Games That Let You Influence Politics And Power Dynamics

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Summary

  • Video game tension often arises from power struggles and political conflicts within factions.
  • Players can influence outcomes in games by choosing sides with factions, impacting the story.
  • Open-world games like Skyrim, Fallout: New Vegas, and Cyberpunk 2077 offer unique faction systems.

In many video games, developers frequently generate suspense using narrative techniques. This tension might stem from various scenarios such as battling to fill the power void left after a villain’s downfall, engaging in political conflicts within the game world vying for control, or striving to emerge as the undisputed leader of the virtual realm.

In certain games, the players’ influence over the game environment can vary significantly. While some games leave everything to chance, others empower players to shape the game world according to their preferences. This could mean exercising absolute authority or leading a group towards a decisive political victory. Essentially, these types of games provide an opportunity for players to impact the politics and power structures within their virtual worlds.

10. The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

For The Love Of Talos

The Skyrim Civil War, often referred to as the Stormcloak Rebellion, is a strife that originated from Ulfric Stormcloak’s assassination of Skyrim’s High King. In the game of Skyrim, players have the option to either support the Stormcloak Rebellion or stand with the Imperial Legion and oppose it. Each side offers exclusive rewards for the Dragonborn.

Once a player finishes the main storylines of both factions, significant characters like the rulers of settlements backing the opposing side will lose their thrones, and guards stationed within and surrounding those settlements will switch allegiance to the triumphant faction.

9. Fallout: New Vegas

I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire

In the wastelands of the Mojave, as a gamer, I find myself often caught up in the struggle for dominance among various factions in games like Fallout: New Vegas. The epic battle for control over Hoover Dam serves as the climax to this post-apocalyptic tale, where my actions can determine who rules supreme.

In this game, players have the option to pick one out of three significant factions to align themselves with, ultimately helping them win and take control of the region. Alternatively, players can ally with Mr. House (Yes Man) and aid in establishing an independent New Vegas. Regardless of the choice made, none of the outcomes are inherently favorable. However, each concludes the Courier’s adventure within the Mojave Wasteland by ensuring that the area is now governed by a new power.

8. Cyberpunk 2077

Get Away From The Corpos

In the imaginary metropolis known as Night City, where numerous factions vie for control, Cyberpunk 2077 is set. The protagonist, V, encounters numerous skirmishes but has the ability to impact the balance of power among Night City’s lawless elements by making strategic choices throughout the game.

1) In Night City, players have three options: they can leave an unforgettable legacy by dying as a legend, get involved with Arasaka as a test subject, or challenge the Corporations directly, each path leading to a unique conclusion. In any case, character V will have significantly impacted Night City and supported their chosen faction in their missions.

7. Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord

‘Til Kingdom Come

In the game Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord, players begin as nobles who aim to gather troops and battle for their realm with the ultimate goal of ruling over Calradia. Throughout the game, they will engage in combat on the front lines against eight rival factions, each with its unique aims and aspirations.

In the perpetual struggle that defines Calradia, players have the freedom to embark on their adventures by either establishing their own faction or joining a dominant one for strategic domination. They can switch allegiances whenever they wish, promising loyalty to a kingdom today and betraying them tomorrow.

6. Dragon Age: The Veilguard

They Will Remember That

In the latest installment of the Dragon Age series, titled “Dragon Age: The Veilguard,” various factions are working diligently to prevent Solas’ ritual from tearing apart the Veil. Your character’s reputation among these factions can be influenced by decisions made during character creation. It is essential for players to maintain a positive reputation with each faction as their standing will impact the game’s progression.

Every group involved has something at risk in this conflict. Consequently, the players’ decisions determine who assists them on their final mission to permanently defeat Solas. Notably, BioWare is recognized for their continuous world states between games, and if a player has experienced the preceding title, “Dragon Age: Inquisition,” and made some crucial choices, they will influence the narrative in “The Veilguard.

5. Star Wars Outlaws

A Smuggler And A Wookie Walk Into A Bar

In a distant corner of the cosmos, it’s inevitable that some may act unscrupulously. After departing from Canto Bight, Kay Vess finds herself in a sprawling and lawless Star Wars galaxy, where the key to endurance is associating with powerful criminal networks.

In the game Star Wars Outlaws, each syndicate controls a majority of the systems that the player can explore, with one often having a stronger hold on a particular planet. Maintaining good relations with all factions is advantageous since they offer perks and may provide valuable contracts if they trust you.

4. Baldur’s Gate 3

Roll For Persuasion

Among the numerous options available in Baldur’s Gate 3, players find themselves tasked with shaping their own destiny as The Forgotten Realms are plunged into turmoil. As they progress, players will need to rally their allies and meet a diverse array of NPCs from various backgrounds, whom they can enlist for assistance.

In Baldur’s Gate 3, the player is free to make a choice: they can embrace their inner darkness, causing destruction everywhere, or they can use their unique style to save the Forgotten Realms. The decisions and actions of the player significantly impact the environment in which their adventure unfolds.

3. Sid Meier’s Civilization 6

A Tale As Old As Time

In the realm of Real-Time Strategy games, Sid Meier’s Civilization 6 is no exception, as it presents an unending conflict among nations in a grand struggle for world supremacy. By incorporating the personas and appearances of numerous historical figures from around the globe, Civilization 6 offers players the opportunity to rise as a global powerhouse throughout the ages.

As a gamer, I have the power to decide the course of action for my virtual nation: I can opt for diplomatic relations through trade, or I can demonstrate my nation’s military might by declaring war on neighboring lands. The outcome of these nations and the world as a whole is in my control.

2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Decisions, Decisions

In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Geralt of Rivia faces a multitude of choices to make. When not on the hunt for Ciri, or pursuing romantic entanglements with Triss or Yennifer, Geralt finds himself in the midst of the ongoing conflict between Temeria and Nilfgaard.

In The Witcher 3, certain side missions can significantly influence who emerges victorious in the power struggle, despite appearing insignificant initially. It’s a complex tapestry of interconnected threads that narrates the story of Geralt of Rivia, creating a saga that seems endless in its intricacy.

1. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

This Is Sparta

In the epic saga of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Kassandra/Alexios serve as crucial figures in the subjugation of Ancient Greece. The game’s expansive landscape is already partitioned between the Spartan military and Athenian democrats, but it is the player’s actions that will ultimately determine the balance of power.

Once the player decides which faction they will support, each territory becomes a battleground. The conflict escalates into an enormous fight involving ground and naval forces, sometimes even on the Aegean Sea. This battle is truly epic in scale.

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2025-01-11 02:35