Video games have a long history and sometimes it’s worth it to relive the past by giving some good old classics a go.

Although we get some amazing releases each year, it’s usually thanks to the games that were popular and successful before – they paved the road for future generations of games and allowed developers to make bigger, better, improved, and altered versions of what we had in the past.

If you’re interested in learning more about titles that became an inspiration for countless developers around the world, here’s our list of some of the best 2006 video games for PC.

GameReleaseGenreDeveloper
Bully Scholarship Edition Rockstar 2008-10-21 Adventure Rockstar Toronto
The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion Goty 2007-09-11 Adventure Bethesda Game Studios
Disney Pixar Cars 2006-07-06 Adventure Beenox
Hitman Blood Money 2006-05-30 Action & Shooter IO Interactive
Tomb Raider Legend 2006-04-07 Adventure Crystal Dynamics
Tom Clancys Splinter Cell Double Agent 2006-10-19 Adventure Ubisoft Shanghai
Dreamfall The Longest Journey 2006-04-17 Adventure Funcom
Medieval II Total War Definitive Edition 2006-11-15 Strategy The Creative Assembly
Half Life 2 Episode One 2006-06-01 Action & Shooter Valve
Okami Hd 2006-04-20 RPG Clover Studio
Flatout 2 2006-08-01 Arcade & Platform Bugbear Entertainment
Company Of Heroes 2006-09-11 Action & Shooter Relic Entertainment
Star Wars Empire At War Gold Pack 2006-02-16 Adventure Petroglyph Games
Condemned Criminal Origins 2006-04-11 Action & Shooter Monolith Productions
Gothic 3 2006-10-13 Adventure Piranha Bytes

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Release:2007-09-11
Genre:Adventure
Developer:Bethesda Game Studios

The first game on the list is none other than a game from an extremely popular action RPG franchise – The Elder Scrolls.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is an open world action role-playing game that takes players to the fictional medieval-inspired universe, where magic and demonic creatures are just as common as ordinary blades or bows. The fourth installment in the TES franchise focuses on the Mythic Dawn cult that plans to open portals and let demonic creatures invade the human realm – your job will be to stop them and protect the land. The game features a huge open-world environment, for which the series is known best. Combined with the sandbox nature of the game, this allows players to ignore the main quest line completely and immerse into the fantasy world instead if they so wish. Create your character, develop your skills, and discover all the possibilities that await brave adventurers.

Key features
  • An amazing action RPG set in a popular fantasy universe with an immersive atmosphere
  • A huge and believable open-world environment that can be explored freely
  • Open-ended gameplay that gives players a lot of freedom when it comes to the in-game activities
  • A stunning number of existing mods that can enhance the base game experience even more

Garry's Mod 

Release:2006-11-29
Genre:Indie
Developer:Facepunch Studios

While Garry’s Mod is not technically a game in a typical sense, it’s definitely worth being mentioned on the list.

Garry’s Mod is a sandbox game with no set goal. When you launch the game, you will find yourself in an empty world that can be freely shaped and changed according to your liking. You will get a number of tools and objects and you will be able to basically create your own games. However, as we’re talking about the best games and not the base game maker or game development tools, it should be noted that you don’t have to be a creative mind to enjoy Garry’s Mod – you can also simply play games created by other players. Did you ever hear about an extremely popular variation of hide and seek called Prop Hunt? That’s one of the games that were originally created in Garry’s Mod. As creators’ imagination has no bounds, you will surely find a lot of great games to play.

Key features
  • A physics sandbox with no goal
  • A very convenient and easy-to-learn way to create your own 3D games or hilarious animations
  • Virtually unlimited possibilities to unleash your creativity
  • A great number of ready-to-play games that were created by other players

Medieval II: Total War

Release:2006-11-15
Genre:Strategy
Developer:The Creative Assembly

The year 2006 was also when a new entry in the Total War franchise came out. Medieval II allowed players to command their knights and build their empire through the means of war and diplomacy.

Medieval II: Total War is a combination of real-time battles with a turn-based management game. The goal is simple: conquer medieval Europe and unite the nations under your banner. Just like it is in most other Total War games, you will have to manage your kingdom on a campaign map in a turn-based fashion. This is where most of your important decisions are made – this is where you train troops and give them orders, take diplomatic actions, develop your cities, and declare wars and battles. However, once the battle that involves your armies is about to begin, you will have the opportunity to command your troops in real time on the battlefield. That’s where your micromanagement skills will come into play, as the game uses the traditional rock-paper-scissors RTS model, where each unit can counter and be countered by other specific units. Being able to quickly and properly position your units is the key to victory.

