Socialist ideals missing from gaming

[Psy]

Really they are basically non-existent.

I thought I found something when when I picked up Metroplismania 2 for PS2 (I picked it up because it was dirt cheap, accidentally put in the GameCube rack and Natsume (Harvest Moon) was behind it) and while capital is totally missing, it is replaced by keeping a social network so you be introduced to someone from outside the city with resources to move in and build what ever it is they are specialized in.

Basically meaning when they want a hospital you have to go around finding someone in the town that knows a doctor and befriend them so they will introduce you so you can place a hospital in the town. I think we can all agree not only is that horrible game play mechanics this is a horrible way to run a city in that you have citizens that know people yet want friendship in return for introducing you to someone that is needed by the city. It also assumes that citizens are helpless to provide these services on their own to ridiculous levels and that specialized labor is needed and these people are locked into these professions (basically the game assumes every one is a artisan locked into their profession)

After playing this I realize that it has a negative effect on the ideal of socialism, player after playing would assume SimCity capital based resource management system is far better thus we have people assume socialism can't even work in games.

I still think what is needed is socialist games by socialists that allow people to play around with a virtual socialist world.

[Dem_Soc]

The FPS Red Faction used socialist style imagery and the storyline is about a miners rebellion against a corporation set on mars.

http://www.gameguru.in/images/red-faction-1.jpg

That's the only vaguely socialist game I can think of, oh and red alert 2 of course :P (but that doesn't exactly promote socialist ideals as the soviets are preety much the bad guys!, great game though)

[Chicano Shamrock]

Yeah I find that left leaning ideas in games are few and far between. Sometimes games go extremely far the other way.

For instance, in Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter2 you are an American Soldier in Mexico stopping a popular revolt. It puts a damper on the gameplay.

In Bioshock there is mention of communism(as in Communist Party totalitarianism) and I thought that was entertaining. It was about people that broke away from society to be self governed or at least governed with less rules. It didn't turn out so well with mad scientists though.

I am playing a RPG called Eternal Sonata and it is about Chopin. There are times in it where one of the characters teaches a little boy about how it isn't right that poor people can't get enough food. So they steal bread from the store to give to the homeless kids that live in the sewer.

[Robespierre2.0]

The Soviets were the bad guys in Red Alert 2? When I beat the game with them, Wall Street gets shut down and communism expands across the universe. Sounds like a happy ending to me. :)

Advance Wars doesn't really have any political content at all, but the Blue Moon army resembles Soviet Russia, and it's fun as hell to play.

Civilization 4 is extremely fun, and strangely enough, the capitalist developers made 'state property' the best form of government.

I agree, though. I want a real left-wing game where I can crush capitalism.

[blackstone]

Has anyone played Settlers?

[Herman]

Republic: The Revolution is a good political game. You form your own party/organization or whatever you want, you can change your ideology through your actions, you can make rallies and in general be an activist.

The aim of the game is to overthrow the dictator in the fictional country you live in. You do this by getting support from different districts (there are many districts and they are divided according to ideology, but usually the red districts which havea "force" ideology are working class districts).

[Dem_Soc]

Iv'e always wanted to play republic: the revolution, sounds like a really good game idea. Might pick it up for cheap some time.

Edit - Just ordered it off amazon

[Sugar Hill Kevis]

Republic is a terrible game; it has a great premise, but it's so fucking hard to play...

[Dem_Soc]

Oh well if it's crap it only cost me 5 quid!

[blackstone]

Always read reviews before you buy video games! Now you know! lol

[Herman]

Republic is a terrible game; it has a great premise, but it's so fucking hard to play...

Once you get used to the controls and all the options and game mechanics, you swim through it easily.

[Tatarin]

I can't think of any games with much left leanings in them. Well, maybe Red Faction. Red Alert kinda says it all - "Red Alert", with all the evil commies coming to get you. Red Alert 2 was pretty stupid storywise, everything being a big joke.

About Republic: don't you try to overthrow a "communist" dictatorship in that game?

Also, in Rise of Nations, you can "develop" socialism or capitalism, but markets are kept the whole way though. I thought this was strange as Microsoft controls the rights to the game.

Half-Life 2 is kind of anti-fascistic, isn't it?

[Enragé]

Tropico is awesome and only possible to play well if you make it social democracy at the very least. You can make it almost completely communist as well but that costs alot of money and is pretty hard to do.

[Marsella]

I suppose Final Fantasy 7 had quite a revolutionary and environmental stance to it.

After all, you were part of a terrorist group, fighting the evil corporate government.

Can't believe FF7 was released 10 years ago!

[UndergroundConnexion]

yes tropico en red faction i wanted to mention aswell. and that game for the nes, guerilla :D:D:D:D:D

[blackstone]

Originally posted by [email protected] 24, 2007 11:46 am
Tropico is awesome and only possible to play well if you make it social democracy at the very least. You can make it almost completely communist as well but that costs alot of money and is pretty hard to do.
Make it completely communist? What is the point of that? I vaguely remember the game, so how did you make it communist? You paid everyone the same wage?LOL.

[RedStaredRevolution]

i just started torrenting Republic: The Revolution. ive never heard of it before but it sounds like it could be fun.

[Psy]

Originally posted by blackstone+October 25, 2007 12:59 pm--> (blackstone @ October 25, 2007 12:59 pm)
[email protected] 24, 2007 11:46 am
Tropico is awesome and only possible to play well if you make it social democracy at the very least. You can make it almost completely communist as well but that costs alot of money and is pretty hard to do.
Make it completely communist? What is the point of that? I vaguely remember the game, so how did you make it communist? You paid everyone the same wage?LOL. [/b]
You can't as your island always had a monetary system based on wage labor, even though you can offer service for free your workers still get paid in wages. Also capital is needed from exports to pay said wages, meaning your goal is to get more money from exports then you pay in wages in services, meaning at best you have a state capitalist island that minimizes the exploitation of the workers yet can never stop exploiting them.

The only game I know of is Crisis in the Kremlin through save cheats, what you do is reduce your exports to zero (thus the workers of the USSR are now producing only for a domestic market) and use save cheats to give you capital out of thin air, it should now be possible to flood the USSR market with goods and when ever you are low on capital you save and hack that save to give you tons of capital again. Problem is the game never expects to create a socialist (or state capitalist, depending on what you call an endless source of capital created from outside the model that is used to pay the wages of USSR workers to build commodities that are only consumed domestically by the USSR) paradise. The USSR will still eventually break apart even if you max out all the indicators (Food. Heath, Housing, Employment, Personal Income, Consumer Goods, Public Services, Law and Order, Environment, Civil Rights and Education)

[LeloucheOfTheBlackBloc]

Originally posted by Chicano [email protected] 22, 2007 10:14 am
Yeah I find that left leaning ideas in games are few and far between. Sometimes games go extremely far the other way.

For instance, in Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter2 you are an American Soldier in Mexico stopping a popular revolt. It puts a damper on the gameplay.

In Bioshock there is mention of communism(as in Communist Party totalitarianism) and I thought that was entertaining. It was about people that broke away from society to be self governed or at least governed with less rules. It didn't turn out so well with mad scientists though.

I am playing a RPG called Eternal Sonata and it is about Chopin. There are times in it where one of the characters teaches a little boy about how it isn't right that poor people can't get enough food. So they steal bread from the store to give to the homeless kids that live in the sewer.
Actually, Bioshock is set in the failed ruins of an ultra-right libertarian free market society.

