It’s no secret in the gaming industry that Valve has some of the greatest and most famous game series’ under their banner. With games like Half-Life, Left 4 Dead and Counter-Strike remaining ever-so-popular even decades after initial release, it leaves even less room for some of Valve’s forgotten games to breathe.
Valve has made some great strides in the gaming industry, but even they cannot stop the ever-changing demand of players and fans, that constantly seek out new games to keep them thrilled. Forgotten Valve games may be few, but they’ve had their time in the sun and faded into obscurity.
7 Day Of Defeat
A classic game for Valve’s library is Day of Defeat, a World War 2 game that was released in 2003. The game has very positive reviews and sees players enlist as a soldier, eager to fight in a war of Allied vs. Axis infantry with different classes and weapons. Players can work together with their squad to ensure victory with mission-specific objectives.
Sadly, Day of Defeat is all but forgotten, as not only does the combat not entirely hold up against modern-day multiplayer shooters, but the servers are inactive, and the player base is non-existent. Day of Defeat was a good entry in Valve’s portfolio but is certainly part of their forgotten list of games.
6 The Orange Box
The Orange Box was a bundle for Valve, which included several important and popular games from the company’s development including Half-Life 2, Portal, and Team Fortress 2. What made The Orange Box a once popular pick was the fact that it was available for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but since those systems are two generations obsolete, The Orange Box is all for naught.
Some old-school players may rememberThe Orange Box, as it was a great way to play these once-thought PC exclusives on consoles. However, these games are so reasonably cheap on Steam, and Team Fortress 2 itself is free-to-play, making The Orange Box a forgotten bundle from Valve.
5 Ricochet
Ricochet was released in 2000, and as the decades have gone by, Ricochet was left in the year of its creation. The game itself is a futuristic action game, with clear influences from Tron. Players will have to face many challenges as they battle against each other, from the perfect timing and trajectory of their aim to the skilled agility of their dodges and movements.
The potential for futuristic battle arenas for one-on-one plays is all but squandered, considering the game is over 23 years old, it is rather inactive. Players that want to try their luck against each other in Ricochet will rarely be able to find a game, but if they do, it’s a bout of fun.
4 Team Fortress Classic
In 1999, players were able to experience the origins of a great game. Team Fortress, now known as Team Fortress Classic was one of the original multiplayer shooters to feature team play with varied mechanics and classes. From the unique Medic to the explosive Demolition Man, the team warfare in Team Fortress Classic made every game unique, and team composition was ever important.
However, Team Fortress Classic suffers from a realistic art style, and its grittiness is left in the dust thanks to its zanier and more fleshed-out sequel, Team Fortress 2. The sequel is better known to fans of Valve games, leaving Team Fortress Classic behind.
3 Alien Swarm
If players hate bugs, then Alien Swarm is the game for them. In Alien Swarm, players battle against alien bugs, hunting them, or being the hunted, along with a co-op squad to evoke tactics against their gross enemies. Players can work together to create some unique classes on a pathway to victory in this top-down shooter.
The ambition for Alien Swarm was clear, and the team pulled it off rather well. However, Alien Swarm suffers from an inactive player base, and many players claim that the only reason they gave the game a chance was for a Team Fortress 2 hat. However, as a top-down “Left 4 Dead with aliens” style shooter, it’s good fun.
2 Deathmatch Classic
Yet another fast-paced multiplayer shooter, Deathmatch Classic is a loving tribute to the work of id Software and their Quake series. Players can compete with a multitude of weapons, with an array of interesting characters, like Half-Life’s iconic and mysterious G-Man.
Although players might want to put their reflexes and skills to the test against each other, they might be waiting a while due to the inactive player base inside. The unfortunate truth is that there are other more active and fleshed-out competitive shooters, leaving Deathmatch Classic as it stands: a classic.
1 Counter-Strike: Condition Zero
A fully-fledged Tour of Duty campaign, and endless enjoyment from skirmish game modes, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero expanded on the original, and brought fans a new offering of both single-player content and multiplayer options. The gameplay is a tad dated, but it was a simpler time that lacked microtransactions and overly competitive players.
The biggest issue with Counter-Strike: Condition Zero is that it is a product of its time. Sadly, the game is simply outdated, thus leaving this Valve title forgotten, especially since there have been more recent titles, like Counter-Strike 2.