Summary
- The early 2000s marked the golden age of PC gaming, with amazing titles that pushed the boundaries of the industry establishing themselves during the era.
- Games like Red Faction, Grand Theft Auto III, and Return to Castle Wolfenstein were revolutionary in terms of gameplay and design.
- These games have the pedigree and quality to captivate even the most discerning gamers, regardless of genre preferences.
The golden age of PC gaming is something that fans look back on fondly to this day, with the evolution of this gaming platform taking center stage as a host of amazing titles ended up gracing the PC in the early 2000s. From excellent first-person shooters – a staple of PC gaming at that point – to some truly imaginative titles that pushed the boundaries of gaming to new heights, PC games were on a meteoric rise at the start of this phenomenal decade.
Those who want to check out some of the greatest games launched on the PC in the early 2000s need only take a look at this list. Regardless of your preferences when it comes to certain genres in gaming, these games have the pedigree and quality required to woo even the most stubborn gamers around.
Updated on May 9, 2025, by Mohamed El Ouardighi: The early 2000s marked a memorable time in gaming, with iconic titles that shaped the industry for years to come. To pay tribute to this golden era, we’ve updated our list of the top PC games from 2000-2010, now with even more details to highlight the brilliance of these classics. Whether you played them during their heyday or are experiencing them for the first time, these games remain timeless, continuing to influence and entertain players today.
Red Faction
Red Faction
- Released
-
May 22, 2001
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
-
Volition
- Publisher(s)
-
THQ
- Engine
-
Geo Mod
Before developing its hit open-world action-adventure series Saints Row, Volition started a dystopian sci-fi series set on Mars with Red Faction in 2001. The plot is pretty much your standard sci-fi, especially of films from that era. An exploitative mining corporation on Mars called Ultor mistreats its miners as they dig the red planet’s resources, and an uprising inevitably follows.
This gameplay, on the other hand, delivers some of the most fantastic FPS combat, sound, and level design of the 2000s. A large part of that was also the game’s Geo-Mod engine, which gives you the satisfying ability to destroy chunks of the environment. Although it may not compare to modern destruction mechanics today, it was a game-changing feature at the time.
Grand Theft Auto 3
Grand Theft Auto 3
- Released
-
October 23, 2001
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood, Strong Language, Violence
Everyone is aware that getting betrayed is quite common in the criminal world, and that’s the premise of the third game in the Grand Theft Auto series. You play as Claude, who was betrayed by his girlfriend during an important robbery and barely escapes police custody. To exact revenge, you need to become the criminal overlord.
Grand Theft Auto III features all the general GTA mechanics including the UI where you can see your money, health points, armor, and the equipped weapon. While it might not be as famous as some other games in the franchise, it’ll still give you a great experience if you decide to play it.
Return To Castle Wolfenstein
An 80s game series that remains just as infamous to this day, thanks to the new vision from MachineGames, is Wolfenstein. Return to Castle Wolfenstein came out 20 years after the first-ever 1981 Castle Wolfenstein game. It’s also the successor to the classic 1992 Wolfenstein 3D game, which introduced the iconic Nazi-killing machine, B.J. Blazkowicz, as a Doomguy of sorts.
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If you enjoyed where MachineGames took the Wolfenstein series with titles that add more story and enemy variety, you’ll want to check out Return to Castle Wolfenstein. It revitalizes the graphics from the 1992 version while implementing more cut scenes and story beats, secret rooms, and much-improved enemy designs.
Age Of Empires 2
Age of Empires 2
- Released
-
November 14, 2019
- ESRB
-
t
- Developer(s)
-
Ensemble Studios
- Engine
-
Genie Engine
The Age of Empires series stands as a pinnacle of real-time strategy gaming, inspiring countless titles within the genre. This timeless classic from the early 2000s boasts an intricate resource management system, demanding you to masterfully balance gathering, economy, and military production to thrive and effectively confront adversaries.
With a multitude of civilizations to choose from and the game’s rich historical backdrop, you can immerse yourself in epic battles and monumental conquests. Whether engaging in thrilling solo campaigns or competing against friends, Age of Empires 2 offers endless opportunities to determine who will emerge victorious and claim the title of the last empire standing.
