The developers who are chasing better and better graphics tend to forget that not every gamer has powerful hardware. In the meantime, the demand for games for old PC and weak laptops is still huge. This is where independent developers can come to the rescue, who, although they don’t have huge budgets and cannot afford photorealism in the games they create, frequently offer more ambitious and engaging experiences than AAA developers. In the following, we will introduce you to interesting PC games with low requirements.
What Do We Mean by Old PC and Laptop?
We are selecting games for an old PC… well, but what exactly do we mean by the terms weak and old? When it comes to RAM, we gave ourselves an upper limit of 8 GB, while most of the productions described below demand far less.
When it comes to graphics cards, we have taken a lovely trip to the past. GeForce GT 640 or Radeon R7 250 were indeed great 8 years ago, and they have aged pretty well, but without hiding, it’s hard now to put them even in the low-end category. However, the majority of games on the list will run without problems on the newer office laptops’ integrations. The same is true of processors. The sixth-generation Intel i3 or AMD FX-8350 are reliable hardware, but no one will certainly call them speed demons now.
Meanwhile, what’s the deal with these new games? We were primarily interested in Steam games with low requirements, which were published in 2020 or newer! And we were successful! Waiting for you below are some well-reviewed and highly playable titles from recent years.
Most Interesting Games For Old PC and Laptops
When picking out new games for an old laptop, we mainly focused our attention on indies. As it turned out, solid Steam games with low requirements are not necessarily ugly at all! Now let’s get down to the list and see what are our 10 best games for old PC and laptops.
10- Inscryption
Inscryption is a total genre mix-mash. We have here a card game, coupled with an adventure and a roguelike, all maintained in the atmosphere of horror. The plot of this PC game of low requirements is set in one modest location – Lesha’s cottage. The majority of the fun is spent at the table, fighting a card skirmish with the mentioned demon.
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The prize for victory is the ability to leave the building altogether (which won’t always be possible, in particular, since we can buy back part of our body from defeat). To add variety, while playing we can rise from the stool and get down to exploring the room, on which numerous environmental puzzles await.
Inscryption Hardware Requirements
Operating System: Windows 7; Processor: Intel Core i5-760 (4 * 2800); AMD Athlon II X4 645 AM3 (4 * 3100); Memory: 4 GB RAM; Graphics Card: GeForce GTX 550 Ti (3072 VRAM); Radeon HD 6850 (1024 VRAM)
9- Paradise Killer
Who of us would ever despise a vacation on a paradise island? Sadly, the Paradise is a paradise in name only (well, except if for someone the idyll is the possibility of firing up this game on an old PC). The storyline itself is extremely twisted, and really bad things start to happen. But one by one… The story of this game is set on an island, situated on the border of dimensions, which periodically regenerates.
The location is inhabited by fanatical followers of alien beings possessing paranormal abilities. In addition to all this, at one point there is a series of murders. And it is the player’s task to investigate the case. When looking for best games for old PC and laptops, you should seriously consider Paradise Killer.
Paradise Killer Hardware Requirements
Operating System: Windows 7 (64 bit); Processor: 2GHz Dual Core; Memory: 4GB RAM; Graphics Card: HD Graphics 530 (Direct X 11 or above required)
8- Little Nightmares 2
The horror theme doesn’t let go, and this time we’re taking to a cheap laptop game from a somewhat different genre. Little Nightmares II is an unsettling 2.5D platformer with a very unique atmosphere. As opposed to its predecessor, we are now dealing with two protagonists, and Six herself no longer plays first fiddle.
However, the heavy burden of dealing with the adversities sneaking on the way to the goal rests on the boy named Mono, while the girl effectively seconds him while overcoming traps and solving puzzles. Little Nightmares 2 will surely be one of the best games for old PC and laptops.
Little Nightmares 2 Hardware Requirements
Operating System: Windows 10, Processor: Intel Core i5-2300 | AMD FX-4350, Memory: 4 GB RAM, Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 570, 1 GB | AMD Radeon HD 7850, 2 GB
7- Monster Train
On the surface, Monster Train from Shiny Shoe studio is strikingly similar to another independent hit, Slay the Spire. Both the first and the second production combine features of two genres – card games and roguelikes. Yet in both cases it works downright phenomenally. As opposed to the work of Mega Crit Games, Monster Train provides us with a slightly different storyline.
We end up in hell this time and engage in card duels with invaders from heaven, while traveling across the battlefields on a devilish train. It is an example of a great game for a cheap laptop – it will run with no problems even on an integrated graphics card.
Monster Train Hardware Requirements
Operating System: Windows 7; Processor: Core i3; Memory: 4 GB RAM; Graphics card: IGP or better
6- Citizen Sleeper
It is time to play a paper RPG, except that on a PC! Citizen Sleeper is a cyberpunk role-playing game, which was inspired by popular “tabletop” titles. The gameplay is split into cycles, where we make dice rolls and decide on the next actions based on them. Your main goal in the game is to escape from the clutches of the chasing corporation.
