Games for Linux

Overview

Usually, people think of Windows when it comes to PC gaming, as the majority of games on the market are primarily developed for that operating system. However, Linux is becoming a popular second choice, and even big stores like Steam are supporting it.

Although I don't game on Linux myself, I thought I'd help out fans of this operating system by setting aside this listing of the 101 games I've reviewed that can be run under Linux.

Simply click on a game's title to view the full review.

Games in this List

0 - C D - I J - P Q - Z

JumpJet Rex

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Platformer
Platforms:
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During his initial mission as the first dinosaur astronaut, Rex gets an unexpected surprise - a giant asteroid is hurtling towards prehistoric Earth, and he's the only person who can reach it in time to save the planet!

Brief thoughts: This is a very clean game, though some of the references to gaming and internet culture can be misinterpreted if players aren't familiar with them.

Kairo

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	First Person Puzzler
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This is a game about exploring a very strange, surreal environment. As you solve the puzzles scattered throughout the world, you also start reviving the alien city. The buildings that have been left behind also leave more questions than answers, creating an eerie, enigmatic feeling to the game.

Brief thoughts: You're basically reviving a lost world, and since the place is mostly empty, there's little room for objectionable content.

Killing Floor

ESRB Rating:	M - Mature Audiences
My Rating:	Adults - 18+
Genre:	First Person Shooter / Horror
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Horzine's attempts at making genetically enhanced soldiers went horribly awry, and now they are rampaging through the countryside. It's up to you and your friends to flush them out and finish them off.

Brief thoughts: This is an extremely graphic game, with gore and blood pretty much everywhere. Some of the enemies are also nude, though this is usually treated as a source of horror.

Left 4 Dead 2

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 13 and up
Genre:	First Person Shooter
Platforms:
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The AI director is back, ready to make another movie about the struggles of four desperate survivors of a zombie apocalypse. As before, players star as the actors in this virtual action movie rather than the actual survivors, so it's all in good fun -- unless you're one of the zombies of course.

Brief thoughts: Things are a bit more graphic this time around, as the zombies can be dismembered.

LIMBO

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 13 and up
Genre:	Platform Puzzler / Horror
Platforms:
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LIMBO is one of those creepy games that needs to be experienced rather than read about. While younger children should avoid this game, it's going to be a memorable trip for the older gamers. At the very least, it left an impression on the gaming community and deserves a try for doing so.

Brief thoughts: Although the game's graphics only show silhouettes, violent deaths are common and often very graphically depicted.

Little Inferno

ESRB Rating:	T - Teenagers
My Rating:	Ages 10 and up
Genre:	Other
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Little Inferno is exactly what it promises to be: a cozy little fireplace where you can set all manner of things on fire and watch them burn. What makes this interesting is that there's a pointed story behind all of this pyromania, and in order to progress, you need to figure out and burn specific combinations of items.

Brief thoughts: While this game is intended to be comedic with a serious message, some of the items you can destroy in your Little Inferno Entertainment Fireplace are disturbing.

Examples include plush toys that react to being burned, various things advertised as belonging to someone else, different types of fake drugs, and old ladies.

LOVE

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Platformer
Platforms:
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Love is a homage to old school computer games, and as such, it focuses solely on running through various levels as quickly as possible. There's no story or point, other than the challenge of surviving the many obstacles in your way.

Brief thoughts: One of the benefits simple games is that there isn't much room for offensive content.

Meritous

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 6 and up
Genre:	Dungeon Crawler
Platforms:
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This game is completely free!
The goal of this open source dungeon crawler is to cleanse the contaminated Orcus Dome by dispelling the monsters and restoring the flow of magical energy. It's not as easy to do as it sounds, but it's definitely a fun time.

Brief thoughts: Although this game is themed after psychic powers and magical things, it really doesn't feel like either are actually involved. As there isn't anything else to worry about, this makes the game rather clean.

