Summary
Unlike World War 2 or more modern conflict settings, the Cold War (1945-1991) is a more underutilized setting in gaming. Every now and again though, there will be some sort of game, usuallya first-person shooter, that will take full advantage of the era in some capacity, even if only in spirit.
The funny thing is that there seems to be a market for these types of games, because almost every time this happens, audiences and critics will point to the Cold War frame as one of the major advantages of that particular game, owing to its inherent strengths and appeal when compared to more ubiquitous settings. Here is a list of just a few of these greatCold War-themedshooters.
Call of Dutyhad only explored two major eras of history prior to the firstBlack Ops,World War 2, and the modern day.Black Opsthen, was the series' first attempt at translating the war into an FPS game, with many people hailing it as one of the best games in the series to this day. Like prior CODs,Black Opstakes inspiration from Hollywood projects, in this case, Cold War-themed films likeThe Manchurian Candidate,The Dear Hunter,and, of course,James Bond.
As a result, the game has a sense of style and charm not just in its campaign but its multiplayer and zombie modes, each brimming with Cold War themes and iconography.
One of the most impressive things aboutFallout 3is how it translated the pastiche of the oldturn-based gamesinto a fully 3D FPS format. Part of this was the series' gestures towards America’s real-life Cold War history; its styles of propaganda, cultural sentiments, and societal direction, all of which heavily mirror the Cold War era in America at its highest points.
The thing aboutFalloutthat makes it interesting is how it uses that framing to say something about politics and culture in the U.S. that is relevant in any era, past and present alike. This appeal to America’s history as a basis for the franchise’s retro-future, effectively makes it timeless as a work of art.
The Cold War wasn’t just an American conflict, it was one that affected nearly everyone on the globe at one time or another. One of its principal actors was the Soviet Union, a collection of communist nations that existed in opposition to the United States and the Western world.Atomic Heart, similarly toFallout, takes the Cold War Pastiche and runs with it: only this time it’s from the Soviet side of the conflict. This brings ina unique perspective and aestheticthat gamers in the West aren’t usually exposed to.
It’s set in an alternate 1960s, in which the Soviet ideal utopia has been achieved thanks to miraculous advancements in technology, making it the premier world power. All is not what it seems, however, and the player is tasked with unraveling the many lies that have built this supposed utopia.
2Rising Storm 2
A Cold War Gone Hot
WhileRising Storm 2is not a narrative-based game (it is multiplayer only), it’s themed around one of the Cold War’s most intense periods, the Vietnam War. Lasting for nearly 20 years through its various phases, Vietnam was a major conflict within the Cold War era that was defined in the US by a wider policy against the communist bloc that included the Soviet Union and China.
The game succeeds in visually recreating the war, but also boldly portrays its asymmetric nature, with each side having wildly different equipment, advantages, and disadvantages. For the history buff gamers out there with an interest specifically in Vietnam and the Cold War, as well as those who lovelarge-scale tactical Shooters,Rising Storm 2is a game that is sure to satisfy on multiple fronts.
It’s a shame thatNo One Lives Foreverdied as a series because it could seriously use a remake or outright sequel. It’s a duology with so much charm that it’s kind of strange that it never prospered in the way other shooters did in the early 2000s. Gameplay-wise, it’s rather flexible, letting the player useall sorts of retro gadgetryin addition to a wide array of guns while playing as a spy in the 60s.
There are elements of stealth and espionage baked into the mission design as well. Writing-wise, it takes inspiration from things likeAustin PowersorGet Smartin this regard, so it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s funny, fun, and, if you can find it online, a must-play for anyone into retro gaming and able to stomach a few bugs.
