PC Gamer's Top 100 - Cry Some More

Check out the series of articles here.

Note that the PC Gamer editorial staff said that this isn't a list of 'best' games, but games that they love the most. They also included only one entry per franchise.

100. Starcraft
99. Sins of a Solar Empire
98. Sacrifice
97. Armageddon Empires
96. Sensible World of Soccer
95. Just Cause
94. Fable
93. Full Throttle
92. Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
91. Rise of Nations

90. Crimson Skies
89. Sam & Max Hit the Road
88. Combat Mission: Afrika Korps
87. Enemy Territory: Quake Wars
86. Anchorhead
85. N
84. Grim Fandango
83. Lord of the Rings Online
82. Desktop Tower Defence
81. Silent Hunter III

80. Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic
79. Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood
78. SWAT 4
77. GRID
76. Freespace 2
75. Syndicate
74. Frontier Elite II
73. Far Cry
72. Ground Control
71. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

70. Uplink
69. The Secret of Monkey Island
68. Command & Conquer 3
67. Championship Manager 2: 96/97
66. Unreal Tournament III
65. Tomb Raider Anniversary
64. Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2
63. TIE-Fighter
62. Gears of War
61. Warcraft III

60. Day of Defeat: Source
59. DEFCON
58. Masq
57. Outcast
56. Ultima VII
55. Diablo II
54. Beyond Good & Evil
53. Doom II
52. Guild Wars
51. Audiosurf

50. Alien Vs. Predator
49. Ultima Underworld II
48. Trackmania United Forever
47. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
46. Mass Effect
45. Dungeon Keeper
44. Supreme Commander
43. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War
42. F.E.A.R.
41. Psychonauts

40. Peggle
39. Homeworld
38. SimCity 2000
37. Crysis
36. Rollercoaster Tycoon 2
35. Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
34. Quake III
33. Baldur's Gate II
32. The Sims 2
31. Call of Duty 4

30. Day of the Tentacle
29. Battlefield 2
28. Darwinia
27. Counter-Strike: Source
26. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
25. Half-Life
24. Mafia
23. City of Heroes
22. Company of Heroes
21. Fallout

20. System Shock 2
19. World in Conflict
18. The Longest Journey - John says "I've never heard of it. Ho ho. This is the game that changed my life, changed who I was. And I'm not the only one. It's a testimony to the need for vivid imagination in an increasingly controlled, corporate world."
17. Anachronox
16. Armed Assault
15. Galactic Civilizations II: Twilight of the Arnor
14. Thief II: The Metal Age
13. EVE Online
12. BioShock
11. Civilization IV - Tim says "It's the competition between nations, and the pace of progress that always surprises me about Civ. You can pass through epochs in hours, believing you've got the upper hand with musketmen and artillery, only to discover your neighbours are sporting tanks and a menacing grin."

10. UFO: Enemy Unknown
9. Planescape Torment
8. Hitman: Blood Money
7. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Tom says "That rolling, forested landscape might look like merely a prettier version of standard fantasy lore. But explore it for a while and you find it's riddled with secrets, darkness and the bizarre. Murder mysteries unfold for real, party guests are stripped naked, drug dealers sneak from town to town, and in Border Watch, it rains burning dogs."
6. Portal - Graham says "The best comic writing since Monkey Island coupled with a fresh idea strong enough to carry the entire game. But what gets lost among the kitschy in-jokes about cubes and cake and songs is how big a heart it has. Portal is about machinery and empty science labs, but it manages to evoke more feeling than games five times its length."
5. Medieval II: Total War
4. World of Warcraft
3. Half-Life 2 - Craig says "All hail the Gravity Gun, best of all in-game weapons. But it's not just that: Half-Life 2's art, writing and action all combine to make something unique: a shooter where I genuinely care about the people around me. And I hate everybody."
2. Deus Ex
1. Team Fortress 2

Ross says "I didn't get it straight away. I didn't realise that you have to play the cIass not try to just charge out and kill. Now I know better: searching for distant Sentries as a Soldier, protecting Engineers as a Pyro, keeping attacks going as a Medic. There's only one thing more satisfying than capturing the final point as an attacking player: being the last-ditch defender as time runs out, bludgeoning that last Heavy with the Bonesaw. Oh yes."

