The 2000s were essential for PC gaming, bringing some of the most popular and influential games ever. During this decade, graphics, AI, and gameplay significantly improved, making games more exciting and immersive. From open-world adventures to fast-paced shooters, these games set new standards.
This list of the top 25 PC games from 2000 to 2010 is based on their impact, popularity, innovation, and long-term appeal. Some introduced new ideas, while others perfected their genres. Even today, these classics remain favourites among gamers.
Whether you played them before or are discovering them now, these games left a lasting mark on gaming history. Let’s take a look at the best PC games of the decade!
The Evolution of PC Gaming 2000–2010
From 2000 to 2010, PC gaming saw significant progress in several areas. Thanks to improved hardware and software, graphics became sharper and more realistic. Physics engines made in-game environments more dynamic, allowing for more realistic interactions. AI also evolved, making enemies brighter and gameplay more challenging.
Open-world games, RPGs, FPS, and strategy games grew popular during this period. Games like The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas gave players vast, immersive worlds to explore. Meanwhile, Half-Life 2 and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare pushed the boundaries of first-person shooters.
Online multiplayer also became a significant part of PC gaming. Titles like World of Warcraft and Team Fortress 2 brought players together globally. Narrative-driven experiences like Mass Effect and Bioshock boost game storytelling, showing how video games can tell complex, engaging stories.
1. Hitman: Codename 47 – The Birth of the Stealth-Assassin Genre
- First Release: November 21, 2000
- Developer(s): IO Interactive, Feral Interactive, Nixxes Software
- Publisher(s): IO Interactive, Eidos Interactive, Warner Bros. Games
- Creator: Jacob Andersen
- Genre: Stealth, Action
- Adaptations: Hitman (2007), Hitman: Agent 47 (2015), Hitman: Enemy Within
- Average Player Score: 7.6/10 (Based on 2,887 ratings)
Hitman: Codename 47 is a stealth-action classic where players control Agent 47, executing missions using disguises, weapons, and strategy. Intelligent AI reacts to actions, making stealth crucial. Rated 7.6/10 by 2,887 players.
2. Combat Flight Simulator 2
- Initial Release Date: 2000
- Genres: Combat Flight Simulation, Vehicle Simulation, Simulation
- Designer: Rob Brown
- Developers: Microsoft, Xbox Game Studios
- Publishers: Microsoft, Ubisoft, Xbox Game Studios, SAD Software Vertriebs- und Produktions GmbH
- Platform: Microsoft Windows
- Average Player Score: 8.3/10 (Based on 340 ratings)
Combat Flight Simulator 2 is a World War II Pacific flight game by Microsoft (2000). Players pilot American and Japanese aircraft in realistic missions with authentic physics, immersive environments, and online battles.
3. Thief II: The Metal Age
- Developer: Looking Glass Studios
- Genres: Stealth game, Action-adventure, Simulation
- Designers: Eric Brosius, Tim Stellmach
- Publishers: Eidos Interactive, Square Enix Europe, Noviy Disk, Fireshine Games
- Initial Release Date: March 23, 2000
- Average Player Score: 8.8/10 (Based on 1616 ratings)
Thief II: The Metal Age is a stealth-action classic where players control Garrett, a master thief. Focused on strategy over combat, it features shadows, gadgets, and immersive levels, redefining stealth gameplay.
4. Max Payne
- Publishers: Rockstar Games, Take-Two Interactive, Gathering of Developers, MacSoft
- Developers: Rockstar Games, Remedy Entertainment
- Adaptations: Max Payne (2008)
- Composer(s): Kärtsy Hatakka (1–2); Kimmo Kajasto (1–2); Perttu Kivilaakso (2); Health (3)
- First Release: Max Payne; July 24, 2001
- Genres: Third-person shooter
- Average Player Score: 8.8/10 (Based on 13,678 ratings)
Max Payne is a third-person shooter featuring “bullet time” for slow-motion gunfights. Players control ex-NYPD detective Max Payne in a noir-style revenge story with intense action, comic cutscenes, and cinematic shootouts.
5. Halo: Combat Evolved
- Initial Release Date: November 15, 2001
- Developers: Bungie Inc., Gearbox Software, MacSoft, Westlake Interactive
- Genres: First-person shooter
- Platforms: Xbox, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Classic Mac OS
- Average Player Score: 9.1/10 (Based on 49,687 ratings)
Halo: Combat Evolved revolutionized FPS gaming with its sci-fi story, dynamic combat, and advanced AI. Players control Master Chief, battling the Covenant in vast environments. Its gameplay, multiplayer, and storytelling defined the Xbox era.