However, in order to do this, you must first stay alive, which is not going to be so easy, because of Sleeper’s outer shell, which decays at an alarming rate. Just looking at the requirements, putting this game on a cheap laptop won’t create any problems. Definitely a great game for old PC and laptops.
Citizen Sleeper Hardware Requirements
Operating System: Windows 7+; Processor: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system; Memory: 4 GB RAM; Graphics card: DirectX 11 compatible GPU
5- OlliOlli World
OlliOlli is just the kind of game for an old laptop you can play for weeks and never get tired of it. What is it all about? The independent production of Roll7 studio helps you glide on your board through vibrant, colorful locations, while performing amazing tricks. The beauty of this game is also enhanced by considerable customization options, so we keep ourselves busy for hours, unlocking more clothes and tricks. Thanks to simple, yet aesthetically pleasing graphics and a good soundtrack, this skateboarding title can be considered one of the best games for old PC and laptops.
OlliOlliWorld Hardware Requirements
Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit; Processor: 2.5GHz dual core processor or higher; Memory: 4GB RAM; Graphics Card: Intel HD 530, GeForce GT 430 or Radeon HD 5570 (DirectX 10.1 / Shader Model 4.1 support required)
4- Prodeus
There are probably quite a few people who are familiar with this boomer shooter. Prodeus is the product of two industry veterans – Mike Voeller and Jason Mojic. The developers describe their work as a retro shooter, created anew with the help of modern rendering techniques. One interesting feature is the option to display the game in a “modern” graphic setting or use special sprites, which simulate the old-fashioned appearance of low-resolution enemies.
The older players will enjoy immersing themselves in a nostalgic journey through space, while the younger ones will have an opportunity to exterminate hundreds of enemies, while enjoying the eye with the more attractive graphics they are more used to.
Prodeus Hardware Requirements
Operating System: Windows 7+; Processor: CPU @ 2+ GHz, 4 cores; Memory: 2 GB RAM; Graphics Card: NVidia GTX 580 or AMD HD 7870
3- Risk of Rain 2
Risk of Rain 2 is the next unusual genre mix. The developers have mixed a selection of aspects of platformers, shooters, roguelite with some RPG mechanics to deliver a one-of-a-kind experience. This wacky mix sounds a bit chaotic, but ultimately it all works extremely well! Its second installment brought the series into 3D, and offered the opportunity to play with up to three people in co-op mode. Gamers are tasked with surviving on an alien planet while fighting off hordes of aggressive enemies.
Risk of Rain 2 Hardware Requirements
Operating System: Windows 7 or newer, 64-bit; Processor: Intel Core i3-6100 / AMD FX-8350; Memory: 4 GB RAM; Graphics card: GTX 580 / AMD HD 7870
2- The Pathless
Following the interesting and relaxing ABZU, developers from the Giant Squid studio took it a step further, with an even more magical adventure. Underwater wilderness has been replaced by a colorful fairytale land, which we will come to wander through the guided archer and her loyal eagle. In terms of storyline, we have here a trivial tale of the struggle between good and evil, which is merely a background for calm gameplay, which focuses on exploring the world and solving environmental puzzles.
Slow pace of play is interrupted during multi-stage boss fights. Should you be looking for a beautiful (despite its minimalism) game for a weak PC, you are at home. You will be charmed by The Pathless with its uniqueness and fairytale-like atmosphere.
The Pathless Hardware Requirements
Operating System: Windows 10; Processor: Intel Core i5-2300 | AMD FX-4350; Memory: 6 GB RAM; Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce GT
1- Sifu
We are going to break tradition slightly and not introduce you to a Steam game with low requirements this time. Sifu is now available exclusively on the Epic Games Store, however, it’s probably a matter of time when the title will be released on Gabe Newell’s platform as well. But is it worth it? By all means. This intriguing brawler is not only equipped with a nice combat system, but also original mechanics.
After a defeat, we do not die, but only grow older (of course, there are also some limits). Thus, the more years on our necks, the more damage we can inflict. Simultaneously, we also are becoming more vulnerable to attacks, which forces a change in gameplay style. Sifu definitely deserves a place in this list of best games for old PC and laptops.
Sifu Hardware Requirements
Operating System: Windows 8.1; Processor: AMD FX-4350, Intel Core i5-3470; Memory: 8 GB; Graphics card: Radeon R7 250, GeForce GT 640 ;
And what new games for old PC and laptop would you recommend to others? Undoubtedly, you will mention Disco Elysium and Hades. But we, because of the immense popularity and recognition of these titles, decided in the end not to include them in the list (which does not imply at all that we do not recommend them – on the contrary! Whoever hasn’t played yet, should catch up right away). So we look forward to your lists presenting your favorite PC games with low requirements.