[Comrade Rage]

Originally posted by [email protected] 21, 2007 10:32 pm
The FPS Red Faction used socialist style imagery and the storyline is about a miners rebellion against a corporation set on mars.

http://www.gameguru.in/images/red-faction-1.jpg

That's the only vaguely socialist game I can think of, oh and red alert 2 of course :P (but that doesn't exactly promote socialist ideals as the soviets are preety much the bad guys!, great game though)
RF turns out to be a big disappointment in the end--EOS betrays the workers.

[Raúl Duke]

Did anyone finished Republic: The Revolution?

(also, it isn&#39;t a communist regime you are overthrowing; since the game mentions that recently the dictator changed the economic system into capitalism yet circled around himself and a friendly elite; although you can recruit business men...I also noticed that there&#39;s no female revolutionaries in Republic&#33; <_< )

[rocker935]

Civilization is a game that you all need to play. Its so much fun. And whats all of this crap I hear about buying games. You guys really need to get into piracy. I have about 50 ps2 games, didnt pay for any of them. And as for a socialist game, the game Red Star for ps2 is socialist. And as said before Red faction I + II are socialist. You can play as the Soviets in World in Conflict. I only played the online beta so i dont know if the single player game leaves a negative connotation on communism or not. O and the game "Just Cause" is definitly socialist.

http://img.tesco.com/pi/entertainment/MM/LF/720062_GS_L_F.jpg

In fact I believe that the cover was made to look similar to Che. This game is like GTA except you run around leading revolutions. Definitely worth playing.

people, stop buying games. if you need to PM me if you want some help.

[Red7]

Wait..... Isn&#39;t Just Cause about a C.I.A. agent that tries to undermine revolutions.

[Red7]

? Sorry. Ended that sentence wrong.

[Psy]

Well you can play the USSR in the Sega CD game "Third World War" (you can find images on the internet) starting in the 1980&#39;s. Problem is you only control it as a imperial power and they use the Russian flag instead of the Soviet flag for some reason, AereoBiz had the Soviet flag but it was only a airline business sim.

While playing Russia in the game Third World War you get no real feel of it being any different then any other power other the location, size of military and economic power.

[Thunk00]

Originally posted by [email protected] 24, 2007 05:12 am
Red Alert kinda says it all - "Red Alert", with all the evil commies coming to get you. Red Alert 2 was pretty stupid storywise, everything being a big joke.
Hey, don&#39;t insult Red Alert 2 too much. It was a great game, and though it embaresses to admit it at this point, it is what originally inspired me to start doing serious research into the history of the USSR (which then brought me to the history and ideals behind socialism altogether.) Yeah, the storyline is a big joke, but I&#39;d rather laugh at some cheesy comment than frown over the state of the world when I&#39;m playing a video game, personally. ;)

As for video games lacking socialist content, I think that it&#39;s self-explanatory. The people who develope the video games you and I are able to buy are capitalist companies, right? It would follow that the story and concept designers are probably well-paid, older people. People who aren&#39;t exactly likely to be advocating a proletarian revolution. There are probably a few who might, sure, but the majority are not, and it&#39;s not like only one person designs a modern, full-feature video game. The credits on many of them are longer than those of a feature film.

Yeah, there are a few exceptions, but for the most part modern video games are accepting of modern neoliberal politics. World in Conflict, the recent game developed by Red Storm Rising-co-author Larry Bond chronicling a fictional 1989 Warsaw Pact-NATO conflict, unconsciously denounces the Soviet Union as far inferior economically and ideologically to the United States and fails to present the Soviet side of the story.

Also, for reference, in Just Cause the player character is an American commissioned by the CIA to topple the government of a Latin-American island nation which, though never explicitly called communist or socialist, bears an eery resemblance to Cuba and uses heavily red star imagery.

[Psy]

Originally posted by Thunk00+November 03, 2007 06:10 am--> (Thunk00 &#064; November 03, 2007 06:10 am)
[email protected] 24, 2007 05:12 am
Red Alert kinda says it all - "Red Alert", with all the evil commies coming to get you. Red Alert 2 was pretty stupid storywise, everything being a big joke.
Hey, don&#39;t insult Red Alert 2 too much. It was a great game, and though it embaresses to admit it at this point, it is what originally inspired me to start doing serious research into the history of the USSR (which then brought me to the history and ideals behind socialism altogether.) Yeah, the storyline is a big joke, but I&#39;d rather laugh at some cheesy comment than frown over the state of the world when I&#39;m playing a video game, personally. ;)

As for video games lacking socialist content, I think that it&#39;s self-explanatory. The people who develope the video games you and I are able to buy are capitalist companies, right? It would follow that the story and concept designers are probably well-paid, older people. People who aren&#39;t exactly likely to be advocating a proletarian revolution. There are probably a few who might, sure, but the majority are not, and it&#39;s not like only one person designs a modern, full-feature video game. The credits on many of them are longer than those of a feature film.

Yeah, there are a few exceptions, but for the most part modern video games are accepting of modern neoliberal politics. World in Conflict, the recent game developed by Red Storm Rising-co-author Larry Bond chronicling a fictional 1989 Warsaw Pact-NATO conflict, unconsciously denounces the Soviet Union as far inferior economically and ideologically to the United States and fails to present the Soviet side of the story.

Also, for reference, in Just Cause the player character is an American commissioned by the CIA to topple the government of a Latin-American island nation which, though never explicitly called communist or socialist, bears an eery resemblance to Cuba and uses heavily red star imagery.[/b]
The issue is that interactive media is becoming the dominant medium, and we are not really putting our message on this medium. Just look at games by leftist (that I know of)"

Soviet Economy Simulator (http://www.orgburo.com/games/ses.php) that is based on Stalin&#39;s Dilemma (http://free-game-downloads.mosw.com/abandonware/pc/simulations/games_s/stalin_s_dilemma.html)

You plan the industrialization of the USSR from 1921 to 1941 (Soviet Economy Simulator is better then Stalin&#39;s Dilemma)

And Hidden Agenda (http://www.thiefmissions.com/download.cgi?m=agenda&noredir=1) that is pretty cool for what it is, it tries to explain cause and effect in Latin America and why left wing government did what they did.

And that is it, that is our presence in interactive media.

[Tatarin]

You guys really need to get into piracy.

Ah, but it isn&#39;t piracy. You duplicate things, you never steal anything, to be formal. Games themselves aren&#39;t designed piece by piece, they are also duplicated from one final version. :)


And as for a socialist game, the game Red Star for ps2 is socialist.

Isn&#39;t that game just set in an alternative Soviet Union? And are there any missions for the workers, or struggles against rich businessmen?


And as said before Red faction I + II are socialist.

I get the feeling that the Red Faction series only utilise the "red", i.e., the masses, but does not specify what ends the revolution will bring. I don&#39;t remember any character mentioning creating a socialist Mars or anything socialist at all.


You can play as the Soviets in World in Conflict.

That may be true, but the Soviets are still portrayed as the evil empire invading and destroying everything. You can also play as the Soviets in Red Alert 1 and 2, but they are the "bad side" in that game too.


O and the game "Just Cause" is definitly socialist.

Just Cause is not socialist. The player works for the CIA, trying to "free" one of those stupid Latin American countries who somehow always manages to elect a "communist dictator".

The character is portrayed as:

Rico Rodriguez is the child of one thousand comic books and action movies. He is James Bond, Mad Max, El Mariachi, Wolverine, Punisher, Rambo, Tony Montana, Jack Bauer, Han Solo and Vincent Vega all rolled into one. With a touch of Enrique Iglesias to top it all off&#33;

No mention of Che of course.

