20 Best PC Games You Can Play Without A Graphics Card

Jan. 15, 2024, midnight

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20 Best PC Games You Can Play Without A Graphics Card

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Summary Many PC games don't require dedicated graphics cards and can be played on budget-friendly systems, offering deep gameplay and interesting stories.

Games like Terraria, DOOM, and Stardew Valley can be enjoyed with low-end hardware, offering fun and engaging experiences.

Titles with low system requirements enable access to a wide range of gaming genres.

Getting into PC gaming can sometimes seem like a costly endeavor, but plenty of great games are playable without needing dedicated graphics cards or high-end equipment. Graphics cards or GPUs seem to be getting more costly as the years go on, with some top-tier cards on the market fetching upwards of $1,500 or more. That's a huge sum just to be able to play video games at the highest resolution and frame rate, and it's understandably a deal-breaker for many. However, getting into PC gaming doesn't have to break the bank.

Integrated graphics, rather than dedicated GPUs, utilize the computer's CPU or processor. While this technology has been frowned upon by hardcore PC gamers, in reality, many PC games don't necessarily need a dedicated graphics card to run. In fact, budget-friendly requirements can even be a blessing in disguise, as while they may not be known for the best graphics, many less graphically intense games include deep and interesting stories, compelling character development, or interesting gameplay mechanics.

Related 10 Console Exclusive Games That Deserve A PC Port Out of all the games that need a PC port, which titles need it the most? Redditors have weighed in with a number of games as suggestions.

20 Terraria (2011)

Developer: Re-Logic

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor 2GHZ Memory 2.5GB RAM Hard Disk Space 200MB Video 128MB Video Memory

Terraria is a game available via Steam that only requires 200MB of hard drive space. Praised for its complex gameplay, Terraria can be played single-player or online with friends and is akin to 2D Minecraft with its own unique mechanics and aesthetics. In the game, players mine deep into the ground to discover new treasures and resources to build interesting equipment, weapons, and structures. Best of all, the game can run on various low-end systems, including mobile devices, because of its simple pixel graphics.

Related Terraria Sells Over 35 Million Copies Across All Platforms Terarria developer Re-Logic announces the game has sold more than 35 million copies across all platforms, also becoming Steam's highest-rated game.

19 Balatro (2024)

Developer: LocalThunk

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor Intel Core i3 Memory 1 GB RAM Hard Disk Space 150 MB Video OpenGL 2.1 compatible

A unique but highly addictive roguelike poker game, Balatro was a surprise smash hit when it was originally released in February of 2024. In Balatro, players are dealt eight cards and must build the best five-card hand in roguelike fashion against an AI opponent. With strong passive bonuses in the form of the game's Joker cards, it's an innovative take on the typical roguelike title.

Related Balatro Review: "The Next Great Deckbuilder Roguelite" Video poker and deckbuilding combine in Balatro, an unassuming but obscenely addictive card game that is one of the first indie hits of the year.

Combining traditional playing cards, Tarot cards, and unique packs and decks similar to other roguelike deck-builders, the game seems simple on its face but is actually incredibly deep and replayable. The simplistic animations and art style, melded with simple but satisfying audio, make the game stand out among other digital card games.

18 DOOM (1993)

Developer: id Software

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor Intel Core 2 Duo E8200 Memory 4GB RAM Hard Disk Space 1GB Video Nvidia GT 630/AMD HD 7750

DOOM is one of the most well-optimized games of all time, even if it's not really the first FPS game; as such, id Software's seminal 1993 first-person shooter DOOM was made with a large install base in mind. Far ahead of the popularization of discrete graphics cards, DOOM could run on even relatively basic systems back in the day, and its file size under 2 MB meant that memory space wasn't as much of an issue as it was with other DOS titles.

An enhanced version with slightly higher requirements was released in 2019 and is now playable on the Epic Games Launcher and Steam.

