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Key Takeaways
- A “potato” PC is an outdated gaming PC, more than 5 years old, with entry-level specs.
- A wide range of visually appealing games can still run on potato PCs, from decade-old titles to surprisingly new releases.
- Optimizing game settings, such as lowering graphics quality, can help squeeze more performance out of older hardware and make newer games playable on potato PCs.
The cutting-edge must-have thingamajig of today will become “meh” tomorrow. Flip the view, and what’s considered a “potato” today used to be a capable system a few years back. With that in mind, let’s explore some surprisingly good-looking games that your underpowered gaming PC can run smoothly.
What Is a Potato Gaming PC?
The exact definition of a potato PC is somewhat debatable, but here’s how I look at it. If a PC is running outdated hardware, and that too was entry-level at best when it was released, it’s a potato PC.
A potato gaming PC, therefore, is an outdated entry-level gaming PC. But what exactly do we mean by outdated? Well, most people upgrade their systems every 5 years. Therefore, as per my definition, an entry-level gaming PC from 2018 is a reasonable candidate for the title of “potato.” And wouldn’t you know it, I happen to own such a model with:
- Ryzen 3 2200G CPU (entry-level CPU from 2018)
- Integrated AMD Vega Graphics (no dedicated GPU for me)
- 8 GB RAM
- 500GB HDD
- Windows 10
So, let’s see what games I can run with these specs.
12 Good-Looking Games You Can Still Play Today
Good-looking games don’t necessarily have to mean photorealistic games. If we can agree on that, I think you’ll find this collection of titles very agreeable.
I’ve tweaked some settings and options to squeeze every last drop of performance out of my PC and get these games to run.
Learn how to optimize your gaming PC
for optimal performance without buying extra parts.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Trilogy
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is an action-adventure 3D platformer that can even give some modern titles a run for their money. It was released in 2003, but a remake is slated for 2026.
That said, the graphics of the original hold up well. I’d argue the original looks better than its sequels—Warrior Within and Two Thrones. Although to be fair, the sequels offered a more refined combo-based combat system and expanded the world, both spatially and narratively.
For all three titles, the story is captivating, the level designs are awesome, and the time travel shenanigans are super fun and well-integrated.
Assassin’s Creed (Up To Black Flag)
Assassin’s Creed is another action-adventure series that started in 2007, and it’s still going, with a possible conclusion on the horizon. There are a total of 14 releases in the main series, out of which the first six run on the above-discussed specs. This includes:
- Assassin’s Creed
- Assassin’s Creed: Ezio’s Trilogy
- Assassin’s Creed II
- Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
- Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
- Assassin’s Creed III
- Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag
All of these games still look great, and if you haven’t played them, you definitely should. My recommendation would be going to Black Flag if you want the highest fidelity, or Ezio’s Trilogy if you’re looking for a good narrative experience.
At its core, all games have satisfying parkour elements with stealth sequences and some 3D platforming. Depending on the title, you’ll explore historical places like Damascus, Renaissance Italy, Colonial America, and the West Indies during the golden age of piracy—which is why I like Black Flag, because you’ll be able to pilot pirate ships and engage in nautical combat.
Prototype and Prototype 2
Prototype and its sequel deliver one of, if not the best, power fantasies with brutal, over-the-top, hack-and-slash action. If annihilating armies of mutated zombies on the streets of Manhattan as everything descends into chaos sounds fun—get these games! I’m still praying for Prototype 3!
You can shapeshift into other people, run up walls, glide through the air, turn your arm into a massive blade, slice through armored tanks, latch onto helicopters and hack them midair, and more.
Darksiders and Darksiders 2
The Darksiders games have great lore, great combat, great voice acting, awesome Zelda-like puzzle-solving, and massive worlds for you to explore.
Darksiders has you playing as War, one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. You have one primary weapon—a huge sword with tons of combos to help you hack and slash your way through demons and angels as you travel through heaven, hell, and post-apocalyptic Earth.
In Darksiders 2, you play as Death, the eldest of the four horsemen. Death is more agile, which leads to parkour segments. There are also a lot of RPG elements and a loot system, meaning different weapons and different fighting styles. The gameplay is richer in the sequel, but the original has a better narrative.