The names of several characters in the game are based on real life individuals involved in Latin America; according to the Prima Games guide for Just Cause the former President of San Esperito was named Hernan Augusto, while Mendoza&#39;s first name is Salvador, this is a play on the names of Chilean President Salvador Allende, and Augusto Pinochet, the man who overthrew him with CIA assistance, only in the game the names are reversed. The main character of Rico Rodriguez is also based on CIA agent Félix Rodríguez, the man responsible for Che Guevara&#39;s capture in Bolivia.


Hey, don&#39;t insult Red Alert 2 too much.

The story is "not right" if you compare it to the other Command & Conquer games, so it kind of felt out of line. But the game itself, standing on itself, isn&#39;t "wrong" in itself.


The people who develope the video games you and I are able to buy are capitalist companies, right? It would follow that the story and concept designers are probably well-paid, older people.

I would say that those who design the games have grown up watching Rambo and other action-oriented pro-American movies. After all, most gamers prefer storyless RPGs or FPS. Storyline is often secondary, and often not much more than "bad guys vs. good guys", and I would say that that is more evident after 9/11.

Also, in these game makers often portray the "good guys" as liberal capitalists, fighting against hordes of evil soldiers, the one man against the big state, or something like that. The "good ideas" are not elaborated on much, only that the character "wants freedom". Unfortunately, games where new ideas are toyed with are often quickly forgotten, since they are often ridded with bugs and bad game design (along with nothing new compared to the more mainstream such as Quake or Warcraft etc).

Politics are "forgotten" in that capitalism is portrayed, as in movies and books etc, as completely natural, just like breathing air or eating food. I mean, how many games even mentions capitalism?


...unconsciously denounces the Soviet Union as far inferior economically and ideologically to the United States and fails to present the Soviet side of the story.

Yes, because it is already clear that "communism doesn&#39;t work", and everything the Soviet Union ever did was about invading other countries and controlling them. After all, these games are made by people who went through schools, propagating the "wonders" of capitalism and how bad anything but that is.

Adding to that, computer games require good skills in math, programming etc, so I guess that in order to be successful in that business, you would have to have good scores from your school. And why complain about capitalism if you are successful in it, so to say.

[RevMARKSman]

Originally posted by COMRADE CRUM+October 27, 2007 04:34 pm--> (COMRADE CRUM @ October 27, 2007 04:34 pm)
[email protected] 21, 2007 10:32 pm
The FPS Red Faction used socialist style imagery and the storyline is about a miners rebellion against a corporation set on mars.

http://www.gameguru.in/images/red-faction-1.jpg

That&#39;s the only vaguely socialist game I can think of, oh and red alert 2 of course :P (but that doesn&#39;t exactly promote socialist ideals as the soviets are preety much the bad guys&#33;, great game though)
RF turns out to be a big disappointment in the end--EOS betrays the workers. [/b]
Lesson learned - do they ditch the leader?

Or is all in ruins?

[Psy]

Originally posted by Tatarin+November 05, 2007 01:55 am--> (Tatarin &#064; November 05, 2007 01:55 am)I would say that those who design the games have grown up watching Rambo and other action-oriented pro-American movies. After all, most gamers prefer storyless RPGs or FPS. Storyline is often secondary, and often not much more than "bad guys vs. good guys", and I would say that that is more evident after 9/11.

Also, in these game makers often portray the "good guys" as liberal capitalists, fighting against hordes of evil soldiers, the one man against the big state, or something like that. The "good ideas" are not elaborated on much, only that the character "wants freedom". Unfortunately, games where new ideas are toyed with are often quickly forgotten, since they are often ridded with bugs and bad game design (along with nothing new compared to the more mainstream such as Quake or Warcraft etc).
[/b]

Actually most RPGs are that some force has disposed the King, or the King has some noble quest for you and you have to fight for the monarchy. Even in Mario you are mostly just saving the Princes.


Tatarin

Adding to that, computer games require good skills in math, programming etc, so I guess that in order to be successful in that business, you would have to have good scores from your school. And why complain about capitalism if you are successful in it, so to say.
Well Third World War for the SegaCD does a good job at imperialism, but all it shows is imperialism. It shows no difference from Russian, British, German, French, US, or any other imperial powers on the map. You simply pick you imperial power and dominate the map both economically and military. This would be great but it seem to paint revolutions (that you can aid) as merely tools of imperialism.

[AmbitiousHedonism]

I haven&#39;t played a video game in years (except Wii bowling about a dozen times), but my roommate had "State of Emergency" (i don&#39;t know the platform) where you run around a mall and a city and some other locations and smash shit up and kill cops. Loved it. I would play it for about a week whenever I had the chance.

[Tatarin]

Hmm, we could always get together and create a game modification for some game. Half-Life 2 for example, in where you play a revolutionary and slowly gather people to overthrow the ruling class.

I got some level creation skills :) .

[Psy]

Originally posted by [email protected] 09, 2007 12:40 am
Hmm, we could always get together and create a game modification for some game. Half-Life 2 for example, in where you play a revolutionary and slowly gather people to overthrow the ruling class.

I got some level creation skills :) .
You know after hearing the stupid plot of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, I was thinking it would be cool to have the same scripted epic war game for the left but instead of one war like Call of Duty you&#39;d go from conflict to conflict (like how in Call of Duty you go from person to person as the game progress)

For example
Play as during the Russian civil-war

Then a British volunteer in the POUM during the Spanish civil-war.

Then fight with Che as a local Cuban peasant.

Lastly as a loyal guard to Allende make it out of Chile alive during the Pinochet coup.

[Tatarin]

Well, that would be harder than a "now game", it would require a big effort to create all the different times and characters, buildings and all. I was thinking more of reversing the game "Freedom Fighters" in where you fight the US police and military power instead of the Soviet Union.

Another one would be to create different missions but instead of fighting with Che or protecting Allende, a future scenario similar to them could occur, i.e. help "future Che" in a revolution in a country, while rescuing president x (Chavez maybe?) from an American Imperial invasion, and so on.

[Psy]

Originally posted by [email protected] 13, 2007 06:02 am
Well, that would be harder than a "now game", it would require a big effort to create all the different times and characters, buildings and all. I was thinking more of reversing the game "Freedom Fighters" in where you fight the US police and military power instead of the Soviet Union.

Another one would be to create different missions but instead of fighting with Che or protecting Allende, a future scenario similar to them could occur, i.e. help "future Che" in a revolution in a country, while rescuing president x (Chavez maybe?) from an American Imperial invasion, and so on.
Or like Metal Gear without going into complex conspiracies and the blatant ignoring of class that is found in all Metal Gear stories. After Portable Ops I felt like whacking Big Boss (your character in Portable Ops and in Metal Gear 3) with a 2 by 4 for still not seeing things along class lines even after going through the double crosses from everyone except his own rebel army.

[Chicano Shamrock]

Originally posted by LeloucheOfTheBlackBloc+October 27, 2007 01:07 pm--> (LeloucheOfTheBlackBloc @ October 27, 2007 01:07 pm)
Chicano [email protected] 22, 2007 10:14 am
Yeah I find that left leaning ideas in games are few and far between. Sometimes games go extremely far the other way.

For instance, in Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter2 you are an American Soldier in Mexico stopping a popular revolt. It puts a damper on the gameplay.

