Video games that focus on conspiracies require a well-woven story that, at first, may be confusing, but will all fall into place by the third act and shine a light on the bigger picture that willcompletely turn the story on its head. This constant questioning on your part is one of the most enticing elements of these types of games.
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From machinations that span the globe to more personal and contained conspiracies, games that feature this particular theme often deliver an intriguing form of escapism. If you enjoy a good mystery with dizzying twists and turns, these conspiracy-based video games will surely help you scratch that itch.
8Assassin’s Creed 2
Considered one of the highlights of theAssassin’s Creedseries,Assassin’s Creed 2, specifically the entirety of Ezio Auditore’s story, is steeped in conspiracies and clandestine groups that wish to control humanity. Set in the Italian Renaissance period, the world of Assassin’s Creed 2 is exceptionally gorgeous on an aesthetic level.
Another high point of the game’s conspiracy-based plot is that it is allinspired by actual historical eventsbut with the usual Assassin’s Creed science-fiction touch. Also, the game heavily focuses on the infamous Borgia family, which has more layers than an onion with regard to their alleged nefarious activities.
7Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst
Mirror’s Edge: Catalystis a reboot of the 2008 original, set in a dystopian future ruled by a totalitarian regime that enforces the caste system on its citizens. You play as Faith, a courier who jumps from rooftop to rooftop usingcool parkour movesto deliver packages and avoid law enforcement.
You will then uncover a plan by the government to cement its hold on the populace by using underhanded means that will completely rob every one of their freedom. The conspiracy in the game is quite straightforward, but giving you the ability to put a wrench into the ‘system’ is always gratifying.
6Dishonored
Dishonoredis a first-person game that features a mix of stealth and action. You play Corvo Attano, the bodyguard to the Empress. However, the Empress is assassinated, and you are accused of the crime and thrown into prison for treason. Fortunately, Corvo is not one to let this slide, and you will sneak, climb, and cut your way through a web of deceit to uncover who is the true mastermind behind the assassination and avenge the fallen queen.
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Dishonored’s gameplay takes a lot of cues from another classic game, Thief: The Dark Project. Story-wise, it has a lot of similarities toSystem Shock, which throws you for a loop as you slowly unveil the bigger machinations that are brewing behind the scenes.
5XIII
A cult classic in every sense,XIIIis a 2003 first-person shooter based on the 1984 graphic novel of the same name. The game stayed true to its roots as closely as possible with its (then) revolutionary cel-shaded graphics, which further paid homage to its comic book roots. The story begins in typical spy fiction style with you, the unnamed protagonist,waking up with no memory of who you areexcept for the ‘XIII’ tattooed on your chest.
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The game immediately thrusts you into a world of intrigue and betrayal, leaving you in an almost constant daze. As you try to uncover your past, you will also try not to die at the hands of an army of well-trained professionals who seem to have a ‘shoot first’ mentality in regard to dealing with you. Cryptic flashbacks will slowly fill in the gaps as you learn that you might be directly connected to the assassination of the U.S. president. Whether you were the one who pulled the trigger is the question that you must discover.
4Beyond Good & Evil
One of the best games for thePS2that fans are still hoping for that long-awaited sequel that may probably never come is Ubisoft’s critically acclaimed 2003 game,Beyond Good & Evil. This puts you in the shoes of Jade, a reporter who uncovers a sinister plot by the High Priest of the DomZ wherein people are being abducted and used for nefarious means.
The game’s blend of action, platforming, stealth, andphotography mechanicsis just the cherry on top, as the true meat of the game is its intriguing story. The only downside of this stellar video game is that there might never be a conclusion. Will we ever see the next chapter of Jade’s story? At this point, you shouldn’t hold your breath.
3Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty
The second installment of Hideo Kojima’s magnum opus, theMetal Gear Solidseries, MGS 2: Sons of Liberty, is a wild ride. Not only does it throw the character of the game into the middle of the conspiracy, but you as the player will be strapped in as well. What begins as an action stealth game spirals into a philosophical, political, and conspiracy-laden story that, as over the top as the presentation is, is far closer to reality than you think.
As if prophesying the future, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty shines a light on the dangers of what information control can do to a society. Even if the game launched in 2001, you cannot deny that its themes are more impactful and relevant today than it was when it came out.
2Deus Ex: Invisible War
One of the best conspiracy-based video games of all time is, without a doubt,Deus Ex: Invisible War. It features the classic trope of a mysterious international corporation monopolizing the global power balance and pulling strings from the shadows to maintain its hold. The notion of a singular entity controlling the trajectory of society is something that closely hits home in current times, making Deus Ex: Invisible War such a topical game even though it launched back in 2003.
The whole context of the game constantly bombards you with not trusting anything at first glance and feeds off the innate paranoia that humans have. Gameplay-wise, its innovativeblending of RPG elementswith first-person shooters helped propel Deus Ex: Invisible War into the hall of the greatest video games of all time. The game also has multiple endings, which will depend on your decisions throughout the game. Will you end up as another cog in the wheel and maintain the status quo, or will you usher in a revolution towards an uncertain future?
1A Hand With Many Fingers
While most of the games in this list feature conspiracies as an underlying theme, A Hand with Many Fingers is all about conspiracy theories. The gameplay revolves around connecting the dots via classified documents, pictures, and newspaper clippings to uncover a global conspiracy that is way larger than you can imagine.
The setting of the game is the 1980s, at the peak of the Cold War. As you can imagine, paranoia will also play a huge part in the game. What makes A Hand with Many Fingers a unique experience is that it won’t take you to any large set pieces or place you in a typical gunfight scenario. The game is all about parsing information and making connections with possible clues that you find. Will you be able to solve the mystery or be another piece of data that will be added to the file cabinet?
