10 Games Set in the Past that are Totally Worth Your Time

If I could turn back time…

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel back in time?

If you’re like me and you have indeed imagined such a thing and you enjoy playing video games, then this list may interest you.

A majority of games tend to feature a contemporary or future setting and very few developers venture back in time in order to set their game within the backdrop of the past. However, there are notable exceptions, and this list will highlight ten great games that are set in the past and are totally worth your time and money.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

The sixth installment in the seminal Grand Theft Auto series, Vice City fully embraces its 80’s setting. Taking place within the fictional Vice City (heavily influenced by the city of Miami, Florida), everything about the game’s style reflects (and occasionally parodies) its setting perfectly.

From main character Tommy Vercetti’s clothes, to the music and cars that occupy the world, nearly every aspect of Vice City‘s design fully adopts its eighties theme and runs wild with it. Borrowing many themes from classic crime movies from the era such as Scarface in addition to hit television series such as Miami Vice, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is a great representation of 1980’s Miami which succeeds in creating a believable sun-soaked metropolis.

Bioshock Infinite

“Bring us the girl and wipe away the debt.” If you’ve heard this sentence before then you are a very lucky individual indeed. Bioshock Infinite is arguably one of the greatest games to have released in the last few years and this is no small part due to its inspired world. Set at the turn of the twentieth century during 1912, the events of the game take place within the fictional steampunk city-state of Columbia. The backdrop cleverly captures the essence of turn of the century American culture, incorporating the era’s style in addition to its idiosyncrasies. Race and class issues are thrust to the forefront of the game’s narrative and amplify’s its tone in order to create a believable dystopia, whilst also feeling disturbingly familiar. Infinite‘s setting is imaginative, creative and serves as a brilliant locale for the game’s dumbfounding story.

If you’ve yet to experience the game’s superb story and stellar setting then you’re in luck, it was recently announced that a Bioshock Collection would be making its way to store shelves this September.

Firewatch

Taking place amongst the Wyoming wilderness during the summer of 1989, Firewatch is a first-person adventure game with a beautifully unique setting that is ripe for exploration. As the fire lookout Henry, players must unravel the truth behind the mysterious occurrences that have transpired amidst the Wyoming woodlands. Featuring a distinctive and visually vibrant artistic design from artist Olly Moss and an absorbing narrative, the game makes great use of its setting to instil a sense of isolation when the events of the story turn increasingly foreboding.

Firewatch‘s developer – Campo Santo – have taken a landscape that many would consider too mundane for a video game to call home, and flip it on its head to create a very different and unusual playing experience. Firewatch is truly unique and its branching dialogue choices in combination with its novel setting forms a wholly new experience that is unlike any other game that I’ve played.

The Saboteur

“Vive la France!”

The Saboteur is a game that I don’t feel as though enough people know of. Set in the rather unique setting of Nazi-occupied Paris during the Second World War, players are introduced to Sean Devlin, the game’s Irish, chain-smoking protagonist. The game tasks you in liberating Paris from the Germans by destroying propaganda, tanks, spotlights, and pretty much anything else that is emblazoned with Nazi insignia.

The game’s frenetic destruction is complemented by a creative artistic style that ties back to gameplay. Initially, Paris is shrouded in shadows of black and white, with destructible objects glowing a deep red. Once an area has been liberated, colour returns to that district and citizens are both more numerous and less fearful. Not only is this an excellent method of illustrating how to tie the player’s actions to the game’s world, but Paris is also a beautiful setting that I wish to see more of within video games.

Assassin’s Creed 2

“Requiescat In Pace”. If you struggled to read that, don’t worry, Assassin’s Creed II came out almost seven years ago and I still can’t say it correctly on my first attempt.

However, what Assassin’s Creed II lacks in words that are easy to pronounce, it more than makes up for in its fast, free-flowing combat, traversal, and its beautifully realised Renaissance Italian open-world setting. Playing as main protagonist Ezio Auditore da Firenze, players run, jump, climb and stab their way through several fifteenth century Italian towns such as Florence and Venice. With a revenge tale that is well-paced and executed, with help from terrific voice-acting and delivery, the game spectacularly renders beautiful interpretations of the aforementioned Italian cities.

Additionally, its focus on Renaissance culture and lifestyle also has to be applauded. The game’s architecture, weaponry and even art and music is in keeping with its setting. Assassin’s Creed II is an outstanding game with an historical setting that is one of the most memorable in recent memory.

If you enjoy playing the Assassin’s Creed series, you might want to check out the Assassin’s Creed movie coming out later this year.

