Ask HN: Linux users, which Steam game would you recommend and why?
I'm looking for a single player game that runs natively on Steam Linux without any extra packages needed. I don't want to have to install or configure anything extra.
FWIW, I have a relatively high spec machine (Nvidia 2070, lots of RAM, etc.), so I'm not too concerned about system requirements.
When I go to explore Linux games on Steam, the list is quite long. I inevitably go down deep rabbit holes of reading player reviews trying to find the right game, until I run out of steam.
I'd appreciate your suggestions (despite my terrible pun above), and if you don't mind, please also share your reasons.
Thanks!
43 comments
[ 1.8 ms ] story [ 96.5 ms ] threadhttps://flathub.org/apps/details/net.sourceforge.ExtremeTuxR...
- Half-Life 2 series has great support.
- Left 4 Dead series
- Bioshock series
- Counterstrike
- War Thunder
- etc...
There's very little configuration needed, click install in Steam and play.
With the release of SteamDeck, the list of out-of-the-box Linux compatible games should grow over time.
If you're looking for more AAA Titles in ProtonDB to see their compatibility with Steam Linux: https://www.protondb.com/
Aside from that, don't be afraid of using proton to play windows games. If the game has been out for a while, Steam should make everything "Just work" (assuming no online play)
The best Linux-native game I've played recently has been "Sunless Sea"[0]. It's basically an interactive novel with a fascinating subterranean setting.
But, Sunless Sea might be totally wrong for you -- it depends what you're looking for!
[0] https://store.steampowered.com/app/304650/SUNLESS_SEA/
https://play0ad.com
I played it on Mac, so I assume it works on Linux too.
It's hands-down one of the best games I've ever played. What makes it so unique is how in-depth the builds and play styles can be. Endless combinations and replayability.
It's an "M x N" combinatorial thing.
There's something like ~10 classes, with 3 "skill trees" each.
You can (and should) choose a second class after first few levels.
Now you've got (10 ^ 2) class combinations, with 3 skill trees for each that you can freely use.
Then there's a whole thing with types of damage (fire, poison, lightning, etc) and you can tailor builds around this, with both skills and equipment bonuses.
On top of it all, it's moddable. So people have released mods to add Diablo classes into it, plus the classes from another game by the same publisher (Titan Quest).
Can play solo, or co-op (LAN or online)
I can't do the game justice with a single text comment tbh. Just have to try it, if it's your kind of game.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/219990/Grim_Dawn/
Buy the entire set though if you really want to experience it, not just the base game.
One thing to note, I had to set it to run with Proton 5.13 as the newer versions have a bug where a key-press gets queued but not handled until a few seconds later, so you press for a heal, teleport, or to open the map, nothing happens and you die (sad to have this on hardcore).
So it doesn't really fit the "native without extra packages" requirement, still a fun game though.
The opening statement almost feels satirical. In the rough chance you're not:
Software is a product just as much as you pay for the hardware product. Some developers open source hardware, and that does a drastic good for society. Some developers open source software, and that too is great for society.
Yet proprietary hardware still exists and for the vast majority of devices - is dominant. Software rightfully should be used as the license permits.
If you want to take the 'moral high ground' then ideally I agree, as much software as possible should be open source. Piracy is not in any way following the open source mantra. The core philosophy that legally supports open source is in fact the Software License. By pirating software, you breach the terms of the license, and are breaking said license in all the same ways as you would for open source software should you breach the license.
Willing to bet that you would hold a pitch fork against any company or person who'd breach an open source license. What is different in this case? You're still infringing on someone's intellectual property rights.
Also, if you want to play through the story mode of an rts, I’d recommend Zero-K (https://zero-k.info/)
Both have worked well on an X220 for me
Or, to answer more directly, I've recently played on linux via steam and can recommend:
- Total War Warhammer II (native, don't need the DLC unless you want to play specific factions)
- Frostpunk (proton)
- Don't Starve (native)
- Civilization VI (native)
- Factorio (native)
- Crusader Kings II / III (native)
- Valheim (native)
- Pathfinder: Kingmaker (native)
[0] https://github.com/GloriousEggroll/proton-ge-custom/releases
This was a few years ago on Ubuntu, and I had better on Fedora a bit later, though the game still need to be tuned down for multiplayer to be usable.
It may be old, but it's a true masterpiece of the RPG genre.
In any case, if you like games I like, then maybe Factorio and OpenTTD are all you need. OpenTTD is free download (not on steam). Factorio is on steam, but I recommend you buy its straight from the developer instead, so you can get the DRM-free headless version and run servers (and other such benefits).