I’m not necessarily talking about moment-to-moment gameplay or mechanics (though I could see some interesting points being made about, for example, RTS gameplay or RPG character building influence how you approached “strategy” in your own life).
What I’m trying to get at are the games you felt really had something to say.
For example, while I’m by no means the biggest fan (only ever played 2 and V), playing MGS V recently (and catching up on the background a bit) has created this sense in me, and I wondered where else one might have experienced that from vidya
Mega Man. Not for the games themselves (which I still love), but because they inspired The Protomen to make a rock opera that becomes more real by the day. This isn't a joke.
How people will rally around a hero to save them from an oppressive government, but not risk a thing to support him
Literally begging a single person to even raise their voice in support, only to realize people don't want a hero. They just want someone to martyrize and throw hopes at
Those same people demanding the man calling them on their cowardice be killed, then wondering why anyone would care about a hero who failed
How pure and noble intentions of helping man can be corrupted instantly by men with ambition and desire
Most Relevantly, how one man was able to create a media narrative and frenzy to bin the blame for his own crime on someone else, knowing full well the system will do the right thing and find that other man innocent. And then use that ruling to convince people to overthrow the government and police since it won't "protect them"
And how your acts of defiance are planned for, and will be used to radicalize and unleash a stronger police state in response
I'm sure I don't need to explain how those are constantly relevant around these parts, but that's not even getting into the themes. Such as "sometimes people deserve their own oppression and suffering" which helped me finally come to terms with my falling out of love with Psychology and Therapy and why I needed to leave it.
More "on topic" I would go with Nier Gestalt (Automata newfags get out). Simply because its a game that constantly positions you as doing the right thing for you with good and altruistic ideas, and everytime those actions make the world a worse place. Every attempt you make to help ruins the world a little more, and the end of the game slaps you in the face with the idea of "if you had just stayed home and done nothing, your daughter would have been happier that way" instead of going on a grand adventure to try and cure her.
Not to mention the constantly little moral questions left without answers. Like "who is responsible for ending the cycle of revenge?" Or "does a mother have a right to happiness, even at the expense of her children?" Or even "Do the rules exist to bind you, or do they exist so that you may know your freedoms?"
Its a shame that Automata has almost certainly ruined the franchise, as Drakengard 1/3 and Nier Gestalt are basically the pinnacle of cult masterpieces and now Yoko Taro has a legion of businessmen and ass kissers lined up to make him churn out more Automata tier money printers.
Just wanted to circle back around to this post because I randomly clicked on the links to check them out, and ended listening to a bunch of the Protomen songs.... and that stuff is awesome.
Thanks for the recommendation, it's like Daft Punk + Queen + Streets of Fire OST all rolled into one. Awesome stuff.
Yeah they are absolutely great. Shame they've been slacking on Part 3 for over a decade.
If you missed it, they have an entire album covering 80s songs and many of them end up better than the original, imo. Worth checking as well.