3. Phun
I’m not sure if Phun counts as a game. It’s more a physics simulator I suppose, but it is easily fun enough to be considered in this list. Phun is all about physics and experimenting with them. Various shaped blocks, engines and water are all at your disposal to play around with. Though Phun lacks any real objectives and direction, it is addictive just fiddling around with the game’s physics. The freeware title has since been bought up and is being sold as a program called Algadoo, but you can still find beta versions of Phun with a quick google search.
2. Red Faction: Guerilla
The Red Faction games have always had incredible destruction physics. Many games include similar destructible environments, but none have come close to the third Red Faction title: Guerilla. Many of the game’s missions revolve around destruction and its effect on the environment. Placing a charge on the cornerstone of a building and watching the whole building crumble as a result is about as satisfying as physics can get. Let’s just hope that the upcoming Red Faction: Armageddon will be able to take this brilliant aspect even further. Skip to 2:40 for the good bits.
1. Half-Life 2
The Half-Life games are renowned among gamers for many reasons. Solid gunplay, a creative world and a gripping narrative are just some of the reasons that the franchise is beloved by gamers of all walks of life. One aspect that tends to get overlooked in the game is the impressive physics provided by the source engine used in the second Half-Life game. A majority of the game’s puzzles revolved around realistic block physics and, even though this might not seem like such a big deal now, back in 2004 it was a novel addition indeed. It also has the gravity gun, a toy completely based around the manipulation of physics. You just can’t compete with that.
Any other physics based games you can’t get enough of? Let us know in the comments.