In Bioshock there is mention of communism(as in Communist Party totalitarianism) and I thought that was entertaining. It was about people that broke away from society to be self governed or at least governed with less rules. It didn&#39;t turn out so well with mad scientists though.

I am playing a RPG called Eternal Sonata and it is about Chopin. There are times in it where one of the characters teaches a little boy about how it isn&#39;t right that poor people can&#39;t get enough food. So they steal bread from the store to give to the homeless kids that live in the sewer.
Actually, Bioshock is set in the failed ruins of an ultra-right libertarian free market society. [/b]
Yeah I noticed that it was something like that. It is still a society that broke away from the main ideals of society and a cool setting.

I haven&#39;t played the whole game but Beyond Good and Evil also felt like it had a left leaning setting. I remember it being something like 1984 but in game form with cartoony characters. I am going to finish it some day.

[Chicano Shamrock]

Originally posted by [email protected] 02, 2007 10:09 pm
[QUOTE=Tatarin,October 24, 2007 05:12 am]
As for video games lacking socialist content, I think that it&#39;s self-explanatory. The people who develope the video games you and I are able to buy are capitalist companies, right? It would follow that the story and concept designers are probably well-paid, older people.
No actually game developers are younger people (20-35 I would say) who are artists that are wage slaves for a video game company. Are they paid well? I don&#39;t know. Are they paid what they should be making when looking at how much money these games make? I can guarantee you not.

[Psy]

I started thinking about this again as I played through Quest For Glory (AKA Hero's Quest) on the Amiga (again). While the kings son is a big jerk, the king (as usual) is benevolent and helping the King will restore happiness to the land. The Kings daughter through brainwashing magic is the leader of thieves robbing the masses, at that point I wondered that if she is the leader of such a elite band of fighter that they were able to totally crush the King's army why would they rob from the masses when the King is loaded? Also being a RPG you can also steal but you can't steal from the King.

The game was made back before games were a big industry, it seems proletariat artists even for the petite-bourgeoisie are not revolutionary in their art.

[Bastable]

FF7 and Half-Life 2 are two good games with vaguely left wing themes in them. Your character is a guerrilla fighting a dictatorship in H-L 2 if I am correct?

[Defender]

RF turns out to be a big disappointment in the end--EOS betrays the workers.

Since when? Or are you talking about one of its shitty sequels?

And yeah, its more about the revolution than the construction of anything socialist. But I think it's the most left-leaning game out there. I personally love the imagery...and dispensing revolutionary justice.

[Cymru]

I always lean left when i play guitar hero.......bad joke i know, but it had to be said.

Not really socialist, but i always had a good laugh playing Super Power. I used to enjoy sending my armys into the USA and watching nearly everycountry in the world attack me

[Wanted Man]

Republic is a terrible game; it has a great premise, but it's so fucking hard to play...
The gameplay is difficult to get through. And if you do understand it, it's still not very good. The premise was great, but it worked out terribly in the end.

[Angry Young Man]

I always lean left when i play guitar hero.......bad joke i know, but it had to be said.

Not really socialist, but i always had a good laugh playing Super Power. I used to enjoy sending my armys into the USA and watching nearly everycountry in the world attack me

That limits you to bulls on parade and prayer of the refugee.Metal Gear Solid 2. Yes I know in 3 the big baddie's like a comic-book evil satan stalinist caricature, but I'm sure there is a leftist undercurrent in the second.

[Psy]

That limits you to bulls on parade and prayer of the refugee.Metal Gear Solid 2. Yes I know in 3 the big baddie's like a comic-book evil satan stalinist caricature, but I'm sure there is a leftist undercurrent in the second.
Metal Gear Solid 2 story was very convoluted.

Deus Ex 1&2 does have leftist ideas but it goes into the whole, Marxism is only possible with a god like super computer A.I as shown in this bit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBeoreJr4Yc) and the ending ending (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeboqg4t9vs) when the A.I runs society.

[MaverickChaos]

Yeah I find that left leaning ideas in games are few and far between. Sometimes games go extremely far the other way.

For instance, in Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter2 you are an American Soldier in Mexico stopping a popular revolt. It puts a damper on the gameplay.

In Bioshock there is mention of communism(as in Communist Party totalitarianism) and I thought that was entertaining. It was about people that broke away from society to be self governed or at least governed with less rules. It didn't turn out so well with mad scientists though.

I am playing a RPG called Eternal Sonata and it is about Chopin. There are times in it where one of the characters teaches a little boy about how it isn't right that poor people can't get enough food. So they steal bread from the store to give to the homeless kids that live in the sewer.

Actually, on Bioshock the economy of Rapture is based on a Free-Market, with right-wing values. So it's not Communist, but the game is critical of an elitist, totalitarian society.

[redSHARP]

1. solid snake is the fucking must badass character
2. tropico is fiucking great, but hard as hell
3. red faction is a great game
4. try playing "rise of nations", you get to play the Cold War in one of the campaigns, and use soviet units and crush capitalist USA

[Qwerty Dvorak]

1. solid snake is the fucking must badass character
2. tropico is fiucking great, but hard as hell
3. red faction is a great game
4. try playing "rise of nations", you get to play the Cold War in one of the campaigns, and use soviet units and crush capitalist USA
Yeah Rise of Nations is awesome.

[Schrödinger's Cat]

I successfully created a functional communist society in the simulator game, Democracy (http://www.positech.co.uk/democracy/democracy1.html). Popularity for my administration reached ~80%. Productivity was maxed out and all health concerns were eradicated.

It would be remarkable to have an open game that promotes class awareness - I imagine it would also have a large impact on younger generations if made successfully. If I ever make enough money through my printing cooperative and writing, I'll look into it. :laugh:

[Os Cangaceiros]

It would be remarkable to have an open game that promotes class awareness - I imagine it would also have a large impact on younger generations if made successfully. If I ever make enough money through my printing cooperative and writing, I'll look into it. :laugh:


Personally, I think a game in which you run a barbaric tankie dictatorship would be a lot more fun to play. :lol:

[Psy]

So where is the games from the left?

You have Stalin's Dilemma that was ported to on-line under Soviet Economic Simulator (http://www.orgburo.com/games/ses.php)

And Hidden Agenda that hasn't been ported off Macintosh and Dos

And the flash games of molleindustria (http://www.molleindustria.org/en/home) which is part of the anti-globalization movement rather then Marxism or Anarchism.

[Kami]

The Witcher is a worthwhile play; not socialist, but it certainly tackles some issues we're concerned with (mostly on the race front).
Democracy 2 takes up a ludicrous amount of my time

[Psy]

It would be remarkable to have an open game that promotes class awareness - I imagine it would also have a large impact on younger generations if made successfully. If I ever make enough money through my printing cooperative and writing, I'll look into it. :laugh:

Well the Internet makes distribution costs low and it might be possible to find programmers to work on the code voluntary over the net.

Of course before any coding can be done there has to be a game design.

[Post-Something]

I read somewhere that the guy who thought up "second life" was a communist, and he did it to "get away" from capitalism; is this so?

Even if it is, it totally isn't and you have to pay to buy land...wtf!?

[Peacekeeper]

If you listen to the people you are fighting alongside in Just Cause, they talk about killing the "fascist imperialists until there are none left."

[Bear MacMillan]

In the expansion to Rise of Nations, there's an option to take Socialism or Capitalism as the final stages of government, granted Socialism only gives you a military bonus while Capitalism gives you an economic bonus.