Mafia 2

Gangsters have always been a fascination of mine. Perhaps it speaks poorly of my character that I find violence, betrayal and illegal activities so interesting, but nobody can deny that it makes for a great video-game.

Mafia 2 encompasses just such things and weaves a compelling story that grips the player’s attention until the very end. Set during the 1940s and 1950s, Mafia 2 takes place within the fictional Empire Bay and follows Vito Scaletta and his attempts to climb through the ranks of the Mafia crime families. Aside from its engrossing narrative, if there’s something that the game gets spot on, it’s certainly its ambience and backdrop. The game’s world feels authentically mid-twentieth century and there’s a sense that the American Dream is there for the taking. From advertisements on billboards, to the way that the cars handle, everything appears to have been hand-crafted in order to add to the illusion that you’re existing in an American city during the aftermath of the Second World War.

With its highly-anticipated sequel, Mafia 3 due to come out this October, you should definitely check this one out.

Red Dead Redemption

Cowboys and The Wild West, what more could you want from a video-game? Red Dead Redemption is a brilliant game; there’s no disputing that fact. From its satisfying gameplay, to its strong story and beautiful visuals, the game is stellar.

However, despite its brilliance, it’s its setting that really makes the game unique. Red Dead Redemption takes place primarily in the year 1911, during the twilight of the American Frontier. The backdrop of the Wild West is a brilliant setting for a game and one that allows for plenty of gameplay opportunities. As John Marston, a former outlaw, players can enjoy a variety of side activities that complement the landscape well and does a great job in helping to immerse the player within the open-world. Had a bad day? Head to the saloon and enjoy a drink. Short on some cash? Collect a bounty contract and track down the wanted individual. There is a great variety of things to do, and nearly all of them add to the sense that you’re in a specific period and place.

Red Dead Redemption was recently added to Microsoft’s Backward Compatibility Programme meaning that it can now be played on your Xbox One. Now you have absolutely no reason to miss out on playing this gem.

Gone Home

If you’re not familiar with Gone Home, allow me to introduce you to this truly special video game. Set in the year 1995, main protagonist Kaitlin Greenbriar has just arrived at her new family home after travelling overseas. Expecting to be greeted by her family, instead she is met by an empty house and her family is nowhere to be seen. The plot focuses on the exploration of the new family home, in order to understand where you’re family has gone. In order to avoid spoilers, this is as much as I will reveal regarding the game’s story and I implore you to experience this game’s narrative for yourself.

Set aside three hours, sit down, plug in some headphones and just play it. It’s a beautifully written story that deserves to be experienced whole-heartedly. A large part that helps sell the game’s exceptional narrative is its authentic setting. The game’s true 90’s atmosphere helps create a sense of melancholy and nostalgia, especially for those who, like myself, grew up in the 1990’s and remember seeing and experiencing a very familiar life. Television guides highlight quintessential programmes of the era, items you interactive with throughout your exploration of the mansion are suitably 90’s in style, and the frequent references to Street Fighter amalgamate to a brilliantly believable and lived-in setting.

Valiant Hearts: The Great War

World War One is a landscape often neglected by the video-game industry and one that deserves more attention. Valiant Hearts: The Great War takes place during the chaos of the First World War and delivers an emotional narrative. Within this 2D side-scrolling adventure game, you play as multiple characters whose stories intertwine throughout the course of the conflict.

A touching tale is exacerbated by the game’s hand-drawn artistic style that enables the game to emit a sense of hope despite the story’s dire setting. The game manages to encapsulate the awfully violent nature of the war whilst telling an incredibly touching narrative. Furthermore, the game also serves as a brilliant history lesson with historical facts being littered across the battlefields that you traverse. With the Battle of the Somme commemorating its 100 year anniversary this year, you owe it to yourself and to those who gave their lives during this bloody conflict to experience this game and understand and appreciate the horrors of war.

L.A. Noire

Set during the most violent year of Los Angeles’ history and amidst the Golden Age of Cinema, L.A. Noire is a tremendous crime thriller that perfectly illustrates how a game can use its setting to create tone and atmosphere. The year is 1947 and you play as Detective Cole Phelps, a returning war-hero turned crime fighter, who is tasked with solving numerous crimes throughout the City of Angels. The game tackles particular topics pertinent to the era such as race, war and cinema in order to craft a believable and authentic world.

However, whereas the story is suitably dark and engaging, the star of the show is definitely the city of Los Angeles itself. The faithful recreation of the city during the 1940’s contains an incredible amount of detail that creates a level of immersion that’s right up there with the best in video-games. Discover landmarks, take a stroll through Hollywood Boulevard or simply admire the attention to detail that the game delivers. L.A. Noire truly immerses the player in the period in which it is set and is certainly worth your time.