The Best Games That Discuss Social Issues

Key Takeaways

• Video games offer unique insights into themes like war, corruption, and privacy through active participation.
• Games like Bully, Papers, Please, and BioShock challenge misconceptions about violence and childishness.
• Titles like Depression Quest, We Happy Few, and This War Of Mine provide thought-provoking reflections on mental health, social control, and the harsh realities of war.

Some video games are not just entertainment; they are a true art form, offering something unique compared to other mediums: active participation. They allow you to engage directly, creating your personal reflection and your own critical perspective on the themes they explore.

War, corruption, bullying, and privacy are just a few of the countless topics that remain relevant in our society today. Many games approach these themes with their unique messages, often blending creativity and imagination to either highlight the situation’s absurdity or reveal its brutal realities. Here are some games that might change the minds of those who still consider video games “childish” or just “violent.”

8

Bully

Beyond The Controversy

Even before its release, Bully faced criticism for its provocative title, suggesting an incitement to bully. It was later changed to Canis Canem Edit (Dogs Eat Dogs in Latin) in Europe to soften the controversy (the UK Parliament even debated the game).

The game explores power dynamics and violence among students, using satire to highlight social issues such as abuse of authority, corruption, and perversion in the school system. Adults are often portrayed as a critique of institutions meant to protect students. Beneath its exaggerated and grotesque exterior, the game offers thought-provoking commentary on the complexities of school life and its hierarchies.

7

Papers, Please

Moral Choices At The Border

Papers, Please immerses you in the role of an inspector at the border of a totalitarian regime. Your task? To decide who enters the country while balancing personal survival with the moral weight of your decisions. And yes, Big Brother is watching you to make sure you’re not letting anyone through with the wrong paperwork, so be careful.

Every choice you make affects the lives of individuals and their families, making you question justice and morality under bureaucratic pressure. Will you be a cold, unfeeling inspector or spark a revolution from your small office, risking everything?

6

BioShock

The Fall Of A Utopian Dream

BioShock takes place in Rapture, an underwater city built on the ideals of absolute freedom and power. However, what begins as a utopian dream quickly descends into chaos, exposing the darker side of human ambition.

The city’s downfall serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked power and the moral compromises that arise when personal desires are prioritized over the greater good. BioShock wants to make you question the cost of perfection and the pursuit of ambition at any price.

5

Depression Quest

Living With Depression

Depression Quest isn’t designed for fun; its goal is to send a message. It’s an interactive representation of what it’s like to live with depression without romanticizing or fantasizing about it. Instead, it shows the raw, daily struggles faced by those dealing with the condition.

At various moments, you might not be able to do what you want, whether to go out with friends in the evening or stay home, because the game restricts your options based on how severe your depression is. The inability to choose what may seem like a normal action highlights the overwhelming feeling of helplessness that many experience. It’s an emotionally heavy, educational experience that forces you to reflect on mental issues that are still often overlooked today.

4

We Happy Few

Enforced Happiness

We Happy Few presents a dystopian world where citizens must take pills of “Joy,” hallucinogenic drugs to keep them in a state of forced happiness. In truth, the reality they live in is grim and horrifying, but the drug distorts their perceptions, making everything bright, beautiful, and full of flowers. The game wants to show the dangers of social control and emotional suppression.

Happiness here is a tool of oppression, making you question the ethics of forced compliance and how far people will go to escape reality. The game critiques modern society’s obsession with prescription drugs and the curated “happy” life portrayed on social media. As writer Alex Epstein, the writer of the game, said, “We Happy Few is inspired by a culture that no longer values sadness.”

3

Detroit Become Human

What Does It Mean To Be Alive?

Detroit: Become Human explores the possibility that machines could develop consciousness and emotions, raising questions about what it means to be “alive” and whether androids deserve the same rights as humans. The concept of androids is not new; movies like the masterpiece Blade Runner have tackled this theme. Replicants in Blade Runner, or Deviants in Detroit, only want to live freely, like humans. And now, with Elon Musk’s robots on the rise… should we be a little nervous?

– Roy Batty in Blade Runner

In this game, you will show the true face of this being with superior intelligence: achieve equality democratically or descend into anarchy?

2

Watch Dogs

Privacy In The Digital World

Set in a world where every aspect of life is monitored, Watch Dogs raises critical questions about privacy and surveillance in the digital age. Even today, people cover their webcams with tape (as Black Mirror showed this fear), highlighting the fear of constant surveillance.

Watch Dogs wants to reflect on the consequences of living in a society where privacy is virtually nonexistent. How far will technology go in monitoring our every move?

1

This War Of Mine: Final Cut

The Other Side Of War

This War Of Mine places you in the shoes of the other part of the war: civilians. Developer 11 Bit Studios took inspiration from the siege of Sarajevo, the longest of a city since WWII, but the game reflects the struggles faced in any conflict, even those happening right now as you read this list.

Civilians in this game, like those in Sarajevo or any war zone, struggle with hunger, disease, and the constant threat of death. Rather than glorifying war, This War Of Mine shows it in all its cruelty and harsh reality, exactly as it is.