It's pretty funny because the AI tends to take Socialism as a default because of the military bonus.

[Psy]

In the expansion to Rise of Nations, there's an option to take Socialism or Capitalism as the final stages of government, granted Socialism only gives you a military bonus while Capitalism gives you an economic bonus.

It's pretty funny because the AI tends to take Socialism as a default because of the military bonus.

Well you have Communism in Civilization but the alternative government was not capitalism but democracy, except for Civilization IV when they changed it. In Alpha Centauri they had planned economies and you could still be a democracy
while having a planned economy yet the game gave planned economies a penitently in efficiency in the idea that Free Markets are more efficient (yet you do get a production bonus under planned economies), they did have a of Mao like fraction Human Hive that was a cartoon like villain that tries to build a in-human totalitarian empire.

In the add-on Alien Crossfire they added a workers state fraction called the Free Drones, led by Foreman Domai (Foreman is the title the fraction uses for their leader) that led a workers' revolt on the ship and with his followers took a colony pod down to the planet to start a workers' state called Free Drones. His fraction gets a huge production bonus right off the bat with the only penalty being science.

[Peacekeeper]

Well you have Communism in Civilization but the alternative government was not capitalism but democracy, except for Civilization IV when they changed it. In Alpha Centauri they had planned economies and you could still be a democracy
while having a planned economy yet the game gave planned economies a penitently in efficiency in the idea that Free Markets are more efficient (yet you do get a production bonus under planned economies), they did have a of Mao like fraction Human Hive that was a cartoon like villain that tries to build a in-human totalitarian empire.

In the add-on Alien Crossfire they added a workers state fraction called the Free Drones, led by Foreman Domai (Foreman is the title the fraction uses for their leader) that led a workers' revolt on the ship and with his followers took a colony pod down to the planet to start a workers' state called Free Drones. His fraction gets a huge production bonus right off the bat with the only penalty being science.

Where could I get the expansion? I have alpha centauri, but not Alien Crossfire. The free drones sound awesome. I always felt bad having to nerve staple those pesky drones.

[Psy]

Where could I get the expansion? I have alpha centauri, but not Alien Crossfire. The free drones sound awesome. I always felt bad having to nerve staple those pesky drones.
It has to have been out of print for years now, your best bet probably be looking for a torrent of it.

[Dystisis]

I read somewhere that the guy who thought up "second life" was a communist, and he did it to "get away" from capitalism; is this so?

Even if it is, it totally isn't and you have to pay to buy land...wtf!?

Would be cool if it was true, too bad about the buying shit aspect of that game though, I agree.

Should be made a game which actually emulated a possible alternative mode of production/democratic society.

[eyedrop]

A few games here:

Peacemaker;

PeaceMaker

PeaceMaker challenges you to succeed as a leader where others have failed. Experience the joy of bringing peace to the Middle East or the agony of plunging the region into disaster. PeaceMaker will test your skills, assumptions and prior knowledge. Play it and you will never read the news the same way again.



http://www.peacemakergame.com/

Hidden agenda; A game where you take over a central american country after a revolution. You have to send a mail, from an e-mail in the link, and promise to donate cash to charity to get it though.
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/proj/sw/games/hidden-agenda.html

[BIG BROTHER]

I successfully created a functional communist society in the simulator game, Democracy (http://www.positech.co.uk/democracy/democracy1.html). Popularity for my administration reached ~80%. Productivity was maxed out and all health concerns were eradicated.

It would be remarkable to have an open game that promotes class awareness - I imagine it would also have a large impact on younger generations if made successfully. If I ever make enough money through my printing cooperative and writing, I'll look into it. :laugh:


lol I've done that too!

[Peacekeeper]

A few games here:

Peacemaker;


http://www.peacemakergame.com/

Hidden agenda; A game where you take over a central american country after a revolution. You have to send a mail, from an e-mail in the link, and promise to donate cash to charity to get it though.
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/proj/sw/games/hidden-agenda.html

Peacemaker: I've never been able to win that game unless I'm paying as the Israelis.

[Psy]

Anyone play Jones in the Fast Lane (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jones_in_the_Fast_Lane)? It is the pinnacle of glossing over class struggle with the whole point of the game is to race your fellow players (that all start out as working class) to a upper managerial position so can live on easy street. It goes with the myth that anyone can climb to upper management by tightening their belt, getting a education and work your way up to upper management.

While Sierra has been pulling it down you should still be able to download it here abandonline.com (http://www.abandonline.com/gameinfo.php?id=4)

[The New Manifesto]

I always thought Mario was Socialist. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA3rECiRQj0
[/URL]

[URL]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_xQ-ns5whw&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jna4PfbhxHI&feature=related):laugh:

[Lord Testicles]

A few games here:

Peacemaker;


http://www.peacemakergame.com/


Anyone know a working torrent for this?

[TheDifferenceEngine]

The Red Bear has awoken: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6zfkub9kw8

[Ultra-Violence]

Wow only like 3 people here care about FFVII THE MOTHER FUCKING MOST REVOLUTIONARY GAME OF ALL TIME PEOPLE! (not really but its my favorite)

come on now Terrosit group by the name of AVALACNHE taking down the corprate goverment and savign teh planet and all life for that matter! doesnt get any better than that but i do love stradegy games tho like starcraft but i could never really get into civilization and command and conquer like that tho

[ComradeOm]

No one has mentioned MIM's review section (http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/bookstore/vgames/index.html) yet?

Hearts of Iron II models the world between 1936-1948 with various notable figures from the USSR making an appearance. Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun does the same with the 19thC, focusing on the in industrialisation of Europe and allowing for "Proletarian Dictatorships" to emerge. As with every other game mentioned in this thread, these are not "left-leaning" games per se

[KurtFF8]

This may be a stretch but I was playing GTA IV today (how revolutionary of me) and I realized that much of the satirical humor is actually quite a parody of Capitalism and consumerism. I don't really have specific examples in mind but if you've played it you'll know what I'm talking about.

Now the tone of the game isn't just a satire critical of Capitalism but more specifically American Consumerism but of course Capitalism is assumed to be a target in this satire as well. (For example the multiplayer description of one of the modes is something along the lines of "kill your enemies capitalism style and the play is quite brutal of course).

I'm not sure that I would go as far as to say that GTA IV is an anti-capitalist video game of course, but its satirical nature would likely make players who are aware of its satire question it.

I'm also glad someone mentioned Democracy. That game is half full of socialist quotes during loading time and certainly was made with socialists in mind.

[Psy]

This may be a stretch but I was playing GTA IV today (how revolutionary of me) and I realized that much of the satirical humor is actually quite a parody of Capitalism and consumerism. I don't really have specific examples in mind but if you've played it you'll know what I'm talking about.

Now the tone of the game isn't just a satire critical of Capitalism but more specifically American Consumerism but of course Capitalism is assumed to be a target in this satire as well. (For example the multiplayer description of one of the modes is something along the lines of "kill your enemies capitalism style and the play is quite brutal of course).

I'm not sure that I would go as far as to say that GTA IV is an anti-capitalist video game of course, but its satirical nature would likely make players who are aware of its satire question it.


GTA mostly always been like that for example in GTA Vice City there was this public service announcement:

Speaker: If you think your child might be a Red, here are some warning signs.
The read complicated literature and have concern for their fellow man. They
even like to share. Tell your kids, if someone approaches them with pamphlets
about recycling, an invitation to a labor rally, or showing any doubts about
the fairness of our system. Then they should find a teacher or a policeman
immediately.