Hitman: Absolution
Step into the shoes of Agent 47 as you stealthily walk, crouch, and scramble through meticulously detailed levels, performing creative assassinations. The game was released back in 2012, but the overall attention to detail, lighting effects, and most notably crowd simulation are extremely impressive.
The gameplay revolves around reading the room, analyzing NPC movement, and figuring out the best way to navigate the situation and assassinate your target. The disguise system allows you to blend in with crowds, offering multiple approaches to each mission.
Bioshock Infinite
BioShock Infinite is a visual masterpiece set in the floating city of Columbia. Its early 20th-century Americana aesthetic creates a unique and unforgettable world.
The game’s art style combines realistic textures with slightly exaggerated proportions, and Columbia’s sun-drenched streets all showcase impressive attention to detail. Aside from the visuals, the game has a gripping story and captivating, fast-paced aerial combat that I adore.
Dragon Age: Inquisition
Dragon Age: Inquisition is an RPG from 2014 featuring diverse, beautifully crafted environments, from lush forests to snow-capped mountains. This is certainly one of the most demanding titles on the list, but I can run it at low graphics settings and with bearable frame drops here and there.
The story evolves depending on the choices you make, and gameplay focuses on tactical combat. You have a “war table” to manage your inquisitions on a global scale which should appeal to players who like strategy games.
Half-Life 2
Released in 2004, Half-Life 2 set the benchmark for storytelling and physics in FPS games. It looks like a quintessential game from the 2000s, which I don’t particularly see as a bad thing. Character models, especially facial animations, were groundbreaking for their time and are still commendable.
The gameplay revolves around physics-based puzzles and combat, with the iconic Gravity Gun offering unique interaction with the environment. The seamless storytelling, with minimal cutscenes and no QTAs, should teach modern games a thing or two about how to create immersive story-driven gameplay.
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered
If you love racing, the NFS games are great picks. Released in 2020, Hot Pursuit Remastered‘s scenic routes and high-speed chases look great. You’ll get almost photorealistic graphics even though it’s running on potato specs.
The 2020 remaster is a graphically revamped version of the 2010 title. The core gameplay is still the same, which is good because everyone loved it. In case you didn’t play the original, it’s an arcade racer with intense chases between racers and police. The sound design is particularly good and definitely helps with the immersion.
Batman Arkham Asylum and Arkham City
If you are looking for some superhero games, our potato rig can comfortably run Arkham Asylum at max settings and Arkham City at medium to high.
Arkham Asylum traps the caped crusader in the titular prison, which is now teeming with escaped criminals and iconic villains from Batman’s rogue gallery. The combination of stealth, a fluid combat system, detective mode, and intricate level designs make it a must-play for all Batman fans.
Coming to the sequel, Arkham City carries over the strong foundations of Arkham Asylum but expands the map into a larger open world. The game puts you in a walled-off section of Gotham City, allowing for greater freedom and exploration.
Ori and The Blind Forest
Ori and the Blind Forest is a personal favorite of mine, with its vibrant hand-painted art style, wonderfully animated characters, emotional story, and hauntingly beautiful and melancholic orchestral score. Potato PC or not, it’s a wonderful Metroidvania platformer that everyone should try out.
The 2D graphics are not only visually stunning but easy on the hardware, making it an excellent choice for potato PCs. It’s a prime example of how artistic style can outshine pure graphical power.
Grand Theft Auto V
I saved the most shocking option for last. Yes, GTA V runs on our potato PC. This is a sobering realization of how long we have been waiting for GTA VI. Rockstar’s open-world crime ’em up was first released back in 2013 and has a minimum system requirement of 4GB RAM and 1GB VRAM. You can expect low to medium graphical fidelity on a potato gaming rig.
In the game, you get to switch between three different protagonists, giving you a variety of missions as you explore the meticulously detailed recreation of Los Santos (a fictionalized Los Angeles) and its surrounding areas.
Run, drive, and shoot your way through an explosive single-player campaign, causing mayhem in the streets as you go. And if you’re open to trying out some mods, this title promises countless hours of fun.
There are many more games you can run on a potato gaming PC, and these are just a few of those picks. Potentially, any game released in the same time window as the titles mentioned here can and should work on weaker hardware.
If you’re looking at even older games and titles released for Windows XP or Vista, you might run into some compatibility problems, in which case you can check out this guide for assistance.
