Top 20 Video Games That Rewrote History
These games made exploreing alternate histories a ton of fun! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re exploring games that take real-life events, periods, and figures and change them to fit their narrative, whether the games themselves are set in the past or future.
Transcript
00:00 I chose the impossible.
00:02 I chose...
00:05 Rapture.
00:07 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're exploring games that take real-life events, periods, and figures and change them to fit their narrative,
00:18 whether the games themselves are set in the past or future.
00:20 It is an honor to sacrifice one's life for the motherland, is it not?
00:24 Indeed.
00:26 Number 20. Homefront The Revolution
00:29 We all know only too well the threats we face daily here in Philadelphia.
00:33 The bombings, the shootings, all orchestrated by Benjamin Walker's national network of terror.
00:38 Although its reception is lukewarm, Homefront The Revolution still features some interesting alternate history.
00:43 With the technological boom of the 1970s occurring in North Korea rather than California's Silicon Valley,
00:49 the country grows exceedingly more powerful with capitalist ideas.
00:52 Meanwhile, the US's debt for partaking in too many wars balloons to the point where Korea invades and rules with malice.
00:58 The actual game takes place in 2029, several years into the occupation, and follows an uprising against the intruders.
01:04 Leave him alone!
01:05 This changes nothing. You hear me? Others will rise up! You can't stop...
01:11 Technical issues stopped many critics from enjoying it, and the overall plot wasn't handled as neatly as it could have been.
01:17 However, the concept was certainly an interesting take on rebellion.
01:20 Are you ready to talk now?
01:22 I'll tell you.
01:24 [Grunting]
01:28 Number 19. The Order 1886
01:31 -Galahad, acknowledge this is command. -I read you, Percival.
01:35 -Enjoying a stroll in the park, are we? -Nothing quite like a chilly London morning to stimulate the senses.
01:41 Everyone knows of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
01:44 What if those heroes got to keep defending England?
01:46 The Order 1886 follows the famous figures in an alternate timeline in London where some humans become half-breeds with monstrous traits.
01:53 However, Arthur and his knights benefited from a substance that drastically slowed their raging.
01:58 Additionally, as humanity was fighting for its survival, their industrial revolution brought many more advancements than our own did, especially when it came to weaponry.
02:05 -We need to take out this man. -Absolutely.
02:08 Sadly, there were a few elements that hindered the game from delving too deeply, including its length.
02:17 Although it failed to capitalize on its setup, it was a unique one.
02:21 [Growling]
02:23 Number 18. Atomic Heart
02:31 Everyone here seems so happy and content. Just like in China.
02:36 -You've been to China, Comrade Major? -I've been everywhere. I mean, everywhere except for China.
02:42 This FPS sees the Soviet Union as a mighty technology-based empire in the 1950s.
02:47 Due to a scientific breakthrough in the '30s, robotics have advanced to a point where most people don't need to work.
02:52 This made the USSR a formidable force during World War II, which ended with the Nazis releasing a virus that killed millions.
02:58 Thus, the Soviet Union's mechanical wonders were in high demand to replace workers.
03:03 Take that! Eat shit and die!
03:07 However, if dystopian sci-fi has taught us anything, it's that robots don't stay servants for long.
03:14 An uprising drags the would-be utopia into chaos, with players taking on the role of a World War II veteran in an attempt to survive.
03:20 Shit!
03:24 -Do it again. -Careful! There's a gap up ahead.
03:27 I see it.
03:28 Number 17. We Happy Few
03:31 I could take these all the time and I wouldn't have any worries.
03:42 Another dystopian plot that comes from an alternate World War II, We Happy Few places players into a twisted town where things aren't what they seem.
03:49 In this world, Franklin D. Roosevelt was assassinated and the US never engaged in the conflict with the Nazis.
03:54 Britain was invaded by Germany, but the people of Wellington Wells were able to get them to leave voluntarily.
03:59 -Oh, damn! -Ow!
04:04 -What? -Ow!
04:05 Whatever their actions were, it's seemingly too terrible to think about as they created a highly addictive drug that not only made them forget, but also made them hallucinate.
04:13 Set during the 1960s, the game follows several characters fighting back to break out of their drug-induced euphoria.
04:19 You have scurvy. And congratulations, this is one of our traditional English enemies.
04:25 Number 16. Crimson Skies
04:28 The Secret Journeys, a Hawaiian oral history of Sir Francis Drake, 1578 to 1580. Got it yesterday.
04:35 You see, you see, that's sad. You need to get out more.
04:39 Praised for its voice acting and gameplay at the time, Crimson Skies was a fantastic aerial combat game back in the day.
04:45 Set in 1937, it takes place in an America that is broken into multiple independent entities.
