Summary
Rebellions in video games are great for two reasons. First, they allow games to tell inspiring stories about underdogs rising up against their oppressors. Second, they can challenge the player’s perception on the enemies they face throughout the game. Sometimes, the opposing side is so unambiguously evil (or ambiguously human) that players can mow them down without a second thought. Other times, there are real people on both sides of a conflict, making players reconsider just how much of a “hero” they truly are.
Both of these aspects are reinforced tenfold in games where the protagonist isn’t just a member of the resistance — they’re the head honcho. What choices will they be forced to make? What expectations or public opinions are on their shoulders? How successful are they in overcoming the ruling class? These games explore these questions in depth.
It’s hard to say whether Christopher Stone was at the wrong place at the wrong time or if he was right where he needed to be. He was just a plumber trying to do his job when the Soviet Union invaded New York. From there, he’s molded into the “Freedom Phantom,” the Mockingjay-esque figurehead of the resistance movement.
Unfortunately for him, the big twistFreedom Fightersis that Mr. Jones, the mastermind behind Chris’ success, is actually a KGB agent who’s using the resistance to fuel his own agenda. That’s when Chris decides to fully don the proverbial mask, recruiting as many people asc he can to his cause. Thegame ends with themwinning the battle, and gearing up for the war ahead.
In the not-so-distant future, androids have emerged as the latest model of second-class citizens. They’ll run errands, care for the elderly, and basically do any labor-intensive or demeaning task that “real people” can no longer be bothered to do themselves. Is it any wonder, then, whenandroids begin gaining sentience, why they start to revolt?
One of the three core protagonists ofDetroit: Become Humanis Markus, an android who’s seen the best and the worst of how his people are treated by society at large. He eventually becomes the leader of the revolution, speaking out for his people’s agency and desire for equal rights. Whether his movement is peaceful or riotous isleft up to the player, leading to several drastically different endings for Markus’ story. Regardless, his impassioned pleas shake the world, making humanity truly question what it means to be “real.”
As most entries on this list show, a rebellion is never clean. They’re often filled with ethical dilemmas, morally ambiguous power players, civilian casualties, and an ending that’s not much better than the beginning. But no game shows that better thanFar Cry 4, showing a civil war that’s just as bloody and power-hungry as all get out. And as it turns out, being a revolutionaryruns in the family.
Ajay Ghale may not be the “leader” of the Golden Path, but he quickly cements himself as one of its biggest players. The choices players make will invariably swing the Path’s future one way or the other, forever shaping the future ofKyrat. Neither path is all sunshine and rainbows, either, leaving players wondering whether they chose the right side - if there was even a “right” side to begin with.
TheWolfensteinseries takes place in an alternative version of history that’s horrifying to even consider: a world where the Axis powers won. Nazis have taken over the world, and the results are just as dystopian as they sound. The series protagonist is B.J. Blazkowics, a Jewish-American soldier who joins the resistance movement to remove Nazi occupation from America once and for all.
Blazkowicz has always been an important member of the rebellion, but it’s inWolfenstein II: The New Colossusthat he finally takes over the position of leadership. This comes after the grievous loss of his good friend Caroline Becker, who used to be the head of the operationbefore losing her own. Even with the grief that comes with succeeding her title, fans can agree that Blazkowics has more than earned it.
The firstXCOMgame,XCOM: Enemy Unknown, centered on a military organization trying to fend off an alien invasion. In its sequel,XCOM 2, set two decades after the first, players get to see how well that panned out. Long story short, it didn’t. The aliens have taken over, and much of humanity’s leadership has bowed to their new overlords. ButXCOM hasn’t given up the fight yet.
Instead of following orders, this paramilitary group has refashioned itself into a resistance movement. Players take the role of their unnamed Commander, as they call the shots for humanity’s last stand against the invasion. While most of the game is centered on turn-based strategy, the story is all about inspiring the rest of humanity to join the fight. The Commander’s quest to unearth ADVENT’s corruption might just be enough to finally turn the tide, once and for all.
Gordon Freemannever asked for his mythical status, but darn if doesn’t know how to make the most of it. Back in the firstHalf-Lifegame, he was just your average genius scientist trying to survive a disaster at work. Sure, the incident in question may have involved opening a portal to a hostile alien world but, still, he was just an ordinary man trying to survive a terrible situation and verify it didn’t doom humanity.
But by the time the events inHalf-Life 2happen, the tale of Gordon Freeman is known to all. He wakes up out of stasis to find he’s become a legend among the Resistance. It’s to the point where no one questions it when he assumes control over the battle against the Combine. Now, he’s just a guy who’s going to finish what he started, even if he didn’t really mean to start it in the first place, because that’s just the kind of guy Gordon Freeman is.