Minecraft

ESRB Rating:	E10 - Everyone (Ages 10 and up)
My Rating:	Ages 10 and up
Genre:	Survival / Building
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The name really says it all: you mine resources, and then craft new things out of them. This is a game about exploring new blocky worlds, building all sorts of things, and optionally fighting monsters. The sheer plethora of mods available for it only make things more fun, so it's hard not to recommend a classic game like this one.

Brief thoughts: Although there is some very mild violence and a spooky "Hell" world for players to explore, this is a very family friendly game. However, the biggest issue with it is the way players can get addicted to the slow paced but endless creative gameplay. This can make it difficult for younger players to focus on other things.

Nation Red

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 13 and up
Genre:	Top Down Shooter
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This arena shooter asks a question nobody expected: what if zombies figured out how to use weapons?

Brief thoughts: While the zombies are normally green with mud and decay, they do manage to make a bloody mess when shot or killed.

Neverball

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Sports
Platforms:
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This game is completely free!
This open source game had you try to roll a ball through various challenging levels. However, instead of controlling the ball directly, you tilt the entire level to make the ball roll in the desired direction.

Brief thoughts: Potential issues with motion sickness aside, there is nothing of concern in this game.

Neverputt

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Sports
Platforms:
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This game is completely free!
Neverputt is a simple open source minigolf game. It's decent enough, but it's not very polished. In fact, the lack of features and limited options make this feel like an afterthought rather than a bonafide game.

Brief thoughts: One of the benefits of no-frills games like this is that there's nothing to worry about.

Night in the Woods

ESRB Rating:	T - Teenagers
My Rating:	Ages 13 and up
Genre:	Platformer / Other
Platforms:
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This game tells a slice of life story about Mae, her friends, and the many changes that have befallen the small town of Possum Springs. It's largely a somber story about coming to terms with the passage of time, though there are some surprises lurking in the shadows.

Brief thoughts: There are a number of things in this game that Christians may find objectionable, such as the player getting involved in minor crimes or the presence of multiple gay couples. However, the main focus of the story is about how we deal with the passage of time and our mortality, which is a very powerful message.

N++

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Platformer
Platforms:
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Take control of a stick figure ninja as you collect as much gold as you can while rushing through sets of deadly, obstacle filled levels in this momentum-driven platformer.

Brief thoughts: Whenever your ninja is killed by an obstacle or hazard, it pops into many small pieces that continue to fly about. Thanks to the game's minimalistic style, this is hardly graphic, so this a pretty clean title.

Osmos

ESRB Rating:	E - Everyone
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Other (Puzzle?)
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In this game, you control a cell floating in a translucent substrate. While your goal is to have this cell consume things smaller than itself, it can only move about by ejecting a little bit of its mass behind it. Slow and steady wins the race on this one!

Brief thoughts: This is a simple game where bigger cells slurp up smaller cells until one of them is the biggest of them all. Calling this violent feels like a stretch.

Pajama Sam: No Need to Hide When it's Dark Outside

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Point and Click Adventure
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Like any little boy, Sam is scared of being alone in the dark. Deciding that he needs to face his fear, he changes into his superhero alter-ego and journeys into the Land of Darkness to confront the evil that lurks there.

Brief thoughts: This game was intended to be played by young children, so no offensive material was included. Even the villain is defeated without a fight.

Papers, Please

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 13 and up
Genre:	Simulation
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Conscripted into working as the booth operator at the Arstotzka border, it's your job to make sure everyone's paper work is in proper order. In theory, this is a simple job. However, reality is often different, as you'll need to worry about the current political troubles, caring for your family, and the struggles of everyday people.

Brief thoughts: This is a very politically charged game, as you're working as a border guard during troubled times that will lead to you witnessing acts of terrorism as tensions escalate.

A key point of this game is whether or not you'll bend the rules to help people who are trying to make a better life for themselves - and this could mean anything from letting people through without proper paperwork to having them arrested without due cause.

