Games w Totalitarian Themes

[pashbe1]

Hi everyone,

My final paper for this semesters Humanities course will be on themes of totalitarianism in either a set of recent movies, novels, or games. As a gamer I would like to write about games as this would give the excuse of playing as research ;-). Can you help me out with some titles that are less than three years old? The genre does not matter, but the better the story and plot line, the more I will have to work with.

Thanks for your help in advance.

 

[Gargen]

Let me be the first to suggest Bioshock Infinite. It pretty much goes out of it's way to be the perfect example of a totalitarian government.

 

[robvp]

Not sure but i think tropico would fit the theme, it puts you in control of a dictatorship

 

[Zenoth]

I think that Dishonored would fit that bill pretty well, but perhaps the steampunk theme isn't what you're looking for in the end. It's older than three years old but I would consider Half-Life 2's City 17 being ruled in a totalitarian manner, although limited to the city itself more than anything else. But I think that the principle is there, along the lines of one ruling body and no second opinions, so you're either with Breen or against him and therefor the Combine, and if so declared an enemy, also propaganda is everywhere (Combine posters, etc) and non-stop especially via televisions and billboards/monitors where there's only one channel and that is Breen's, etc.

But since you want a recent game I'd say Dishonored, and maybe Bioshock Infinite as well to some extent.

 

[pashbe1]

Great input everyone. Bioshock and Dishonored are definitely on the list, I haven't played them yet so that works out, and they are new enough that there will not be any or very little written about them yet.

Now I can justify not waiting for a good Steam sale, pfft. Tropico actually sounds interesting too because of the way it sets the usual game story on end.

 

[Stringjam]

Bioshock Infinite is more about a religious cult that secedes from the United States.

I guess in the end the government it established for itself would be considered totalitarian, but the citizens who joined all chose to be a part of it by their own free will.....even the minority workers. Close enough, though.

Mirror's Edge comes to mind, even though they don't really delve too deeply into the story. It is a dystopian police-state without freedom of information.


Borderlands 2 could be considered as much. Handsome Jack appoints himself dictator of an entire planet, taking control of the resources and even blocking out part of the planet's light source with his big-assed base. The story is conveyed with humor and wit, so it doesn't seem so serious, but it actually qualifies pretty well.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Infamous. The entire game is set in a area of the world that is shut down with a military quarantine.

 

[pashbe1]

I will look into Infamous, I'm not familiar with it. I think I actually got Mirrors Edge with the Humble Bundle. I've played Borderlands 2, but I don't think I can get much "meat" out of that story.

Keep them coming, the more the better.

Thanks!

 

[WiseUp216]

Papers, Please would be perfect.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

Papers, Please would be perfect.

Came in to post this.

 

[Dankk]

Check out Papers Please.

 

[DigDog]

red faction, all of them, and all slightly different.

 

[pashbe1]

I am definitely checking out "Papers Please" that looks like a good one. Well, looks like my plate is full. I've been doing a little research on Bioshock. Especially the first one has been heavily written about because of its critique of Ayn Rand's Objectivism. Very interesting stuff. Thank fully I have until November to do all of the "research" and write the paper.

Thanks to everyone for contributing.

 

[ultimatebob]

Sim City. Think about it... you can bulldoze down half of the city and raise taxes to 20% and nobody can stop you

 

[nephilim2k]

Europa Universalis...think about it, you start as a small nation and build up for global conquest. Totalitarianism at its best.

 

[StinkyPinky]

Deus Ex games? That's about govt and corporate control over common people among other things.