American McGee’s Alice
American McGee’s Alice
- Released
-
December 5, 2000
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
-
Rogue Entertainment
- Engine
-
id Tech 3
If you’ve read the original Alice in Wonderland story and watched the animated Disney movie, chances are this game ruined your childhood memories of Alice and her time in Wonderland. Launched right at the beginning of the era in 2000, American McGee’s Alice puts a dark, ominous spin on the literary classic.
Alice’s journey into a reimagined Wonderland here is tied more to the trauma of her family’s death in a house fire and receiving psychiatric care in Rutledge Asylum rather than an innocent fall down a rabbit hole. You can also see the influence of third-person adventure game mechanics popularized by Tomb Raider, such as traversing ledges, swimming, climbing and swinging from ropes, and solving puzzles.
Risen
Risen
- Released
-
October 2, 2009
- ESRB
-
m
- Developer(s)
-
Piranha Bytes
- Engine
-
physx
Published by THQ Nordic, Risen is one of the most underrated games released in the early 2000s. In this game, the main character’s ship crashes while in the sea, and you wash ashore on a random island. As you progress, you’ll learn that the island is in grave danger, and you have to pick a side moving forward.
The best part about this game is that the story completely changes based on the side you pick. You can either side with The Inquisition and learn magic or side with Bandits and hone your combat abilities. Apart from the main story, you also have many side quests that can unlock special items in this open-world game.
Mafia
2002 marked the launch of the first entry in the Mafia series, which has since seen a complete remake with the Definitive Edition in 2020. Set in the fictional Illinois city of Lost Heaven, it tells a gripping crime tale of a cab driver who joins the mob in the 1930s. Although Vito Scaletta would later dazzle in the sequel, Tommy Angelo’s story is every bit worth playing.
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Alongside Grand Theft Auto 3 from the year prior, it marked the start of what would be a long line of games featuring gangs down the road. The original included the driving elements, but there wasn’t much open-world exploration like in the remake and future Mafia games, strictly narrative-based missions.
The Operative: No One Lives Forever
The Operative: No One Lives Forever
- Released
-
November 9, 2000
- ESRB
-
M // Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
-
Monolith Productions
- Publisher(s)
-
Sierra Entertainment, Fox Interactive, MacPlay
A first-person stealth-shooter hybrid that featured a quick-witted femme fatale protagonist, Cate Archer is remembered fondly by many fans of gaming to this day. The levels in this game were colorful and varied, and there were times when No One Lives Forever featured shades of the immersive sim genre.
The series may not be talked about nowadays, but the overall gameplay of the first two games is still solid and holds up to this day. If you want to enjoy this nostalgic romp in modern times, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at just how fun the game is. Fans can only hope that interest arises for a sequel that lets you peek into the next chapter of Cate Archer’s entertaining adventures.
Diablo 2
Diablo 2
- Released
-
June 28, 2000
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Animated Blood and Gore, Animated Violence
Diablo is one of the most legendary hack-and-slash series of all time, and it’s easy to see that the second game had a huge role to play in that. It was a groundbreaking game full to the brim with engaging enemies and a great dungeon design. Fighting your way through the many baddies was a truly exciting experience that many fans still gush over.
The fact that many still play Diablo 2 to this day shows just how brilliant the game was for its time. This game, along with Warcraft, cemented Blizzard’s name as one of the greatest video game companies around at that time. While this reputation might’ve been severely damaged in recent times, Blizzard is aiming to win back the trust of its fans once again with another entry in the Diablo series.
Thief 2: The Metal Age
- Released
-
March 21, 2000
- ESRB
-
t
- Publisher(s)
-
Eidos Interactive
- Engine
-
Dark Engine
The Thief series is beloved by many for its steampunk aesthetic, nail-biting gameplay, and an unflinching focus on stealth that makes every level tense and engaging. At the heart of the series is Garrett, everyone’s favorite thief whose illegal actions land him in a heap of trouble.
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Thief 2: The Metal Age took everything great about the first game and implemented it in a world where fantasy and technology were mixing together to make something wholly unique. The end result is that each level of Thief feels like a story in its own right as you look at the various ways new and old have combined in this universe.