Games for low end laptop

[Blackout0219]

Hello.

 

I have a low end laptop (for gaming, but it is sweet for everything else I need it for), it's a Sony Vaio - I was thinking if someone had any suggestions about any not very demanding games that are worth playing. I have a preference for action/adventure, stealth, strategy and RPG games similar to The Elder Scrolls series.

 

Specs:

CPU - Intel Pentium Dual Core B960 2.2 Ghz

GPU - Intel HD 2000

RAM - 4GB

Screen - 1366x768 as maximum resolution

 

Examples of games that I can run (so that everyone has an idea on how "powerful" my laptop is):

Strategy - AOE and AOEII (ultra settings), AOEIII (medium/high settings, medium resolution); CIV IV (High settings, high resolution, but not maxed out completely)

Action Adventure - All Tomb Raider games up to anniversary (Both Legend and Anniversary run at high settings); all GTA games up to San Andreas

Stealth - All Splinter cells up to Double Agent, all Hitman games up to Blood Money, all Thief games up to Deadly Shadows

First Person Shooter - Half Life 1 and 2 (HL2 runs almost at ultra settings except for the AA that is turned off), Return to Castle Wolfenstein

RPG - Oblivion runs fine on medium settings after some tweaks, Morrowind lags and has low FPS for some strange reason, Skyrim will probably be unplayable unless I want headaches as a bonus. Any game similar to TES series that is not very graphically intensive will be welcomed (at most, as intensive as Oblivion). Deus Ex (original) runs fine with mods too

 

PS - By running a game I mean I can run them with playable FPS ranging from 25 to more than 100

 

 

[Vagrant0]

Baulders Gate 1+2 enhanced editions, Icewind Dale enhanced editions for table-top style RPGs.

 

Witcher 1, Overlord, Spellforce 2, Fallout 3, Torchlight 1 and 2, Fable: The Lost Chapters (not the HD redux probably), Galactic Civilizations 2, Darksouls 1, Saints Row 2; are all possibilities.

 

Most of the games made around 2004-2006 should be fine as long as you aren't wanting high graphics settings or framerates above 30. Once you start getting further into the PS3/Xbox 360 era of games, you'll have more problems though.

[Blackout0219]

Baulders Gate 1+2 enhanced editions, Icewind Dale enhanced editions for table-top style RPGs.

 

Witcher 1, Overlord, Spellforce 2, Fallout 3, Torchlight 1 and 2, Fable: The Lost Chapters (not the HD redux probably), Galactic Civilizations 2, Darksouls 1, Saints Row 2; are all possibilities.

 

Most of the games made around 2004-2006 should be fine as long as you aren't wanting high graphics settings or framerates above 30. Once you start getting further into the PS3/Xbox 360 era of games, you'll have more problems though.

 

I'll be sure to check youtube videos on the gameplay of those games, though I doubt some of them like Fallout 3 or Darksouls will run satisfactorily on my laptop. Old school RPG's will probably work fine. Most games made until 2006 run above 30 FPS, but it depends on the game. Getting the occasional 25 FPS during combat is ok for me, but I prefer if games run at a steady 30 or 40, and if possible 60 of course but that is harder. Some games are playable on higher settings, for instance Half Life 2 runs at 60 FPS and 40 during large combats.

 

A lot of people have somehow a slight misconception with the most recent integrated graphics - They are not good for gaming at all, but saying they are incapable of running 3D games is just wrong, most games I listed except maybe for AOEII run fine and are 3D, I just can't play demanding games.

 

I won't be able to play any of those games right now since my laptop is actually with a technician because the keyboard is corrupt, I spilled water in it accidentally - I want to build my own desktop, but b sides the work it takes I don't have enough funds right now, I don't have any problem in admitting I can't afford it yet and I better try to deal with the situation with my Sony Vaio until I can get a good desktop - Some people don't even own a PC so I always look at the positive side.

 

Baulders Gate is actually a game I've been wanting to play for a while, but I've heard mixed reviews on it - Some people say it's boring, others say it's the best RPG of all time.

Thanks for the recommendations, Vagrant0

[Viperswhip]

I actually came to this thread just to say Gal Civ 1 and 2, but Vagrant beat me to it. They might not be on everyone's playlist, pretty deep Space Empire game, but much like Master of Orion 2 you can really reduce the length through the menu settings at the start. It's pretty terrific if you like that kind of game.

 

If you do play BG1 and 2, definitely get the Baldur's Gate Trilogy mod, it ports all of BG1 into the BG2 engine, so slightly better graphics, but it also makes the entire game along with the expansion, all one experience, and edits the game to make it flow wonderfully. It's one of my favourite mods in existence.

 

Edit, oh, well, I definitely didn't mean the enhanced editions, just the original. In addition to the better graphics, with the BGT mod you also get all the new class combos that were introduced with BG 2. Have fun.

[Vagrant0]

The misconception with 3d graphics is due to how integrated graphics chips shares memory with the system, and with how only higher end ones can usually handle modern shaders and post-processing effects. This is why 2006 is such a key year as far as sorts of games you can typically play... Before this year few games made use of these shader effects and relied primarily on model and texture fidelity for most of their visuals, compared to now where it is common practice. The shared memory also becomes a factor depending on operating system, but usually means that of 4gb you can only utilize 256-500mb of video memory before you run into serious problems, and depending on the chip, this is probably limited to the lower end of that to prevent system memory running out before video memory. As far as gaming goes, this is an issue since most games are not well optimized (why HL2 runs so well while others do not) and will have bad memory management.

 

For a gamer, this does limit things significantly since it rules out most of the higher detail first person or chase camera games, especially when you're wanting to have high framerates (surprised a low-end laptop monitor has a high enough refresh rate to see 60 frames). And why typically it isn't recommended to try even playing games on what are essentially Business grade laptops that were not designed to do much more than browse the web. If you're considering a new computer and would like to play games, I would strongly suggest trying to save up atleast $1000 USD (double that if Aussie or in UK) for the budget. This may sound steep, this may sound elitist or beyond your current earning potential, but the $1000 mark is usually the threshold between having a decent system, and having something that will be severely lacking and break within 6 months. There are also numerous PC builds for around that much on places like PCpartpicker that people have posted screenshots or guides on building to make it easier for novices to follow.

[Beriallord]

Some of those games you might have to run in 800x600 resolution with a laptop like that. It could be the difference in running a game at playable frame rates, or not. If all else fails, try lowering the resolution.

 

You might wanna try Path of Exile

 

https://www.pathofexile.com/

 

Its a diablo type game, its free to download and play. You'd have to turn the settings down to bare minimum even on a game like that though. The game is a little more demanding than you might think for a 2D game due to the particle effects. For example, a bunch of stuff blowing up on the screen at the same time can even cause some higher end PCs to dip under 60fps. Just don't team with any people using lots of pets (like summoner builds).

 

You can probably play Mount and Blade: Warband. But you'll have to lower the settings to minimum, and tinker around with maximum battle sizes (units on the map at the same time) and turn everything else down, or off. The rag doll effects of dead bodies can also cause lag, so set the number very low.