Five of the Best Games you can Play on Windows XP

Windows XP might be an antiquated PC platform, but it still has a substantial user base that eclipses both Win 8 and Linux. Millions of users have stuck with XP even though Microsoft doesn’t support the platform. However, most of the latest Windows games aren’t compatible with XP. Nevertheless, you can still play plenty of great older games on Windows XP. These are a few of the best games to play on XP desktops or laptops.

Half-Life Complete

Both Half-Life 1 and HL 2 rocked the gaming industry when Valve released them. Those games revolutionized the first-person shooter genre, and for many they remain the best games ever. Half-Life 1, HL 2 and the additional episodes blew players always with their gripping story lines, amazing physics and heart-pounding blasting action. Half-Life 2 had some the most realistic visuals seen in a game when Valve launched it. Half-Life 1 and 2 remain joint top of metacritic with 96 metascores.

Half-Life Complete is a bundle package that includes all the games of the primary Half-Life series, including the Blue-Shift and Opposing Force expansion packs. It also includes the online multiplayer blaster Team Fortress. All Half-Life Complete’s eight games are compatible with Windows XP. So you can play out the full HL series by adding Half-Life Complete to an XP desktop or laptop. Half-Life Complete is retailing at about $36.43 on Steam, which is a bargain for one of best Windows game series.

Civilization IV

Civilization games are ideal turn-based strategy games for those who love a bit of empire building. You can’t play the latest Civilization VI on Windows XP, but the fourth installment to the Civ series is compatible with XP. The game is available on Steam for about $19.99. You can play Civ 4 and all its expansion packs by installing Civilization IV: The Complete Edition on an XP laptop or desktop.
 
Civilization IV was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the Civ series as it was the first to incorporate 3D graphics and had a completely new game engine that enabled players to zoom in on cities. For the first time, a Civilization game included detailed 3D worlds for players to expand their empires on, which took the gameplay to an exciting new level. Civ 4’s warfare isn’t quite as refined as in more recent games of its series, but it’s still one of the best turn-based strategy games on Windows.

Team Fortress 2

Team Fortress 2 is a great alternative first-person multiplayer blaster to PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds that you can play on Windows XP. The game’s Steam page boasts that Team Fortress is "the most highly-rated free game of all time." The Orange Box compilation package also includes Team Fortress 2 along with Half-Life 2, HL 2: Episode One, HL 2: Episode Two and Portal.
 
Team Fortress 2 is a team-based multiplayer shooter that’s renowned for its comedy, cartoon graphical style and fun gameplay. The game currently packs in 14 official modes for players to battle it out on, nine playable character classes and 108 of maps to choose from. Few other multiplayer blasters can match TF 2’s diversity of game modes and play styles. Valve also continues to support Team Fortress 2 with regular updates that further expand the game’s content.

Championship Manager 01/02

The Championship Manager 01/02 football (or soccer) management game is a cult classic you can play on Windows XP. This game was undoubtedly the highlight of the original Championship Manager series before Sports Interactive turned the franchise into Football Manager. The game is now freely available at the Champman website. The Champman 0102.co.uk website continues to update Championship Manager 01/02 with updates that add current players to the game.
 
Few of the more recent Football Manager games have matched Championship Manager's addictive gameplay. Championship Manager 01/02 gets the balance between fun and football management simulation just right. It’s a detailed football management game with a vast player database and plenty of tactical scope, but Champ Manager is also straightforward to play. You can also play Championshp Manager 01/02 more quickly than most other footie management games by shooting through a season in one to two hours.

Rome: Total War Collection

Total War is undoubtedly one of the biggest turn and real-time strategy game series on Windows. Rome: Total War was one of the biggest highlights in the series as it gave TW an overhaul with its revamped campaign map that included free map movement for the first time. The Rome: Total War Collection is a bundle package that consists of the original game and its Barbarian Invasion expansion pack. The Collection Edition is retailing at $9.99 on Steam.

The appeal of Rome: TW is much the same as the other Total War games that give you the best of both the turn and real-time strategy gaming worlds. Players can play out the whole game on the turn-based campaign map if they prefer. However, crushing enemy factions with your élite armies in Rome: TW’s 3D battles is undoubtedly the biggest highlight of the game for many players. And Rome: TW’s battles are a little more dramatic than those in some of the other Total War games.
 
So you don’t need Win 10 to play all the best Windows games. Rome: Total War, Championship Manager 01/02, Civilization IV, Half-Life Complete and Team Fortress 2 are just some of the great games you can play on Windows XP desktops and laptops. In addition, Call of Duty 2, World of Warcraft and IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 are a few other XP compatible games worth noting.