We play games to escape the rules and laws that real life forces upon us. However, there's been a trend for some years now where games are trying to be as close to real life as possible. While this may defeat the purpose of gaming, it is no doubt impressive to see what programmers and designers can do to make digital experiences more realistic.
A big milestone is being able to include a functional and quality physics engine that you can drive until your system crashes. There are many games that you can take for such a ride, but certain titles make you want to retake Physics 101.
8 Half-Life
Valve is on top of the world in terms of gaming and earns a lot of its success from its breakout hit Half-Life. It follows the story of mute physics genius Gordon Freeman as he fights interdimensional invaders and a government cover-up. This continues into the iconic Half-Life 2 with its game-changing Gravity Gun.
This weapon was the whole reason for stepping up the physics in the game, and it shows with all the punch and power that science has to offer. Once you get the Gravity Gun weapon, you'll wish that you'll never have to pick up anything with your hands ever again.
7 Amnesia
Horror is a subjective concept but many of us are agreed that the Amnesia series has many effective elements working for it. It all started with the first game in which a young man wakes up in the bowels of a frightening castle. As he explores, he's hunted by shadowy goo and twisted humanoids.
On top of that, his only defense is his brain and the ability to move things around. Grab boxes, books, chairs, and such to throw around, place strategically, or make distractions as you try to solve the puzzles keeping you trapped.
6 Human Fall Flat
Rag-doll physics is both simple and hilarious, yet there is truth to them in that animals and humans can collapse and crumple when hit suddenly or unexpectedly. That being said, these physics are best applied to chunky humanoids that look like anthropomorphic punching bags.
These are the stars of Human Fall Flat which is a physics-based obstacle course. The game provides its own arrangement of levels, but it's more fun to see how others have used the game's workshop to make their own courses.
5 Condemned: Criminal Origins
Being a detective is hard work and the more difficult a case, the closer you have to look at the people and places involved. As a federal agent in Condemned: Criminal Origins, you'll have to brave many dark and seedy locations around a dangerous city.
Despite your job, you'll be unarmed much of the time and have to make use of loose objects around you. Each has its own weight and feel when swung as well as its own impact. Enemies cower and realistically respond depending on how they're struck and what you're wielding, just don't get hit yourself.
4 GTA 5
The Grand Theft Auto series is an institution when it comes to the world of video games, but it really took off with GTA 3. While we're currently awaiting the next entry, we have to make do with the long-standing but still active GTA 5. As you cycle between three protagonists with three different backgrounds and personalities, you'll have the whole of not-Los-Angeles Los Santos to play around in.
They all move, run, jump, and fight like they would for men of their size, but the star is of course the driving. Each vehicle operates within its parameters, and you can't just mash buttons without the risk of mashing into other cars, but it makes for a big spectacle.
3 Angry Birds
It's amazing how much of a phenomenon Angry Birds became from its humble origins as a small mobile app. With the simple idea of launching small round birds at small round pigs to save their eggs, we were hooked. The mission was harder than it looked once we learned that the pigs were building flimsy yet complex structures out of various materials.
It became about using the birds' differing forces and abilities to target the weak points of each structure to watch them crumble and bring those piggies down.
2 World Of Goo
Little Inferno was a strange game that could also be viewed as a pyromania simulator, but it was followed by the much more straightforward World Of Goo. You play as a shepherd of sentient goo balls that only wish to be free. In order to do this, they need to navigate a series of pipes but can't reach them on their own.
You need to connect them in creative yet stable ways while adhering to the physics in place so that they do or don't fall over when needed. Other goo balls and mechanisms come into play to test your knowledge and understanding of the laws in play.
1 Totally Accurate Battle Simulator
How can you go wrong with talking about accuracy when the word "accurate" is in the title? As the name implies, Totally Accurate Battle Simulator (TABS) lets you play out a variety of combat scenarios through history and fantasy. The army and units will be limited by their humanoid form and strength as well as whatever they're wielding.
Like most actual battles, the armies will smash into each other until one side falls over. With ranged fighters, you'll see all the projectiles as they travel, spread, arc, and pierce their target knocking them back with sheer force… depending on their size.