Passage 4

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Puzzle
Platforms:
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In this puzzle game, you create "passages" between sides of the playfield by placing tiles on the grid. This can actually be somewhat difficult: in order to place a tile, it needs to match the color or design of its neighbors.

Brief thoughts: Aside from the annoying buzzer sound that plays when you make a mistake, there's a tileset based on the zodiac. However, you have full control over which tileset is used, so if this bothers you, select another one.

Penumbra

ESRB Rating:	M - Mature Audiences
My Rating:	Ages 13 and up
Genre:	First Person Puzzler / Horror
Platforms:
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This is a trilogy of games that tells the story of the horrors found within an old abandoned mine. Located in Greenland, those who found themselves trapped inside the mine were left to face freezing temperatures and a mind-bendingly evil force that had been buried for centuries.

Brief thoughts: While there's noticeably less blood and gore than you'd expect from a horror title, the player will still encounter bloody trails and some graphic material. Additionally, the player is capable of using various tools and objects as makeshift weapons.

Finally, there are some scenes that hint at demonic involvement, but this is a red herring; Penumbra is based in science fiction, not the supernatural.

Pilgrims

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 13 and up
Genre:	Other
Platforms:
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It's time for the Tramp to be moving on, but the ferryman won't leave without their bird. So it falls to us to search the land, meet new friends, and help resolve their problems while we're looking for that elusive bird.

Brief thoughts: Several situations in this game can be a problem for Christians, the big one being that the player is required to help the Devil claim the soul of a wayward priest.

Plague Inc: Evolved

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 6 and up
Genre:	Strategy / Board Game
Platforms:
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Can you annihilate the World? This is a game of strategy; creating a potent disease takes effort and careful attention to detail. One mistake and you'll be racing against humanity's efforts to cure your precious little plague.

Brief thoughts: While your main goal is to wipe out humanity, this is essentially a board game about capturing territory.

Pony Island

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 13 and up
Genre:	Puzzle / Horror
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Satan has gotten bored of acquiring souls through deception and questionable deals, and he's now experimenting with a new method: video games. His current project is a happy little game about a unicorn that jumps over hurdles. Or it would be, if he had any actual skill in computer programming. Meanwhile, the player is stuck in a state of limbo, and it's up to them to hack the arcade machine and eventually beat the Devil at his own video game.

Brief thoughts: Although this could have been a clever reveal, nothing even tries to hide the fact that you are literally attempting to best Satan at his own arcade game. Thus, there are a lot of satanic references in Pony Island.

Also, this game depicts Satan as childish and inept, in addition to being evil.

Portal 2

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 10 and up
Genre:	First Person Puzzler
Platforms:
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Chell awakes from suspension to discover that Aperture Science lies in ruins. As she tries to escape to freedom, GLaDOS is accidentally revived, and so Chell and her new companion Wheatley are forced to play a dangerous game of cat and mouse throughout the facility.

Brief thoughts: There is a fair amount of dark humor hidden throughout the game, but the way the different characters lie, bicker, and insult each other is much more memorable and more likely to be an issue.

Probably Archery

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Other
Platforms:
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This is a gimmicky game from era that gave us Surgeon Simulator and QWOP - it's about overcoming an impossible control scheme rather than accomplishing anything.

Brief thoughts: There isn't really anything objectionable here, so there's nothing worth worrying about.

Psychonauts

ESRB Rating:	T - Teenagers
My Rating:	Ages 13 and up
Genre:	3D Platformer
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When a game's story begins with the main character running away from the circus to go to summer camp, you know it's going to be a weird ride. Psychonauts embraces that weirdness, and presents a fun and mostly lighthearted romp through the psyche. There's something for everyone here: tons of collectibles, lots of secrets, a grand conspiracy that threatens to destroy the world, and telekinetic wildlife.

Brief thoughts: Aside from the fact that just about everybody has psychic powers, a lot of very heavy subjects are explored over the course of the story. These include touchy subjects like personal tragedy and suicide.