Best PC Games With Low Specs

PC offers by far the most varied gaming library in the industry. While associated with raw graphical power due to the ever-growing capabilities of GPUs and CPUs, major AAA projects that need fairly modern hardware are merely a drop in the bucket. Each week, Steam and the Epic Games Store welcome dozens of great low-end PC games, ensuring players with older systems or non-gaming laptops always have something to look forward to.

Furthermore, patient players can turn to decades of AAA games that are accessible nowadays, with most running at near-perfect quality on modern low-spec PCs. As there are thousands of options available, picking out a few of the best PC games for low-end PCs can be quite challenging. As such, let’s highlight a few of them.

Updated May 11, 2025 by Mark Sammut: Two more of the best low-spec PC games have been added as recommendations, and they are both relatively old by this point. Ultrakill and Don’t Starve Together are now part of this discussion.

What Constitutes A Low-Spec Game?

The definition of “low-spec” varies from person to person. For some folks, a desktop with a GTX 1050ti and a 9th gen CPU would qualify; meanwhile, for others, low-spec means a non-gaming laptop that does not have a dedicated graphics card. Consequently, each game’s minimum requirements will be included to provide some guidance, and the definition of “low-spec” will be treated as flexible.

42

Ultrakill

Steam User Rating: 97%

Steam is stuffed with modern boomer shooters, most of which use old-school visuals that make them easily workable on most decent systems. As fun as most of these games are, they do have a habit of blending together, creating an undecipherable blob of shotguns, pixilated body parts, and gore. Despite adhering to this trend, Ultrakill succeeds in standing out from the crowd, providing an experience that is both unique and representative of the FPS genre at its best.

The goal of the game is not just to kill but to do it in style, to the point of containing a point system reminiscent of Devil May Cry. In fact, Ultrakill combines the thrill of fast-paced shooters with the player-based reward system of character action games, a completely harmonious marriage. As long as somebody doesn’t mind high difficulty and early access releases, they should add Ultrakill to their library.

41

Schedule 1

Steam User Rating: 98%

Well, this game came out of nowhere and instantly jumped up the Steam charts, becoming one of the platform’s biggest hits of 2025 (so far). Putting aside everything else, Schedule 1‘s success can at least partially be credited to its relatively low specs for a modern release that is not a side-scroller, granting it access to a pretty wide audience right out of the gate. Although still in early access, the project is already robust enough to provide a satisfying experience, and its roadmap is also encouraging.

So, what is Schedule 1? Well, VGS has put together a management sim, albeit one that focuses on crafting a crime empire by selling drugs. Schedule 1 players mix recipes, sell products, turn a profit, and try to stay away from the cops. The concept has certainly caught the attention of the PC gaming scene, and the project seems set to remain a Steam staple for a while.

40

Don’t Starve Together

Steam User Rating: 95%

One of the best low-spec games for multiplayer, Don’t Starve Together has aged beautifully over the last decade, largely thanks to a timeless art style and simple but addictive gameplay. Now, if somebody is craving a single-player survival game, they should pick up Don’t Starve, another fantastic title that has stood the test of time. However, if they would prefer to join forces with a couple of friends as they try to survive and thrive in an extremely harsh wasteland, they will want to pick up this multiplayer-only spin-off.

Rather than focus on a story, Don’t Starve Together is all about gameplay, with lore bits being dropped sporadically. Players are dropped into an unwelcoming world and challenged to explore, farm, and grow, all the while dealing with some pretty dangerous threats. Replayable and just plain old fun, this game is basically a classic by this point.

39

R.E.P.O.

Steam User Rating: 96%

Entering early access toward the end of February 2025, R.E.P.O. was pretty much an instant hit, and its presence only grew as positive word of mouth spread. In the last few years, co-op horror games with roguelike elements have become fairly common, and semiwork’s project is certainly reminiscent of other popular titles like Lethal Company. However, R.E.P.O. does a pretty great job of setting itself apart from the crowd, both in terms of gameplay and tone.

As always, players will travel through Headman Manor searching for valuables that will help them reach their quota. Naturally, accomplishing this task requires staying away from a whole host of monsters, including a few genuinely nightmarish creatures. While certainly capable of inspiring a scream or two, R.E.P.O. has a comedic edge, largely thanks to the design of the playable characters. Any group of friends looking for a relatively low-spec co-op horror game should check this out; that said, R.E.P.O. will likely require a dedicated GPU.

38

Balatro

Steam User Rating: 98%

Earning a nomination for best game of 2024 by the Game Awards, Balatro is an incredible achievement, especially considering it was made by a one-person development team. Inspired by Poker but not featuring any real gambling, Balatro is a clever roguelike and deck-builder that has a simple but addictive loop that is perfect for both quick explosive sessions and hours-long marathons. While there are plenty of nuances to consider, the main goal is to achieve the required score as quickly as possible, all in the hopes of moving on to the next round.