6. Metroid Prime
- Initial Release Date: November 17, 2002
- Platforms: GameCube, Wii
- Developer: Retro Studios
- Genres: First-person shooter, Platform game, Action-adventure game, Graphic adventure game
- Composers: Kenji Yamamoto, Kouichi Kyuma
- Average Player Score: 9.3/10 (Based on 16,277 ratings)
Metroid Prime blends FPS with exploration as Samus Aran uncovers Tallon IV’s secrets. Featuring combat, puzzles, and upgrades like the Morph Ball, its immersive world, detailed environments, and music make it a genre-defining classic.
7. Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
- Platforms: PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360
- Initial Release Date: October 14, 2003
- Developers: Remedy Entertainment, Rockstar Vienna
- Genre: Third-person shooter
- Publisher: Rockstar Games
- Average Player Score: 8.8/10 (Based on 13,475 ratings)
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne enhances action, storytelling, and graphics. Players control ex-cop Max Payne in a noir world, using “bullet time,” weapons, and puzzles for an intense, emotional experience.
8. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
- Initial Release Date: November 12, 2001
- Platforms: PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Nvidia Shield TV
- Designer: Hideo Kojima
- Publishers: Konami, Konami Digital Entertainment
- Composers: Harry Gregson-Williams, Norihiko Hibino
- Genres: Stealth game, Action-adventure, Shooter
- Developer: Konami Computer Entertainment Japan
- Average Player Score: 9.1/10 (Based on 25,194 ratings)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is a stealth-action game with advanced AI, tactical gameplay, and cinematic storytelling. Players use gadgets, stealth, and strategy in a narrative exploring surveillance, identity, and deception.
9. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Initial Release Date: October 26, 2004
- Platforms: PlayStation 2, Android, Microsoft Windows, and more
- Composer: Michael Hunter
- Genres: Shooter, Action-adventure, Nonlinear gameplay
- Developers: Rockstar Games, Rockstar North
- Average Player Score: 9.1/10 (Based on 84,204 ratings)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is an open-world game where players control CJ, explore three cities, complete missions, and upgrade skills. It redefined sandbox gaming with nonlinear gameplay, RPG elements, and immersive storytelling.
10. Half-Life 2
- Initial Release Date: November 16, 2004
- Platforms: Android, Microsoft Windows, Xbox, macOS, Xbox 360, and more
- Developers: Valve Corporation, Nvidia LightSpeed Studios
- Genres: First-person shooter, Survival horror, Action-adventure
- Average Player Score: 9.3/10 (Based on 46,192 ratings)
Half-Life 2 is a groundbreaking FPS where players control Gordon Freeman against the alien Combine. Featuring advanced physics, strategic combat, AI-driven NPCs, and the Gravity Gun, it redefined storytelling and gameplay in the genre.
11. Shadow of the Colossus
- Initial Release Date: October 18, 2005
- Platforms: PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
- Developers: Team Ico, Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Designers: Fumito Ueda, Kow Otani
- Genres: Platform game, Action-adventure, Puzzle, Fighting, Shooter
- Average Player Score: 9/10 (Based on 502 ratings)
Shadow of the Colossus is an action-adventure game where players control Wander, battling 16 colossal bosses through strategic climbing and puzzle-solving. Its minimal storytelling, vast landscapes, and emotional depth make it a classic.
12. God of War
- Initial Release: 2005
- Designers: David Jaffe, Cory Barlog, Mark Simon
- Developers: Santa Monica Studio, Javaground, Ready at Dawn, Jetpack Interactive, Bluepoint Games, Daybreak Game Company
- Publishers: Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Studios
- Average Player Score: 9.4/10 (Based on 35,092 ratings)
God of War is an action-adventure game where players control Kratos, seeking revenge on Greek gods. Featuring brutal combat, epic boss fights, puzzles, and cinematic storytelling, it’s a defining gaming classic.
13. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
- Platforms: GameCube, Wii, Wii U, Nvidia Shield TV
- Initial Release Date: November 19, 2006
- Genres: Puzzle Video Game, Action-Adventure, Fighting, Action RPG
- Composer: Toru Minegishi
- Designers: Shigeru Miyamoto, Eiji Aonuma, Koji Kondo, Yoshiyuki Oyama
- Average Player Score: 9.3/10 (Based on 33,631 ratings)
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is an action-adventure RPG where players control Link, switching between human and wolf forms. It’s a fan favourite featuring real-time combat, puzzles, and an open-world design.