04:51 There were many events that led to this outcome, with the Wall Street Crash in the late '20s being the final straw.
04:56 It's the map of the Teresa's last route. Jack, she was full of stolen Spanish gold, and I think I found her.
05:03 Why, you old devil.
05:06 Not only did air travel become the dominant form of transportation due to so many borders, but distrust between the different states meant that pirates took over the skies.
05:15 The story follows Nathan Zachary, a pirate leader who patrols the air looking to separate the wealthy from their money.
05:20 Well, it's time I took you down a notch or two.
05:23 Safe? Oh, they say that.
05:26 Number 15, the Chaos Engine.
05:30 The Victorian era of England is already an interesting period, but it becomes even more so in the Chaos Engine.
05:42 After a time traveler was stranded in the 1800s, an inventor got a hold of his tech and created the titular device.
05:48 Unfortunately for everyone, it then became sentient, trapped its creator, and started changing the environment around it.
05:54 Monsters began roaming the land, prehistoric creatures came back to life, and all communication with Britain was cut off.
06:00 Players control a group of mercenaries that break into the country and attempt to destroy the Chaos Engine.
06:10 While the retro title doesn't have a big focus on story, it's still a ton of fun to fight beasts in a steampunk alternate reality.
06:17 (Monsters grunting)
06:20 Number 14, Xenonauts.
06:26 There are many stories, rumors, and theories surrounding possible contact with aliens in the 1950s,
06:38 and this RTS game uses that period and those stories as its jumping off point.
06:42 Within the history of Xenonauts, a hostile UFO appeared over Iceland in 1958.
06:47 The US and Soviet Union banded together to shoot it down and form the Xenonauts with other countries should the aliens ever return.
06:53 In 1979, that's exactly what happened.
07:02 Aliens came in full force and with a vengeance, attacking major hubs and militaries to weaken the planet.
07:07 No matter what's actually true about our own experiences with alien life, at least it didn't turn out like this.
07:12 Number 13, The Outer Worlds.
07:22 Although The Outer Worlds is set far in the future, its reality spans from a compelling break from US history.
07:36 In this game, President William McKinley was not assassinated, meaning Theodore Roosevelt didn't become president after him.
07:42 As such, Roosevelt's work on breaking up bad business trusts never occurred, leading to the highly corporate sci-fi setting.
07:48 These businesses kept thriving and by 2355, many of them had terraformed alien planets in a bid to be the biggest corporation around.
08:03 By the time players step into The Outer Worlds, they must contend with huge companies, whose greed has led to hardship for many.
08:09 The game offers an engaging look at what could have come from something many of us probably don't think about.
08:15 Number 12, Iron Harvest.
08:32 Based on the universe created by Polish artist Jakub Rzeszowski, Iron Harvest focuses on a vastly different Polish-Soviet war.
08:39 While it still occurs from 1919 to 1921, the real-time strategy game features much more advanced technology.
08:46 Although they have different names, Polania, Rusviet, and Saxony are based on Poland, the Soviet Union, and Germany, respectively.
08:52 With a steampunk aesthetic and plenty of mechs, the war becomes far more destructive in this reality.
08:58 "Be careful!" "We have to do something here!"
09:00 "Steady!" "Here they come!"
09:05 With different campaigns focusing on each of the countries, there's plenty of warfare and alternate history to dive into.
09:11 While Iron Harvest didn't break new ground, its unique take on Polish history helped it stand apart.
09:17 "The war is over now, but it cost the lives of millions."
09:21 Number 11, Stalker series.
09:25 [Sounds of a train]
09:27 The Chernobyl disaster is obviously horrific, but this franchise asks, "What if it happened again?"
09:36 The first game in the Stalker series, Shadow of Chernobyl, concerns a second nuclear meltdown in 2006.
09:41 Not only did this cause extreme mutations in the surrounding wildlife, but also to the laws of physics.
09:46 [Music]
09:53 Players control an amnesiac man and must survive among deadly creatures and otherworldly events.
09:58 With such a great premise and execution that it spawned both a prequel and a sequel,
10:02 a new game set for a 2024 release, Heart of Chernobyl, will further explore this enthralling alternate history.
10:08 "Open the door!"
10:10 "I've got nowhere to go back to, Herman. Over and out."
10:16 Number 10, Freedom Fighters.
10:19 "Isabella Angel-whatever. She's that hot spokes-babe for the Warning Against Reds movement? I saw her on TV yesterday."
10:27 In this shooter from IO Interactive, the Soviets became a major force to be reckoned with following World War II.
10:33 Instead of the US dropping an atomic bomb on Japan, the Russians did so to Germany, ending the war prematurely.
