Summary
Video games are often used as a form of escapism from real-life issues and problems players may face, transporting them to far-off lands filled with fascinating characters and placing them as saviours of different worlds, which is a far cry from the monotonous grind of the day-to-day hustle.
Yet some games don’t just want you to become the prophesied Chosen One and battle villains on a grand scale. Sometimes,video games just place players in the shoes of another person, trying to grow up and live a fulfilling life within those extraordinary worlds full of dragons, aliens, and other mythical beings.
7The Life And Suffering Of Sir Brante
A narrative-driven RPG that writes itself out in the form of the protagonist’s journal, The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante places you in the shoes of its eponymous hero,the third child in a noble household. Taking place in a world where your fate is dictated by your Lot in life, you start as an infant commoner and work your way up through the Great Arknian Empire.
From who you choose to befriend and how your personality shapes as you progress from infancy to adulthood, your choices will affect not just Sir Brante’s story, but the history of the tumultuous world he lives in. Whether you decide to topple a merciless dictatorship and free the masses or simply fall in line like a zealous dog, the world will only ask you one question; who are you?
6The Sims 2
Classic life simulatorThe Simshas been the grandfather of life simulators since 2000, with its successor The Sims 2 being considered its greatest iteration. In The Sims 2, you control the lives of the Sims that you have created, or the preset families that have come with the game.
You can play godas you meddle with your Sims' livesfrom birth to death, while fixing their problems and maintaining relationships with the other Sims throughout all the stages of their lives, creating your ecosystem full of drama, fun, and thrills.
5Spore
From the studio that brought The Sims to life, Spore is a life simulation real-time strategy game that, much like The Sims, allows you to become a god and meddle with the lives and evolution of aliens on an unnamed planet.
The species you commandeer start as microscopic organisms fighting for survival, before evolving into complex creatures capable of building cities and spaceships, to roam the galaxy and conquer civilizations in your name. Tasked with building them into an intelligent species much like humans, you are the catalyst for whether they succeed or are wiped out back to their original forms.
4Crusader Kings 3
Part of Paradox Interactive’s grand strategy series,Crusader Kings 3places you in the Middle Ages as a noble rising through the ranks to become a global powerhouse and a dynasty that will be written down in history for centuries to come.
Upon the death of your first character, you’re able to choose to play as one of their heirs instead, to continue your dynasty, growing up to become either what their predecessor was, or ushering in a new age for your citizens.
3One Hour One Life
One Hour One Life is an online multiplayer game where you start as a baby of another player, who’s tasked with caring for you until you may be independent and start a family on your own, with gameplay that’s based on building a civilization that can be improved for future generations.
This game expounds on how life is short and every action counts, not just towards yourself, but to others around you. In one hour, you’re able to experience a fulfilling life and perhaps reflect on what you’re doing in your own life outside the game.
2Fable
The first entry of the classic series,Fableis a roleplaying game that takes place in Albion, a patchwork of city-states with vast stretches of plains and forests between each location. One of the most prominent factions is the Heroes’ Guild, which trains renowned mercenaries that work as jack-of-all-trades in all four corners of Albion.
You play as The Hero of Oakvale, a young boy whose father is killed by bandits and whose mother and sister are abducted by bandits. Rescued by a Hero, you set yourself on the path of becoming strong enough to rescue your mother and sister, growing up along the way.
1Growing Up
Growing Up is an indie game that takes place in the ‘90s in America, where you start as an infant and gradually progress to adulthood, navigating your way through life, creating and maintaining bonds that will last your whole life, finding a career, and even starting a family.
With mini-games to enhance the skills you’ve equipped to your character, you might even find yourself on the road to becoming an astronaut, a doctor, or even the President of the United States!
