Published requirements are the least standardised thing about PC gaming. Every publisher writes them differently, and two of the words they use mean less than people assume.
What the two tiers promise
Minimum means the game will launch and be playable — typically 30 frames per second at 1080p on low settings. It is not a promise that you will enjoy it.
Recommended usually targets 60 frames per second at 1080p on medium or high. It is closer to what most people picture when they imagine "running" a game.
Neither is a standard. Some publishers are honest, some are optimistic, and none of them are audited.
The component that usually decides
For most modern games the graphics card is the limiting factor. If your GPU is below the minimum, nothing else you have will compensate.
The exceptions are strategy games, simulations and anything with a lot of units on screen at once, where the processor matters more.
Memory is close to binary: if you have enough, more does not help; if you are short, the game will stutter regardless of your other components.
Finding out what you have
On Windows, press Windows + R, type dxdiag, and press Enter. The first tab shows your processor and memory; the Display tab shows your graphics card. That is everything a requirement sheet asks about.
Where storage actually matters
Free space is listed as a number, but the type matters more than the size for many recent releases. Some now require an SSD outright, and several that only recommend one are close to unplayable from a mechanical drive because of how they stream assets.
If a requirement sheet says SSD anywhere, treat it as a minimum rather than a suggestion.