Today, any computer that can run Windows can run DOOM. In fact, the Steam store page lists Windows XP/Vista compatibility as the bare minimum requirement. Considering that DOOM is even playable inside another DOOM copy, Valve's DRM services are likely more taxing on a PC than id's hit game.

17 Darkest Dungeon (2016)

Developer: Red Hook Studios

Platform(s) PC , Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 4 Released February 3, 2015 Developer(s) Red Hook Studios Publisher(s) Red Hook Studios ESRB e10+ How Long To Beat 55 Hours Expand

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor 2.5 GHz Dual core Memory 2GB RAM Hard Disk Space 2GB Video Open GL 3.2+ Compliant

Darkest Dungeon initially debuted in 2015 into Early Access as a fairly barebones horror roguelike affair, but it eventually blossomed into a complex title. Darkest Dungeon requires party management and strategy as a tale of desperation and depravity sees the players wager long odds in a grizzly war against a Lovecraftian horror.

Related 25 Best Horror Games To Play Right Now From demonic entities to sadistic killers, there's so much to choose from for horror game fans. Here are 25 of the best horror titles available.

Darkest Dungeon takes on the same roguelike deck-building foundations and builds upon it with unique heroes that possess unique advantages and disadvantages. Though the game isn't for everyone, it was certainly made to run on just about every PC. With the only real stipulation being OpenGL compliance, this title can run on pretty much anything.

16 Stardew Valley (2016)

Developer: Concerned Ape

Platform(s) Xbox One , Android , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation Vita , iOS , PC , Linux , Nintendo Switch , macOS Released February 26, 2016 Developer(s) ConcernedApe Publisher(s) Chucklefish Genre(s) Simulation , RPG ESRB E10+ Summary Stardew Valley is a charming indie farming scene that took the world by storm. After inheriting a run-down farm from their grandfather, the player moves to Stardew Valley to start a new life away from the city. Grow crops, raise animals, befriend the villagers, and discover the secrets the valley has to offer. Expand

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor 2.5 GHZ Memory 2GB RAM Hard Disk Space 500MB Video 256MB Video Memory

Stardew Valley accomplishes what other farming simulation games can't in a 2.5D pixel world. Praised for its fun and relaxing gameplay, the cozy farming simulator runs light on the system resources while including a huge amount of content within the title. In Stardew Valley, characters can grow crops, raise farm animals, or craft different equipment while managing relationships with people in the Valley. With both single-player, split-screen, and online co-op, Stardew Valley can be enjoyed alone or with a group of friends.

Related Stardew Valley: Best Crops for Every Season (& Where to Find Them) One of the important aspects of Stardew Valley is ensuring that you are farming right and growing the best crops for every season for maximum profit.

15 Minecraft (2011)

Developer: Mojang Studios

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor Intel Core i3-4150 or Intel Celeron N4100 Memory 2GB RAM Hard Disk Space 2GB Video Integrated: Intel HD Graphics 4400

Renowned for its almost impossibly vast, randomly generated worlds, Minecraft seems like it would be fairly taxing on most PCs despite its simplistic aesthetic. While that might be true for those who enjoy installing mods that heavily alter the game's visuals, Minecraft's Java edition can run on practically anything.

Related 10 Best Seeds For Diamonds In Minecraft 1.20 In Minecraft 1.20, players can use seeds to generate worlds with rich veins of Diamond Ore, giving them access to rare Diamonds for crafting gear.

The Minecraft alpha first became publicly available in 2009, and while installing the best Minecraft mods in 2023 might prove too demanding for lower-end systems, its base requirements are still reflective of its age. Performance can certainly be improved with the now relatively inexpensive eighth-gen gaming consoles, but just about anyone with a working laptop can still give Minecraft a go.