Tim says "Lunchtime is no more. For PC Gamer, food is to be gulped down between spawns during TF2 hour. Why do we keep playing? Because Team Fortress 2 isn't a game about pure twitch aiming skills. It tests teamwork and communication, tactics and placement. When we're good, we're very, very, very good: Tom and Craig sapping sentries, while Ross and myself charge out, Medic and Heavy uber-charged.

First off, Starcraft - hahahahahahah! The only publication I've seen to put that game in its place. Overall, I think it's a good list. It's great to see a publication doing away with hopelessly trying to be "objective" (which is impossible) and simply listing a bunch of games they love playing. Huge props.

Also, I see quite a bit of games I've barely even heard of which I want to check out after reading the synopsis (Masq). Also, Hitman: Blood Money at #8? It's seems you get to kill an entire wedding party, I should really play that game.

Your thoughts?

Great list but... StarCraft at #100?!?thusaha

and TF2 at #1..i love it as much as the next guy but number 1?

I demand Starcraft to be much higher.Overrated_Hero

Mmm, no Halo? Epic failure across the board.

Are these guys even taken seriously?

Pc gamers is officialy dead for me.

Worst top100 list ever.

I demand Starcraft to be much higher.Overrated_Hero

Exact thing I thought when I saw Starcraft at 100, and then FLASH GAMES higher than it?! I haven't even played the game but I know LOADS of people love it and to say there are flash games that more enjoyable is kind of weird...

Starcraft is at 100 and Sims 2 is 32...Weird list and I can't say I agree with much of it at all.

[QUOTE="Overrated_Hero"]I demand Starcraft to be much higher.bobbetybob

Exact thing I thought when I saw Starcraft at 100, and then FLASH GAMES higher than it?! I haven't even played the game but I know LOADS of people love it and to say there are flash games that more enjoyable is kind of weird...

Starcraft wouldn't be on my top 100, either, because I'm horrible at RTS games. :P

I'll be honest, but that is a odd list. I mean, Team Fortress 2 is fun but #1?

And Starcraft at #100? Also, I think Company of Heroes is way better than Medievel Total War.

Those guys obviously wanted to stir something up. Putting Starcraft last does it for me.

I'll be honest, but that is a odd list. I mean, Team Fortress 2 is fun but #1?

And Starcraft at #100? Also, I think Company of Heroes is way better than Medievel Total War.

Those guys obviously wanted to stir something up. Putting Starcraft last does it for me.

ASK_Story

I think the point is that this list isn't meant to be a definitive list of anything...I don't get why some people are approaching it like it's suppose to be a regular 'top 100' list.

[QUOTE="ASK_Story"]

I'll be honest, but that is a odd list. I mean, Team Fortress 2 is fun but #1?

And Starcraft at #100? Also, I think Company of Heroes is way better than Medievel Total War.

Those guys obviously wanted to stir something up. Putting Starcraft last does it for me.

Skylock00

I think the point is that this list isn't meant to be a definitive list of anything...I don't get why some people are approaching it like it's suppose to be a regular 'top 100' list.

Well, some guys just want to stand out from the crowd and think they're all cool and rebels because their list doesn't follow everyone else.:P

I don't know, it's just a odd list. Hitman Blood Money at #8? Deus Ex better than Half-Life 2? It's like that same list I saw for 100 greatest film directors of all-time with David Lynch at #1 and Steven Spielberg not even on the list.

I don't know, it's just a odd list. Hitman Blood Money at #8? Deus Ex better than Half-Life 2? It's like that same list I saw for 100 greatest film directors of all-time with David Lynch at #1 and Steven Spielberg not even on the list.

ASK_Story

I would probably recognize Starcraft as a very important, significant, even great game in the RTS/PC realm of games...but if I was making a list like these guys did, Starcraft would never be in the top 100, period, becuase I don't find it fun to play, at all.

That's the purpose of the list in this case...they don't care about recognizing which games are more significant, memorable, important, better designed, or what have you...it's just a list of games they like to play, in order of how much they like to play it.

[QUOTE="Skylock00"][QUOTE="ASK_Story"]

I'll be honest, but that is a odd list. I mean, Team Fortress 2 is fun but #1?

