13 Games to celebrate America’s Independence Day
Which would you play to celebrate America?
July 4 marks Independence Day in the United States. It seems like a good opportunity to look at some very American video games. Whether in their plot or their setting, these 13 games provide a very American vibe.
Broforce
What happens when Contra meets pop culture? You get a side-scrolling shooter that features rotating heroes like Rambro, The Brominator and Ellen Ripbro, each with their own guns and skill sets. Unlock more Bros by freeing prisoners and defeating enemies. You can’t escape freedom.
Death Stranding
The United States is in shambles after an unknown cataclysm. You're tasked with delivering supplies and reconnecting the areas you visit. To make it even more American, director Hideo Kojima brings in some big-name actors, including Norman Reedus, Lindsay Wagner and Conan O’Brien. Also, you have a baby in a tank on your chest!
Red Dead Redemption
There’s a reason cowboy movies and culture have dominated for decades - Americans love the old west. The Red Dead games - Redemption and Redemption II - allow players to simulate a time from the country’s wild past.
Call of Duty series
The dominant army franchise provides new missions and opponents to conquer on a yearly basis, more if you sign up for their battle pass. Play as anything from a soldier in the World Wars to futuristic troops in the Modern Warfare games. Which is your favorite?
American Truck Simulator
Want to see this great country without leaving the comfort of your favorite desk chair? American Truck Simulator takes you where you want to go. With a variety of expansions that cover most cities and states, you can pretty much see it all.
Fallout series
Big corporations and nuclear weapons, what’s more American than that? With games that span decades, locations and playstyles, there are many different ways to dive into the Fallout universe, especially when you explore mods for older games.
Grand Theft Auto IV
While all the Grand Theft Auto games tell very American stories, GTA4 might be the closest to the American dream. You play as an immigrant who came to the United States to make a better life for themself. When their dreams don’t turn out as planned, they find a new way to survive.
The Oregon Trail
The game that taught a generation about dying of dysentery while traveling across the West in a covered wagon. The game was originally released in 1971, but gained popularity in the late ‘80s as an education game in many schools across the country. Today, you can play it in your web browser.
Bioshock Infinite
The Bioshock games in general are an intriguing look at American ingenuity, philosophy and divisions. However, Infinite is the only one where you get to battle a giant mechanical George Washington.
Far Cry 5
You play as a police officer in Montana who is sent to arrest a charismatic doomsday cult leader. With a legion of fanatical followers, this will be about as easy as it sounds.
The Division Series
A Terrorist group starts a pandemic in New York on Black Friday by tainting cash with a virus that is easily transmittable through touch. Mind you, this is back when people still used paper currency. Players take the role of a Strategic Homeland Division agent who is called into action to regain order in cities that are affected by death and anarchy.
Saints Row IV
A game series where you start out as a gang member trying to rule the streets. By the fourth installment, your character has been so successful, they become President of the United States. Only in America, and in video games.
Marvel's Spider-Man
An all-American boy (Peter Parker) in the most American city (New York) jumps off the page of a comic book and into a game. With Marvel dominating American pop culture over the past two decades, it seems fitting to find your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man in this list.
