Dystopian settings are an ever-popular background in the gaming world. These worlds allow players to explore different futures and interact with a world in a way that would not be possible in reality. These games can have settings where alien empires take over the earth to being set in completely different worlds. They can also stretch across different genres, with the protagonists having magic powers. Bioshock might be the first series players think of for a dystopian setting, but there are numerous other selections.

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But these dystopian backdrops can provide much more than just the setting. They can supplement it by providing fascinating themes for the player to explore, they can make us question our own morals, and even bring a tear to our eyes.

10 Bioshock Brings Players Into A World Of Fighting

The main statue of Andrew Ryan with the city's motto

Bioshock brings players to the city of Rapture, located underneath the Atlantic Ocean. It seems like the ideal society at first. The best artists, scientists, and business professionals were invited to the city from all around the world. A civil war broke out in the city on New Years Eve of 1958.

Afterwards, the residents became addicted to Plasmids and transformed into creatures known as Splicers. It is during the first game that players kill the city's leader, Andrew Ryan, and the rebellion's leader, Frank Fontaine. Afterwards the player escapes, leaving the city until returning in Bioshock 2. The game explores the sickly underbelly that accompanies the strive for human perfection and the ultimate impossibility of utopian societies.

9 Wolfenstein: The New Order Explores A World Where Germany Won World War II

The London Nautica under control by the Nazis

Wolfenstein: The New Order reboots the Wolfenstein series in a new way. In it, the Nazis win World War II and go on to conquer the world. It is up to the player to fight against the enemy as a member of the resistance. Throughout the game, they weaken the Nazi forces – even bringing the attack to their moon base.

The first mission has the player fall into a coma, waking up after 20 years. It can be learned that during that time, the Germans destroyed New York City with a nuclear bomb and become even more advanced.

8 Papers, Please Has Players Stamp Passports While Looking For A Way Out

A player after rejecting someone's passport

Players take on the role as a boarder guard in Papers, Please. While this might seem normal enough, the player is part of a republic that slowly implements rules against other countries. Players can also attempt to escape the country with their family, needing to save up money from each day.

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The amount of taxes and needing to pay for food and heating will require players to ration their money. If they are not careful, some members of the family also run the risk of dying. Players also face moral decisions, with some people passing through saying they'll be killed if they are sent back home.

7 Call Of Duty: Ghost Features A World Where America Is Taken Over By A South American Federation

The promotional art for CoD Ghost

Call of Duty Ghost might not have been popular among fans of the series, but it offers a unique story. South American countries unite into a federation, slowly taking over countries until they boarder the United States. It is during a surprise attack that the enemy force takes over an American satellite and destroys numerous well-known cities.

As if the destruction was not bad, the enemy forces then invade the United States to take it over. Players are tasked with playing as a secret organization to repel the attack. Sadly, the game ends with a cliffhanger and it looks like no sequel will be made any time soon.

6 Metro 2033 Players Explore Moscow After A Nuclear War

Players on the surface of Moscow in the game

The game Metro 2033 has players living in the subway system of Moscow after a nuclear war. The protagonist lives comfortably in their station, but leaves when their stepfather disappears. The game ends with a battle at a bunker called D6, with the player successfully repelling the attacks and defending D6.

Throughout the game, players are able to go to the surface of Moscow. Mutated creatures can be found here, as well as the remains of any unlucky person who was caught in the aftermath of the war. Players can see flashbacks, showing ghosts of the past and what they were doing before the war. This gives a sense of nostalgia and what could have been.

5 In Homefront America Is Invaded And Taken Over By North Korea

A North Korean soldier in promotional material for Homefront

In the game Homefront, players get to experience an alternate reality where North Korea starts to attack other countries. America is not saved from this, with the west coast being taken over. The country is divided, with every state to the east of the Mississippi River being free.

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Players take on the role of a former U.S. Marine, being arrested for not answering the North Korean draft. The game ends on the Golden Gate Bridge, with US forces getting the upper hand on the North Korean soldiers. While it is unknown if the North Koreans are repelled, it can be assumed they are weakened by this attack.

4 In Half-Life 2 An Alien Empire Takes Over The World

A square in the game with the Citadel in the background

Half-Life 2 starts by explaining that an alien empire took over the world after the first game. Only after 7 hours, the aliens won a war and added earth to their conquered worlds. Citizens are now randomly raided and are augmented to become stalkers – shambling husks of their former selves.

There is even a field that makes it impossible to become pregnant, meaning the human race will most likely be wiped out. Players take on the role of Gordon Freeman during the game, helping resistance members fight back against their oppressors.

3 In Dishonored An Empress' Bodyguard Fights Back Against State Enemies

Promotional art showing Corvo near an enemy

Dishonored gives players the role of Corvo, the bodyguard of an empress. The empress is assassinated at the beginning of the game, with Corvo being accused of the murder. A coup occurs, with the empress' daughter being held hostage by the coup members.

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Players must either kill or blackmail members of the coup. By the end of the game, Corvo will have his name redeemed and the empress' daughter will gain the throne.

2 In Detroit: Become Human Androids Start To Have A Mind Of Their Own

Connor looking at the many other androids before activation

Detroit: Become Human takes place in the near future where androids become helpers. Players play as three different characters – the detective named Connor, the house helper named Kara, and the revolutionary named Markus. Players will have to make choices to survive their encounters and to raise public opinion on androids.

There are many endings, with some causing androids to be destroyed entirely. Playing as only androids, it is easy to see how this can be viewed as dystopian. Human lives are mostly unaffected throughout the game, but androids face major backlash.

1 In Fallout 4 Players Get To Explore A Nuclear Bombed Boston

A player in power armor near a school

Fallout 4 has players explore Boston after a nuclear war wipes out major cities. They quickly learn there is an organization, called The Institute, who are a major threat to the area. The Institute sends out synths, androids that take on a real person's appearance. This allows the synth to blend into a settlement, but the real person must be killed off.

Players can team up with three other factions to take down The Institute. Likewise, players can decide to side with The Institute and take over the Commonwealth. Androids will then start to appear in major settlements, acting as the soldiers of the region.

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