10:39 However, this gave them the power to install communist states around the globe.
10:42 In the modern era, the Soviet Union invades New York City, taking over the media and killing many.
10:47 "We hope in time to attain the cooperation of most of your familiar TV personalities once they return from a re-education program at their training facilities in Alaska."
10:57 Players control plumber-turned-revolutionary Christopher Stone, who fights with his allies to reclaim his home.
11:03 The developers did a great job creating the game's world, even using Russian influences in its soundtrack.
11:08 It also made the most of the pro-working-class American mentality prevalent in a post-9/11 world.
11:13 "They're using this post office as a temporary command center and planning further advances into the city from here.
11:19 It would really set them back if we recaptured this area."
11:23 Number 9. Prey
11:25 "You're not gonna like what I have to say next. You have to destroy Talos I. The research, the Typhon, nothing can survive."
11:34 Like the outer worlds, this sci-fi game also extends from a reality in which a US president wasn't assassinated.
11:39 After the US and the Soviet Union join forces to combat an alien threat, a joint space station is built to monitor prisoners.
11:45 But when JFK survives his assassination attempt, the US seizes control and advances their space exploration plans.
11:51 Such it is that by the 2030s, those living in the station have made great discoveries through experimentation.
12:04 Naturally, the aliens eventually break free and players are tasked with surviving while looking for a way to escape.
12:09 Although its history isn't a major focus, Prey's setting is drenched in atmosphere and offers a tense experience.
12:15 Number 8. Resistance Series
12:23 "Come on, this is one for one. Multiple contacts. We've got nothing but flak here."
12:32 Many alternate history games make changes to World War II, but the Resistance series avoids it entirely.
12:37 It focuses on humanity's fight against the Chimera, a race of aliens that landed in Russia in the early 1900s.
12:43 With the ability to infect and forcefully evolve humans, the Chimera amass their forces following the Great War and take over all of Europe.
12:50 Set in 1951, the original game follows US soldiers in their attempt in defying the aliens.
13:01 With four more games in the franchise, that's clearly easier said than done.
13:04 Resistance puts the remains of humanity on the same side, bringing a thrilling plot and even more thrilling gameplay.
13:10 Though it has been silent for years, it remains an engrossing take on the alien invasion.
13:14 Number 7. Cyberpunk 2077
13:27 "Good morning, Night City! Yesterday's body count lottery rounded out to a solid and sturdy 30!
13:34 10 out of Haywood, thanks to unabated gang wars. One officer down, so I guess you're all screwed!"
13:41 Cyberpunk 2077 is known for many things both positive and negative, but one of its most interesting facets, at least when it comes to setting, is how it branched out from a vastly different world history.
13:51 In the 1980s, the Soviet Union never dissolved, Japan became a superpower, and the US partook in too many in-country wars.
13:58 Thus, the American economy was wrecked, leading California to become a free state highly influenced by Japanese culture.
14:04 "Better."
14:11 The central location, Night City, is both inviting with its allure of freedom and deadly as it's teeming with power-hungry antagonists.
14:18 It's undeniably a fun playground for a video game, but also an unsettling "what if" scenario.
14:23 "Take us to Riverdock, now!"
14:25 "Apologies, but that will not be possible."
14:28 Number 6. Metal Gear Series
14:30 "As usual, this is a one-man infiltration mission."
14:33 "Weapons and equipment OSP?"
14:35 "Yes, this is a top-secret black op. Don't expect any official support."
14:41 To say that the Metal Gear series is complex would be a huge understatement. Not only do completely crazy events occur on a regular basis,
14:48 but its alternate history can take more studying than an actual class.
14:51 The beloved franchise centers on what goes on in the shadows during major time periods.
14:55 "Furthermore, since the end of the Cold War, Russian nuclear engineers in particular are out of work with no way to turn."
15:02 Part of its background concerns the Philosophers, a group formed by the wealthiest citizens from America, China, and the Soviet Union following World War I.
15:09 This group and their disbandment has influenced multiple events throughout the game, including advancements in technology, espionage, and genetics.
15:16 While there are certain government bodies and political figures that remain the same, events surrounding them vary drastically from our own.
15:23 "Either give up Sokolov or risk full-scale nuclear war. In the end, we had no choice. President Kennedy gave in to Khrushchev's demand."
15:32 Number 5. Command & Conquer Red Alert Series
15:35 "Yes, sir." "Unit 3." "Vehicle reported. Affirmative."
15:42 When Albert Einstein travels back in time, it leads not only to the premature death of a young Hitler, but also an alternate World War II between the US and Joseph Stalin's USSR.
15:51 Moving past the insanity of that opening line, the Command & Conquer Red Alert plotlines only grew more over the top with each entry.