Key features
  • A great mix of turn-based and real-time gameplay
  • A medieval setting with historically accurate units and architecture
  • Large-scale battles, where thousands of soldiers can fight simultaneously
  • Several playable factions to choose from

Hitman: Blood Money

Release:2006-05-30
Genre:Action & Shooter
Developer:IO Interactive

Fans of stealth games also had a reason to consider the year 2006 a good one, thanks to Hitman: Blood Money that got released back then.

Hitman: Blood Money is a stealth game that focuses on the character of Agent 47 – a cloned assassin designed to be a perfect killer. Your main objective here is to follow orders issued by the International Contract Agency and eliminate designated targets in a possibly stealthiest way. Use disguise, observe the environment, hide bodies, and strike when your victim expects it the least. Although the game encourages taking a silent approach and keeping a low profile, there’s some room for improvisation, but be wary that the less attention you attract, the more you will be paid after a successful mission. Earned money can be spent on a variety of goods, so if you want to make some upgrades, then you may need to put some effort into avoiding unnecessary fights and building your bank this way.

Key features
  • Open-ended stealth gameplay that gives players a lot of freedom
  • An interesting story that takes some unexpected turns
  • A number of challenging scenarios to complete
  • Customizable weapons that can be modified according to personal preferences

Gothic 3

Release:2006-10-13
Genre:Adventure
Developer:Piranha Bytes

The story of The Nameless Hero continues. Meet old friends and tackle new challenges. Will you save the people or will you bring nothing but death and destruction?

Gothic 3 is an action role-playing video game set in a fantasy world full of magic and mythical creatures, as well as medieval-inspired elements and architecture. The third installment in the Gothic series focuses on the land of Myrtana overrun by armies of fierce and ruthless orcs. Once again you will have to become the savior of the commonfolk – or not. The game revolves around completing missions for chosen factions to gain their trust and accomplish your own goals with their help. Those who played earlier Gothic games will also be happy to know that some familiar faces are making their return, including Diego, Milten, and Xardas, among the others.

On a side note: if you’d like to revisit the universe of Gothic, getting the Gothic Universe Edition might be a good idea – it’s a convenient package of the Gothic trilogy that’s being sold at a discounted price.

Key features
  • A great action role-playing game set in a fantasy-themed universe
  • A vast open-world environment that can be roamed freely
  • A reputation system and a few different factions to choose from and join
  • A flexible character progression system

Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening

Release:2006-05-23
Genre:Action & Shooter
Developer:Capcom Production Studio 1

If demon stories are your thing, you surely do remember Devil May Cry 3 – a game that focuses on the relationship between the characters of Dante and his brother, Vergil.

Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening is an action-adventure game and a prequel to Devil May Cry that gives players the unique opportunity to play as the younger version of Dante as he begins his crusade and fights all sorts of demons. Gameplay involves solving simple puzzles and avoiding traps while exploring the surroundings, but the most fun comes in form of fast and dynamic combat, where you need to utilize different types of moves to create powerful combos and nuke your opponents before they can stage a comeback. The game can be quite difficult, especially for newcomers, but with a bit of patience, you will surely be able to overcome all the challenges prepared for you by the development team.

If you choose to return to this fun, fast-paced slasher, make sure to pay a visit to the modding community – there is a special patch that drastically improves the game’s performance on Windows operating system.

Key features
  • Action-packed gameplay that revolves around eliminating hordes of demonic creatures and powerful bosses
  • Lots of different types of attacks and combos to master and utilize during play
  • Challenging difficulty level
  • Simple puzzles and arcade sequences for a more varied experience

Condemned: Criminal Origins

Release:2006-04-11
Genre:Action & Shooter
Developer:Monolith Productions

Fans of survival horror games weren’t forgotten by developers – 2006 is when Condemned: Criminal Origins was released and it was a real treat that can still scare players even today.

