90. Horizon's Gate (Rad Codex, 2020)
A game that has been described by many as "Final Fantasy Tactics by way of Uncharted Waters", and upon playing it, I can confirm that is indeed the case. You build a character, take part in turn-based battles both on foot and by sea, unlock new classes as the game progresses, and can basically explore, trade or become a privateer at your leisure, taking part in ship battles or legitimate business to earn loot for later upgrades. Inventory management and item manipulation is simple as can be too, using a keyboard-and-mouse interface that reminds me a bit of the classic Ultimas. It's certainly not the deepest example of anything it attempts to be, but it is a lot of fun, and really, that's what I come to a game for anyway. Sacrilege, I know.
89. Claw (Monolith Productions, 1997)
Claw (also known as "Captain Claw") was a sidescrolling platformer on PC - a pretty rare sight in the time period it came out in, particularly as 3D games like Tomb Raider, Mario 64, Spyro and Banjo were rapidly becoming the new standard. That doesn't mean Claw is a bad game, though - it's quite well-made with its fluid animation, responsive controls, colorful stages and multiple paths and secrets to discover in every level. There was even a DVD release later on that added animated cutscenes between levels and improved the visual quality, which was a nice bonus for those with the hardware to run it. The game sadly hasn't ever been released on any digital storefronts so it's a bit hard to find nowadays, but if you can track down a copy, give it a go - it's solid platforming fun.
88. I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream (CyberDreams, 1995)
A point-and-click adventure based on the Harlan Ellison story, which sparked quite a lot of controversy for its twisted themes that depicted all the worst elements of humanity. While the protagonists are far from innocent (one notably being a Nazi doctor with a story set in a death camp), its themes of redemption and overcoming failure won out, turning it into a very compelling story even if its puzzles were not always the best and the voice acting was, as per the period, mediocre (save for AM, voiced by Ellison himself, who is clearly having a lot of fun with the role). It's recently gotten a number of modern ports thanks to Nightdive, and the original is playable in both DOSBox and ScummVM, so it's well worth a look for fans of good stories.
87. Wartales (Shiro Games, 2022)
A
game that obviously draws inspiration from the old cult classic
"Darklands", Wartales is very similar in concept - a small band of
adventurers traveling around the land in search of fame (or infamy) and
fortune. Unlike that game, though, it does have a bit more of an
involved class system; characters earn sets of skills depending upon
their chosen vocations and interact with the world in different ways,
too. As you travel and face danger you'll not only power up your
characters, but learn new tools to craft and abilities that benefit the
entire group like rationing food (slows food consumption), outrunning
enemies to avoid fights, carrying more weight or even more ghoulish
options like being willing to resort to cannibalism to survive. There's
no real overarching story to go through - you carve out your own. But
it's deep and engaging enough to keep you coming back for a good while.
86. Diablo (Blizzard Entertainment, 1996)
Warcraft and Lost Vikings were fairly popular games in their time, but Diablo is the game that really put Blizzard on the map. Taking the concept of games like Rogue, adding an action bent and dousing the whole thing in a heavy grim atmosphere, it definitely awed people at a glance. It only became more immersive thanks to its fantastic soundtrack and a surprisingly good story with some high quality voice over, and the fact that you got a random shuffle of quests, items and spells each time you played lent it quite a bit of replay value. It had an official (though non-canon) expansion in Hellfire as well, adding in several new quests and three new playable classes (though you have to do some file-editing to make them all accessible). While largely overshadowed by its sequel these days, Diablo is still a very worthy game that is not to be missed.
85. Epic Pinball (Digital Extremes, 1993)
While I'm not really a big fan of video pinball games, a few have managed to grab my attention over the years due to their brilliant execution. Epic Pinball is definitely one of them; a huge mainstay on shareware discs and even having limited versions included with some OEM computers back in the day, it certainly impressed me with its high-fidelity and colorful graphics, fantastic music and the sheer variety it brings to the proceedings; the CD version of the game includes a whopping 13 tables to play on. They also match a variety of themes, from race cars to futuristic androids to a bizarre, threadbare table called the "Enigma" that awards bonuses based on a cryptic set of conditions. Good stuff all around, whether you're a pinball fanatic or not.
84. Riven (Cyan, 2024)
The followup to the 2014 remake of Myst, once again keeping the design of the original largely intact while taking advantage of modern technology to immerse the player in a 3D world. Like the rest of the series it's a rather minimalistic adventure title - there are very few inventory items and puzzles largely consist of trial-and-error using various visual and audio cues, but the imaginative steam-powered technology, gorgeous sights and subtle storytelling (as well as remixed puzzles from the original release) keep it an engaging and immersive adventure. Seeing it redone in full 3D is quite a treat too, as it makes the experience more gorgeous than ever.
83. Jazz Jackrabbit (Epic MegaGames, 1994)
Probably the first PC game I can remember really being blown away by, proving that computers could have games that were just as fast-paced, colorful and smooth-playing as anything on a console. Jazz Jackrabbit obviously draws a lot of inspiration from Sonic with its colorful environments, mazelike levels and fast paced design (even utilizing similar 3D bonus stages to Sonic CD), though it works in a touch of run-and-gun shooting action too, giving you a number of different weapons and powerups to utilize and plenty of enemies to blow away with them. Cap that off with a fantastic soundtrack and you've got a genuine shareware action classic that gave the major consoles of the time a run for their money.
82. Organ Trail (The Men Who Wear Many Hats, 2010)
A game which is very clearly a parody of/tribute to the classic "The Oregon Trail", though it does much to set itself apart too and become a fine title in its own right. Visually it resembles its predecessor with its low-color visuals and hatched graphics to simulate shading in particular scenes, but gameplay-wise it's a very different beast. Instead of a wagon you drive a beaten-up car, and you'll frequently have to choose between different routes, fend off attacking bikers or hordes of zombies, and occasionally shoot it out with bandits. Radiation, infection and vehicle breakdowns are constant threats, and scavenging enough supplies to make it to the end are an endeavor in themselves. A game that melds humor, grim atmosphere and a constant sense of unease and uncertainty together in perfect fashion, Organ Trail is a fine homophonic homage.
81. Carmageddon (Stainless Games, 1997)
A game which blends all things late-90s together into one - charmingly blocky 3D engines (BRender, the same technology behind 3D Movie Maker), metal music, gratuitous violence and pure action. Case in point, Carmageddon is a combination of an arcade racer, an open-world game and a demolition derby with three win conditions - go through all the checkpoints before time expires, demolish all of your opponents' cars, or kill every pedestrian on the map. Impacts, checkpoints and dead pedestrians earn you extra time and points which can be used to unlock new vehicles and tracks, purchase upgrades or just repair damage to your car and get you back in the action mid-stage. You'll also find a variety of hazards and various power-ups and power-downs like Jelly Suspension, Blind Pedestrians, Solid Granite Cars, Damage Multipliers and Free Repairs, all of which only add more chaos to the proceedings. Gruesome, twisted and incredibly fun, Carmageddon is a blast. Just steer clear of that godawful Nintendo 64 version and you're golden.
