Independence Day is this weekend and despite it being a tough year for the United States, I am still proud to be a citizen of this great country. It is a day where family and friends can get together and celebrate our rights and freedoms with great food and fireworks (no matter how tyrannical local politicians are). So it only makes sense that, as gamers, we should play some games that reflect this awesome holiday. So here are some video games you can check out to celebrate the Fourth of July weekend.
Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Colonization
Before anyone says anything, I am aware of Sid Meier’s Civilization V which was released back in 2010. And it is a great game to be sure, and a turn-based strategy game that we highly recommend. However, Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Colonization may be dated, yet it is even more appropriate to play on the Fourth of July than Civ V.
A re-imagining of the original 1994 classic, those who play Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Colonization are challenged to colonize the New World and then fight for their freedom and independence. To do that, you will need to make your colony self-sufficient and powerful while dealing with the Native Americans and other colonists.
Homefront
Homefront may have been a bit of a letdown when it came out. But we would still recommend that you give it a shot. After all, how much more patriotic can you get then fighting to take back your homeland from the Greater Korean Republic who invades the USA in 2027?
So strap on your freedom fighter shoes, because it is time to take back our country!
Crysis 2
When you talk about, or describe, the USA there are certain things that are always brought up. It just so happens that New York City is one of those things. Of course, there are many iconic cities in the U.S. that I can talk about, which are also featured in video games, but I would definitely recommend Crysis 2.
This sci-fi first-person shooter features a decimated New York City in which you take on the role of Alcatraz, a Force Recon Marine. It is up to you to save humanity and traverse New York City while being hunted by both aliens and soldiers from Crynet Enforcement and Local Logistics (CELL).
If you need any more convincing, then I suggest you check out the trailer for Crysis 2 or, at the very least, listen to this reworked version of Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” by B.o.B. and featured in the trailer. I am a huge Sinatra fan, but this version of the classic song sold me on the game.
Red Dead Redemption
Just like New York City is one of those things that everyone identifies the USA with, so too is the term cowboy. Nothing is more American than the concept and idealization of a gunfighter riding his horse, wearing boots and a hat, while wielding a Colt pistol and Winchester rifle. There are countless movies, novels, and television shows set in the west. But if you want a game that will scratch your cowboy itch, then you need to play Red Dead Redemption.
You’ll get to ride a horse all over the place, take down some no good, rotten outlaws, and even have yourself some crazy gunfights.
So go get ‘em cowboy!
The Oregon Trail
When it comes to educational video games none are as popular, or as old, as The Oregon Trail. This game was first released in 1971 and, since then, has helped to teach people about the Oregon Trail over the past four decades.
The game is a simple concept to grasp. You assume the role of a wagon leader whose job is to get the wagon from Independence, Missouri to Oregon’s Willamete Valley. This 2,000 mile journey is fraught with many perils and you will suffer hardships and, sometimes, watch helplessly as your family members die from sickness, the cold, or starvation. So it is up to you to
get everyone through to the final destination.
So relive the experience and spirit of our early ancestors. And if you ever want a great example of why educational video games are worth making, then The Oregon Trail would be that example.
America’s Army
If you want to have an inkling of what our boys in the field have to go through then you will want to play this free-to-play online multiplayer FPS game. In it you will go through basic training, learn about the various weapons available to you, and many other things that will prepare you as you fight in the field. For a F2P game, America’s Army is one I would recommend.
Even though it is a blatant recruitment tool, after all it is funded by the government, it is also an enjoyable game that you can have fun playing by yourself or with friends. So if you want to celebrate Independence Day, then what better way is there than to play as an American Soldier?
Democracy 3
With the presidential elections around the corner, why not get a taste for what a president has to go through in Democracy 3? This political simulation will let you see whether or not you can run the country better than the current establishment.
Deal with crime, unemployment, terrorism, climate change, and even the national debt to see if you can come up with the solution for each problem in order to make your country and better place.
Farming Simulator 2015
Perhaps you want to take a break from all the shooting, violence, political intrigue, and history lessons? Then why not head out to the Heartland of America and do some farming. In Farming Simulator 2015, you’ll be able to manage your farm which consists of harvesting food and even animal husbandry.
This game features an impressive assortment of vehicles and tools that you will need to help you develop and cultivate the land.
Empire: Total War
For those of you who might have more grandiose designs than what has been presented so far, then Empire: Total War is the game for you. This strategy game, which features both turn-based and real time elements, will allow you to play as the American faction in its infancy (the U.S. faction appears later on in the Grand Campaign). However, you don’t have to stop at claiming the entire area of the USA.
You’ll be able to surpass the American concept of Manifest Destiny, a prevalent ideology in the 19th century where the U.S. was destined to stretch from coast-to-coast, and go on to conquer the entire world in the regular campaign. But there is also a “Road to Independence” campaign for a more specific focus on the start of America’s history.
Brothers in Arms
As much as the various entertainment mediums have focused on the Wild West, the same can also be said about World War II. Just like there are plenty of movies and novels, there are also a plethora of great games out there, spread out over the various genres, which are set in this time period. Call of Duty, Medal of Honor, Panzer General, Battlefield 1942, Hearts of Iron, Sniper Elite, and Commandos are all great games and should be played at some point. But we would recommend that you also take the time to check out the Brothers in Arms series.
This tactics-based FPS revolves around campaigns based loosely on true events with a focus on storytelling. One could say that it is like Band of Brothers in video game form.
Assassin’s Creed 3
If you really want to immerse yourself in the American Revolution, then Assassin’s Creed III is a game you will want to check out. However, this isn’t the Revolutionary War they taught American kids in school. In the game, you get to play as a Native American assassin who will become embroiled in the American Revolution from beginning to end.
BioShock Infinite
Speaking of alternate history, if you like that then BioShock Infinite is a game you should play. Set in 1912, you play as Booker DeWitt who is looking for a woman called Elizabeth in the floating air city of Columbia. Both characters become involved with the warring factions within the city that, depending on the faction, are fighting to retain their privileges for white Americans or for the city’s underclass.
The game brings up some interesting social issues such as institutional racism, white supremacy, and elitism in this fictional city that has also developed a pseudo-Christian utopian society.
Fallout 3
Our list of video games for the Fourth of July Weekend wouldn’t be complete if Fallout 3 wasn’t mentioned somewhere on here. There are not many games where you can traverse through Washington, D.C. even though it lies in ruins thanks to a nuclear apocalypse.
However, before you can start your journey, you will begin in Vault 101 located in the Capital Wasteland which is a region that includes Washington, D.C., parts of Maryland, and Northern Virginia. There you will create your character and then step out into a post-apocalyptic landscape 200 years after the nuclear holocaust that occurred in 2077.
Grand Theft Auto V
The American Dream. Everyone hears about it, talks about it, and dreams about it. It is the idea of being able to come from nothing and become something that still entices millions of people from various cultures and all walks of life to move to the United States (the US allows 1 million immigrants in each year). In Grand Theft Auto V, you get to experience that once again, but from three different perspectives.
Through the eyes of a middle class white man with a dysfunctional family, a redneck psychopath, and an African American trying to have a better life, they all want to make that American Dream a reality. Not only is the story fun and engaging, but in typical Rockstar Games’ fashion, GTA V tackles many of the issues here in America in a satirical fashion.
Conclusion
So that is it for my list of recommended games for the Fourth of July weekend. So have a great Fourth of July and share what games you like to play during this awesome holiday!
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