10 Mysterious Games That Feature an Alternate History


Alternate realities are the best, they offer us the chance to see how the world could have been if some other events, than the ones we know, took place and just how much they would have changed the universe we live in. Having a halo of mystery perpetually around them, alternative histories have always created a kind of mystifying obsession for many of us and this is exactly why we are going to tackle with the subject of video games that offer us the chance to be a part of these substitute worlds.

Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl

Taking place in a near future where a second nuclear explosion caused a massive disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Exclusion Zone, Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl is a first person shooter survival horror with a complex non-linear storyline. The player assumes the identity of an amnesiac illicit artifact hunter who explores the irradiated zone around the explosion site, where he has to deal with all kinds of strange encounters that haunt the area.

Fallout 3

Set in a post-apocalyptic, open world environment concentrated around the crumbling area of Washington D.C, Fallout 3 takes place within the setting of an alternate timeline created as a result of the advancement of the atomic age. After the Great War led to a nuclear apocalypse in the year 2077, all humanity changed its course and began living in vaults. Fallout 3 is one of the best games ever created, with a deeply emotional plot, a highly immersive gameplay and a beautifully designed open world.

Bioshock Infinite

Source: bioshockinfinite.com

In Bioshock Infinite, time travel and alternative universes go hand in hand as Elizabeth has the unique ability of creating “tears” in the fabric of space-time that lead to auxiliary sides of reality. While most Columbian citizens regard these Tears as simple oddities, some people took advantage of the insight offered by them and created new weapons and technologies. Bioshock Infinite offers one of the best gameplay experiences ever found in a video game, the chemistry created between the two main characters and the intricately emotional storyline being its absolute fortes.

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Dino D-Day
If you think dinosaurs and Nazis are two elements that might actually function together in the same universe, then Dino D-Day is the ideal multiplayer game that you can enjoy with some friends. Set in a Second World War alternative universe where Hitler successfully resurrected dinosaurs and is using them to fight against the opposition, Dino D-Day offers an explosive gameplay with seven playable dinosaur classes, such as the T-Rex and the Velociraptor, and nine human classes, including German soldiers and Axis members.

Disgraced
Disgraced is a role playing game based on real events that take place in Feudal Japan. The player receives the role of a soldier who was unwillingly recruited into the newly proclaimed Shogun’s army and now he must choose his own path, being continuously torn between duty and morality. Including historically accurate weapons and armor, Disgraced is a role playing gaming title that has a great replayability value, with over 150 maps, areas, and lands to explore.

Resistance: Fall of Man (PS3)
A science-fiction horror first-person shooter video game, Resistance: Fall of Man is a PlayStation 3 exclusive title, set in a 1951 alternate history. Sergeant Nathan Hale has created an alliance with the human resistance forces in an attempt to fend off an enigmatic alien-like invasion that took over the United Kingdom. In addition to the originally designed weapons, this Sony title also allows the players to have access to a drivable jeep with a gun turret on some of the levels.

Freedom Fighters
When the Soviet Union conquers New York, the player must take the role of Christopher Stone, a former plumber turned resistance movement leader and fight against the aggressors. Freedom Fighters is a first person shooter where the player gains charisma points every time he or she captures an enemy base or destroys the enemy supplies. Praised for its immersive gameplay and extremely detailed sceneries, this alternate history shooter really takes players into a uniquely different timeline.

Wargame: European Escalation
Wargame: European Escalation is a real-time tactics video game set in Europe, during the Cold War, most prominently between the years of 1975 and 1985. It includes alternate history scenarios where an open armed conflict involving the NATO and the Warsaw pact takes place, the players being able to choose several units from the four subfactions belonging to the side they are playing on. Wargame: European Escalation features a detailed gameplay that offers hours of carefully planned battles.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
Like the previous installments of the Red Alert series, this title is also set in an alternate reality from World War II, in which the Western Allies waged war on the Soviet Union. Being defeated, The Soviets go back in time to assassinate Albert Einstein and cancel his support towards the allies, paving the way for the present Soviet supremacy. As an accidental consequence, the Empire of the Rising Sun is created and all the three sides end up in a permanent conflict. Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 offers enhanced naval combat as well as very powerful co-operative and multiplayer modes.

Wolfenstein: The New Order
The seventh title of the franchise, Wolfenstein: The New Order takes place in alternative history of the 1960s Europe, in a world where the Nazis won the Second World War, the single-player story following the war veteran William “B.J.” Blazkowicz’s efforts to ruin the Nazis’ plan of ruling over the world. The morality choice alters the entire plotline, the players becoming the masters of their own decisions in this action-adventure first person shooter that feeds us with nostalgic moments every time we play it, making us remember the original Wolfenstein titles from our childhood.