GOG Has Landed On Linux: Here Are 5 Of The Best Games You Can Get Right Now

There’s some good news for Linux gamers, as GOG has started to support Linux games, and has opened its doors to users of the free, open source platform.

GOG (Good Old Games) primarily offers older – but dearly loved – games for Windows and OS X. Amongst some of the classics available to buy from their expansive catalogue of classic games are Bullfrog’s classic medical management sim Theme Hospital, and pre-EA Dungeon Keeper. There are no in-app purchases here.

GOG differs from Steam and Origin by way of offering its games without DRM. Once you’ve bought your games, they’re yours to own and to run on as many computers as you like.

There are 50 Linux-compatible titles available right now, consisting of a genuinely diverse variety that spans both legendary, big-budget commercial games, as well as smaller (but still interesting) indie titles.

GOG intends to offer its games in distribution agnostic tar.gz archives, as well as DEB installers for users of the current and LTS versions Ubuntu and Mint.

For a limited only, GOG’s Linux Offerings are 75% off. But not sure what to buy? Read on.

Surgeon Simulator 2013

Surgeon Simulator 2013 was originally a joke between friends created in 48 hours for the 2013 Global Game Jam, and rapidly went out of hand, selling millions of copies and earning rabid praise for its challenging gameplay and unrelenting weirdness.

It puts you in the perspective of a surgeon, whose hand you control with the mouse and the keyboard. The aim of the game is to successfully operate on patients without them suffering an impromptu death. Sounds easy? It’s not. A single slip of the mouse can cause lungs to detatch, or blood to start gushing like the Bellagio fountains.

If you like being frustrated and have a penchant for medical-based simulations, this is the game for you. Fair warning though. It’s not lupus.

Sid Meier’s Colonization

Now, this is an old game. 20 years old, in fact. Its graphics have faded. Its gameplay mechanics might not be to modern tastes. It’s damn old, alright.

It’s also damn good. This sedate turn-based strategy game is based around the European colonization of the Americas, and was originally launched for Windows 3.1.

It differs strongly from traditional Civilization games, as you’re not building a society from scratch, but rather feeding one from across the Atlantic, until eventually declaring independence from your European patriarchs. And if you want to try another take on the Colonization model, you can always try FreeCol, which was covered by us last year.

Just don’t buy the 2008 remake – Civilization IV: Colonization. Disappointment isn’t even the word.

Uplink

Although an interesting topic to discuss, hacking doesn’t really make for fun gaming. I mean, there’s nothing especially fun about parsing through a massive log file as yellow cheeto dust accumulates on a dirty T-shirt.

Thankfully, Uplink uses a bit of creative license and manages to create a game that is both challenging, and enthralling. This plot-driving game allows you to hack, crack and port-scan your way to victory, whilst amassing money, software and skills from your exploits. Intrigue. Excitement. Tension. This has everything.

If you grew up watching The Net, Swordfish and Hackers, this game is for you.

Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition

I first played Duke Nukem 3D in 1996, when it was first released. From the moment I shoved the shareware CD into my blazingly fast 120mhz Pentium computer, I was immediately hooked.

It’s been almost 20 years since I first played Duke Nukem 3D, and it still surprises me how depraved, how perverse it actually is whilst being perhaps the most stunningly entertaining franchise of the 1990s.

The rules of the game are simple. You shoot, urinate and explode your way through levels packed to the brim with malevolent space aliens hell-bent on world domination and your untimely demise. These are backed up with porcine law enforcement officers. No, seriously. Police in Duke Nukem are literally pigs.

The Atomic Edition of Duke Nukem 3D comes with all three episodes of the original game, as well as an eleven-level fourth episode. It’s long. And rude. And violent.

Don’t let your mum see you play it.

Pirates! Gold Plus

MicroProse is my favorite game developer of all time. With games like Pirates!, it’s hard not to see why.

This Sid Meier classic puts you into an expansive, open world. As you’ve probably guessed from the title, you’re a privateer for hire, working for the biggest and most potent colonial powers of the era.

Gameplay is pretty simple. You pillage and rob your way to greatness, destroying anyone who gets in your way, whilst hoarding masses of booty.

It’s great fun, and despite being older than the author of this article, it has aged magnificently.

Get Ready To Game

As a long-time fan of the Linux platform, it’s great to see it getting some love in the gaming area. My only question? What will you buy. Let me know. The comments box is below.

Image Credits: Atari 2600 (MoParx)