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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

Race the Sun

ESRB Rating:	E - Everyone
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Endless Runner
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In this simple game, your only goal is to fly a solar powered craft as far as you can. Of course, there's just one thing that'll make this difficult: the sun is setting!

Brief thoughts: This game is pretty clean, though it does feature explosions caused by bombs and the player's vehicle slamming into obstacles.

The Red Strings Club

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Adults - 18+
Genre:	Other / Point and Click Adventure
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This game is something of a virtual detective novel set in a cyberpunk universe. By serving drinks that change the drinker's moods, you'll persuade them to reveal information that can help you and your friends stop a dangerous corporate project.

Brief thoughts: The focus of this game is a philosophical discussion of the nature of humanity and transhumanism; specifically, it's about how much we allow ourselves to be controlled by our emotions and feelings.

However, in order to have this discussion, the player must put up with a lot of swearing, and sexual remarks, which may leave them questioning if the discussion is worth having.

Rogue Legacy

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 10 and up
Genre:	Platformer / Roguelike
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Rogue Legacy is all about procedurally generated adventures. You select a character from one of three knights, and then have them explore a magical castle in hopes of finding treasure and the means of restoring the family name. But death is also permanent; once a knight falls, they will be gone for good. Their money will be passed to the next of kin, who must use it to ensure that future generations will have a better shot at the conquering the castle.

Brief thoughts: The biggest issue with this game is that you may wind up playing as a gay character. This trait has little effect on the gameplay (the only thing it does is change the location of some powerups), so it can easily be overlooked, but some Christians may not be comfortable playing a game where this can happen.

Scribble Ships

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Arcade
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When you were in school, you probably spent some of the class periods drawing random things on spare pieces of notebook paper. I know I certainly did. What do you think might happen if those little space ships you were drawing suddenly came to life and began battling each other for supremacy of the page? You'd have Scribble Ships, a game about doodles trying to ink each other out of the picture.

Brief thoughts: This game features cartoony space ships shooting each other with blobs of ink, making it about as violent as classic games like Asteroids.

Secret Maryo Chronicles

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Platformer
Platforms:
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This game is completely free!
The Secret Maryo Chronicles is an open source clone of the Super Mario Bros. games, and it's pretty blatant about it. But, instead of searching the world for a kidnapped Princess, Maryo seems to be on a journey just for the fun of it.

Brief thoughts: Like most platformers, the only real concern is some very mild violence. For example, the player may defeat an enemy by jumping on it.

Simon Tatham's Portable Puzzle Collection

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Puzzle / Logic Games
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This game is completely free!
Also known as the SGT Puzzle Collection, this is a set of 39 logic puzzles to stimulate your brain. There's something for everyone in this collection, and you may even find some new favorites.

Brief thoughts: The games in this collection are meant to test your logic skills, and don't contain anything objectionable.

Shatter

ESRB Rating:	E - Everyone
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Arcade
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After breaking free of its confinement by shattering its holding cell, a Paddle begins a trippy adventure to liberate paddle-kind from the evil Queen and her Bad Paddle.

Brief thoughts: One of the benefits of simpler games is that there's no room for offensive content.

Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope

ESRB Rating:	E - Everyone
My Rating:	Ages 6 and up
Genre:	Platformer
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In this ground breaking retro-themed platformer, the heroic Shovel Knight faces off against the evil Enchantress and her diabolical Order of No Quarter. But as heroic as he is, Shovel Knight's true goal is to rescue his beloved Shield Knight, who disappeared mysteriously many years ago.

Brief thoughts: While there is some mild violence and fantasy magic, none of it is more serious than say, Disney's Sleeping Beauty. Even at its darkest, this is a very family friendly game.

Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows

ESRB Rating:	E - Everyone
My Rating:	Ages 6 and up
Genre:	Platformer
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In Shovel of Hope, we saw Shovel Knight save the world. But, it turns that Plague Knight was also on a journey across the land, gathering the powerful essences he needed to create the ultimate magical potion!

Brief thoughts: Even though the you're playing as a villain, there's really nothing major to be concerned with in this title.

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment

ESRB Rating:	E - Everyone
My Rating:	Ages 10 and up
Genre:	Platformer
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Unlike the other Shovel Knight games, Specter of Torment has a fairly unhappy story as it explores the events that led to a simple thief becoming the cursed Specter Knight.

Brief thoughts: Like the other Shovel Knight games, there is some mild violence and a lot of fantasy magic in this game. However, the overall tone of this installment is much darker than the others, as the main character is both cursed and serving the villain against their will.

Shovel Knight: King of Cards

ESRB Rating:	E - Everyone
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Platformer
Platforms:
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A new card game called Joustus is sweeping the realm, and players from all over are excitedly gathering to witness the grand Joustus tournament and see who will be crowned the King of Cards!

King Knight seeks the crown too, though he has a slightly unusual plan to gain it...

Brief thoughts: King Knight's brat-like behavior is definitely not to be imitated, though it's never shown in a way that would encourage children to copy it.

Otherwise, everything is fairly family friendly and not terribly worrisome.

