If you are a video game protagonist, then chances are you are going to be put through a lot. Some central conflict is going to come along and ruin your day, and now your whole life has been flipped upside down. From that point on your story will be focused on resolving your current ordeal, and you might not even make it out unscathed! Be it physically or mentally, the scars will remain when everything is said and done, and there is nothing you can do about it. That is the life of a video game character…
But what if things are actually worse than they seem? What if your little story is just a small piece of the world at large, and your life shattering event is nothing compared what really waits for you out there? What if your whole story takes place on the “inside” and the “outside” is actually worse?
Well, today we are going to be looking at five games where this is exactly the case! Five games where it is actually WORSE on the outside.
Stardew Valley
While this might come as a surprise to some, Stardew Valley is one such game where the “outside” is much worse than the inside.
The game begins with “you” moving into the valley to start your new life away from the city. It is a peaceful town with a wide variety of characters inhabiting it. They (mostly) welcome you with open arms, and you are free to live your life as you choose. Of course there is drama, Shane nearly drinking himself to death was pretty surprising, but overall the trials of Stardew Valley are pretty small compared to what lies beyond.
Although the game never goes into detail, it is eventually revealed that the Gotoro Empire is taking over, and that we are getting slaughtered out there. Eventually one soldier named Kent does return from war, but he is left with obvious case of PTSD, and is not quite the same person he used to be. Throughout the rest of the game we get to hear little bit more about what is happening on the outside, but the war situation itself is never resolved. This means that every single day you spend in the valley, there are actually countless people dying on the outside, and it may only be a matter of time before the fighting reaches the town as well.
Of course that never happens in game, as the game is endless, but this war is still a backdrop to our happy-go-lucky carefree life away from the big city… And that is kinda messed up to think about.
Shin Megami Tensei IV
The Shin Megami Tensei series isn’t exactly known for its happy stories. Outside of spin off series like Persona, the mainline titles tend to focus on the end of the world, and making tough decisions that ultimately shape the fate of mankind. Shin Megami Tensei IV is no different, but it has a very unique setup compared to other entries in the series.
The beginning of SMTIV sees our main character Flynn living in ancient japan and attempting to become a samurai; a warrior that is tasked with defending their world from demons. Of course Flynn passes the test and gains the title, but his friend does not. Instead his friend is sent back home, and Flynn is introduced to the other samurai he will be working alongside. Sadly their celebration would be cut short by a black samurai who suddenly appears out of nowhere, and soon they find themselves fighting monsters that used to be the townspeople. This includes Flynn’s friend, and unfortunately Flynn himself is sent out to deal with the issue, and the black samurai that caused it all. This samurai however managed to escape underground, and has seemingly passed through the gates of hell. It is the job of a samurai to stop such evil however, so Flynn and his new group give chase and make their way to the very same gates. They brace themselves for what is behind the door, and step through to something unexpected. Tokyo.
It turns out the “ancient Japan” our characters live in is actually a city sitting on top of a dome, and under that dome is a cyberpunk Tokyo filled with hunters that attempt to keep the peace, demons that roam the streets, and criminals that have made the town their playground. It is a dark world that hangs on the edge of chaos, and Flynn and his group are given the chance to tip the scale in whatever way they want.
It is a world in a lot worse of a state than what Flynn grew up knowing, and while this “outside” is technically under a dome (making it physically “inside”), the rest of the world is still in complete ruins. Tokyo is all that remains of humanity, and Flynn’s upper world is just a small part of it all... And a small part that has it better off than everyone else at that.
Danganronpa
Before we continue, here is a quick spoiler warning for the original Danganronpa.
While we will not be revealing the plot, it is important to note that what we are about to discuss was originally seen as a plot twist. A plot twist that has been front and center in future Danganronpa titles, and clearly shown within the anime Danganronpa 3. The game Ultra Despair Girls also focuses on this, so it isn’t as much of a spoiler as it once was. Even so, this is your one and only warning, so feel free to skip this section if you do not want it ruined for you.
That being said.
Danganronpa follows the story of a handful of students who find themselves trapped in a school. While they are said to be the “ultimate” students, they soon find that this title means nothing when it comes to their upcoming trials; or should I say, class trials.
It turns out it is completely impossible to escape the school normally, and if anyone wants to escape, they have to get away with murder. Kill another student, throw the remaining ones off the trail, and prove their innocence in a class trial. If they prove someone else is guilty, they’ll be set free, and everyone else will eventually meet their own fate. It is a pretty messed up system, and as to why this is happening is anyone’s guess. Initially the students are against the whole idea and attempt to work together to escape, but eventually one of them has plans of their own… They choose to play along, the first student is murdered, and that sets the entire story into motion.
