Best games
Best Linux games of 2008
The 15 best Linux games released in 2008, ranked from 2,425 critic and player ratings.
The best Linux game of 2008 is The Orange Box, with a critic score of 94/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 30 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 2008.
- 15 games are listed on this page, carrying 2,425 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 15
01
The Orange Box
94
/100
02
A
World of Goo
World of Goo is a multiple award winning physics based puzzle / construction game made entirely by two guys. Drag and drop living, squirming, talking, globs of goo to build structures, bridges, cannonballs, zeppelins, and giant tongues. The millions of Goo Balls that live in the beautiful World of Goo are curious to explore - but they don't know that they are in a game, or that they are extremely delicious. Congratulations, and good luck!
87
/100
03
Braid
Braid is a puzzle-platformer, drawn in a painterly style, where you can manipulate the flow of time in strange and unusual ways. From a house in the city, journey to a series of worlds and solve puzzles to rescue an abducted princess. In each world, you have a different power to affect the way time behaves, and it is time's strangeness that creates the puzzles. The time behaviors include: the ability to rewind, objects that are immune to being rewound, time that is tied to space, parallel realities, time dilation, and perhaps more. Braid treats your time and attention as precious; there is no filler in this game. Every puzzle shows you something new and interesting about the game world.
87
/100
The Orange Box
94
/100
02
A
World of Goo
World of Goo is a multiple award winning physics based puzzle / construction game made entirely by two guys. Drag and drop living, squirming, talking, globs of goo to build structures, bridges, cannonballs, zeppelins, and giant tongues. The millions of Goo Balls that live in the beautiful World of Goo are curious to explore - but they don't know that they are in a game, or that they are extremely delicious. Congratulations, and good luck!
87
/100
03
Braid
Braid is a puzzle-platformer, drawn in a painterly style, where you can manipulate the flow of time in strange and unusual ways. From a house in the city, journey to a series of worlds and solve puzzles to rescue an abducted princess. In each world, you have a different power to affect the way time behaves, and it is time's strangeness that creates the puzzles. The time behaviors include: the ability to rewind, objects that are immune to being rewound, time that is tied to space, parallel realities, time dilation, and perhaps more. Braid treats your time and attention as precious; there is no filler in this game. Every puzzle shows you something new and interesting about the game world.
87
/100
04
Edge
In Edge players take direct control of the cube and roll their way around the game's dozens of levels. Search for all the prisms and find the shortcuts to improve your times.
86
/100
05
Saints Row 2
After the events of the first game, you awaken from a coma to find that the Third Street Saints have all but disappeared. Much like Saints Row, you are charged with retaking the city from three rival gangs, only this time as the leader of the saints. While fighting the Sons of Samedi, The Brotherhood, and The Ronin, the Saints also antagonize the Ultor Corporation, which seeks to eradicate gang violence in Stilwater once and for all.
81
/100
06
Toki Tori
In Toki Tori, the player controls a little yellow chicken determined to save all the lost eggs. Armed with an arsenal of 10 different tools and weapons, Toki Tori must overcome dangerous obstacles, trap monsters and save all of the lost eggs. The game contains four mysterious worlds, offering over 60 levels of exciting platform and puzzle action. While Toki Tori looks like a platform game, it's a puzzle game by heart. Players will have to look and plan ahead carefully if they want to succeed.
80
/100
07
Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One
On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One is the first installment in the RPG-Adventure game series based on the web comic Penny Arcade. Create your character in the classic comic style, and join Gabe and Tycho in the alternate 1920s universe of New Arcadia, where you'll combat savage enemies, solve mysteries, meet bizarre new characters, and discover their unique sense of humor for a 100% authentic Penny Arcade experience! - Create-a-Player System lets you design and develop your own character, seeing it come to life in 3D and in the comic-style 2D cut scenes - Dynamic turn-based combat system, over-the-top animations, and team-up moves during enemy battles - Classic adventure game play combines with RPG elements to unravel the game's mysteries and puzzles - Authentic Penny Arcade story and dialogue written exclusively by Jerry 'Tycho' Holkins - Includes Gabe, Tycho, Annarchy, the Fruit F*cker and many other favorite Penny Arcade characters, plus new characters designed by Mike 'Gabe' Krahulik
80
/100
08
Penumbra: Black Plague
80
/100
09
Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode Two
On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode Two is the second installment in the RPG-adventure game series based on the web comic Penny Arcade. Whether you're a fan of the first installment or new to the series, you'll be able to pick up and play Episode Two as a standalone experience. Create your character in the classic comic style, and join Gabe and Tycho in the alternate 1920s universe of New Arcadia, where you'll combat savage enemies, solve mysteries, meet bizarre new characters, and discover their distinctive adult humor for a 100% authentic Penny Arcade experience.