And Starcraft at #100? Also, I think Company of Heroes is way better than Medievel Total War.

Those guys obviously wanted to stir something up. Putting Starcraft last does it for me.

ASK_Story

I think the point is that this list isn't meant to be a definitive list of anything...I don't get why some people are approaching it like it's suppose to be a regular 'top 100' list.

Deus Ex better than Half-Life 2? It's like that same list I saw for 100 greatest film directors of all-time with David Lynch at #1 and Steven Spielberg not even on the list.

Both very much in line with my own opinions there :lol:

Personally I'd never even consider choosing Half-Life 2 over Half-Life. And even then Deus Ex would be higher on the list.

Mmm, no Halo? Epic failure across the board.

Are these guys even taken seriously?

Dutch_Mix

Halo has never been regarded as a decent pc game.

[QUOTE="ASK_Story"]

I don't know, it's just a odd list. Hitman Blood Money at #8? Deus Ex better than Half-Life 2? It's like that same list I saw for 100 greatest film directors of all-time with David Lynch at #1 and Steven Spielberg not even on the list.

Skylock00

I would probably recognize Starcraft as a very important, significant, even great game in the RTS/PC realm of games...but if I was making a list like these guys did, Starcraft would never be in the top 100, period, becuase I don't find it fun to play, at all.

That's the purpose of the list in this case...they don't care about recognizing which games are more significant, memorable, important, better designed, or what have you...it's just a list of games they like to play, in order of how much they like to play it.

Sounds about right to me. Me personally, I wouldn't put Starcraft in my top 100 either.

Mmm, no Halo? Epic failure across the board.

Are these guys even taken seriously?

Dutch_Mix

Considering this is a PC-only list, I don't think either Halo game should be on it...both ports were mediocre.

[QUOTE="Dutch_Mix"]

Mmm, no Halo? Epic failure across the board.

Are these guys even taken seriously?

leejohnson7

Halo has never been regarded as a decent pc game.

True. It's one of the reasons I feel quite disconnected with a large part of the PC gaming community although I'm mainly a PC gamer myself. The ignorance it can show towards certain games is completely unbelievable.

Considering this is a PC-only list, I don't think either Halo game should be on it...both ports were mediocre.

JML897

Partly true but Halo: Custom Edition is easily the best version of the game IMO. I know it isn't "official" but it fixed most of the problems except the bad performance which it also made less bad

Apparently, PC gamer is a big orange box fan.sonicare

Can't really blame them there.

[QUOTE="leejohnson7"][QUOTE="Dutch_Mix"]

Mmm, no Halo? Epic failure across the board.

Are these guys even taken seriously?

inoperativeRS

Halo has never been regarded as a decent pc game.

True. It's one of the reasons I feel quite disconnected with a large part of the PC gaming community although I'm mainly a PC gamer myself. The ignorance it can show towards certain games is completely unbelievable.

Halo just never was anything special in the PC world. Plenty of better FPS games even when it made it to the PC.

Holy cow! The boring, overrated The Longest Journey at #18 and Starcraft at #100? ouch!AFBrat77

Speak for yourself :P

TLJ deserves that position IMO and I'm completely with Skylock regarding Starcraft.

[QUOTE="inoperativeRS"][QUOTE="leejohnson7"][QUOTE="Dutch_Mix"]

Mmm, no Halo? Epic failure across the board.

Are these guys even taken seriously?

AFBrat77

Halo has never been regarded as a decent pc game.

True. It's one of the reasons I feel quite disconnected with a large part of the PC gaming community although I'm mainly a PC gamer myself. The ignorance it can show towards certain games is completely unbelievable.

Halo just never was anything special in the PC world. Plenty of better FPS games even when it made it to the PC.

Then again, IIRC, Halo was originally suppose to be a Macintosh game, much like the majority of Bungie's earlier games.

[QUOTE="AFBrat77"]Holy cow! The boring, overrated The Longest Journey at #18 and Starcraft at #100? ouch!inoperativeRS

Speak for yourself :P

TLJ deserves that position IMO and I'm completely with Skylock regarding Starcraft.

lol, TLJ was the most dissapointing game I have ever played. I'll never forget that ridiculous unintuitive rubber duck puzzle, and thats for starters. Best part was in the middle of game. Grim Fandango is far superior. Is that on the list? It should be!

