When it comes to video game development, advances in technology have allowed nearly anyone access to the tools required to create a video game. Of course, the average person lacks the same channels as triple-A studios, but as long as you know the basics and are dedicated enough, you can prove yourself as an independent designer.
Open-source video games are one of the prime examples of giving the ordinary player the ability to develop a game. Because of the availability and community aspect that open-source software grants, open-source games can develop a deeply dedicated player base. These open-source built titles represent the finest around.
10Endless Sky
Available On Steam And Github
While the boilerplate individual will probably never venture into the cosmos, the realm of video games can provide a worthwhile, albeit less precarious, alternative. Endless Sky might share commonalities toother space exploration titles, but stands out by being made on open-source software.
Created by Michael Zahniser, Endless Sky begins with you being granted the mantle of captain of your very own spaceship. From there, you’re free to take up pirating, smuggling, dogfighting, or trading, as you journey through the galaxy.
9The Battle For Wesnoth
Available On Steam, Windows, And macOS
As open-source games are continuously being tweaked and revised, many titles have persisted through generations of gaming. At over two decades, The Battle of Wesnoth is one of the longest-running open-source games out there.
Set in a high-fantasy world, The Battle for Wesnoth is a turn-based strategy game developed by David White. First launched in 2003, The Battle of Wesnoth has been ported to various platforms and continues to possess a committed community all these years later.
8The Dark Mod
Available On Linux And Windows
It’s amazing how much the potential of modding has advanced. Modders went from only being able to amend minor elements to building their own singular visions using the mechanisms provided by developers. The Dark Mod is a shining example of the magic that modders can create.
Launched in 2009 as a total conversation of Doom 3, The Dark Mod isa stealth gameheavily inspired by the critically acclaimed Thief series. The Dark Mod features over 150 fan-made missions, giving you a lot to do and see in this darkly Gothic world.
70 A.D.
Available On Linux, Windows, And macOS
It seems like every era of human history has been represented in video games. So, while 0 A.D. is hardly breaking new ground by being set between 500 and 1 B.C., given its open-source nature, the ambition on display should be celebrated.
0 A.D. is a real-time strategy game currently being developed by independent studio Wildfire Games. Not only does 0 A.D. have extensive cross-platform support, but the development team continues to enhance the game while adding even more layers to this great open-source title.
6Veloren
Minecraft’s impact on the gaming industry can best be described as monumental. Not only has its limitless sandbox design guided volumes of comparable titles, but its particular aesthetic has also proved to be quite influential among independent developers.
Veloren might look akin to Mojang’s crown jewel on the surface, but underneath the visuals is a ton of deep and engrossing game mechanics. Because Veloren is a relatively recent open-source project, it’s safe to assume the game will reach even greater peaks over the next several years.
5Nethack
Available On Steam, Google Play, And App Store
Back in 1980, Michael Toy, Glenn Wichman, and Ken Arnold developed Rogue. Broadly considered the first rogue-like RPG, Rogue would become one of the most important video games of its era and serve as a blueprint for decades of releases to come.
Nethack is an open-sourcefree roguelikebased on the 1980 classic and 1984’s Hack. Not only did Nethack refine nearly every mechanic pioneered by its predecessors, but it added plenty of pieces that would go to become standard in the genre, such as a stress on exploration, multistep puzzles, and pop culture Easter eggs.
4Xonotic
In March 2010, the free-play-to-play FPS arena shooter, Nexuiz, was clandestinely licenced to IllFonic by lead designer Lee Vermeulen. Not only did this maneuver catch the development team by surprise, but quickly inflamed the fanbase. To quell the backlash, the Nexuiz source code was disclosed.
Xonotic came shortly after and was instantaneously one of the most visually remarkable open-source games of all time. Taking everything that fans loved about the original Nexiuiz and making it better, Xonotic swiftly became a must-play for any longtime fans of Unreal Tournament or Quake.
3Mindustry
From hit mobile games to more ambitious console launches, thetower defense genre has seen many kinds of titlesover the years. Regardless of what kind of tower defense game you’re seeking, there’s something out there for you.
Mindustry takes factory building, RTS, and tower defense components and expertly melds them together. Written in java by AnukenDev, Mindustry became so popular that it would be ported to Steam, Google Play, iOS, and multiple other platforms.
2Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead
Even though text-based games aren’t nearly as prevalent in the modern era of graphically striking big budget titles. There are still some superb text-centric games being developed by talented designers. Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead is one such game that’s well worth your recognition.
A fork of the original Cataclysm, this horror infused rogue-like tasks you with surviving in a post-apocalyptic England. Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead provides you incredible freedom in how you play and survive in what is easily one of the most layered source code games ever produced.
1Shattered Pixel Dungeon
If you’re looking for the greatest open-source game of all time, you’re likely to hear many answers. But one game that’ll pop up more than the others will undoubtedly be Shattered Pixel Dungeon.
An excellent dungeon crawler, Shattered Pixel Dungeon was based on the original Pixel Dungeon and has since become one of the most acclaimed open source games around. Even almost a decade after its initial launch, Shattered Pixel Dungeon continues to represent the gold standard of open-source gaming.
