Game Over, Comrade

The HUAC was one of the most impactful committees in the history of the United States Congress, incentivizing propaganda trends that persist to this day. The Soviet Union is generally depicted as a villain in video games, but this oversimplification robs us of interesting narratives unique to a Soviet setting.

Games like "Pathologic 2," "Atomic Heart," and "Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic" delve into such a setting, letting us experience worlds influenced by the Russian Civil War, the post-WWII recovery, and the tension of the Cold War. "ATOM RPG" and "Papers, Please" reflect on nuclear war risks and life under Soviet control, while "STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl" and "Chernobylite" explore the aftermath of the Chernobyl Disaster. "Jalopy" takes a wholly unique approach, offering a personal perspective on the Soviet Union's final years.

Do these games suggest a shift towards engaging with history and human experiences in gaming? I sure hope so.

00:00 Introduction
00:30 Black Ops and the HUAC
05:06 Pathologic and the Russian Civil War
08:21 Atomic Heart and the Electrification of the USSR
11:02 Workers & Resources and Reconstruction
12:40 ATOM RPG and Mutually Assured Destruction
14:01 Papers, Please and the Iron Curtain
16:29 S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Chernobylite, and the Chernobyl Disaster
19:58 Jalopy and the Fall of the Soviet Union
22:54 A Different Approach
24:14 What's Your Point?

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