Balatro is a fantastic game that can keep somebody entertained for an extremely long time, and it requires barely any juice under the hood to operate. Speaking purely in terms of quality to system requirements, Balatro might be the most valuable on Steam in this day and age, especially since it is a 2024 release and not a classic that has been around for years.

37

Little Nightmares

Steam User Rating: 94%

A short and creepy 2.5D adventure, Little Nightmares brings to life a terrifying world called the Maw, which features twisted takes on fairly commonplace roles like cooks. As Six, players are relatively defenseless, forcing them to sneak through stages while solving puzzles and trying desperately to avoid detection. While the gameplay is nothing too extraordinary, Little Nightmares gets by on sheer atmosphere and effective character designs, both for Six and the Maw’s various residents.

Even in 2017, Tarsier Studios’ game was hardly a graphical powerhouse, but that does not mean Little Nightmares looks cheap or bad. In fact, the graphics have aged pretty darn well as they are stylish rather than realistic. As such, this horror title will always be worth playing. The sequel is also great and does not require a powerful rig, but it is naturally more demanding than its predecessor.

36

Animal Well

Steam User Rating: 96%

In 2024’s early months, the PC scene welcomed Palworld, Enshrouded, Dragon’s Dogma 2, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Tekken 8, Horizon Forbidden West, Unicorn Overlord, and Persona 3 Reload, all of which garnered near-universal praise. However, one of the year’s best releases to date was an indie Metroidvania with such low system requirements that they almost seem wrong. Running on most computers with specs (and Windows 10), Animal Well is a stunning and fresh entry in a genre that has been somewhat overexposed in recent years. With almost no setup, the game drops players in a surreal and atmospheric setting and just lets them be, encouraging them to go out, explore, collect eggs, and face off against a couple of bosses.

Unlike many Metroidvanias, Animal Well focuses on puzzles rather than combat; in fact, the latter is almost entirely absent, although players can use fireworks to take down or stall enemies. Each part of the map effectively functions as a mini-brainteaser, encouraging lateral thinking and clever use of the available tools to unlock gates and get past obstacles. Even boss fights are puzzles. Naturally, exploration is also a big part of the package, and the same can be said for platforming. The latter is simple but enjoyable, while the former is generally rewarding despite some frustrating moments.

35

Borderlands 2

Steam User Rating: 95%

Borderlands 2 is in a strange place for a recommendation. On the one hand, it is (overall) the best and most complete entry in Gearbox’s franchise. The story has aged incredibly well and is considerably better than Borderlands or Borderlands 3, largely thanks to the presence of Handsome Jack. Although not quite on the same level as its successors, the 2012 FPS’s visuals are still fine and pleasing, which mostly speaks to the timeless nature of cel-shaded graphics. The randomized loot and varied classes provide quite a lot of replay-value, while the co-op is implemented well.

For all its strengths, Borderlands 2‘s gunplay shows its age, and it was never great to begin with. The gameplay lacks punch and is quite floaty, making for an uneven experience when compared to modern releases. Still, the good outweighs the bad, warranting a try as long as expectations are kept realistic.

34

Dave The Diver

Steam User Rating: 97%

One of 2023’s nicest surprises, Dave the Diver is a pixelated delight. Restaurant and fishing sims are not particularly uncommon, but very few games not only combine the two but also create something that feels genuinely unique. Despite sharing many similarities with other projects, Dave the Diver is one of a kind. As Dave, players find themselves owning a new sushi restaurant, and they are also in charge of acquiring the fish that will be served to customers. During the day, Dave dives into a peculiar sea in search of ingredients that his restaurant can then serve at night.

Although not the deepest restaurant manager on the market, Dave the Diver grants players a fair amount of control over the restaurant’s direction, allowing them enough creative input to give the experience a personal touch. While these sections are fun, the game is at its best when focusing on diving. Blending exploration, combat, and some customization, the dives are surprisingly action-packed, and they have quite a bit of variety as well.

33

Hotline Miami

Steam User Rating: 97%

Hotline Miami follows a nameless protagonist who receives cryptic messages that are generally interpreted as “go here and kill everyone.” Set in the late ’80s, the top-down shooter is drenched in neon lights and video game eccentricities that inspire players to not give much consideration to the reasons behind their actions. As the killer shoots their way through a building’s floors, they leave behind a trail of blood, guts, and bonus points.

Straightforward as the formula sounds on paper, Hotline Miami contains quite a bit of depth, both in the way stages need to be approached and the narrative that drives the slaughter. Perhaps more importantly, the game is a lot of fun to play, and it has not aged a bit since its 2012 debut. Hotline Miami is not just one of the best low-end PC games but also one of the greatest projects of all time.