Condemned: Criminal Origins is a survival horror video game that manages to scare people by creating a unique atmosphere instead of resorting to cheap tricks, such as sudden jump scares. You will be playing as an investigator tasked with chasing a certain serial killer, but it’s no ordinary case, as paranormal activities are involved. One of the important things to keep in mind is the fact that although you can eliminate enemies and take their firearms, the number of bullets left in the picked-up weapon’s magazine will be reduced by the number of shots fired by the enemy. This means that if you want to use someone else’s weapon, it’s in your best interest to eliminate the opponent as fast as possible, preferably before he can shoot even once. That’s important, because ammo is generally scarce and hard to come by, yet it’s extremely effective at taking down foes.

Key features
  • A survival horror that manages to be scary without the need to resort to jump scares
  • The gameplay focused on exploration and puzzle solving with a little bit of combat added to the mix
  • An amazing, tense atmosphere with ambient sounds that further enhance the entire experience
  • The use of firearms is possible, but the ammo is extremely limited

Star Wars: Empire at War

Release:2006-02-16
Genre:Adventure
Developer:Petroglyph Games

Star Wars also shined in 2006. Thanks to the Empire at War video game, the overwhelmingly popular sci-fi universe attracted even more people, including those who didn’t consider themselves fans of the series.

Star Wars: Empire at War is a real-time strategy game set in the universe of Star Wars, where forces of the Empire and the Rebels are stuck in a perpetual war. The game allows players to alter the course of action and help either faction to emerge victorious, but it surely won’t be an easy task. Although the game features a campaign mode, you will probably spend most of your play time in the skirmish mode, especially if you have friends to play together – real-time strategies are usually best played against or in cooperation with real people. With that being said, CPU players are not that easy to beat, so you may want to learn the basics while fighting against them before trying your hand at multiplayer battles.

Key features
  • A great real-time strategy set in the Star Wars universe, featuring a number of well-known characters
  • Campaign mode that allows players to help either the Empire or the Rebels achieve their goals
  • Requires good micromanagement skills to be successful
  • Amazing music, sounds, and voice acting, that creates a unique Star Wars atmosphere

Company of Heroes

Release:2006-09-11
Genre:Action & Shooter
Developer:Relic

Speaking of RTS games, one can’t forget about Company of Heroes – an extremely well-made strategy that also came out in 2006.

Company of Heroes is a real-time strategy game that takes players back to the Second World War era and gives them a unique opportunity to command either the Allied or the Axis forces as they are trying to outsmart the enemy and eliminate the opposing armies. What makes the game unique is the fact that it uses an advanced physics engine, which makes the entire experience much more realistic. Buildings can be damaged and destroyed by explosions, soldiers will fly a few meters back after being hit with a grenade, and tanks will realistically bounce off enemy shells if they rotate the hull to increase the hit angle. It’s not only a great RTS but also a feast for the eyes.

Key features
  • A real-time strategy set during the World War II
  • Realistic historical weaponry and vehicles from both major sides of the conflict – the Axis and the Allies
  • Physics engine that enhances the entire experience and influences the gameplay
  • Amazing visuals, especially considering how old the game is

Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords

Release:2006-02-21
Genre:Turn-based strategy
Developer:Stardock

For the final game on the list, we’ve got one more strategy, but it’s a turn-based one. Galactic Civilizations is incredible, but you won’t know unless you give it a try yourself.

Galactic Civilizations II

Galactic Civilization II: Dread Lords is a sci-fi turn-based strategy focused on growing your space empire and conquering new star systems in order to establish a new major, unrivaled superpower. The game has a single-player campaign, but the core of gameplay is a skirmish mode, where you can adjust map and game settings to your personal preferences. You are free to tinker with options to create the experience you will enjoy the most – after all, you are the one who knows what gives you the most fun. Once you choose everything, including your civilization, you will begin your adventure. From now on you’re on your own – explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate. Write your own story and conquer those who dare to oppose your reign.

Key features
  • A classic sci-fi 4X turn-based strategy
  • Open-ended sandbox gameplay with different ways to win the game
  • An interesting single-player campaign with a number of challenging scenarios to complete
  • 10 playable civilizations to choose from and the possibility to create your own

The Best 2006 Video Games for PC

The year 2006 was quite good for the gaming industry, and there were more cool games released back then than we mentioned on the list, such as Prey or Neverwinter Nights 2, but we had to limit ourselves to not overwhelm you with a huge number of amazing titles.

If you’re looking for the best games released in 2006, we’ve got them right here – refer to our convenient list to find some amazing classics. Perhaps there’s something you didn’t hear about before?