Of course it doesn’t stop there.
While the students are dealing with class trials and trying not to get murdered themselves, the outside world is dealing with other issues. As seen in Ultra Despair Girls, the outside is filled with crazy robots, and crazy kids who have revolted against their parents. It is a complete bloodbath out there, with non-stop disturbing imagery, and stories that really push the game’s M rating. The character’s in Ultra Despair Girls get to see this outside world with their own eyes, and it just further proves that maybe the students trapped within the school are in a better situation. At least they have the choice to kill or not while the outside is none other than death itself.
Custom Robo
Custom Robo is a game that doesn't get talked about enough. Here in the West we only received the 4th and 5th entries in the series, but the game's history actually goes way back to the days of the Nintendo 64. I have talked about this in the past, so I'll spare you the details now, but the first entry we received did do something a bit unique.
Rather than focusing on students in a school fighting with their robots, the game followed the story of a group of young adults as they try to make a living as Robo Commanders. Robo Commanders fuse their mind and soul with the robots they take control of, and use them to battle crooks, or even just to jump into matches for fun. There are limiters to prevent the user from dying, usually, but that doesn't mean there isn't some sort of risk involved. When a mysterious group attacks, and people end up dead, the main characters find themselves being wrapped up in a conspiracy much bigger than they ever imagined.
The thing is... This all takes place within four walls.
Initially players wouldn't think much about it. The world map is the city the main characters live in, and it is boxed off on all sides by a giant wall. This just serves as a way to keep the players within the city, but eventually it is revealed that it is more than a simple gameplay mechanic. It turns out the characters of this world are taught that nothing exists beyond those walls, and the Earth is in fact flat. Imagine their surprise when the gates open and they find it really IS the edge of the world, as all that remains is the ruins of what used to be our planet. This event actually takes place roughly half way into the overall game, and shows that our little inner city problems could actually be a lot worse.
Best to keep that gate closed, and keep telling everyone the world is flat.
Code Vein
This is a big one, and it isn't something that is explained in game.
Code Vein is the story of a failed experiment that has trapped an entire region within a dome. Loading screens talk about an "incident" that happened in the past, which is what lead scientists to begin their initial studies. Ultimately what happens is a "queen" vampire is created, everyone becomes trapped inside of the dome, and the inner world becomes filled with monsters. Those who were unlucky enough to die were transformed into Revenants (vampire like creatures that can revive upon defeat), and were forced to go up against the horrors set forth by the queen.
It is a story of little to no hope, as the main group finds themselves fighting against both monsters and other Revenants alike, and throughout the game we get to see glimpses of the past; back when Earth was still Earth. Of course the adventure is filled with drama as the main cast fights for their lives and has hopes of escaping their fate, but eventually something happens that makes us as players realize they are better off just staying in there.
Near the end of the main campaign a group of characters reach the edge of the dome. The mist surrounding the world falls, and they are met by a different type of monster from the outside. This thing slaughters the Revenants in no time, and the game basically leaves it at that with little to no explanation for what it was. We simply are shown that the outside has horrifying monsters as well, but our main goal is still escaping the dome. Us as players on the other hand... We can recognize the monster as none other than a Dyaus Pita from God Eater; a monster I myself used to struggle with quite a bit!
It might not be too surprising, but Code Vein is actually a part of the God Eater series. The incident talked about in loading screens is none other than the discovery of Oracle Cells, which are monsters in cell form. These things fuse together to create massive monsters, and all standard weapons are completely ineffective against them. It doesn't take long for nearly the entire world to be destroyed, and those who remain are forced to lose their own humanity to fight back.
Normal humans remain in cities closely guarded by the Fenrir organization, while anyone who has the "potential" to survive it has their own bodies injected with the very same Oracle Cells they are trying to destroy. A bracelet is permanently installed on each human's arm who undergoes this procedure, and they are officially turned into "God Eaters." Armed with weapons called God Arcs, also made from the Oracle Cells, they fight against the giant monsters dubbed Aragami, and devour their corpses.
This is the only thing that is effective against the threat, meaning the experiment and the creation of the Revenants was pointless. All it did was create a closed space filled with nightmares, with even worse nightmares waiting on the outside.
And that's our list for today! Was there anything we missed, or a game you felt should've been included in this list? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.
Post a Comment