The Soviet Era was one of the most brutal and oppressive in Eastern European, if not global, history. Largely remembered for its crooked politicians, mass genocides, and harmful communist policies, many of the enduring relics of this not-so-distant time still stand today in the form ofpropagandisticarchitecture and design codes.
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Largely thanks to the “Socialist Realism” aesthetic popularized by Lenin, art was intended to “extend its deep roots into the very thick of the broad toiling masses,” and therefore was not an exclusive celebrity occupation as in post-modern France, for example. Many games still take inspiration from this era of tumultuous artistic endeavor, some in larger ways than others.
10Tropico (Series)
When one thinks of the Soviet Era, luscious tropical beaches and palm trees are not usually the first thing that springs to mind. However, in addition to the cold, gray Eastern Bloc, the Soviet Union was plenty active in Central and Southern America, andTropicodelves into this history with a unique sense of humor in its iconiccity-building series.
Taking on the role of El Presidente, players can dictate policy and side with a number of factions as they exploit their populace for resources and monetary gain. While players will get a choice whether they wish to pursue capitalism or communism as a governmental policy, many of the building designs clearly take inspiration from the Soviet-Era architecture that still dominates places such as Cuba and Venezuela today.
9No One Lives Forever (Series)
This retro FPS classic parodies the Bond-style Spy genre, complete with assassinations, subterfuge, and hilarious Russian accents. The principal villain of the series, Volkov, is a Soviet agent, and mission settings take place in areas ofhistorical significanceand includes a mission in which Cate Archer, the series protagonist, must cross the Berlin Wall into East Germany.
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Although the series does not take itself very seriously and does not lecture its audience with any history lessons, there is still a distinctly memorable oppressive atmosphere to this area of the game, which poignantly harkens to the times of mass surveillance under communist rule.
8Command & Conquer Red Alert (Series)
The iconic RTS franchiseCommand And Conqueris known for its large-scale epic battles and futuristic designs. TheRed AlertSeries in particular focuses on alternate history in which the World Wars took place between the Soviet Union and the rest of the world, rather than the Nazis.
Complete with zeppelins, hovercraft, and hilarious cutscenes depicting Tim Curry as a crazed Soviet officer, theRed Alertserieswas truly a masterpiece in its time and is still beloved by fans of classic RTS and sci-fi games.
7Syberia (Series)
Perhaps one of the lesser-known titles listed, theSyberiafranchise is a series of story-rich adventure games following the lawyer-turned-explorer Kate Walker and her travels around the mysterious island ofSyberia.
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Though the game largely centers around more ancient time periods, indigenous cultures, and traditions, much of the design aesthetics, particularly in the more populated areas, clearly take inspiration from certain artistic trends popularized throughout the Soviet Bloc.
6Papers, Please
As far as document-processing-simulators go, they don’t get any better thanPapers, Please. As a border-patrol officer of the glorious Soviet nation of Arstotzka, players are tasked with evaluating and processing potential immigrants into the country.
Failing at this task can have pretty dire consequences, such as illegal contraband entering the country or full-scale terror attacks being carried out and killing civilians. With a title that is literally a joke referencing the oppressive lack of freedom in the Soviet era, one which still resonates in many aspects of life today,Papers, Pleasewas, for a long time, the most accurate simulation of Soviet lifeaccessible to gamers.
5Contraband Police
Taking the concept that madePapers, Pleaseso popular, and fleshing it out to a whole new level, Crazy Rocks’Contraband Policestations players at a border crossing in the fictional Acarist People’s Republic.
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This gritty, front-line work often involves lengthy delays and suspicion toward the innocent, as well as genuine cases of money laundering, drug smuggling, and even full-scale gang assaults on the checkpoint. This game is perhaps themost realistic interpretationof Soviet working life fans have seen yet, and provides a reminder of the harsh working conditions for many of those loyal to The Party.
4Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
In recent years, theCall Of Dutyfranchise has really leaned into the Soviet-era aesthetic, providing some of the most realistic depictions of Soviet life and the way in which the deep state operated. Casting one’s own “comrades” into gulag prison systems, planting evidence, andsubverting peoplein any way possible,Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold Warreally attempts to shine a light on the horrors of this historical period.
For a series that has become formulaic and profit-driven, this careful attention to historical detail was a welcome adaptation to the series, and absolutely nailed the aesthetic as well as providing an honest critique of the Soviet aristocracy.
3Stalker (Series)
The image of the Soviet Union today is not simply one of triumph and glory as its propaganda would hope to indicate. In addition to the hellish conditions under which the majority of its population lived, the dramatic collapse of the Eastern Bloc following the Chernobyl disaster (as well as many other factors), leaves behind a reminder of destructive arrogance and scientific endeavor pushed well beyond its proper limits.
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Abandonment and decay are an unfortunate reality for many former Soviet projects, and due to poor economic management, these failures litter the entirety of what was the Soviet Union. TheS.T.A.L.K.E.Rseriesexplores the consequencesof these actions in a post-apocalyptic hellscape, forcing players to scout, scavenge and kill in order to survive its post-Soviet horrors.
2Metro (Series)
In a world ravaged by nuclear war and mutated entities occupying its ruins, it seems wise to pursue some form of collectivist ideology to ensure the survival of mankind. TheMetroseries encapsulates the desperate mindset of an empire in complete decay, with all of its former triumphs and glories reduced to nothing.
Complete with giant scientific facilities, a vast underground network of Soviet-era railways, and all the music and drinking games one might expect of such a time, theMetroseries paints a picture ofdesperate survivalin which collectivism is perhaps the only way out.
1Atomic Heart
Russian studio Mundfish’s depiction of a retro-futuristic utopia gone wrong was so good that it actually came under criticism for supposedly perpetuating Soviet propaganda. Despite showing the fictional"science city" of Chelomeyin all its glory on parade day in its opening mission, it quickly becomes clear that the message of the game is much more a warning about over-reliance on technology than it is an appraisal of a murderous regime.
If the artists, inventors, and governors of the USSR had all got their way, it seems a near-certainty that the world of today would resemble something not too dissimilar to the world ofAtomic Heart.
