90. One Must Fall: 2097 (Diversions Entertainment, 1994)
Fighting games were definitely the hot genre throughout the '90s; Street Fighter II was a huge hit in the arcades, so everyone was trying to make their own similarly-styled fighters to cash in, sometimes quite successfully (Mortal Kombat and King of Fighters being two prominent examples). The PC didn't get too many well-received fighters of its own, but One Must Fall: 2097 definitely stood out from the pack. It had style to spare with its anime-inspired characters and story and smoothly-animated combatants, and quite a bit of gameplay variety - there were ten robots to choose from, each with their own sets of special moves and flashy combos, and your choice of pilot would tweak their parameters, changing up how they play. There were stage hazards too (like jets that fly overhead and bombard the arena with bullets), which definitely kept you on your toes. The game was released as freeware in 1999, so you can check it out for yourself at no cost.
89. Abuse (Crack dot Com, 1996)
A run-and-gun shooter that plays like one part Contra, one part Doom and one part Smash TV, Abuse was like nothing else on PC at the time. Basically a 2D platformer with 360-degree movement and aiming via the mouse, the game took advantage by having enemies be fast and ruthless and come at you from every angle, quickly overwhelming you if you weren't careful. Of course, it also took cues from games like Doom with multiple hidden secrets and powerups to find in each stage and even a few alternate pathways to discover. Its source code has also been released, allowing it to get ports to multiple platforms, so there's no excuse to not check out Abuse.
88. Shadowgate (Zojoi, 2014)
An updated remake of the classic point-and-click adventure game from the 1980s, Shadowgate's 2014 iteration was downright inspired. The game's narrative was significantly expanded over its predecessor, new puzzles and obstacles were added, and elements of the original were changed up a lot, meaning that the old solutions to puzzles no longer work (and, in fact, will frequently result in your death). The game also features multiple difficulty levels that further shuffle puzzles and clues as well as lend some replay value to a genre largely lacking in it. And of course, the remixed music and updated visuals effectively portray a grim atmosphere that only makes the game's story even more compelling. Bring on the remake of Beyond Shadowgate!
87. Freedom Planet (GalaxyTrail, 2014)
Beginning life as a Sonic the Hedgehog fangame, Freedom Planet quickly turned into something grander - an homage to Sega Genesis era action games in general, working in elements of games like Rocket Knight Adventures and a dash of Treasure style action as well. There are three playable characters - Sash Lilac (who has a speed dash and a spinning cyclone), Carol Tea (who fights with short-ranged claw swipes and can ride a motorcycle that both makes her faster and gives her stronger attacks) and Milla Basset (who can hover for short distances as well as summon magical barriers and cubes, which serve as both projectiles and a short-ranged but powerful burst attack). The fast-paced action and fluid animation also fit the aesthetic perfectly, creating a game that's flashy and intense and whose puzzles don't intrude on the fast pace.
86. 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.
85. 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 do 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.
84. 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.
83. Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven (New World Computing, 1998)
Might and Magic is a highly regarded franchise among PC gamers, mixing puzzle-solving, dungeon crawling, loot-gathering and humor together to great effect. Might and Magic 6 was the first to really reinvent the series, retaining the same classic first-person gameplay but streamlining it in a number of ways - being able to swap between real-time and turn-based action on the fly, a much more streamlined and user-friendly interface, with every bit of data you need to play the game readily available via right-click, and a reworked skill system not unlike those in Ultima Underworld or Elder Scrolls, adding a new layer of depth and character customization to the game. Plus, I just find the presentation charming - it's that late 90s attempt to be "realistic" by having motion-captured actors and 3D-rendered environments and enemies, and for that reason it's endearingly cheesy. Great fun on every front!
82. The Secret of Monkey Island (Lucasfilm Games, 1990)
The first game in the Monkey Island series and the one that introduced us to Guybrush Threepwood and the undead pirate king LeChuck, who would clash many more times over the years. The game won a lot of fans for its masterful puzzle design combined seamlessly with its strong sense of humor (the brilliant blend of insults and sword-fighting being an oft-cited favorite for good reason) and for having a surprisingly solid story beneath it all, punctuated with expressive animation and high-quality character artwork. It was such a beloved classic that it was completely remade in 2009, overhauling its visuals and interface and adding full voiceover.
81. X-COM: Apocalypse (Microprose, 1997)
The original X-COM is an undisputed classic; a nearly flawless blend of turn-based tactical combat, business management and even some light RPG elements in researching new technologies and managing your squad's stats and equipment. The sequel (Terror from the Deep) was basically a glorified expansion pack, but that's no surprise as they had all of six months to develop it. X-COM Apocalypse was a bold experiment, centering the action around a single city (rather than the entire planet) and having the player manage relationships with its major players as they dealt with the alien threats - from the corporations running transportation, supplying food and energy, and even some criminal organizations like the Diablo syndicate and the Cult of Sirius; one can stay on friendly terms with them by fending off alien assaults and earn potential benefits, or raid them for supplies at the cost of reputation. Initially it was also planned that these factions would conflict with one another, giving X-COM missions to infiltrate or sabotage rival factions to gain favor with them, but nearly all of this was axed for time constraints. Still, the X-COM hook of battling, researching and gradually conquering remains strong, and I just really like the '90s CGI aesthetic they used; it adds a touch of surreal charm.