Then there is my favorite the Exploder: Evacuator Part II (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U4mvzp9Q5s)

[Dust Bunnies]

Suggestion: We should program a game for the computer involving Socialism for all comrades to have! (and TomK)

[professorchaos]

It would probably suck and be too propagandish.

[mykittyhasaboner]

GTA IV shows great satire of capitalism and american mindset as said earlier by Kurt and Psy.

examples would be :
Niko utters "capitalism is a dirty business" -not satire but true and its critical of capitalism.

the TV in the game is almost nothing but satire of capitalism. things like "lets watch men play poker on television!" and the reality show "Im Rich". and the Republican Space Marines!!:laugh: they kill aliens and blow up planets. its absolutely hilarious.

plus the whole story line is themed to criticize the "American Dream".

[Comrade B]

A game of the Cuban revolution would be great
I would like to try to survive the landing of the Granma

[Sugar Hill Kevis]

It would probably suck and be too propagandish.

Yes.

[Harrycombs]

I was playing Civilization: Revolution the other day, and in the civilopedia, the article on communism was hilarious. Who ever wrote it had no idea what she/he was talking about. It said that the main difference between communism and socialism is that socialism is chosen democratically and that communists start a revolution to achieve their goals:laugh:

[Psy]

It would probably suck and be too propagandish.
Yes.

I don't know, I think it would depend on the talent that works on such a game.


A game of the Cuban revolution would be great
I would like to try to survive the landing of the Granma
I think dealing a fictional revolution would be better as the game would side step arguments over history, plus the game would not anchored to history.




GTA IV shows great satire of capitalism and american mindset as said earlier by Kurt and Psy.

examples would be :
Niko utters "capitalism is a dirty business" -not satire but true and its critical of capitalism.

the TV in the game is almost nothing but satire of capitalism. things like "lets watch men play poker on television!" and the reality show "Im Rich". and the Republican Space Marines!!:laugh: they kill aliens and blow up planets. its absolutely hilarious.

plus the whole story line is themed to criticize the "American Dream".

Yhea, and San Andreas did criticize of police (portraying police as corrupt) but I think lost some of the atmosphere with the inclusion of consumeristic rap culture, also even thought they had their own version of the 1992 LA riots in the game they really didn't do much with it, it would been cool if they included missions based around the riots in the game (other then defending the neighborhood from gangs taking advantage of the riots).

[KurtFF8]

GTA mostly always been like that for example in GTA Vice City there was this public service announcement:

Speaker: If you think your child might be a Red, here are some warning signs.
The read complicated literature and have concern for their fellow man. They
even like to share. Tell your kids, if someone approaches them with pamphlets
about recycling, an invitation to a labor rally, or showing any doubts about
the fairness of our system. Then they should find a teacher or a policeman
immediately.

Then there is my favorite the Exploder: Evacuator Part II (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U4mvzp9Q5s)


See, so one of the most popular video game series of all times certainly critiques capitalism. So fret not, original poster! :D

[MarxSchmarx]

I was playing Civilization: Revolution the other day, and in the civilopedia, the article on communism was hilarious. Who ever wrote it had no idea what she/he was talking about. It said that the main difference between communism and socialism is that socialism is chosen democratically and that communists start a revolution to achieve their goalshttp://www.revleft.com/vb/../revleft/smilies2/lol.gif



Yeah, wait 'til you read their article on anarchy.:rolleyes:

[GPDP]

If anyone is a fan of Team Fortress 2, you'll be happy to hear that the Heavy Weapons Guy is a Russian communist.

Hell, just look at the recently announced achievements list!

http://steamgames.com/tf2/heavy/kgb.htm

[Incendiarism]

What I always found funny in the game Freedom Fighters, they are fighting against the USSR creeping itself all around the world and culminating in the invasion of north america, yet the game bases itself around the concept of teamwork(how communist), and though it was admittedly hierarchical, it just seems...I dunno, stupid.

[Post-Something]

Man, I've already posted this earlier on, but this is such a good chance to post it, so I will...

http://www.vedrashko.com/uploaded_images/communist_mutants-709292.jpg

[anti-authoritarian]

A few games here:

Peacemaker;


http://www.peacemakergame.com
Download/Torrent link anyone?

[Dust Bunnies]

Asking for a torrent on a public board isn't smart.

FBI INCOMING

[Asoka89]

Yeah right, but does anyone have a or have a link to a serial or crack or something for Peacemaker, just PM it and I will be eternally grateful

[KurtFF8]

By the way here's an interesting site that will probably be of interest to you all that I just found:

http://socialistgamerreview.com/

I think that it is indeed important sometimes to analyize games in a socialist vs capitalist context, but sometimes such an analysis is an excercise that is a waste of time. But when you're dealing with games that deal with economies or ideology at all (whether intentionally or unintentionally) then it may indeed be important to be critical of them.

For example in Victoria, you can even usher in a "Proletarian Dictatorship" (although I haven't gotten to do that yet). This game is good because it basically treats all different economic/philosphical perceptions and opinions of the economy neutrally and allows the player to change the course to what they want (also while having historical events progress and other variables that the player cannot control).

[Red Anarchist of Love]

gaming is disign to keep us pacified with matreial good we should smash them all and unite in the streets

[Pogue]

Civilization is a game that you all need to play. Its so much fun. And whats all of this crap I hear about buying games. You guys really need to get into piracy. I have about 50 ps2 games, didnt pay for any of them. And as for a socialist game, the game Red Star for ps2 is socialist. And as said before Red faction I + II are socialist. You can play as the Soviets in World in Conflict. I only played the online beta so i dont know if the single player game leaves a negative connotation on communism or not. O and the game "Just Cause" is definitly socialist.

http://img.tesco.com/pi/entertainment/MM/LF/720062_GS_L_F.jpg

In fact I believe that the cover was made to look similar to Che. This game is like GTA except you run around leading revolutions. Definitely worth playing.

people, stop buying games. if you need to PM me if you want some help.

This game is not socialist. It is about a counter-revolution. That man is meant to resemble the CIA agent who took part in the capture and murder of Che Guevara, called Felix Rodriguez. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A9lix_Rodr%C3%ADguez_(Central_Intelligence_Ag ency)
It's the most insulting and stupid game ever made.

[Plagueround]

gaming is disign to keep us pacified with matreial good we should smash them all and unite in the streets

While we're at it, let's smash our televisions! And computers! And pop all our footballs! And unravel our baseballs! And take dolls away from children! I'm going to toss out my chess set as well! Come to think of it, I shouldn't even be posting in this thread because it isn't serious revolution stuff! I'll be in the street should anyone need to contact me. Might be difficult though because I'll have smashed my cell phone.

[Pirate Utopian]

This game is not socialist. It is about a counter-revolution. That man is meant to resemble the CIA agent who took part in the capture and murder of Che Guevara, called Felix Rodriguez. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A9lix_Rodr%C3%ADguez_(Central_Intelligence_Ag ency)
It's the most insulting and stupid game ever made.
Not to mention how crap it is.

[Psy]

See, so one of the most popular video game series of all times certainly critiques capitalism. So fret not, original poster! :D
Yes Grand Theft Auto does critiques capitalism by parodying the American dream and mixing that with the capitalist drive of organized crime. In Vice City you are basically playing part of the lumpen-proletariat ending up as part of lumpen-bourgeoisie as they added the feature of being able to buy means of production in Vice City. Yet for some reason after Vice City they moved away from this a bit.

