GeForce NOW: A perfect solution for nostalgic gamers and beyond

As life progresses, many of us drift away from hobbies we once held dear—video gaming being one such passion for a lot of people. Recently, I reconnected with several friends who used to share this love for gaming. Unfortunately, life’s demands—family, children, and demanding jobs—have led many of them to abandon their former favorite pastime. Our conversations often circle around the same themes: what new games are on the market, what platforms they run on, and how limited free time makes gaming seem impossible. Yet, the sentiment I hear most often is, “If they ever release a new title in the XYZ series, my old favorite, I’d definitely make time to play it.”

This conversation is all too familiar for former gamers who long for the titles they grew up with. This gave me the idea to write this article—a guide for nostalgic gamers with limited time and no dedicated gaming hardware, but who still wish to enjoy the latest entries of their favorite game series.

Cloud gaming: the modern solution

For those juggling careers, families, and countless responsibilities, there’s a growing need for a solution that offers instant access to games—without waiting for downloads, installations, or endless system updates. Ideally, these games should be playable on the devices most people already own, such as smartphones, tablets, or work laptops, eliminating the need for expensive gaming PCs or consoles. This is where cloud gaming comes in, specifically GeForce NOW, the leading platform in Romania for gaming in the cloud.

Cloud gaming operates on a simple principle: the game is not run on your local device, but rather on a powerful NVIDIA server in the cloud. The video feed of the game is streamed to your device, and thanks to modern internet speeds and advancements in video encoding technology, the gaming experience can feel almost identical to playing on a high-end gaming PC. For even the most discerning gamers, GeForce NOW can meet expectations with virtually no noticeable difference in gameplay quality.

Access your existing PC games

One of the standout features of GeForce NOW is that it doesn’t require you to repurchase games you already own. With over 2,000 compatible PC titles available, if you own a game on popular platforms like Steam, Ubisoft Connect, or Epic Games Store, you can stream it via GeForce NOW. NVIDIA continually adds more games to its library, so your existing collection is likely already supported, with new additions being made weekly.

For nostalgic gamers, this is particularly exciting. I’ve compiled a list of classic game series from the ’90s, many of which have new installments, all available for streaming on GeForce NOW:

• Baldur’s Gate 3: The latest entry in a legendary RPG series that began in the late 1990s. Available on Steam.
• Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown: A modern chapter in a series that redefined cinematic platformers in the early 1990s. Available on Ubisoft Connect.
• Resident Evil Village: The newest title in the survival horror series that began in the ’90s. Available on Steam.
• Star Wars Outlaws: A fresh adventure in the Star Wars universe, continuing the legacy of classic games like Dark Forces and Jedi Knight. Available on Ubisoft Connect.
• Fallout 4: The latest single-player installment in the post-apocalyptic series that debuted in the late ’90s. Available on Steam.
• DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal: Modern reboots of the first-person shooter series that defined the genre in the ’90s. Available on Steam.
• Black Mesa: Definitive Edition: A remake of the iconic Half-Life, which revolutionized the shooter genre. Available on Steam.
• Portal with RTX: A revamped version of Portal with cutting-edge graphics technologies like Ray Tracing and DLSS. Available on Steam.

How to get started with GeForce NOW

To enjoy these games, you’ll need to own them on the respective platforms (Steam, Ubisoft Connect, etc.). First, you’ll need to create accounts on these platforms, purchase the games you want to play, and then link them with your GeForce NOW account. Fortunately, PC game prices vary, and some older games can be found at heavily discounted rates on sites like Green Man Gaming or Fanatical.

GeForce NOW supports multiple platforms, including Steam, Ubisoft Connect, and even Epic Games Store and Xbox (including PC Game Pass). If you don’t already have accounts on these platforms, it may be a good idea to sign up for Epic Games Store and Xbox as well, since they frequently offer deals and free games.

Once you have your games and accounts ready, the next step is to download and install the GeForce NOW app, available for Windows, macOS, Android, and select smart TVs. iPhone and iPad users can access the service via Safari at play.geforcenow.com. For this test, I used a MacBook Air, but the process should work similarly on any device.

Subscription options for GeForce NOW

Once you’ve installed GeForce NOW, you can choose from three different subscription plans:

1. Free: Limited to 1-hour sessions with possible waiting times to access a server. Great for testing the service.
2. Priority: €10.99/month or €54.99 for 6 months. This plan offers instant access to servers, streaming at up to 1080p, 60fps, and access to RTX effects like Ray Tracing.
3. Ultimate: €21.99/month or €109 for 6 months. Access to RTX 4080-powered servers with 4K resolution, 240fps, and the best graphical enhancements.

After selecting a plan, you’ll link your GeForce NOW account with Steam, Ubisoft, or other gaming platforms. From here, you can adjust streaming quality settings and test your internet connection for optimal performance.

Gaming performance: does it live up to the hype?

Once you’re set up, you can launch games from the Games section in the app. With linked accounts, you can jump right into any supported title without worrying about downloads or updates.

The experience of playing through GeForce NOW is remarkably smooth. In games like Baldur’s Gate 3, DOOM Eternal, and Black Mesa, the gameplay is virtually indistinguishable from playing on a high-end gaming PC. I was particularly impressed with the responsiveness in DOOM and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, with no noticeable lag.

However, I did encounter some minor latency issues in Resident Evil Village, but the game was still very playable. Enabling NVIDIA Reflex in Star Wars Outlaws improved the input lag significantly, while adjusting mouse sensitivity in Fallout 4 helped resolve minor delays.

For those who enjoy cutting-edge graphics, games like DOOM Eternal and Portal with RTX showcase advanced visual effects, such as Ray Tracing and DLSS, which work seamlessly with GeForce NOW’s Ultimate plan.

Conclusion: GeForce NOW reignites gaming for time-strapped enthusiasts

For nostalgic gamers with limited time, GeForce NOW offers the perfect solution. It provides access to both classic and modern games without the need for expensive hardware, lengthy downloads, or time-consuming updates. The platform’s flexibility—allowing users to play on almost any device—means that gaming is accessible again, even for those juggling busy schedules.

The performance of GeForce NOW is impressive, delivering a near-local gaming experience through cloud streaming. Whether you’re revisiting old favorites or diving into new releases, the platform offers an exciting way to reconnect with the games you love.

Fact check: Key points

• Platform: GeForce NOW allows you to play PC games you already own via cloud streaming, with support for over 2,000 titles.
• Subscription options: Three plans are available: Free, Priority, and Ultimate, with varying levels of performance and features.
• Game selection: Popular nostalgic titles like Baldur’s Gate 3 and DOOM Eternal are playable on the service.
• Performance: GeForce NOW delivers impressive gaming performance, even for high-demand titles.