[QUOTE="inoperativeRS"][QUOTE="leejohnson7"][QUOTE="Dutch_Mix"]

Mmm, no Halo? Epic failure across the board.

Are these guys even taken seriously?

AFBrat77

Halo has never been regarded as a decent pc game.

True. It's one of the reasons I feel quite disconnected with a large part of the PC gaming community although I'm mainly a PC gamer myself. The ignorance it can show towards certain games is completely unbelievable.

Halo just never was anything special in the PC world. Plenty of better FPS games even when it made it to the PC.

Oh in my opinion it was. Probably still my favorite FPS of the 00's. But as I said my taste is rather unconventional.

[QUOTE="AFBrat77"][QUOTE="inoperativeRS"][QUOTE="leejohnson7"][QUOTE="Dutch_Mix"]

Mmm, no Halo? Epic failure across the board.

Are these guys even taken seriously?

Skylock00

Halo has never been regarded as a decent pc game.

True. It's one of the reasons I feel quite disconnected with a large part of the PC gaming community although I'm mainly a PC gamer myself. The ignorance it can show towards certain games is completely unbelievable.

Halo just never was anything special in the PC world. Plenty of better FPS games even when it made it to the PC.

Then again, IIRC, Halo was originally suppose to be a Macintosh game, much like the majority of Bungie's earlier games.

Bungie's best game IMO was Myth 2: Soulblighter, good stuff!

[QUOTE="AFBrat77"][QUOTE="inoperativeRS"][QUOTE="leejohnson7"][QUOTE="Dutch_Mix"]

Mmm, no Halo? Epic failure across the board.

Are these guys even taken seriously?

Skylock00

Halo has never been regarded as a decent pc game.

True. It's one of the reasons I feel quite disconnected with a large part of the PC gaming community although I'm mainly a PC gamer myself. The ignorance it can show towards certain games is completely unbelievable.

Halo just never was anything special in the PC world. Plenty of better FPS games even when it made it to the PC.

Then again, IIRC, Halo was originally suppose to be a Macintosh game, much like the majority of Bungie's earlier games.

Shh, that is a rather sweet spot I've come to discover :P

[QUOTE="inoperativeRS"]

[QUOTE="AFBrat77"]Holy cow! The boring, overrated The Longest Journey at #18 and Starcraft at #100? ouch!AFBrat77

Speak for yourself :P

TLJ deserves that position IMO and I'm completely with Skylock regarding Starcraft.

lol, TLJ was the most dissapointing game I have ever played. Grim Fandango is far superior. Is that on the list? It should be!

Grim Fandango is superb as well but far superior? I'd call that taking it too far :P

Bungie's best game IMO was Myth 2: Soulblighter, good stuff!

AFBrat77

Good to see another Myth fan here! I'm more of a Marathon person myself but the Myth games are some of my favorite RTS's as well.

Oblivion at 7th is fail. Quantifying game quality is impossible, I don't understand how people can make lists like these while considering games inherent quality.foxhound_fox

While I question their tastes regarding some of their choices, I would in no way call their list or choices 'wrong,' because the nature of the list kind of avoids that point.

HAHAHA...

No.

[QUOTE="AFBrat77"]

Bungie's best game IMO was Myth 2: Soulblighter, good stuff!

inoperativeRS

Good to see another Myth fan here! I'm more of a Marathon person myself but the Myth games are some of my favorite RTS's as well.

[QUOTE="inoperativeRS"][QUOTE="AFBrat77"]

Bungie's best game IMO was Myth 2: Soulblighter, good stuff!

Skylock00

Good to see another Myth fan here! I'm more of a Marathon person myself but the Myth games are some of my favorite RTS's as well.

You played Pathways :o

I played it as well (long after the release simply because of my love for Marathon :P) on the easiest difficulty setting. I had to use cheats to beat it. It is indeed so ahead of its time my head almost hurts when I think about it. It's worth playing if only because of the story IMO. Those nazis got what they deserved, HAH!