The most interesting games released in 1996
All the best and most popular games of the year, upcoming releases, and hits from the past. Use filters to narrow down search.
Command & Conquer: Red Alert
Strategy
November 9, 1996
The continuation of the enthusiastically-received RTS title from the Westwood Studios company. In contrast to the purely fictional storyline of its predecessor, this time the developers have decided to provide the players with an alternative version of reality, in which Stalin decides to “liberate” the world from the hands of imperialists and subjugate it to Soviet authority. After we declare our allegiance we can either assault the West under the red banner or fight in the ranks of the Allies and try to withstand the Soviet onslaught. This decision will have huge impact on our gameplay experience, as both factions have completely unique types of units and armaments, which also results in slightly different playstyles and strategies. The arsenal of doomsday devices which we have at our disposal has also been made much more realistic in comparison to the production’s archetype; however, there is no shortage of various weapon prototypes, such as the Tesla coil which electrocutes nearby enemies. Each of the campaigns consists of fourteen diversified missions, while those looking for an even greater challenge can try their strength in the multiplayer mode.
Diablo
RPG
December 31, 1996
An incredibly popular action RPG developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The story of Diablo is set in a fantasy world called Sanctuary, a realm facing a great danger. The Lord of Terror, imprisoned in a magical soul stone, tries to break free. The demon managed to dominate the minds of bishop Lazarus and king Leoric as well as raise an army of creatures that threatens the citizens of Tristram. The brave prince Aidan steps up to fight the forces of evil. The gameplay of Diablo combines action game with an RPG. Its essence is exciting real-time combat against hordes of enemies. Apart from a single player campaign, Diablo also offers a multiplayer mode via the Internet for a maximum of 4 players.
Heroes of Might and Magic II: The Succession Wars
Strategy
October 1, 1996
A continuation to a bestselling turn-based strategy game created by Jon Van Caneghem and his New World Computing studio. Heroes of Might and Magic II: The Succession Wars is set several years after the events depicted in the original game. When the ruler of Enroth, Lord Morglin Ironfist dies, a conflict over the throne breaks out between his sons. The player is given a choice, whether to fight for Roland's rebellion (he got banished from the kingdom) or stay loyal to Archibald, who considers himself the rightful heir to the throne. The gameplay formula has not changed significantly, but the creators introduced several novelties and improvements. The four hero classes from the original game were supplemented by a necromancer and a wizard, along with castles characteristic for these new classes and new creatures. Also, the second installment expands the list of skills available to heroes and introduces modifications to the system behind the use of spells. Additionally, the player is now capable of upgrading their units.
Magic: The Gathering - Battlemage
Strategy
November 1, 1996
Hybrid turn-based strategy and RTS, based on the Magic: The Gathering card game license. The player takes on the role of one of the mighty mages and ends up on the continent of Corondor, where he takes part in a war for influence with other wizards. The title has both a multiplayer Duel mode and a feature campaign in which we try to gain control over the whole land.
Resident Evil
Adventure
April 1, 1996
Action adventure game in the survival horror convention, which gave rise to a series that enjoys unflagging popularity around the world. The title was developed by Capcom, and its storyline draws heavily on horror films. In unexplained circumstances, bloodthirsty zombies appeared on the streets of a fictional city Raccoon City - to the rescue moves a special squad S.T.A.R.S., which quickly discovers that it is dealing with the effects of a mysterious virus developed by the sinister corporation Umbrella.
Quake (1996)
Action
June 22, 1996
A first-person shooter developed by id Software, which established new standards in the genre while being a breakthrough in terms of 3D computer graphics. The action of Quake takes place in an undefined future where government experiments with teleportation has made contact with inhabitants of other dimensions, bringing about an infestation of hellish beasts. During the gameplay, we assume the role of a nameless hero who, as humanity’s last hope, travels between the dimensions trying to deal with the danger. During the game, we explore various, climatic locations, wreaking havoc using eight weapons types. Our task is to gather the runes that unlock access to the last dimension, home to the final boss - Shub-Niggurath. One of the biggest highlights of the game is an expanded multiplayer mode offering the ability to play in several different modes, designed for up to 16 players.
X-Tetris
Puzzle
February 23, 1996
Without a doubt, X-Tetris is the most original Tetris clone in the history of computer entertainment. The role of the blocks has been replaced here by women and men, and the player's task is to associate them in "pairs". The program is almost pornographic and is not recommended for younger users.
Battle Arena Toshinden 2
Fighting
May 23, 1996
Continuation of the three-dimensional fight of the Japanese Tamsoft studio. In the game we take part in the next edition of Toshinden tournament, organized by the mysterious organization Secret Society. The title offers 3 new warriors, new blows, a new combos system and a handful of improvements in mechanics.
Tomb Raider (1996)
Action
November 3, 1996
A TPP action game with platformer elements, in which we play as the brave and attractive female archaeologist Lara Croft. Our protagonist sets out in search of a mystical artifact named Scion, which lies inside the tomb of Qualopec, located deep in the Peruvian jungle. After her guide dies at the very beginning of the journey, Lara is forced to face all the dangers waiting within ancient structures, tunnels, and catacombs on her own. And this is just the beginning of her adventure, which will lead her from ancient Rome, through Egyptian pyramids, and to several other exotic places. Tomb Raider’s gameplay skillfully combines the elements of an adventure game with the features of a platformer (e.g. climbing rock shelves) and action sequences, during which you will be facing wild animals and armed humans.