14. Gears of War
- First Release: November 7, 2006
- Designers: Cliff Bleszinski, Ryan Cleven, Matthew Searcy
- Developers: Epic Games, People Can Fly, The Coalition, Splash Damage, Mediatonic, Darkside Game Studios
Gears of War is a third-person shooter where players control Marcus Fenix against the Locust Horde. Featuring cover-based mechanics, brutal melee combat, advanced AI, and cinematic storytelling, it revolutionized the genre.
15. Portal
- First Release: October 10, 2007
- Developers: Valve Corporation, Electronic Arts, Prism Studios
- Designers: Kim Swift, Stabyourself
- Publishers: Valve Corporation, Electronic Arts, Headup Games
- Average Player Score: 9 (Based on 8,448 ratings)
Portal is a first-person puzzle game where players use the Portal Gun to solve physics-based puzzles. It revolutionised game puzzle-solving with dark humour, innovative mechanics, and a twist-filled story.
16. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- Initial Release Date: November 5, 2007
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Wii, Nintendo DS, macOS
- Developers: Infinity Ward, Treyarch, Aspyr, n-Space
- Genre: Tactical Shooter
- Average Player Score: 8.3 (Based on 39,558 ratings)
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare revolutionized FPS with modern combat, a gripping narrative, and cinematic gameplay. It set new standards for military shooters, featuring high-tech weapons, killstreaks, and multiplayer innovation.
17. Super Mario Galaxy – Gravity-Defying Platforming Adventure
- Initial Release Date: November 1, 2007
- Platforms: Wii, Wii U, Nvidia Shield TV
- Composers: Mahito Yokota, Koji Kondo
- Genres: Platform game, Action-adventure game
- Designers: Shigeru Miyamoto, Yoshiaki Koizumi, Koji Kondo, Satoru Iwata
- Average Player Score: 9.2 (Based on 18,158 ratings)
Super Mario Galaxy redefines platforming with gravity-based mechanics. Players guide Mario through spherical planets, solving puzzles and battling bosses. Its innovative physics, engaging challenges, and orchestral soundtrack offer a fresh Mario experience.
18. Fallout 3 – A Post-Apocalyptic RPG with an Open World
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Cloud Gaming, GeForce Now, Amazon Luna
- Initial Release Date: October 28, 2008
- Genres: First-person shooter, Action role-playing game, Fighting game, Survival horror, Action-adventure game
- Composer: Inon Zur
- Designers: Todd Howard, Emil Pagliarulo, Istvan Pely
- Average Player Score: 8.9 (Based on 48,568 ratings)
Fallout 3 is an open-world RPG set in the post-apocalyptic Capital Wasteland. Featuring real-time combat, V.A.T.S. targeting, branching quests, and moral choices, it redefined RPGs and set a new open-world standard.
19. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves – A Cinematic Action-Adventure Masterpiece
- Initial Release Date: October 13, 2009
- Platform: PlayStation 3
- Developers: Naughty Dog, Bluepoint Games
- Composer: Greg Edmonson
- Genres: Action-adventure game, Platform game, Third-person shooter
- Average Player Score: 9.4 (Based on 16,611 ratings)
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is an action-adventure game where players control treasure hunter Nathan Drake. Featuring cinematic storytelling, dynamic combat, puzzles, parkour, and multiplayer, it’s considered one of the greatest action-adventure games.
20. BioShock 2 – A Deep, Atmospheric FPS with Expanded Mechanics
- Initial Release Date: February 9, 2010
- Developers: Irrational Games, 2K Marin, 2K Australia, 2K China
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, macOS
- Genres: First-person shooter, Role-playing video game, Action-adventure, Survival horror
- Average Player Score: 8.5 (Based on 9,904 ratings)
BioShock 2 immerses players in Rapture as Subject Delta, enhancing the original with dynamic combat, dual-wielding, plasmid powers, RPG elements, a gripping narrative, and a multiplayer mode exploring Rapture’s downfall.
Conclusion
The games from this era revolutionized the gaming industry, setting new standards for mechanics, storytelling, and gameplay. Classics like Uncharted 2 and BioShock 2 pushed action-adventure boundaries, while Portal and Super Mario Galaxy introduced unique gameplay experiences that remain influential. These titles continue to hold up thanks to their engaging mechanics, deep narratives, and timeless design. Many have been remastered, making them accessible to modern players. Whether driven by nostalgia or a desire to experience gaming history, these classics offer unforgettable experiences. Their legacy endures, inspiring new games and securing their place as some of the best made.
