Best Games Set in Prisons

Video games have explored a vast number of unique locations over the years, from ravaged fantasy kingdoms to dystopian cyberpunk futures. When it comes to crafting interesting environments, sometimes a game will send players to one of the scariest places that one could end up – inside a prison. And while plenty of games feature levels set in prison, with some standout examples being the Ellsworth Penitentiary from Splinter Cell: Double Agent, some games lock players in jail for the entirety of the game.

Related

7 Best Prison Levels In Video Games

These missions proved that prison levels can be some of the most creepy, exciting, and memorable parts of a game when done right.

Setting a game inside a prison can be a smart design choice, as it innately conveys a sense of paranoia and isolation that is difficult to create naturally. Prisons are inherently scary places, so they tend to create an immediate level of fear, especially when the player is locked in from the beginning. Whether it’s set in a traditional prison or some sort of high-tech facility, these games have been ranked based on their level design, atmosphere, and how well they use their environment to enhance their title’s mood.

5

The Great Escape

Stealth Title Based On Classic Film Set In POW Camp

Based on the classic 1964 film of the same name, The Great Escape follows a group of men trying to escape a German POW camp in 1944. Utilizing sound clips from the movie itself, The Great Escape stars Hollywood legend Steve McQueen and also makes excellent use of the iconic film score by Elmer Bernstein. The German POW camp is where the bulk of the game takes place, as The Great Escape combines elements of stealth and action.

Stealth feels quite good for a game of its era, and the puzzles form some of the game’s most clever moments. The camp itself makes great use of the limited hardware, and areas feel rather open as a result. It recaptures some of the best scenes from the classic film, including its action-packed opening, and focuses on the horrors that war creates. It is one of the most overlooked games of its generation, as it was able to surpass the limitations of the hardware at the time, creating a fitting tribute to the Golden Age of Hollywood.

4

Prison Architect

Addictive Management Sim Tasks Player With Running A Prison

In a genre as eclectic as sim management, it was perhaps no surprise that someone would put players in charge of a prison and see how well they do. And with Prison Architect, developers Introversion Software created what is still one of the most detailed, highly engaging simulation games of its generation. This compelling sim game puts players in charge of a for-profit prison, tasking them with building and maintaining a prison, where they will control everything from its design to its day-to-day operations.

Related

12 Games Where You Get To Break Out Of Prison

Countless video games feature prisons, but not all of them give players the chance to escape from one. Here are some great titles that do.

Its simple art style plays well into the way buildings are designed, as it has a sort of ironic charm by contrasting the cute characters with the dubious responsibility of building and maintaining a for-profit prison. It isn’t just the construction and maintenance of the building, as Prison Architecture allows players to determine how well prisoners are treated and gives a fair bit of customization to just how nasty the player’s facility can be.

3

The Suffering

Unique Horror Game Takes Place In Prison Located In Maryland

The Suffering

Systems

Initially conceived as a mix between Devil May Cry and Half-Life, The Suffering is set in the fictional Abbot State Penitentiary, which is located somewhere in Maryland. Based on famous prisons like Alcatraz and San Quentin, Abbot State finds itself overrun with monsters during the events of The Suffering, casting players as Torque, a man on death row who must escape the prison with his life and find out the truth about whether he did murder his family.

The Suffering was one of the most fascinating games of the sixth generation of consoles, as it also allowed the player to transform Torque into a monster during combat. By filling up Torque’s “insanity meter”, players can take part in some of the game’s most twisted moments. Its violence and gore were controversial for the time, and though it feels rather tame today, The Suffering is a game worth checking out for its intricately designed prison and unique flair. It also has multiple endings, where the fate of Torque’s family changes depending on the choices made throughout the game.

2

The Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay

Stunning First-Person Adventure Game Sees Riddick Escape From Isolated Prison

The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay

Systems

Released

June 1, 2004

Franchise

The Chronicles of Riddick

First appearing in the 2000 film Pitch Black, the character of Riddick, played by Vin Diesel, was later expanded into other forms of media. One of the best things to come from that was a first-person stealth-action game known as The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay, which launched for the Xbox in 2004, which sees him locked inside the confines of a maximum-security prison located on an isolated planet in the far reaches of the galaxy.

Related

Best Games Where You Play As A Prison Guard

Though it’s not a role that gamers get to take on often, these titles let players step into the shoes of a prison guard.

In order to escape the eponymous Butcher Bay, Riddick must contend with all sorts of criminals, killers, and masterminds. Escape From Butcher Bay is still one of the most incredible-looking games of all time, as it took full advantage of what the original Xbox was capable of. The prison itself is a multi-level, highly detailed world that is massively impressive for the hardware, and its dark, brooding atmosphere is simply masterful. The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay was given an expanded remake and packaged with the sequel, Assault on Dark Athena, in 2007.

1

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Batman Fights Iconic Villains Through the Mental Asylum for the Criminally Insane

Systems

In terms of legendary locations from DC Comics, there are obvious places like Superman’s Fortress of Solitude and the Justice League Watchtower, but it’s safe to say that Arkham Asylum ranks right up at the top. Located within the jurisdiction of Gotham City, this maximum-security prison for the criminally insane became the subject of a self-titled video game in 2009 known as Batman: Arkham Asylum, which sees The Dark Knight trapped inside its claustrophobic hallways during a riot orchestrated by The Joker.

Featuring a highly detailed, sprawling 3D map and some of the most impressive level designs of its time, Arkham Asylum is still one of Batman’s most outstanding video game adaptations. Starring the late Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as The Joker, reprising their roles from the hit 1990s animated series, Arkham Asylum explores the dark, twisted minds of some of DC’s greatest villains and lets players uncover its sinister origins. It is a game with a clear love of Batman’s mythology, as well as a keen eye for outstanding-level design and storytelling.

More

5 Games Where You Get To Break Into Prison

The only thing more exciting than a prison breakout in a video game is the much rarer prison break-in, as games like Thief and Oblivion demonstrate.