Dystopian video games frequently include fascinating but cruel environments that depict humanity’s worst-case scenarios. Dystopias can take numerous shapes and tell varied stories about society’s fate, from the irradiated Wastelands of the Fallout trilogy to the corporate-ruled Night City of Cyberpunk 2077.

In video games, the dismal but sometimes beautiful dystopian environments frequently come with a rich backstory that can be stitched together via quests and objects. Part of the enjoyment of these games is figuring out exactly what caused a world’s society to collapse and what the player’s role is in attempting to repair it.

1. Metro Exodus

In the year 2036, players find themselves in the midst of a war-torn Moscow Metro, with the ruins of the old world acting as a refuge from the brutal nuclear winter. Artyom, the protagonist of Metro Exodus, is sure that life exists outside of the Russian winters he has become accustomed to.

2. Cyberpunk 2077

Since its initial flawed introduction, Cyberpunk 2077 has evolved significantly, allowing gamers to experience Night City in all of its splendor. It’s a dystopia brimming with cybernetic enhancements and bright flashing advertisements, dominated by mega-corporations driven solely by the need to stay on top.

Depending on who’s life is examined, it might be either a glamorous or a horrible dystopia. It’s an unforgiving city with vicious gangs and cosmetic-obsessed residents, as the mercenary V discovers. Cyberpunk 2077 is a chilling view into a world when corporate control reigns supreme. Players can spend weeks investigating the dark secrets concealed in the colorful marvel that is Night City, and the game does an outstanding job of unfolding this narrative.

3. Fallout 4

Fallout 4 takes place in 2287, more than 200 years after the events of The Great War. The entire Fallout series is set in a post-nuclear war scenario in which events take place in a retro-future with technology and aesthetics from the 1950s. Bloatflies and Deathclaws, irradiated monstrosities, prowl the arid Wastelands, making it one of the most unfriendly and desolate video game landscapes.

It offers a large open world with interesting adventures and well-written characters. Players will learn more about the game’s intricate politics and warring factions as they explore the radioactive terrain. While attempting to comprehend their own past, the protagonist plays a critical part in selecting the best course for what’s left of humanity.