While the video game industry sets its sights on fully explorable open worlds, sometimes it becomes a bit too much even for PC gaming. Linear games, on the other hand, know where they want to start and where they want to end. You’re playing through a narrative in the order that was intended and that’s not bad.
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Some of the best linear games not only have the most interesting worlds but also challenge the player to view games in a more artistic light. From genre-breaking shooters to games that set a whole new standard for the industry, here are the eight best linear games on PC.
8 The Last Of Us Part 1
A Unique Zombie Apocalypse
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The Last of Us Part I (2022)
Action-Adventure
Systems
- Platform(s)
- PC , PlayStation 5
- Released
- September 2, 2022
- Developer(s)
- Naughty Dog
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Engine
- naughty dog
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
One of the many Playstation-exclusive games that made its way to the PC is The Last Of Us. From start to finish, the game is pretty linear as Joel travels across the Clicker-infested country. His mission is to protect Ellie and get her to a Firefly outpost in one piece.
While the game has you going on a pretty straightforward path, it allows you some freedom in how you tackle the obstacles along the way. You can fight or distract Clickers using your weapons or bottles on the ground. The crafting system also forces you to choose what will be most beneficial to make, since you won’t have enough supplies to indulge in crafting in excess.
7 Spec Ops The Line
Challenging And Thought Provoking
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Spec Ops: The Line
Third-Person Shooter
Systems
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS3 , Xbox 360
- Released
- June 26, 2012
- Developer(s)
- Yager Development
- Publisher(s)
- 2K Games
- Engine
- havok, unreal engine 3
It’s not often that a military game sits you down and makes you question if you’re the bad guy. However, Spec Ops The Line does this masterfully. While the initial game has you running around shooting enemy soldiers, it later hits you with the consequences of your actions. This change makes Spec Ops: The Line almost feel like an experiment to relate real military experience with gaming culture.
The game does not feature any open world like the latest Call of Duty or even fancy multiplayer for trigger-happy gameplay. It makes you take the role of what seems like an action hero but afterward, will give you plenty to think about once you’ve clicked out of the game.
6 Ryse Son Of Rome
A Tale Of Revenge
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Ryse: Son of Rome
Action
Systems
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One , PC
- Released
- November 22, 2013
- Developer(s)
- Crytek
- Publisher(s)
- Crytek , Microsoft Game Studios
- Engine
- cryengine 3
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language
Ryse Son of Rome was originally released for the Xbox before making its way to the PC. Combat feels like something out of the Arkham games with plenty of button mashing and combos as you take down enemy soldiers. Parrying and taking down enemies feels just as satisfying as taking down the targets that wronged you.
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The story is also quite interesting as it follows Marius Titus, a Roman general who loses his family and sets off on a mission to get revenge. All is not as it seems and when Marius is betrayed yet again, he will fight his way through the heart of Rome to rid it of the corruption that took away his loved ones.
5 Alan Wake
Writers Rejoice
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Alan Wake Remastered
Adventure
Systems
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS4 , PS5 , Switch , Xbox One , Xbox Series X|S
- Released
- October 5, 2021
- Developer(s)
- Remedy Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Epic Games
- Engine
- havok, proprietary engine
- ESRB
- t
One piece of advice given to beginner writers is to avoid making your protagonist a writer themselves. Alan Wake, on the other hand, shows the potential of this trope when in the right hands. While linear, what keeps you turning the page is the narrative.
As Alan Wake searches for his missing wife in the eerie town of Bright Falls, not all is as it seems when his own stories start coming to life. The game is divided into episodes despite being released all at once. Each one dives deeper into the mystery behind the town as well as hidden truths that Alan Wake might not be prepared to remember.
4 Inside
A Short Linear Experience
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4.5/5
Inside
Puzzle
Platformer
Systems
- Platform(s)
- PC , Switch , PS4 , Xbox One , iOS
- Released
- June 29, 2016
- Developer(s)
- Playdead
- Publisher(s)
- Playdead
- Engine
- Unity
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Violence
Inside is a short game you can beat in no time. However, despite its length, it manages to deliver a mysterious experience that reels you in. With cryptic storytelling, it tells the tale of a boy who is evading a military presence and zombie-like individuals who have been subjected to some sort of brainwashing.
The mysteries deepen with parasitic worms, secret labs, and a hostile environment. All you need to do is keep moving forward. Get past the obstacles using your puzzle-solving skills and, eventually, some things will become clear while others sink deeper into the realm of the unknown. It’s the perfect game to do a deep analysis of all the hidden details.
3 Half-Life 2
Evade The Combine As The Last Free Man
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Half-Life 2
Shooter
Systems
- Platform(s)
- PC , Xbox 360 , Xbox (Original) , PS3 , macOS , Linux , Android
- Released
- November 16, 2004
- Developer(s)
- Valve
- Publisher(s)
- Valve
- Engine
- source, havok
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
Half-Life 2 never outright tells you what you need to do to progress through a level. This is something you need to pick up using context and the environment itself. However, the game is linear through and through.
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The beauty of Half-Life 2 is that, from start to finish, you always feel like you’re on the move. While you can slow down and admire the scenery, enemies and the plot are constantly pushing you further through the Combine-controlled landscapes. The game does a good job of making you feel like you’re on the run as the whole world chases after you whether they are allies or enemies.
2 Halo Combat Evolved
A Legendary Shooter
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Halo: Combat Evolved
FPS
Systems
- Platform(s)
- PC , Xbox (Original) , Xbox 360 , Xbox One
- Released
- November 15, 2001
- Developer(s)
- Bungie , Gearbox Software
- Publisher(s)
- Microsoft Game Studios
- Engine
- Blam Engine
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Violence
Like most shooters of the era, Halo is linear in the fact that you don’t have an open world to explore, and you’re constantly moving forward through the story. Halo has excellent gunplay for the time and it still holds up today.
With a fantastic soundtrack, excellent vehicle gameplay, and an enemy that will surprise those who have only ever heard of Halo but never played it. While the game is linear, it also has a moment where you need to play the game in reverse. This sudden change feels like a rollercoaster that has reached the edge of the track and plunges backward at high velocity.
1 The Wolf Among Us
A Captivating Comic Book Story
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The Wolf Among Us
Adventure
Systems
- Platform(s)
- PS4 , PS3 , PS Vita , Xbox One , Xbox 360 , PC , Android , iOS
- Released
- October 14, 2013
- Developer(s)
- Telltale Games
- Publisher(s)
- Telltale Games
- Engine
- Telltale Tool
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Tobacco
The Wolf Among Us is one of Telltale’s best games. Like The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us takes inspiration from comic book source material. When an evil entity takes over the world of fairy tales, the Fables cross into the human world to seek refuge from the threat.
They establish a community known as Fabletown, which is kept guarded by the Big Bad Wolf, also known as Bigby and Snow White. When a murder occurs within the town, it’s up to Bigby to figure out who did it and why. While the game does offer you slightly different endings and a reputation that changes how the citizens see you, the game is pretty linear from start to finish.
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