Re-Loaded
Action
December 1, 1996
A brutal top-down shooter, a continuation of the Loaded game released on PlayStation and Sega Saturn. In the game we play the role of bloodthirsty antiheroes, who are sent to defeat the crazy C.H.E.B.A. - a villain whose brain was transplanted into the body of a hermit-artist. The gameplay boils down to wandering through completely twisted worlds and brutal elimination of hostile enemies using a large arsenal of deadly weapons.
Iron & Blood: Warriors of Ravenloft
Fighting
October 31, 1996
Bijatyka developed by Take-Two Interactive, which takes us to the world of Ravenloft. In Iron & Blood: Warriors of Ravenloft we find ourselves in the middle of a conflict between the forces of order and chaos, whose aim is to conquer ancient artifacts. The title has a fictional campaign, which can be completed alone or in cooperation with another player.
Ripper
Adventure
February 29, 1996
A point-and-click adventure prepared in the form of an interactive film. We play the role of a reporter on the trail of a serial murderer of women called the Ripper. We explore the dark, cybernetic New York by talking to people we meet and solving puzzles. Famous actors, headed by Christopher Walken, played the roles of the protagonists.
The Settlers II
Strategy
February 15, 1996
The Settlers II is the second installment of a series considered to be a real time strategy (RTS) classics. The player directs the actions of a group of settlers who are trying to build a colony on the newly discovered land. Developers from Blue Byte Software studio have prepared a captivating one-person mode campaign consisting of 10 missions and a fully functional, network multiplayer.
Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars
Adventure
September 30, 1996
Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars is a two-dimensional point-and-click adventure with drawn graphics, in which players conduct a private investigation into a mysterious attack. The title opened today's famous series of productions, which set many trends in the genre.
Pandemonium!
Arcade
October 31, 1996
Three-dimensional platforming developed in cooperation between Toys for Bob and Crystal Dynamics. In the game we play the role of one of the two heroes, who are responsible for summoning a terrible monster, threatening a certain fantastic land. In order to correct their mistake, the sorceress Nikki and clown Fargus decide to get rid of the troublesome creature once and for all.
Sid Meier's Civilization II
Strategy
June 30, 1996
A sequel to the extremely successful turn-based strategy game Sid Meier's Civilization. Like in the first installment, our goal is to create a global empire through the advancement of army, economy and politics. Going from the year 4000 B.C. up to the distant future, the player can lead one of the 21 playable nations to its glory. Unlike its predecessor, the sequel allows the player to modify the rules of the game, like choosing the opponent, setting victory conditions, or changing the shape of the world. Also, there are two scenarios available: one set in the times of the Roman Empire and the other during the Second World War period. The civilization's development begins with the establishment of a settlement, its gradual expansion and the production of military and civil units. Subsequently, the player chooses the form of government and diplomacy, trade, technological investment and so on. Victory can be achieved in many ways: eliminating all opponents, cultural domination, or sending a colony spaceship to Alpha Centauri. The game comes with a map editor.
King's Field
RPG
February 14, 1996
Characterized by a high level of difficulty RPG studio FromSoftware. The action of the game is shown from the perspective of the first person and presents the story of a warrior looking for a magical sword to save the kingdom from the plague of monsters. The game consists mainly in exploration, fighting and gaining better equipment.
The Neverhood
Adventure
April 25, 1996
A unique point-and-click adventure game, developed in cooperation by the creator of Earthworm Jim - Doug TenNapela, DreamWorks Interactive film studio, and Steven Spielberg himself. The Neverhood takes us to a plasticine world, where we control a character named Klaymen. Our hero’s task is to retrieve the crown of his creator and father Hoborg, which, after it was stolen, allowed the thief, Klogg, to take over the world of Neverhood. The gameplay itself follows typical adventure game standards, with players exploring locations, collecting items, and solving various logical puzzles. However, the game’s unique feature is its innovative, fully plasticine world, created using more than three tons of plasticine and a unique stop motion animation technique, known as claymation.
The Terminator: SkyNET
Action
December 15, 1996
The last installment of the FPP shooting series, based on the motifs of the Terminator film series. The plot of the game continues the threads started in The Terminator: Future Shock, and while having fun we again stand on the side of the resistance movement, trying to destroy the criminal artificial intelligence of Skynet, which with the use of nuclear weapons intends to blast humanity from the surface of the Earth. For the first time in the history of the series, in addition to the single player campaign, the title also offers the possibility of multi-player competition, during which we can also play the role of the Terminator itself.
Tobal No. 1
Fighting
August 2, 1996
Bijatyka, in which players take part in a martial arts tournament, organized on the title planet. The game is worth a candle because the winner will take control of Molmoran resources - a rare and extremely valuable resource. A characteristic feature of Tobal No. 1 is the presence of a feature mode, in which we travel through three-dimensional underground, observing the action from the perspective of a third person.
Lords of the Realm II
Strategy
October 31, 1996
Lords of the Realm II is a sequel to the Impressions Games strategy game published in 1994. The action was again set in the Middle Ages, and the player plays the role of a feudal magnate, who after the king's death becomes a rival for the crown. Gameplay is a combination of turn-based strategy and real time (RTS).
A-10 Cuba!
Simulation
October 30, 1996
Advanced air simulator, in which we sit at the helm of the A-10 Thunderbolt II plane popularly known as Guziec and perform a number of missions in the Guantánamo Bay area of Cuba, aimed at defeating local partisan forces. Tasks include destroying tanks and bases or escorting allied units.