Shovel Knight: Showdown

ESRB Rating:	E - Everyone
My Rating:	Ages 6 and up
Genre:	Fighting / Party Game
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One dark night, the Enchantress' minions attempt to stage a rebellion. Their plan was to connect a ramshackle machine to the Magic Mirror and use it to trap the Enchantress, but things went horribly wrong when the machine malfunctions and shatters the mirror - and all of reality!

Brief thoughts: Although this is a game where characters fight each other, it's an extremely tame and family friendly title.

Slime Rancher

ESRB Rating:	E10 - Everyone (Ages 10 and up)
My Rating:	Ages 10 and up
Genre:	Casual
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Join Beatrix LeBeau as she begins her new life as a Slime Rancher on the planet of Far Far Range! Explore the world for new and rare species, grow exotic foods, tinker with slimy science, and of course, raise your own groups of slimes in an effort to turn a gooey profit!

Brief thoughts: The only real issue with this game comes from how the player views Casey. They are never shown, nor are we ever told if they are a man or a woman, so players may view Bea and Casey as a lesbian couple.

This has no impact on the gameplay, however.

Stacking

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 10 and up
Genre:	Adventure / Puzzle
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The evil Baron is kidnapping children and forcing them to work as child laborers! As the only child of the Blackmore family still free, Charlie Blackmore decides to take on the Baron, free the other children, and bring an end to child labor.

Brief thoughts: The only real concern with this game is its occasional use of crude humor, such as puzzles that can be solved by weaponizing farts.

The Stanley Parable

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 13 and up
Genre:	Walking Simulator
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The Stanley Parable is a comedic romp that explores the nature of stories themselves. You have control over Stanley, and you're free to decide whether or not Stanley obeys the Narrator's instructions. A lot of the fun comes from finding new ways to annoy or frustrate the Narrator, as he's rarely at a loss for words.

Brief thoughts: This game actually has some interesting points to make about how we use (or abuse) our freedoms, which is pretty useful for us to keep in mind during our Christian walk.

Starbound

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 10 and up
Genre:	Building / Survival
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When Earth is destroyed by the awakening of an ancient evil, you fled to the stars. But, while you escaped the disaster, your ship is now in serious disrepair and you're in orbit around an uncharted planet. You could go after the Great Evil threatening the universe, but from this point on, you're free to explore, build, and make your own story.

Brief thoughts: As they explore the universe, players will routinely find themselves combating hostile aliens and enemy factions. However, combat is not depicted graphically, as defeated enemies simply disappear. That's not to say that gore never appears in this game - there's a chance that a planet will be partially covered in flesh.

Other issues revolve around the alien cultures, some of which feature unsettling elements like a Big Brother analogue or a cult that worships the game's ultimate evil.

Stardew Valley

ESRB Rating:	E10 - Everyone (Ages 10 and up)
My Rating:	Ages 10 and up
Genre:	Adventure / Life simulator
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Life on a farm is a busy one. While you can spend the day doing whatever you want, you only have so much time each day to do it. In order to have a successful farm, you'll need to spend a good portion of your day doing chores, leaving you less time to build relationships, fight monsters, mine for valuables, or whatever else you plan on doing.

Brief thoughts: There is some combat in this game, though it's very tame and to a degree, optional. The main concern with this title is how it depicts everyday life fairly realistically; bad things happen to everyone, and some characters make their lives worse by drinking heavily.

On a different note, the player has the option to marry one of the townsfolk, including characters of the same gender.

SteamWorld Dig

ESRB Rating:	E10 - Everyone (Ages 10 and up)
My Rating:	Ages 10 and up
Genre:	Platformer
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Uncle Joe was always said to be a bit peculiar, and now he's left Rusty in charge of his old mine. There are rumors that there's more than minerals down there - and it's up to Rusty to figure this all out!

Brief thoughts: There is some combat, but it's not really worth worrying about.

SUPERLIMINAL

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Other / Puzzle
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SomniSculpt's goal to create therapeutic dreamscapes goes horribly wrong when they lose control of your artificial dream. Now lost in a world of unreality, your only hope of escape is to master its strange physics and find a way to wake up!

Brief thoughts: Although there are some moments that are meant to be scary, there's nothing to really be concerned about in this game.

SuperTux

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 6 and up
Genre:	Platformer
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This game is completely free!
SuperTux is a classic open source game featuring the Linux mascot, Tux. In this game, the loveable penguin travels through many different worlds as he attempts to rescue Penny from the clutches of the evil Nolok!

Brief thoughts: Like other platformers, this is a fairly tame game with some very mild violence and the occasional spooky level, so there's nothing to really be concerned about.

Super Meat Boy

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 13 and up
Genre:	Platformer
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It's up to Meat Boy to save his girlfriend, Bandage Girl, from the clutches of the evil Dr. Fetus in this extremely difficult (and often graphic) platformer. If you like being challenged and don't mind gore, this might be a good game for you.

Brief thoughts: This is an extremely hard game; hard enough that it might be too difficult for some players. That said, the major issue with this game is the large amount of gore and very dark humor.

