly turn any gamer cathartic. It's that good, this game, and it had that much influence on a generation of gamers, both extremely good and perfectly average. Unreal Tournament is the original King of the Hill in the frag-or-be-fragged multiplayer gaming world. The undisputed 1999 Game of the Year, Unreal Tournament put a firm hand on the first-person shooter genre, knocking players around their rooms with never-before-seen graphics, some brutal edge-of-your-seat gameplay, and a huge and diverse feature list. All of these new and innovative elements gave gamers more than they ever expected. And now, 22 years later, there are avid gamers, from all corners of the world, who love and play this game. What can you buy for 4 bucks today that will make you thoroughly happy? Unreal Tournament. The original shooter of shooters.
Max Payne - There are very few figures from the gaming industry that live the test of time. Mario is an example, as well as Pikachu. Maybe CJ and a few others. And then there is Max Payne, the king of gore and horror but made to look acceptable. When this game came out, controversy itself was invented, back in 2001 when the world was a much more permissive place. In the game, Max is always facing a wall, moving around the city. This is just how Max Payne, the legendary undercover cop, operates. He's done nothing wrong but yet, he can't make it all right without doing the very criminal. In a game with a story like no other, follow the main character closely and help him fight for justice in the name of all that is good. Even if the ways are not the most orthodox, the means justify the blood and the gore.
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind - Released back in 2002, merely 20 years ago, this game is still epic. It is one of the best releases of the RPG genre ever especially as an open-ended, single-player experience. Morrowind lets players create any character their mind can imagine. As you follow the storyline of the game, you will find the very source of evil that has plagued the earth. If you're not into campaigns per se, you can always venture into the unknown and discover mystical, strange, locations, developing your character with every single action that you make. If you decide on replaying this universal success, our Game of the Year Edition includes Bloodmoon, one of the acclaimed expansion packs of the title. The expansion comes with a new territory, the Island of Solstheim, a frozen tundra of thick snow, deadly blizzards, and creatures of nightmares, trolls, minions, wolves, and many more.
Stronghold HD - Presented in HD quality, which was a true unicorn back in 2001, this is THE original castle sim. Stronghold HD lets you design, build and destroy historical castles. As a player, you will battle in medieval warfare against the game, as there was no multiplayer capability back in the day. Oh wait, it was! When you're done with the single-player campaigns, you can go online with up to 8 players and destroy each other in a true medieval war. There are 21 missions that will test your mettle and four renegade lords you will have to defeat. You may reunite medieval England and take back your lands from the treacherous Rat, Pig, Snake, and Wolf. Available missions will range from breaking sieges and capturing enemy castles to raising gold and holding off enemy attacks. There is also a full economic campaign ready for the math nerds, in which you focus on gathering resources and building weapons within a time limit.
Mafia - You are not going to have it easy at first, being new and a novice to the businesses of the Salieri's. Yet you soon get rewarded with some awards that are simply too big not to be taken into account. Offerings you just can't refuse. Therefore, you start your rising into the ranks. Jumping from one level to the next, enjoying the bigger and better paydays, and finishing the dirtiest jobs. Tommy will surely earn the respect that the Salieri family is demanding from him. Yet when he realizes what his new life is all about, his internal battles will keep him up at night...
Syberia - This game was so popular when it came out, the magazines of the time (yes, we had printed magazines at the time, we're all THAT old!) offered CD demos with the game. The first Syberia came out in 2004, with protagonist Kate Walker looking around Europe to try and find a missing heir. When she thinks her mission is over, a sophisticated New York lawyer thinks otherwise... and the gameplay continues. Her life is turned upside down and forever changed by her taking upon this treacherous mission. While travelling around Europe, she meets some incredible characters, locations and tryouts, trying to find Hans the genius and unlock the ultimate mystery of Syberia. Everything she values gets thrown into question as a simple sign of a contract turns into a pact with faith.
The Sims 3 - Regardless of how many Sims are out there, or about to be, the third instalment of the series seems to remain the most appreciated. On all fronts, including features, personalization options, sounds, graphics, and everything else. The Sims 3 comes with all that you need for a true play with the life of your character. Sims can now be customized completely, including bodies and faces, hair and even the personalities of your Sims. Not to mention full control over the way their houses look, the furniture, and even importable designs. This third Sims gives you complete control over how the environment of the game looks. "Customizable" is the word for this 2009 hit of a game.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - Infinity Ward released Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare in 2007, after a generation of action-thriller games that took the world by storm. The action was now more intense and cinematic than ever before. The new game offers players an impressive arsenal of weaponry and transportation, taking them around the world, to the hotspots of hardcore armed battle. You can either be a U.S. Marine or a British S.A.S. as you’ll fight your way through the story of the game, filled with plot twists and heart-stopping moments. Using technology and amazing firepower are two of your main tools to combat the enemy.
DOOM - The original DOOM game was a game-changer. People still speak of it as a revelation. A destiny shifter. Very few games have impacted not just the industry but the lives of millions of gamers across the globe. Controversial because of it being different, DOOM came out in 1993 in its original version. We will not bore you with that version though. You know it, played it, heck, you’re probably having it installed on your PC right now. This is about the 2016 edition, the more modern DOOM. Demons are still all around you. Guns of impossible destruction are against you. Everything moves fluently, but it can be overturned with one flick of the wrist. It’s an intense first-person combat journey, in which every single shot and move counts. If you’re in for the ride and want to get rid of the demon hordes, going through Hell and back, DOOM is the game for you.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City - We had to leave the best for last. The very best! One hard thing to do in the ages of huge perms, excessive everything, and suits of all colours, was becoming a criminal boss. Back in 2003 when this game came out? Oh boy... In this game, you’re entering a huge city filled with landscapes like never before, with beaches and urban areas, swamps and ghettos, in one of the most amazingly diverse, complete, and lively digital environments to date. The story starts with you interpreting Tommy Vercetti, who’s being sent back to the streets after serving a long term in prison. He departs Liberty City airport as the game starts, where he departs his boss Sonny and is first seen on the Vice City landscape as he lands and takes on his very first missions. He starts small but quickly picks up the pace. As you’d expect, nothing goes as smoothly as one wishes to in the Vice City madness of fame, crime, and lawlessness. In this metropolis that is Vice City, Tommy is left without money or even clothes and has to make it out of the misery fast. When an entire city wants you dead, you’re only left with one mission: survive, one day at a time.
Bonus: Three Nostalgic Games From The Future!
Nostalgia is a thing of the past but it does have future implications. For example, based on past evidence, you can predict which games are going to be enjoyed even 100 years from now but are not yet released into the world. Here are our top three picks for future nostalgic games.
Hogwarts Legacy - This is at the moment one of the most anticipated games ever made. The story of Harry Potter has captivated hundreds of millions of souls. And while there were games coming out, a true MMO as the franchise would've deserved never did. Hogwarts Legacy is said to change that. We can only hope and wait to see.
Need For Speed Unbound - With more than 140 cars to customize and collect, the new NFS is up for grabs starting November 29th. And the internet is raving about it just like with any other Need For Speed release from the past. Unbound will surely be a game to be played and replayed for years to come.
Grand Theft Auto 6 - It is clear that the GTA franchise will never go away. Which is good news to every single gamer out there. But what is there to come from the next title in the series? Something tells us that Rockstar Games will make a true hit out of the next GTA 6. We'll just have to be patient.