(With a Linux version or at least works good with Proton) Edit: just bought disco Elysium, going to post updates in the comments when I try it tomorrow. It’s on sale until tomorrow in case anyone is going to purchase it.
Disco Elysium hands-down. Has a brilliant story with a bunch of branches, it’s a great way to kill 20+ hours.
A shorter experience but one still pretty fun is Thank Goodness You’re Here which is a comedy with brilliant voice acting and setting. 2.5hrs ish.
Thank Goodness You’re Here
Just by the name and you mentioning it’s a comedy, I suspect it’s a nod to the TV show Thank God You’re Here (or more likely the British version), where performers such as comedians enter a surprise setting and must improvise.
I love the fact that even “failed” skill checks lead to interesting stories, and how having some skills “too high” starts leading down dark alleyways too.
My fiance and I both played it, and wound up with radically different stories.
I died in that game from reading a book that was too sad lol
My first death was from an uncomfortable chair.
The longest journey :)
I’ve been gaming on Linux exclusively for 3 years now. So. These are all proton-tested-and-approved. Though a couple (especially the old ones) require a bit of tinkering.
- Pillars of Eternity I and II – Slow burns. cRPGs. Get very good, but take a while to get there
- Tyranny – Same developer, also a cRPG, but gets to the point faster, and in fact can be finished in one weekend. Do note: It’s an “evil campaign” type of RPG.
- Pyre – A fantasy basketball game with a Visual Novel on the side. Very touching story, made me cry twice. And the gameplay is no slouch either, even if I kinda suck at it. (… Though when you lose the games you don’t game over, the story just changes)
- Wolfenstein the New Order – FPS set in an alternate history where the nazis won WW2, where you play a resistance fighter. Very enjoyable action, and it always feels good to blow nazis away.
- Dishonored 2 – Stealth-FPS/Immersive Sim where you play as an assassin-princess who can turn herself into a horrid tentacle monster. Also a nice story.
- Enderal: Forgotten Stories – Skyrim Total Conversion title. Very surreal and trippy story. Pushes the Skyrim engine to its absolute breaking point to realize the developers’ vision, and doesn’t always get there.
- Fallout: New Vegas – I mean, if I didn’t bring it up, someone would. New Vegas is a flawed and messy game, but it is just about competent enough that you are fine with it being less-than-ideal in the name of getting to the story.
If old games & emulation are on the cards –
- Terranigma (SNES) – What if Legend of Zelda… But you are literally creating the world by doing your quest. It’s nuts. I love it.
- Legacy of Kain series (PS1, PS2, PC) – Very flawed gameplay on all of them (each in its own unique way)… But it is legitimately one of the greatest tales ever told through gaming. (note: It’s also edgy)
- Prince of Persia Sands Trilogy (PC, PS2, GC, Xbox) – This little trilogy of games from the sixth generation delivers in both elegant platforming gameplay and entertaining storytelling. Does suck that they are from a time that game devs thought subtitling your cutscenes would make your skin fall off (or something. No games back then had subbed cutscenes and it sucked)
- Paper Mario/Mario & Luigi series (Nintendo machines) – Comedy RPGs about the Mario characters (duh). Very well written, especially Thousand Year Door (GC/Switch) and the original Mario & Luigi (GBA/3DS). Story is as vanilla as you’d expect, since it’s Mario, but it is worth it for the comedy imho
Enderal is fantastic. If you don’t speak german I would still recommend it. If you do speak german then you have to play it. Yes, this is a gun. Now sit down and install the game!
I’ve got a mod list sitting about waiting for a New Vegas replay. Just some light stuff to make it feel like it holds up more today. What a good game.
If you consider emulating older games a viable option, I would suggest:
- Chrono Trigger (SNES)
- Silent Hill (PS1)
- Any Legend of Zelda game (Majora’s Mask is my favourite story-wise)
Exquisite taste.
Seconding the Zelda rec, Majora’s being my favourite as well, with Minish Cap being a close second. (narrative-wise, that is)
That’s a fine choice sir/ma’am.
My close second, story wise, would be Link’s Awakening. The story was a real mind fuck when I was a kid.
I really liked Bastion.