Super 3-D Noah's Ark

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 6 and up
Genre:	First Person Shooter
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The Ark has been afloat for long enough that the animals are getting restless! To avoid catastrophe, Noah needs to calm the animals down again, and to do that, he'll use his trusty slingshot to scatter feed pellets around them, filling their bellies and putting them to sleep.

Brief thoughts: Although this game plays like any other First Person Shooter, you're scattering feed instead of firing bullets. Thus, enemies who are defeated simply fall asleep instead of dying.

Surgeon Simulator

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Simulation
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Surgeon Simulator is more of a comedy game than an actual simulator. The reason for this is that the controls are deliberately weird and hard to use, resulting in the player bumbling around the operating theater like they're completely drunk.

Brief thoughts: Although there is some blood and your patients can die, most of the "gore" is depicted in a very cartoonish and unrealistic style. This is intended to be a silly game, after all.

Terraria

ESRB Rating:	T - Teenagers
My Rating:	Ages 10 and up
Genre:	Building / Survival / Platformer
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In Terraria, players attempt to tame an uncharted 2D world by building homes for helpful characters, fighting dangerous monsters, and generally exploring increasingly dangerous locations. Unlike many crafting and survival games, there's a clear sense of progression toward a final goal - namely the ultimate showdown between your characters and the gigantic Moon Lord.

Brief thoughts: There's a lot of combat in this game, though players can turn off most of the more graphic stuff via a menu option. Beyond this, most of the magical concepts in Terraria have a Lovecraftian bent to them, and you'll even need to use evil altars in order to progress.

Tetzle

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Everyone
Genre:	Puzzle
Platforms:
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This game is completely free!
This is an open source jigsaw puzzle game with a slight twist. Instead of your typical jigsaw puzzle pieces, your image is broken up into tetrominoes. Also, there are no puzzles supplied with the game; you'll need to supply those yourself.

Brief thoughts: The only way this game will feature something objectionable is if you deliberately make a puzzle out of an offensive image.

Trine

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 6 and up
Genre:	Platform Puzzler
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In a world that has been taken over by an undead army, three adventurers ended up being magically bonded by an ancient artifact. Now they journey across the world in hopes of breaking this bond.

Brief thoughts: Although magic and an undead army takes center stage in this fantasy adventure, players won't find anything worse than what they'd see in a traditional fairy tale.

Ultimate Chicken Horse

ESRB Rating:	E10 - Everyone (Ages 10 and up)
My Rating:	Ages 6 and up
Genre:	Party Game / Platformer
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Sometimes, people just want to have some fun together. And sometimes, having fun means screwing with them. Ultimate Chicken Horse is a silly little game about trying to reach the finish line while also preventing your friends from doing the same. Thus, those who survive will be the Ultimate Chicken -- or Horse, or Raccoon, or Cyborg Bunny. Whatever floats your boat.

Brief thoughts: The rule of the game is to be the only one who can survive the obstacle course you've built, but since failing only amounts to your character's eyes getting crossed out, there's nothing to really worry about.

Undertale

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 13 and up
Genre:	JRPG / Bullet Hell
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In this indie classic, your choices matter. Trapped underground in the world of Monsters, it's up to you to determine their fate. Do you befriend them and save their world, or slaughter them and destroy it? Expect an emotional journey either way.

Brief thoughts: An important thing to remember about this game is that its story changes based on your actions. If the you are cruel, then things become very dark and depressing, and it's even possible to permanently stain your game with your evil actions.

But, if you treat the monsters kindly, the game's world becomes increasingly colorful and comedic. In fact, to reach the best ending, you must show kindness to everyone, even those who aren't deserving of it, which many people find to be a very Christian message.

Viridi

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 6 and up
Genre:	Simulator
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This game is free, but paid features exist
There is something innately calming about growing a pot of cacti, and Viridi brings this atmosphere to your computer's desktop. This isn't exactly a game in the normal sense; it's more of an interactive decoration.

Brief thoughts: This "game" is little more than a cute desktop toy that you need to water occasionally. It's a good source of relaxing white noise too.

VVVVVV

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 6 and up
Genre:	Platformer
Platforms:
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Designed to look and feel like a game from the Commodore 64, VVVVVV is about exploring an unknown world in an attempt to free a shipwrecked crew from the anomaly they've stumbled into. Although this game looks like a platformer, you can't actually jump - instead, Capt. Viridian can invert his own gravity, allowing him to fall up and walk on ceilings in order to bypass obstacles.

Brief thoughts: Old style games don't have much to object to - at most, your character will look sad when they touch an obstacle and then restart the area from the last checkpoint.

You Must Build a Boat

ESRB Rating:	NR - Not Rated
My Rating:	Ages 6 and up
Genre:	Match 3
Platforms:
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Much like its predecessor, you battle your way through multiple stages by matching tiles that represent your actions. This time around, there are more traps, a more complex upgrade system, and a new goal: YOU MUST BUILD A BOAT.

Brief thoughts: This time around, players will recruit monsters to help them during their adventure, and you'll also have the option to "worship" different fictional gods once you've built a chapel.