14 Slay The Spire (2019)

Developer: Mega Crit

Platform(s) PC , Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 4 , Xbox One Released January 23, 2019 Publisher(s) Humble Bundle Genre(s) Strategy ESRB e10+ How Long To Beat 11 Hours Expand

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor 2GHZ Memory 2GB RAM Hard Disk Space 1GB Video 1 GB Video Memory, OpenGL 3.0+

When it comes to indie-developed deck builders, perhaps no other title is more well-known among the tight-knit community than Slay the Spire. A roguelike deck building dungeon-crawler, players must navigate the Spire while making card selections after each enemy. An inspiration to other roguelike deck builders that followed it Slay the Spire laid the foundations of what would eventually become a thriving indie roguelike scene.

Slay The Spire 2 is slated to release sometime in 2025.

Although the game has fairly simple graphics, the complex card synergies and interesting strategic approaches to its varied enemies are addictive and deep. With four characters to choose from and over 350 different card variations, there are endless possibilities for any single run.

13 Undertale (2015)

Developer: tobyfox

Platform(s) Xbox One OS X , Windows , Linux , PS4 , PlayStation Vita , Nintendo Switch Released September 15, 2015 Developer(s) Toby Fox Publisher(s) Toby Fox Genre(s) RPG ESRB E 10+ Expand

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor 2GHz Memory 2GB RAM Hard Disk Space 200MB Video 128MB

Those looking for less violence in their games should turn to Undertale, the quaint but memorable pixel-art RPG where, many of the times, it's best to have a meaningful conversation over a deadly battle. Undertale does that and more in this unique take on the genre, where conversation takes center stage.

Wholly unique in its approach to storytelling, Undertale is an often overlooked game with very low system requirements but a witty and compelling story that will have people coming back to complete the campaign.

12 Hotline Miami (2012)

Developer: Dennaton Games

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor 1.2 GHZ Memory 512MB RAM Hard Disk Space 250 MB Video 32MB, DirectX 8 compatible

Those who enjoy the visceral violence of shooter titles may not be able to experience many of them without a video card. After all, most of the newest shooters out there require powerful hardware, but that's where a game like Hotline Miami differs. Shown from a top-down perspective reminiscent of the original Grand Theft Auto games, the high-octane pixel action set in the seedy 1989 Miami underworld is a unique blast to play. It does have a larger RAM requirement because of all the things on screen, but most modern systems should be able to handle it.

Hotline Miami received rave reviews when it was originally released and currently maintains an Overwhelmingly Positive review rating on Steam with nearly 80,000 reviews and counting. The sequel, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, is almost as good as the original and also has low graphics requirements, but the initial Hotline Miami stands out as one of the better and more unique video games to come out of the 2010s.

11 Cuphead (2017)

Developer: Studio MDHR Entertainment Inc.

Platform(s) Nintendo Switch , Xbox One , PlayStation 4 , PC Released September 29, 2017 Publisher(s) Studio MDHR Entertainment Inc. Genre(s) Shooter , Platformer ESRB E10+ How Long To Beat 10-24 hours Developer(s) Studio MDHR Entertainment Inc. Franchise cuphead Expand

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor Intel Core2 Duo E8400, 3.0GHz Memory 3 GB RAM Hard Disk Space 4 GB available space Video 9600 GT

Although the co-op action game Cuphead does feature colorful, eye-catching visuals and impressive animations, the frenetic side-scrolling action game doesn't actually require much to run. The Geforce 9600 GT was released back in 2008, with many onboard HD integrated graphics hardware beating it today. In addition to superb and crisp gameplay and a great visual style, Cuphead also has a catchy 1930s soundtrack to go along with it.

Based on The Cuphead Show!, Cuphead "Don't Deal with the Devil" maintains an 86% rating on Metacritic and an Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam. Great for all ages with split-screen co-op, the title manages to be appropriate for a younger audience while still being fun for adults.

10 Dead Cells (2018)

Developer: Motion Twin

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor Intel i5+ Memory 2GB RAM Hard Disk Space 500MB Video Nvidia 450 GTS/Radeon HD5750

Those looking for a high-intensity side-scrolling action game need look no further than Dead Cells, the 2D metroidvania-inspired action platformer. Just because it's pixel-based art, however, doesn't mean that visuals are lacking, as the unique style of the game creates a unique atmosphere that's hard to forget.

