After what felt like years of campaigning, the 2016 US Presidential election is finally over. Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States. Whether you were up late celebrating, or grieving, we all have reasons to dive back into video games. They bring us joy and give us a bit of as escape from reality, and they also might prepare us for what is to come. So, here’s five games that you might enjoy playing a little bit more after election night 2016.
DOOM
Don’t read too much into the title, I’m trying to keep this whole thing neutral here. Whether your candidate won or lost, it’s time to let off some steam. DOOM will do just that, letting you blast the face off a ton of demons. It will also be nice to be in a very black and white sort of conflict. If this election showed us anything, it’s that there is a lot of grey in American politics. Each side seems to think that the other is full of bad guys, and with DOOM there is no debate on who the bad guy is…he’s the one with big, red horns.
Papers, Please
OK, before you say I’m being anti-Trump, hear me out. This game is all about immigration. Sure, it takes a stance that is pretty anti-Trump, but still, the game has a lot for players on either side of the political spectrum. Trump promised big changes to immigration, and some of them line up with what you see in Papers, Please. You can even see what it might be like for the staff that is put in the “big, beautiful door” that is supposed to be in his wall…minus the starving, freezing children at home, hopefully.
Fallout 4
I’m not saying that the election of Donald Trump will lead to a nuclear holocaust, but the election of a new president is always time for caution and preparation. If you’re a Trump supporter, maybe set the game to easy and just have some fun blowing away anything that moves. If you were anti-Trump, then you might feel better using the Survival mode setting. This will give you a more authentic and informative experience, letting you prepare for anything that might be coming over the next four years.
Civilization VI
Want to see a little bit of what Trump has ahead of him? Play Civilization VI. The game spans a bit longer than four to eight years, but you are still in charge of your own civilization. You can even choose the United States, playing as the somewhat Trump-like Theodore Roosevelt. Then you can run your civilization however you see fit. Want to nuke everyone? Go for it. Want to build a beautiful society built on science, religion, and/or culture? You can do that too.
Mario Party
Nothing can bring families and friends together, and then tear them apart like Mario Party. Yes, not even the election had the amazing power of this party game series. With the simple tools of coins and stars, Mario Party and its many sequels is able to get players onto the same couch, yelling and screaming at something other than each other. Of course, much like the election, that only lasts so long. Once one player starts looking like the inevitable winner the curses and fists will fly. Sure, you might want to move on from the 2016 presidential election, but you’ll also want to remember it forever, and any of the Mario Party games should help you do that.
Got a game that you’re playing to celebrate or grieve? Let me know in the comments.