I don’t know if any of these have native Linux versions all I know is that I played them on steamdeck with no issues:
Beacon Pines has a fucking great story and I loved it so much.
Horizon: Zero Dawn has a really cool thing going on where you’re experiencing a fully compelling story unfolding in the present day, but you’re also gathering up data logs and recordings that allow a story from the distant past to reveal itself at the same time. One of my favourite storytelling experiences in gaming.
Night in the Woods was just a joy. Made me miss friends and memories that I never had.
Citizen Sleeper is basically a fully fledged science fiction novel with gameplay elements attached. It takes inspiration from the excellent Wayfarer series by Becky Chambers and holy shit its just. Mm! Its cozy, its thrilling, it is beautiful, its lonely, its warm and welcoming. It has some similar elements to Disco Elysium’s gameplay.
To The Moon has the wonderful voice of Laura Shigihara on the soundtrack, and a story which brought me surprises and to the point of painful, beautiful, big girl tears.
Exit/Corners is actually a free flash game but don’t write it off. It’s an incredibly well crafted cast of characters and a story which will keep you on the edge of your seat. I wish I could go back and play it again for the first time.
Witcher 3 has an amazing story and 2 DLCs that feel like entire games themselves. Runs great for me under Linux Mint (Steam / Proton).
As a wildcard (my first pick is already here) I put forward Pathologic. I’ve never played it and playing it seems torturous, but it’s absolutely an amazing game with an powerful immersive story. Or perhaps, it’s an amazing game which is a powerful immersive story. The game mechanics are a story-telling mechanism, rather than a mere medium to overlay story onto.
Hbomberguy video: Pathologic is Genius, And Here’s Why
The original BioShock is a masterpiece
Howling Dogs: https://xrafstar.monster/games/twine/howlingdogs/
It’s a little Twine game that you can enjoy just in your browser (see link above), but it’s great.
I found Spec Ops: The Line to be a good story. Starts off as a typical gears of war third person military shooter. I immediately was skeptical since I don’t typically like cod like military arcade shooters. Let’s just say the story gets dark. Mainly the character development. I saw the reviews and don’t regret grabbing it, well worth the play in my opinion.
It’s a really old game, but Lucas Arts The Dig was really great and directed by spielsberg
Beneath a steel sky https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beneath_a_Steel_Sky
Except for that one bit that everyone gets stuck on.
You have to hold down a pressure plate. The solution is to use a metal rod on the big stone tile. You’re welcome.
I REMEMBER THIS PUZZLE!!!
Holy shit I never played this one. Is it a lot like day of the tentacle and Sam n Max?
Yes! It’s totally in that same vein!!!
Outer Wilds, if you haven’t played already. Obligatory warning to avoid spoilers like your life depends on it, go in completely blind if possible.
I couldn’t get into it for the life of me, despite several attempts. I am happy for those who enjoyed it - seems like a chill game.
I shall read nothing about it
Absolutely seconded btw. Cannot express how good this game is. If I could wipe my memory of any one game and play it fresh it would be this
Okay then, you seem to really love this game. I’ll give it a go! It’s not to expensive on steam either.
This game impressed me so much by the time I finished it that it immediately became my all time favorite.
Enjoy it! I still can’t get over how good it is. Don’t even read the Steam description!
I would prefer to save some money right now, so if you already have it would you be willing to either family sharing thing with me? Please don’t feel obligated to do so, as you would have to give me your account password and the 2fa code. Lmk if you want to do this, message me on Matrix at @gregor:gregtech.eu
I’d rather not do that :)
But you can see on SteamDB that it regularly goes on a -40% sale. I’d suggest you just put it on your wishlist and wait to get the email from Steam that it’s on sale 🙂. It hasn’t had a sale for a while now so probably won’t take long.
Understandable, I’ll wait for a sale
The Witcher trilogy + awesome books
Firewatch, not really sure if it’s on Linux but i played at osx so at least multi playform.
The game is mostly about the story, really something else.
Confirmed running on Linux under proton. I started replaying it just the other week. Struggled to get back into it for a second time, but not because it’s a bad game, I’m just a very different person from the one that got a lot from that story. Would absolutely recommend the game.