78
/100
10
Universe Sandbox
Create and destroy on an unimaginable scale... with a space simulator that merges real-time gravity, climate, collision, and material interactions to reveal the beauty of our universe and the fragility of our planet. Includes VR support for HTC Vive, Oculus Rift+Touch, and Windows Mixed Reality.
78
/100
11
Multiwinia
76
/100
12
Edna & Harvey: The Breakout
75
/100
13
X3: Terran Conflict
73
/100
14
Overlord: Raising Hell
72
/100
15
Penumbra: Requiem
67
/100
Edge
In Edge players take direct control of the cube and roll their way around the game's dozens of levels. Search for all the prisms and find the shortcuts to improve your times.
86
/100
05
Saints Row 2
After the events of the first game, you awaken from a coma to find that the Third Street Saints have all but disappeared. Much like Saints Row, you are charged with retaking the city from three rival gangs, only this time as the leader of the saints. While fighting the Sons of Samedi, The Brotherhood, and The Ronin, the Saints also antagonize the Ultor Corporation, which seeks to eradicate gang violence in Stilwater once and for all.
81
/100
06
Toki Tori
In Toki Tori, the player controls a little yellow chicken determined to save all the lost eggs. Armed with an arsenal of 10 different tools and weapons, Toki Tori must overcome dangerous obstacles, trap monsters and save all of the lost eggs. The game contains four mysterious worlds, offering over 60 levels of exciting platform and puzzle action. While Toki Tori looks like a platform game, it's a puzzle game by heart. Players will have to look and plan ahead carefully if they want to succeed.
80
/100
07
Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One
On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One is the first installment in the RPG-Adventure game series based on the web comic Penny Arcade. Create your character in the classic comic style, and join Gabe and Tycho in the alternate 1920s universe of New Arcadia, where you'll combat savage enemies, solve mysteries, meet bizarre new characters, and discover their unique sense of humor for a 100% authentic Penny Arcade experience! - Create-a-Player System lets you design and develop your own character, seeing it come to life in 3D and in the comic-style 2D cut scenes - Dynamic turn-based combat system, over-the-top animations, and team-up moves during enemy battles - Classic adventure game play combines with RPG elements to unravel the game's mysteries and puzzles - Authentic Penny Arcade story and dialogue written exclusively by Jerry 'Tycho' Holkins - Includes Gabe, Tycho, Annarchy, the Fruit F*cker and many other favorite Penny Arcade characters, plus new characters designed by Mike 'Gabe' Krahulik
80
/100
08
Penumbra: Black Plague
80
/100
09
Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode Two
On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode Two is the second installment in the RPG-adventure game series based on the web comic Penny Arcade. Whether you're a fan of the first installment or new to the series, you'll be able to pick up and play Episode Two as a standalone experience. Create your character in the classic comic style, and join Gabe and Tycho in the alternate 1920s universe of New Arcadia, where you'll combat savage enemies, solve mysteries, meet bizarre new characters, and discover their distinctive adult humor for a 100% authentic Penny Arcade experience.
78
/100
10
Universe Sandbox
Create and destroy on an unimaginable scale... with a space simulator that merges real-time gravity, climate, collision, and material interactions to reveal the beauty of our universe and the fragility of our planet. Includes VR support for HTC Vive, Oculus Rift+Touch, and Windows Mixed Reality.
78
/100
11
Multiwinia
76
/100
12
Edna & Harvey: The Breakout
75
/100
13
X3: Terran Conflict
73
/100
14
Overlord: Raising Hell
72
/100
15
Penumbra: Requiem
67
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Linux game of 2008?
The Orange Box currently tops the ranking with a score of 94/100 across 328 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.