[Dust Bunnies]

I think the Communism jokes in Vice City were just that, jokes and references, if anyone thinks for a second that GTA could ever promote Communism... I would need to ask, do we support mobs intimidating stores or murdering witnesses? ;)

[Psy]

I think the Communism jokes in Vice City were just that, jokes and references, if anyone thinks for a second that GTA could ever promote Communism... I would need to ask, do we support mobs intimidating stores or murdering witnesses? ;)
Yes but GTA does somewhat criticize capitalism since you are basically advancing through the capitalist class system through crime along with most of the the characters you interact with, GTA criticizes capitalism (intentionally or not) but taking the ideas of capitalism to the extreme.

[KurtFF8]

I think the Communism jokes in Vice City were just that, jokes and references, if anyone thinks for a second that GTA could ever promote Communism... I would need to ask, do we support mobs intimidating stores or murdering witnesses? ;)

I don't know if I'd say that Rockstar games is trying to promote communism as much as simply critique capitalism by painting it as very "Social Darwinist"

[Pirate Utopian]

My CJ seizes the means of production from the bourgeoise Ballas with his guerrilla army, Grove Street Families.

GTA is superrevolutionary.

[Plagueround]

GTA 4 (which I'm sorry to say just isn't as good as SA) talks a great deal about the "freedoms" Americans enjoy being an illusion and a result of grinding others under their boot. While I wouldn't go so far as to say it promotes any alternatives, they definitely rag on the American Dream quite a bit.

[Abluegreen7]

In Metal Gear Solid 4 you can fight along side Militias that seem socialist to me.

[Psy]

GTA 4 (which I'm sorry to say just isn't as good as SA) talks a great deal about the "freedoms" Americans enjoy being an illusion and a result of grinding others under their boot. While I wouldn't go so far as to say it promotes any alternatives, they definitely rag on the American Dream quite a bit.
I fell San Andreas is overrated as it just had so much wasted potential. Yes the map was huge and it add nice features but the story was a mess.

[The Something]

Anyone play sim city socities? I haven't played it yet but apparently you can make your city more free market or go more towards totalitarian.

[KurtFF8]

And that is socialist...how?

[Pirate Utopian]

I fell San Andreas is overrated as it just had so much wasted potential. Yes the map was huge and it add nice features but the story was a mess.
I did love the gangwars.
I was horribly dissapointed by GTA4, except for the graphics everything was worse.

[Psy]

I did love the gangwars.

Yet San Andreas had the whole satirical swipe at popular rap culture with the OG Loc side story that totally backfired.

[Plagueround]

I fell San Andreas is overrated as it just had so much wasted potential. Yes the map was huge and it add nice features but the story was a mess.

The story was a bit all over the place with a lot of irrelevant and misguided details that didn't do much to progress the main plot, but I can't think of a single part I didn't have fun (except maybe Zero's toy shop...grrrr). I recently acquired my brother's PS3 while he's in Japan and have been playing through 4, and all it makes me want to do is go buy a copy of SA, which I'll probably do once I'm done with GTA4 and STFU.

[Psy]

The story was a bit all over the place with a lot of irrelevant and misguided details that didn't do much to progress the main plot, but I can't think of a single part I didn't have fun (except maybe Zero's toy shop...grrrr). I recently acquired my brother's PS3 while he's in Japan and have been playing through 4, and all it makes me want to do is go buy a copy of SA, which I'll probably do once I'm done with GTA4 and STFU.

Yet while Vice City had a more strait forward story it was better, also the ending of Vice City is far better then the ending of San Andreas

[Plagueround]

Yet while Vice City had a more strait forward story it was better, also the ending of Vice City is far better then the ending of San Andreas

Vice City's plot is easy though, it's just "Scarface: Happy Edition". :lol:

[Djehuti]

I found this while playing Might & Magic VI:
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/7742/mmonlabourkx0.png


:lol:





In Bioshock there is mention of communism(as in Communist Party totalitarianism) and I thought that was entertaining. It was about people that broke away from society to be self governed or at least governed with less rules. It didn't turn out so well with mad scientists though.

Well, it's clearly anti-Ayn Rand anyway. :)





The Soviets were the bad guys in Red Alert 2? When I beat the game with them, Wall Street gets shut down and communism expands across the universe. Sounds like a happy ending to me. :)

I love that ending!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vsw0ALI4Eek

[Psy]

Vice City's plot is easy though, it's just "Scarface: Happy Edition". :lol:
True, yet San Andreas plot is a mess. Are we suppose to feel a sense of accomplishment for getting rid of Tenpenny? That CJ beat the system by getting rid of one cop?

[Psy]

In Bioshock there is mention of communism(as in Communist Party totalitarianism) and I thought that was entertaining. It was about people that broke away from society to be self governed or at least governed with less rules. It didn't turn out so well with mad scientists though.


Having played through it recently, the mentions of communism are always from the libertarian point of view in the idea that altruism is theft. Since the setting is a libertarian dystopia that went from bad to hell it really isn't much of a swipe at communism and mostly a swipe at libertarianism.

[JacobVardy]

What i think missing from this discussion so far is the Hegelian model of knowledge acquisition in the Syd Meyer games (Civilisation 1, 2, 3, 4 and Alpha Centuri). In these games all technologies are acquired dialectically. And who but Marxists studies dialectics any more? Furthermore, I would agree the ‘communism’ and ‘planned economies’ are privileged in the games. Interestingly the technology of ‘Communism’ allows you to build local history museums in Civ4.

On a side note, ‘World of Warcraft’ does have a People Militia, which inspired me to start a Communist Party guild. I linked our website to RevLeft’s High School Commie's Guide. I hope nobody minds.

Finally, this is my first post here and I’ve seen what you guys can be like. Please be gentle

[cleef]

there is a game called 'A force more powerful' which
"simulates nonviolent struggles to win freedom and secure human rights against dictators, occupiers, colonizers, and corrupt regimes, as well as campaigns for political and human rights for minorities and women. The game models real-world experience, allowing players to devise strategies, apply tactics and see the results"

http://www.aforcemorepowerful.org/game/index.php

[Ultra-Violence]

If anyone is a fan of Team Fortress 2, you'll be happy to hear that the Heavy Weapons Guy is a Russian communist.

Hell, just look at the recently announced achievements list!

http://steamgames.com/tf2/heavy/kgb.htm


OMG TEAM FORTRESS2! best game eva!

im a career pyro/soldier by the way

even tho they always complain about the pyro being noob!?

yeah the HEavy is Awsome so Are his Achievements

I.E owning the means of produciton! ahah good stuff

[The Intransigent Faction]

I help out the poor NPCs being hunted for credits (cash) by bounty hunters in KOTOR/KOTOR 2 and just anyone in general who can't afford to get by.
I also kill any bourgeois characters I come across.
Does that count?

[KurtFF8]

No, because those games are still not designed around socialist ideas. You can perform in games in various ways but you're still constrained to the framework that the writers/programmers/(and most importantly)studios wanted. Granted video games studios don't work nearly as hard to promote bourgeois ethos as much as film studios (e.g. Red Faction)

[Kukulofori]

IMO Sonic the Hedgehog is a commie. In the early games he's a blatant ALF member and later on he smashes up cops and shit.

And in Sonic X he starts a nonviolent revolution where people stop going to work and talk about freedom a lot. The bourgeoisie just sit by and let it happen and he doesn't seize the means of production or anything but the show is made for eight year olds.

