Best Games About Hope In Difficult Times

Key Takeaways

• Video games offer stories of hope in times of darkness, showcasing triumph and perseverance.
• Games like This War of Mine emphasize the importance of survival and helping others in war-torn lands.
• Titles like Kingdom Hearts show that hope is the driving force against darkness, uniting even unlikely heroes.

Video games are a favorite escape from reality for many. They have engaged individuals the world over in compelling stories, as well as provided fun experiences with strangers over the internet or friends on the couch. While these experiences are entertaining, they can often resonate with individuals on a deeper level.

For some, video games offer stories of hope. They feature heroes facing insurmountable odds in the most trying of times, and yet, the characters find ways to triumph — or, at the least, to persevere and find moments of happiness. In these trying, uncertain times, the world needs hope more than ever. Maybe these titles can provide a small light in the darkness.

9 This War Of Mine

Hanging On For One More Day

While most titles tackling war focus on soldiers, This War of Mine follows the civilians who bear the brunt of destruction from any armed conflict. The game focuses on managing a group of survivors in a war-torn land, sending them out to find supplies and avoid other competing survivors.

This War of Mine is bleak. Run-down buildings are everywhere, and party members can be killed off instantly if one is not careful. The characters are doing what they can to survive. One can also choose to have their scavenging survivors help others survive, such as attacking a man who wants to assault a woman.

8 Resident Evil 5

“For A Future Without Fear… Yeah, It’s Worth It”

Resident Evil 5, which recently celebrated its fifteenth anniversary, was the hotly anticipated follow-up to the celebrated Resident Evil 4. Joined by his new partner, Sheva, former STARS agent Chris Redfield once again faces murderous biological entities, while also dealing with villainous Wesker once more.

At the start of the game, Chris is feeling cynical about whether everything he does is worthwhile, considering all the lives lost. These include the apparent death of Jill Valentine, his former partner. His journey brings him to the conclusion that maybe it is worth fighting for, that there is hope for a brighter tomorrow, one without fear.

7 Kingdom Hearts

“You Have The Mightiest Weapon Of All”

No one in their wildest dreams would have thought of an epic action RPG uniting Disney and iconic Final Fantasy characters. Yet, in 2002, Kingdom Hearts launched on the PlayStation 2. It quickly became a hit, spawning a massive franchise with increasingly convoluted lore. The games’ main protagonist is Sora, who gets separated from his friends when dark entities known as the Heartless consume his world, as they have many others. He soon finds himself teaming up with Donald Duck and Goofy, as well as possessing the Keyblade, a legendary weapon capable of slaying the Heartless and sealing the pathways between worlds.

Hope is ultimately the driving force of this story. Sora and his Keyblade are the one hope that the universe has to combat the darkness. The hope of being reunited with his friends is why Sora keeps fighting. Even when the Keyblade temporarily abandons him, he presses on, believing in a power within him stronger than it.

6 The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Lighting Up The Darkness

The Legend of Zelda series is known for its fantastical adventures in Hyrule, with Link journeying across the land to protect the Kingdom and its princess, Zelda, from the malevolent and power-hungry Ganondorf. Twilight Princess is the darkest franchise entry to date (apart from maybe Majora’s Mask). The ruler of the Twilight Realm, Zant, enshrouds Hyrule in perpetual twilight, leaving its residents as spirits doomed to live in perpetual fear. He is coerced into a partnership with the Twilight being Midna to track down a weapon that will fight Zant, in exchange for her helping him find his abducted friends.

In this darkness, Link becomes a source of light. It is hope that drives Link. The hope of a champion is what sustains Princess Zelda during her imprisonment by Zant’s forces. Unlikely heroes also step up, including Midna, who ends up understanding that the fates of the worlds of Light and Twilight are one and the same. Hope is a theme that continues to echo throughout the franchise today.

5 Highwater

Life Goes On At The End Of The World

Highwater mixes turn-based combat with real-time exploration. A young man named Nikos and his companions navigate a world ravaged by a climate disaster, flooding planet Earth. Their ultimate goal is to reach the rumored spaceship that is bringing a wealthy select few to Mars.

Hope is a central theme throughout the game. The ship itself offers the promise of a better life, free from the ravages of climate change and militia conflict. Hope manifests itself in other ways throughout the game as well. Even at the end of the world, life goes on. A rock band jams out on a raft, people are getting married, and Niko’s home offers a strong sense of community, with everyone looking out for each other.

4 Terra Nil

“Life, Uh, Finds Away”

Terra Nil is a unique twist on the city-building genre. Instead of building human settlements, the goal is to restore ecosystems on a barren planet with futuristic technology. The end result leaves no trace of human activity, and sees wildlife return to the game’s various maps.

Terra Nil is the game for our time. Planet Earth is in deep trouble. Historic droughts, fires, and floods have become the new normal. Seeing animal and plant life return in Terra Nil gives one the sense that maybe not all is lost, that humanity can still heal some of the damage that it has caused.

3 Dishonored

“Can You Feel The New Day Rising?”

Things cannot get much worse for Corvo Attano, the Queen’s protector. Rats spread a plague in the city of Dunwall, the Queen has been murdered, and her daughter has been abducted. On top of that, Corvo has been framed for the crimes and sentenced to death. Fortunately for him, he manages to escape and connect with a rebel faction who claims to fight to restore the Royal Family. This takes Corvo on a harrowing journey for revenge, with aid not only from the rebels, but a paranormal being known only as the Outsider, who grants him unnatural abilities to fight his war.

Dishonored is a game where choices impact the story and gameplay. Corvo can carve a path of destruction across Dunwall — or keep the body count low. Areas that can be sources of infection beyond the point of no return can also be places of refuge for survivors. One optional side quest gives one the chance to save an ally’s Uncle from being murdered. Corvo’s actions will dictate the outcome of the story, whether it be light, dark, or somewhere in-between.

2 In His Time

No One Is Beyond Redemption

Olly is a young boy who struggles to balance his school life with caring for his ailing mother. When he gets coerced into breaking into the house of an old man, named Joseph, he agrees to help find the parts of a machine the children stole. Joseph also agrees to do what he can to help Olly’s chronically sick mother.

In His Time is a game that provides comfort to those who have lost a loved one or are experiencing family struggles. It shows that forgiveness and reconciliation are possible, if only one is willing to be open to it. Things are also left with the sense that, even if not everything is okay, Olly will be okay.

1 Alan Wake

He Walks Through Darkness, Yet He Is Not Alone

Alan Wake is the ultimate spooky game for any fan of Stephen King. The popular thriller writer, Alan Wake, and his photographer wife, Alice, travel to the remote town of Bright Falls for some much-needed relaxation. What starts as a quiet getaway turns into a twisted nightmare, as a malevolent entity abducts Alice. This forces Alan to confront otherworldly foes called the Taken. By day, he looks for leads and gets familiar with the town’s quirky residents. At night, he must fend off the Taken by shining a light on their dark forcefields.

Alan Wake is a game that teaches one to have faith in the light. Light is what damages the Taken, and standing in a source of light heals the damage that he has taken. He faces Hell on Earth, but he perseveres, in the hope that he may find Alice. He does not walk his path alone, though. Along the way, he is aided by his agent and best friend Barry, as well as unseen characters leaving crates of supplies and pages from a mysterious manuscript, telling him how his own story unfolds. Although he cannot always see who or what is guiding him on his quest, he knows that they are there. There was a light, and the darkness could not overcome it.