With satisfying, responsive controls and gameplay mechanics, a veritable treasure trove of weapons and powerups, and violent and bloody combat, Dead Cells harkens back to iconic side-scrollers of the past, like Castlevania. In fact, the recent Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania DLC is a testament to its inspiration and is just one of the many DLCs that add variety and replayability to the title.

9 Hades (2020)

Developer: Supergiant Games

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor Dual Core 2.5 GHz Memory 4GB RAM Hard Disk Space 1GB Video 1GB VRAM/DirectX 10+ support

As one of the best games of 2020, Hades stands out above many other roguelike titles with tight, fast-paced action and engaging characters. Fortunately for those looking to play PC games without a graphics card, it also has very low system requirements. Even the recommended requirements only ask for 2GB VRAM and Direct X10+ support.

On a system without a graphics card and without a lot of system RAM to spare, Hades might see some slowdown when the screen fills up with lots of enemies and effects. In general, though, the game should be smooth sailing on most computers. Plus, with Hades 2 on the way, there's no better time to hop into the roguelike inspired by Greek mythology.

8 Portal (2007)

Developer: Valve

Franchise Portal Platform(s) PC , Linux Released October 10, 2007 Developer(s) Valve Publisher(s) Valve Genre(s) Puzzle ESRB e10+ How Long To Beat 3 Hours Expand

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor 1.7 GHz Processor Memory 512MB RAM Hard Disk Space 1GB Video DirectX 8.1 level Graphics Card

These days, it's rather easy for underpowered computers to handle Valve's Source 2 engine, and that's good news for Portal fans. Not only is it easy on the hardware, but it's one of the coolest and most inventive FPS puzzle games ever made.

Portal's gameplay is simple, consisting of a gun that can create two types of dimensional portals that allow players to navigate a series of puzzle-themed rooms. Players should avoid the official Portal ray-tracing upgrade if they're looking for games that don't need a graphics card to run, but it's otherwise a game that tests the gray matter without testing the machine it's running on.

7 Among Us (2018)

Developer: Innersloth

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor INTEL i3-4330 Memory 1GB RAM Hard Disk Space 250MB Video INTEL HD Graphics 4600

Among Us is one multiplayer PvPvE game that doesn't require an incredibly expensive GPU. The well-known title has remarkably low system requirements, with Intel HD Graphics 4600 being required to play, making the fact that 4-15 players can play together more impressive.

In Among Us, people must complete tasks on a spaceship with one or more of the players disguised as a killer. This creates a claustrophobic and paranoid game that can surprisingly result in many laughs.

6 Vampire Survivors (2022)

Developer: Poncle

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor x64 architecture with SSE2 instruction set support Memory 1GB RAM Hard Disk Space 600MB Video DX11, DX12 capable

Vampire Surivors is an indie game created by a sole developer, poncle. An action roguelike, the high-paced retro action of the game is reminiscent of the 2.5D action games on the NES or SEGA, but with modern gameplay controls and skill trees.

In Vampire Survivors, players must struggle to survive against hordes of undead creatures and disturbing beasts imagined by the game's creator. Like other roguelikes, survival ensures a randomized set of upgrades, where the goal is to synergize the most powerful combinations.

5 Valorant (2020)

Developer: Riot Games

Valorant Platform(s) Windows Released June 2, 2020 Developer(s) Riot Games Publisher(s) Riot Games Genre(s) FPS ESRB T Expand

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Memory 4GB RAM Hard Disk Space 30GB Video Intel HD 4000/Radeon R5 200

Valorant is comparatively new to the FPS arena, having been released in June 2020. Yet, Riot Game's title can still run on an Intel HD 4000 or AMD R5 200 architecture, all without the need for a dedicated GPU to handle the visual workload. This particular game is dependent more on the CPU rather than any graphics hardware, which is a benefit for those without an expensive graphics card.

