The technological advancement of PC hardware has been absolutely rapid since home computers first became part of the zeitgeist in the 1980’s. Never has this been more apparent than in the swift evolution of gaming on the system. We’ve gone from the rudimentary text-based titles, such as 1980’s Rogue, that allowed players to escape into a novel they could basically control, all the way to the massive, highly-detailed landscapes of modern games, that really allow players into another open-world, such as in 2018’s Red Dead Redemption 2.
There’s so many genres of games available on PC nowadays, that us computer fiends are spoilt for choice. There are sport simulations, RPGs, first-person shooters, and even online casino games. These gambling games are super popular globally now, thanks to websites that cater to players in different regions.
For example, Arabian Betting, has all the best online casinos in Bahrain, allowing users in that country to easily find a gambling website that delivers everything required, including a comprehensive guide to the gambling laws of the land, and in-depth details on using anonymous payment methods, keeping players 100% safe. Plus, there are many bonuses available, such as free spins, that will get them off to a winning start.
We’re going to take a quick look though, at the titles that truly revolutionised gaming on computers, and helped enable the seismic strides forward that got us to the PC gaming paradise that we’re fortunate to reside in today.
Doom
It’s hard to describe just how much Doom changed not just the PC landscape, but the entire gaming scene, when it first blasted its way onto computers back in 1993. Whilst it technically didn’t invent the first-person shooter, its developers did, with id Software spearheading one of the most favoured gaming genres of all-time with their previous release, 1992’s Wolfenstein 3D. The counter-cultural American company completely built upon that title’s primitive foundations, and delivered a gaming experience with Doom that skyrocketed the genre into seemingly the forefront of every young person’s mind.
Although, with its non-stop violent action, as players incessantly wiped out swarms of Hell-Demons and constant Satanic references, Doom also attracted plenty of controversy. Many religious groups tried to get the game banned, and it was blamed for all kinds of societal problems. All this contention just further added to the game’s popularity though. Its shadow loomed so large that ‘Doom-clone’ was a common phrase targeted at many first-person shooters that were subsequently released.
Half-Life
Another first-person shooter, but the reason this entry is so revolutionary is as much to do with its story as it is to do with its gameplay. Released in 1998, Half-Life was the debut game by developers Valve, who are now easily one of the biggest companies in the industry, being the brains behind the immensely favoured software distribution platform, Steam. The fully 3-D shooter blew people’s minds with its at-the-time monumental graphics, and advanced enemy AI that had never been witnessed before. Enemies would duck for cover, run and hide, and act more coherently than anything previously.
However, the biggest impact it had on the gaming stratosphere, is due to its amazing narrative. Until then, games had begun with the character you control already being the hero, and all you’ve got to do is save the day. Whereas in Half-Life, when the game starts, you take control of Gordon Freeman, a simple scientist who is heading to his work at a research facility. Then, when disaster strikes, you get to experience actually taking him on his hero’s journey, as he progresses from bumbling lab-rat to defender of the human race. This made playing it feel just like controlling an amazing action movie. A feeling many games have tried to recreate since.
Also, if you haven’t experienced it yet, Half-Life is definitely amongst the 5 great games you can play on an ancient laptop, so get to it.
World of Warcraft
Sure, before World of Warcraft was launched in 2004, there had been online games, and some of them were even pretty good. However, none of them had captured the imagination of so many people, like developers Blizzard Entertainment’s massively multiplayer online role-playing game did. It became a pure phenomenon, with there being a reported 12 million subscribers at its peak, with many gamers putting in serious hours lost in the game.
There was even a spectacular episode of South Park made about it in 2006, called ‘Make Love, Not Warcraft’, which perfectly illustrated just how addictive the game could be. This game showcased exactly how it was possible to build another online world, which millions of people would regularly want to visit.
