10 remarkable video games from Germany

Turrican, a run-and-gun game by German developer Manfred Trenz, hit the gaming market back in 1990. Set in a futuristic world, it was very popular because the optics were excellent by the standards of the time — and made the best of the C64 home computer's system.

Today, many people think of German video games primarily as construction games or economic simulations. That is likely due to the series "The Settlers," created by German programmer Volker Wertich. In the game, little figures plant trees, fish, walk from A to B carrying all sorts of raw materials, search for gold or forge weapons to defend or expand the kingdom.

A few years later, in 1998, "Anno 1602" was launched. The game was initially developed in Austria; German studios have been in charge since the third spin-off. Strategy is the key word in the "Anno" games: Players colonize islands, mine raw materials, produce goods and make sure the general population is happy.

The "Far Cry" games are among the top titles, but they are no longer developed in Germany — unlike part 1, which was developed by the Frankfurt-based Crytek Studios and sold almost three million copies worldwide. The first-person shooter game has an interesting level design and the graphics are outstanding.

"Spec Ops: The Line" is a third-person shooter video game developed by Yager Development in Berlin. Although the main task is to shoot enemies, it is considered an anti-war game — which is an exception in this genre — because it confronts the players with moral issues, soldiers' internal struggles and the horrors of war.

The action role-playing video game is set in a dark, medieval fantasy world. Obviously the game was influenced by the Japanese "Dark Souls" (2011), a difficult game that calls for stamina and a high frustration tolerance in players. "Lords of the Fallen" was developed by the Frankfurt-based Deck 13 studio.

"The Surge" is also by Deck 13. The game's principle is the same as in "Lords of the Fallen" — tough battles that challenge even experienced players — but this game is set in a dystopian future. The game sold so well that a second part of the action role-playing game was developed, and released just two years later.

In the mystery sci-fi adventure game "Trüberbrook" you live in a 1960s fictive German town, solve puzzles and engage with many quirky characters to save the world. The video game by the Cologne bildundtonfabrik developers may not be outstanding in terms of gameplay, but it looks beautiful. The backgrounds were not designed on the computer, but built by set designers and then digitized.

The real-time tactics game "Desperados III" by the Munich-based developer team Mimimi Games is a niche title, but it has fans all over the world. It scores with charming characters, including the tough Kate O'Hara, who uses her perfume bottle as a weapon. The goal is to sneak through the Wild West levels without being discovered by your enemies.

Four game design students from Berlin developed the indie game "Dorfromantik," an almost meditative building strategy and puzzle game with hexagonal cards depicting forests, rivers, fields and houses. While listening to quiet music, players put together a romantic little village and can escape the stresses of everyday life in the process.