This gives players a lot of wiggle room to adjust graphics preferences and hit their desired sweet spots when it comes to clarity versus frame rate. The game itself looks brilliant and sharp on any settings, which is a testament to how integrated graphics can power a deceptively simple FPS title.

Related Valorant Review: A Strong Enough Start Valorant is a solid competitive foundation with intense and addictive tactical teamwork, even though it's low on content and rough around the edges.

4 Hollow Knight (2017)

Developer: Team Cherry

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor Intel Core 2 Duo E5200 Memory 4GB RAM Hard Disk Space 9GB Video GeForce 9800GTX+ (1GB)

Hollow Knight is a game with low system requirements that still manages to have beautiful and, at times, haunting visuals. A classic 2D sidescroller, the single-player game mixes the difficulty of a souls-like game in a 2D realm with a wonderfully rendered cell-shaded aesthetic.

With snappy, responsive controls and plenty of unique gameplay mechanics, the inventive tale takes people on a dark and twisted adventure crafted by Team Cherry. A sequel called Hollow Knight: Silksong has been highly anticipated but delayed several times over the years.

3 BattleBit Remastered (2023)

Developers: SgtOkiDoki, Vilaskis, TheLiquidHorse

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor Intel Core i5-2310 Memory 6 GB RAM Hard Disk Space 2GB Video Geforce GTS 450

Those who want to play a solid first-person shooter but feel hampered by inferior hardware should definitely check out BattleBit Remastered. With up to 254-player lobbies, a host of driveable vehicles, and destructible environments, the FPS indie title does more than a lot of AAA shooters manage to pull off with massive budgets. Best of all, it's made to run on older and lower-end hardware.

There aren't many FPS titles that can get so much right but are still capable of running on lower-end systems. Reminiscent of other war titles like Battlefield, BattleBit is a breath of fresh air in a game genre that has gotten stale with innumerable sequels, impressive graphics, and demanding drive space — but little new content.

2 Hearthstone (2014)

Developer: Blizzard Entertainment

Franchise Warcraft Platform(s) Mobile , PC Released March 11, 2014 Developer(s) Blizzard Publisher(s) Blizzard Entertainment , Blizzard Genre(s) Strategy , Digital Card Game ESRB T Expand

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor Intel Pentium D or AMD Athlon 64 X2 Memory 3GB RAM Hard Disk Space 3GB Video GeForce 8600 GT/Radeon HD 2600XT

The highly popular Warcraft-themed deck builder, Hearthstone, is unarguably one of the catalysts in popularizing online digital collectible card games. Now a decade old, the game sets two players head to head with a custom 30-card deck in a turn-based game mode that relies heavily on strategy and card composition. With a massive variety of different types of cards, there's a lot of opportunity to create and develop a preferred strategy and playstyle.

Over the years since its release, Hearthstone has received several updates and added packs and has gone through several different metas that dominate the scene. With a strong competitive community that still plays the game today, it's easy to play but incredibly deep for those who aim to master it. In addition to having relatively low system requirements, it's also playable on Android and iOS devices.

1 Team Fortress 2 (2007)

Developer: Valve

Minimum Hardware Requirements Processor 1.7 GHz Processor or better Memory 512MB RAM Hard Disk Space 15GB Video DirectX 9 Compatible

Originally released in 2007, Team Fortress 2 has to be one of the most celebrated multiplayer games of all time. A seminal hero shooter that helped to inspire later titles like Overwatch and Valorant, Team Fortress 2 is a challenging FPS that asks players to become acutely familiar with the intricacies of its various classes.

While success sometimes hinges on teamwork and communication, PC performance will almost never be a factor. Team Fortress 2 has maintained high player counts over the years, showcasing its easily approachable fun. Able to run without a dedicated GPU, players can enjoy Team Fortress 2 on PC without an expensive graphics card.

Source: Steam (2), Metacritic