15:57 Red Alert 2 focuses on the Soviets invading the US, leading to World War III.
16:02 "Sir." "Verification?" "You betcha." "Sweet mother. It's time to head back."
16:10 And Red Alert 3 sees the Russians use time travel to eliminate Einstein from history.
16:15 That just causes more trouble as Japan becomes a superpower and attempts to take over the whole world, making World War III more crowded and complicated.
16:22 Heh. Time travel is a hell of a thing.
16:24 "Make haste, Commander. Time is of the essence."
16:29 Number 4. Bioshock series
16:32 "Where the great would not be constrained by the small, and with the sweat of your brow, Rapture can become your city as well."
16:44 Tired of governments overextending themselves, Andrew Ryan created an underwater utopia named Rapture.
16:50 He invited all manner of artists, doctors, inventors, and other noteworthy figures to come with him, leading to advancements that no one in 1960 could ever have imagined.
16:58 Of course, this also led to a major increase in crime and inner strife that saw Ryan's city crumble into chaos.
17:04 "Do we force the healthy to live with the contagious? Do we fix the criminal with the law abiding? Then why are the plain allowed to mingle with the fair?"
17:16 While the first two games focus on Rapture, Infinite is set in an alternate 1912 in the floating city of Columbia.
17:22 Initially backed by the US government, the city's religious leader secedes after intervening in the Boxer Rebellion, a real-world uprising in China at the turn of the century.
17:31 Number 3. Fallout series
17:40 "Junk Town lies south of here, though there is little in the way of visitation. From stories, I'm certain there are cities south of that."
17:48 While Fallout doesn't feature one monumental event that changed the course of history, it did spawn from a US very unlike the real one.
17:54 Following World War II, the game's version highly focused on nuclear power and divided itself into 13 commonwealths.
18:01 However, the world seemed to stagnate in certain ways, particularly with 1950s pop culture and ways of thinking.
18:07 A century later, an energy crisis led to World War III and, of course, nuclear fallout by 2077.
18:13 [Sounds of a nuclear explosion]
18:15 This is the backdrop players find them in during the first game in 2161, which is expanded upon with subsequent games.
18:27 From the isometric early days to the open-world Bethesda releases, Fallout has players brave the consequences of a world unwilling to change.
18:34 "Full up here, but just enough so we can't send out patrols. Gotta maintain a standing force. Jackson's orders. NCR's orders."
18:43 Number 2. Wolfenstein series
18:45 [Sounds of a nuclear explosion]
18:50 While the early stealth games were set during World War II, Wolfenstein began to deviate when it revolutionized the FPS in 1992.
18:58 Wolfenstein 3D follows American spy B.J. Blazkowicz as he's captured by Nazi forces and must escape.
19:05 Culminating in a now iconic fight against Mecha-Hitler, future games would have players deal with fictional missions against the Nazis' rise to power.
19:11 But it wasn't until 2014's The New Order that the series received its biggest shake-up.
19:16 "Nazis come, and they leave with patience and shackles, like it's Death's personal candy store."
19:22 Following a failed opening mission, B.J. awoke from a coma in 1960 where the Allied forces lost the war.
19:28 Praised for its shocking violence and immensely satisfying gunplay, it has received numerous follow-ups to further explore this depraved timeline.
19:35 "My friend Marianne has been captured and taken to the hospital in Little Berlin. We have information that they are going to brainwash her and turn her into a Nazi propaganda robot."
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19:59 Number 1. Assassin's Creed series
20:02 "When does our work ever go as expected? It's our ability to adapt that makes us who we are."
20:09 "This time it was not enough."
20:11 There are many accurate historical details in the Assassin's Creed series, but there are many others that have been altered or removed.
20:17 Although the franchise has gone through ups and downs, players have mostly delighted in seeing how historical and mythological figures have been adapted.
20:24 Focusing on an endless war in the shadows between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Knights Templar, Assassin's Creed chronicles the roles members play in periods throughout the time.
20:32 "You know Hermes. He can be a trickster."
20:35 "Oh, but there are many gods in this cave."
20:38 However, it also concerns an ancient race called the Isu and their mystical pieces of Eden, which have been at the center of many conflicts.
20:44 From the Crusades to Ancient Greece, from the Golden Age of Pirates to 9th century Baghdad, we'll never tire of exploring these periods through a fictional lens.
20:52 "So what fair role would compliment such unfairness?"
20:56 "I'll be your quartermaster, nothing less."
21:01 Which alternate history was your favorite to explore in video games?
21:04 Share your thoughts in the comments and don't forget to subscribe for more great gaming videos.
21:09 "Americans are too in love with the sound of their own voice to speak the truth."
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21:24 [outro music]