[GPDP]

IMO Sonic the Hedgehog is a commie. In the early games he's a blatant ALF member and later on he smashes up cops and shit.

And in Sonic X he starts a nonviolent revolution where people stop going to work and talk about freedom a lot. The bourgeoisie just sit by and let it happen and he doesn't seize the means of production or anything but the show is made for eight year olds.

hahaha oh wow

[ev]

I'm looking forward to World in Conflict: Soviet Assault where I'll be able to play from the soviet side and destroy the US, the introduction to the first WIC was rather nice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1kq2QkiU7Y I would say destroying capitalism is a socialist ideal :laugh:

[Kurt Crover]

I own a copy of Republic: The Revolution, and it's alright, it's confusing as hell though. Red Alert 3 obviously you can play as the Soviet Union and kick some cappie ass. And also, you get Ivana Milicevic as your briefing officer as the Soviets :tt1:

[KurtFF8]

Also here are two games worth looking at (don't know if they've been mentioned or not yet, I don't feel like reading all the pages to find out hah)

Stalin's Dilemma (http://www.the-underdogs.info/game.php?id=2997) and Crisis in The Kremlin (http://www.the-underdogs.info/game.php?name=Crisis+in+The+Kremlin)

[Psy]

Also here are two games worth looking at (don't know if they've been mentioned or not yet, I don't feel like reading all the pages to find out hah)

Stalin's Dilemma (http://www.the-underdogs.info/game.php?id=2997) and Crisis in The Kremlin (http://www.the-underdogs.info/game.php?name=Crisis+in+The+Kremlin)

Stalin's Dilemma was remade as Soviet Economy Simulator (http://www.orgburo.com/games/ses.php)

[Potemkin]

This was a great thread. I got a few cool titles to check out.

I really liked Deus Ex -- it's about as radical as I think commercial games can get. Warren Spector does good work.

Also, Peter Molyneux's "Beyond Good and Evil" is supposed to be pretty good. I think there are quite a few leftist themes, there.

Lastly, I think the idea of a radical mod community is a great and fun way to spread the word about revolutionary ideals. To a small extent, this has probably already happened. Just putting revolutionaries in a positive light in mods and things would be awesome.

In the "downloads" section of "Anarchism Today" dot org (I apparently don't have enough posts yet to be able to put up links) they have an "Anarchist vs. Feds" mod for Battlefield 2142. They've got some other stuff, too. I can't vouch for 'em, since I've never messed with any of it, but it's interesting, at least.

[scarletghoul]

Probably been mentioned before, but Mario is blatantly communist

[KurtFF8]

I don't know about blatantly, but there are certainly "theories" about his communism.

[KurtFF8]

I don't know how much this game has to do with socialism but it certainly seems quite intriguing Stalin vs. Martians (http://www.dreamloregames.com/stalin/eng/game.html)

[Dimentio]

The Soviets were the bad guys in Red Alert 2? When I beat the game with them, Wall Street gets shut down and communism expands across the universe. Sounds like a happy ending to me. :)

Advance Wars doesn't really have any political content at all, but the Blue Moon army resembles Soviet Russia, and it's fun as hell to play.

Civilization 4 is extremely fun, and strangely enough, the capitalist developers made 'state property' the best form of government.

I agree, though. I want a real left-wing game where I can crush capitalism.

In Alpha Centauri, another Sid Meier game, you will fail if you are following capitalist policies. The three "socialist" systems are each one better than capitalism.

[Black Sheep]

We should get a bunch of modders and mod Freedom Fighters...

[Tatarin]

We should get a bunch of modders and mod Freedom Fighters...

Haha, I thought about this before too. :lol: Though, people would still have to buy a game that is anti-socialist in every aspect. Though, one could replace the Soviets with nazis....

[Psy]

Haha, I thought about this before too. :lol: Though, people would still have to buy a game that is anti-socialist in every aspect. Though, one could replace the Soviets with nazis....
Fallout 2 socialist mod would be kick-ass.

[Tatarin]

Hey, why not create an RPG game with: http://www.engine001.com !

[scarletghoul]

I would like to be involved in the game developement industry one day, so maybe I can input some subtle socialist propaganda. Or just make a game that is unashamadly advocatin socialist revolution. yes. but this will be many years in the future

[cleef]

They have a slight left leaning in the new Call of duty where you play as a private of the soviet army taking on the eastern block...:thumbup1:

[Mujer Libre]

Everyone who's interested in this should check out the "Socialism in Gaming" thread to post names and descriptions of revlefty games. It's a sticky a the top of the forum now.

[Pogue]

There is a PC game called Hammer and Sickle in which you fight as a Soviet spy in the US fighting capitalism. Its in a style similar to the original GTA games, in terms of how it plays, but more 3D and less top down.

[Invincible Summer]

IMO Sonic the Hedgehog is a commie. In the early games he's a blatant ALF member and later on he smashes up cops and shit.

And in Sonic X he starts a nonviolent revolution where people stop going to work and talk about freedom a lot. The bourgeoisie just sit by and let it happen and he doesn't seize the means of production or anything but the show is made for eight year olds.

But he collects gold rings... he's obviously full of shit.



I can't stand Tom Clancy games - any Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, etc are so blatantly pro-American it kills the enjoyment of the game for me. Then again, if you remember that this is the guy that wrote the books "Red Storm Rising" and "Hunt for Red October."

Hell, one of his books has the following synopsis from Wikipedia:



The Teeth of the Tiger (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Teeth_of_the_Tiger) (2003)Features the rise of Jack Ryan's son, Jack Ryan Jr., as an intelligence analyst, and then a field consultant, for The Campus, an off-the-books intelligence agency with the freedom to discreetly assassinate individuals "who threaten national security", following the end of the Jack Ryan Sr. presidential administration. This is the latest book of the Jack Ryan series by Tom Clancy, introducing his son and his two nephews as heirs to his spook-legacy.

[Lord Testicles]

Download/Torrent link anyone?

A bit late, but better late than never, eh?

http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/4560888/PeaceMaker.PC.Crack.ENG.HEB.ARB

[Janine Melnitz]

On leftist games:


It would probably suck and be too propagandish.
Yes.
Stop saying this. As has been mentioned in passing here, most video games are blatant right-wing propaganda, usually very far-right, and they do just fine. There's nothing wrong with taking a political position, for Christ's sake.


Also, Peter Molyneux's "Beyond Good and Evil" is supposed to be pretty good. I think there are quite a few leftist themes, there.
It's definitely, heavy-handedly (in a good way!) anti-fascist, but it comes from a strictly liberal, petty-bourgeois perspective. Also, its anti-fascism is a little confused (in a really cute and hilarious way) since the agents of fascism are an outsider race of social parasites who lurk behind the scenes and are obsessed with gaining and controlling money (lol). Great game, though.

Anyway a lot of people have mentioned FFVII, which is weird, because every single other FF starting with the 16-bit era (and just about every Squaresoft game, really) is at least as left-wing, though never of course really socialist. FFX, with its almost over-the-top anti-clericalism, anti-primitivism and somewhat subtler anti-imperialism (which is to say, not that subtle: the "Al Bhed", a desert people, are the oppressed nation) is probably my favorite. Did anyone play FFXII all the way through? At the point I abandoned it, it was ambiguous at best, looking like an uncharacteristically reactionary "Return the rightful royal family to their throne" plot, but it was complex enough that I wouldn't be shocked if that got subverted later.

[Janine Melnitz]

Crap this is an old thread

Sry 4 bumpan :blushing: