Top 100 PC Games Of All Time – What’s Missing
PC Gamer Magazine recently published a list of the Top 100 PC Games of all time in their July 2013 issue. While it is difficult to rank for anybody to get any list of 100 games, rank them in order of quality and get it right, the list just seems to be missing some quality titles.
Somebody compiled the list here, providing all 100 listed games. Here are the top 10 entries:
1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
2. Mass Effect 2
3. Half-Life 2
4. Team Fortress 2
5. Deus Ex
6. XCOM: Enemy Unknown
7. Bioshock
8. Minecraft
9. Left 4 Dead 2
10. Starcraft II
Take this order however you will. I personally don’t believe that Skyrim is even the best Elder Scrolls title, let alone the fact a console port shouldn’t be the best PC game of all time, but it’s their opinion against mine. Instead, let me suggest some notable games that are missing from this list, while offering what could be removed from the list to make space. Here are just some of what’s missing from the Top 100 PC Games of all time.
Diablo II: Lord of Destruction
Why it belongs here: Diablo was a groundbreaking achievement for the action RPG genre. It transcended the dungeon crawler by creating an engaging story (filled with a deep lore that carries over the series), unique monsters, an interesting inventory management system, insightful NPC’s and one of the greatest town themes of all time.
Diablo II, paired with the expansion pack “Lord of Destruction” improves upon all facets of the game. Three basic main character classes became seven, each with their own unique skill tree separate from the others. One labyrinth location was replaced by five different acts, ranging from a forest terrain to winter mountains to hell, itself. The amount of magic, rare, unique, set, crafted, ethereal, socketed and runeword items dwarf the limited amount in Diablo I.
The introduction of three difficulty levels (Normal, Nightmare, Hell) and the Hardcore Mode (you death becomes permanent for your character) gave the title enough replay value that over 11 million still play Diablo II and Starcraft to this day on Battle.net. I believe this is a Top 5 PC game, one of a small group that deserve a 10/10. It definitely belongs somewhere on the Top 100 PC games list.
What can be removed to make it fit: Diablo III (96).
Myst
Why it belongs here: Myst brought so much to the table back when it came out in 1993. Part point-and-click adventure, part puzzler, the game set you in the mystical world of Myst after the “Stranger” player character stumbles upon and reads the book of Myst. After touching the final page, the book whisks you away to to said island of Myst, forcing you to explore.
That’s what makes this game so unusual: there’s no backstory developed from the onset, there’s no timer, there’s no monsters or violence and there’s no obvious objective. Using your mouse cursor, you can interact with the objects on screen in order to solve puzzles across multiple areas using your own observation and logic. It was the best selling PC game of all time (until The Sims in 2002), and I can’t imagine why it was left off the Top 100 PC Games list.
What can be removed to make it fit: Masq (87)
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Why it belongs here: It’s rare to make a great video game based on a licensed movie. It’s even more difficult to make a great video game based on that movie’s universe, write a believable story within the lore, and get it right. Knights of the Old Republic pulls this feat off, in remarkable fashion. Derived from the d20 system of Dungeons and Dragons, KOTOR has you play as a character who is adept with the power of the force, eventually becoming a Jedi.
The game’s featured elements drive what made it so fun and different. Numerous dialogue options guided your approach to situations. Being kind, curt, passive or guns blazing netted you different responses, as well as a karmic balance. The more evil you became, the more you were driven by the dark side. Upon leveling up you could gain more force powers, based on your alignment. Healing and manipulative skills represented the light, while lightning and choking represented the dark. As well, the diverse cast of characters brought a wonderful team together as you traveled across many notable planets within the Star Wars galaxy.
The game has received many accolades and Top 100 PC Games spots on Time, IGN, Game Informer Magazine and more, yet it’s not in PC Gamer’s list.
What can be removed to make it fit: Thirty Flights of Loving (92)
Well, GameSiders, those are my suggestions. After reading the Top 100 PC Games list for yourself, can you find any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below.
The views expressed in this article explicitly belong to the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of, nor should be attributed to, GameSided as an organization.