Yes, Religion. As an establishment, it is weaved into culture inseparably, and so it is only natural that artists, designers and programmers eventually (if not occasionally) draw upon it's lore for content and flavour in their works. I am restricting this list to games that are not designed to promote a particular religion. So titles like "Bible Adventures" and "Exodus" don't qualify. I am interested in listing the games that show hints or references to religious materials or qualities as an aside to the game's primary purpose: entertainment. Games that try to make religious teaching itself the source of entertainment weren't considered for this list. So with that out of the way, let's unearth some of the gaming relics (as well as some modern treasures) to see just how, why and when the divine have impacted on our favourite past-time. (As an aside, this list is not about promoting religion or discounting it – just some light-hearted fun poking).
#10: Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen (DS)
On the surface, this game has most of the old-school RPG elements: The hero, the clan, the world-in-need-of-saving etc. etc. But, on closer inspection, you can see a parallel that others in this genre don't have, for this game makes players save their progress at a Church - its compulsory. That's not so strange in itself, but you are presented with a decidedly weird option menu in here: "Confession", "Divination", "Benediction", "Purification"... The quasi-Catholic references here are pretty obvious. But what sets this religion in Dragon Quest apart is not its terminology, but its weird pagan-like symbol: an inverted devil's tripod!
*Trivia*: The NES Dragon Warrior IV was one of the only games to feature a crescendo during the battle music. Such a technique was virtually unheard of for an NES game.
#9: Doom (PC)
What's more pious than an absolute confirmation of the after-life? Sure, it's Hell (and I don't remember any mention of Heaven in the game) but Doom does takes you to that place where all the bad people go. Admittedly, there are no regular dead people wandering the blood-soaked chambers in id's groundbreaking shooter, but the endless waves of demons and zombies hold your interest in more ways than one. And maybe, for all the press the game got, it's depiction of the fiery depths may have saved a few earthly souls in its own way. How do I figure? Well I'm sure it kept more than one delinquent chained to a computer for weeks on end... Better there than on the street running over old ladies with their skateboards (or something...)
*Trivia*: Doom is banned in Brazil due to its high impact violence.
#8: Deus Ex (PC)
This multi-award winning FPS and RPG hybrid has its share of Religious undertones. Why, even the title of this game is a reference to God. 'Deus Ex [Machina]' is a Latin expression meaning "God made from a machine". As JC Denton, you encounter many power-hungry factions (Illuminati, Hong Kong Triad etc.) that all have their hands dirty from conspiratorial activities. As the game progresses, (and if you can keep up with the plot), you'll come to realise that maybe we aren't here on Earth to worship God, but maybe here to create Him.
*Trivia*: JC Denton never reveals his Christian name(s). Could the "JC" stand for Jesus Christ?
#7: Age of Empires (PC)
The historical role of Religion (and more notably conversion) has never been made clearer than in this video game. Building villages, towns, armies and economies is one thing, but what is it worth if a few powered-up clergy effortlessly convert the whole lot of it, instantly turning your empire into the enemy?! The impact of cultural influence, missionaries, and theological establishment may only be touched upon in AoE, but to see the mightiest of civilizations come crumbling down due to a handful of chanting, defenceless "Priests" is awe-inspiring!
*Trivia*: The demo edition of AoE is notably different from retail versions. Two maps and a tutorial featuring the Hittites are included in this demo exclusively.
#6: Black & White (PC)
While not strictly tied to any religion, this title sees the player take control as God Him/Herself. So, it's not so much about any one religious practice, but more about theology, and the human/God relationship. This game raises issues such as free will, God's influence, God's relevance and God's perfection. Sure, your influence is only over and island (not the cosmos!) but you can see that this is a microcosm, and that your decisions really make a direct impact on your subjects. And the subjects are touchy little guys; it's all up to you to keep them dedicated and faithful to your virtual-omnipotence.
*Trivia*: Registering your copy of the game at the official site meant that the in-game weather would match your local weather.
#5: Age of Mythology (PC)
This game heavily relies on the deities of a long gone era for its real-time strategy action. Sure, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who seriously worships Thor, Amun-Ra or Loki these days, but there's another aspect here that puts this game on the list. While these legendary Gods may now be little more than the stuff of myths or comic books, the amount of dedication and worship they demand in this game is enough for even the most jealous or megalomaniacal God! You see, in order to gain power and superiority, you must send your subjects to pray - non-stop. The sight of the peons praying and bowing in their subservience gives the player a lust for power that would surely corrupt the mind of the more suggestible gamer.
*Trivia*: This game has over three million lines of programmed code.
#4: Constantine (PS2)
Based on the movie which is based on the comic series, you play as John Constantine, (with Father Hennessy as your support) as you literally fight your way through hell. This game is third-person action-horror (or so the blurb tells me), and players must get through both the Earth Los Angeles and the Hell Los Angeles - although cynics may argue that these two locations are mostly inter-changeable. The game play, while decent, is not anything near special, but you do get see legions of Hell's worst characters. Interestingly, this game's box-art has the image of crucifix too, (but I must note that it is upside-down).
*Trivia*: Keanu Reeves didn't supply voice-acting for the game, instead he was impersonated by *two* separate sound-alikes.
#3: The Da Vinci Code (PS2)
It's probably the first time this game has made a Top 10 list, (although the novel made the New York Times Bestseller list for who knows how long...), but I am bound to include it. Why? Well this game, although fairly unremarkable in terms of game play, is as ripe with Christian content as a Kirk Cameron interview. This slow action title, with its generic portrayal of Prof. Robert Langdon (and no, Tom Hanks didn't make it in) asks players to locate the Holy Grail. Of course, you'd have to be fairly disconnected from popular culture to be unaware of what this story's about, but just in case, I will say that the terms Catholicism, Jesus, Mary, angels, demons are all key plot items!
*Trivia*: Believe it or not, but this game is not associated with the film. That is why characters have no resemblance to the movie actors!
#2: Afterlife (PC)
Want to be the curator of Heaven and Hell? Well Afterlife is the game for you. Like other simulation games, you are a semi-omnipotent being (a demigod?), and it is up to you to both manage a strange planet inhabited by strange gremlin-like creatures. In the game, monitoring your subjects and applying punishments and rewards is necessary, as is processing souls from temporary into permanent residents. Sure, it's pretty much SimCity with a different theme, but this game takes itself lightly, and adds plenty of humour to boot. It has its share of game play problems (as well as a very vague and disturbingly brief instruction manual), but this game makes the list because of its curious settings and its funny take on the established religious dogmas: "Four Surfers of the Apocalypse", anyone? *
Trivia*: Cheating too much in the game will cause the Star Wars Death Star to appear and destroy your buildings!
#1: Populous (ST)
Truly the game that "created" the "play as a God" genre, everything other title has just been steady "evolution". With a massive forwards-catalogue full of spin-offs, sequels, re-makes and mods, this game is like a Religion in itself. Players ARE a Deity in this game, and you directly influence your population, even though you simply begin with a single human. Divine intervention is the name of the game here, and it is up to you to guide your subjects and allow them to flourish. Of course, once their basic needs are taken care of, it's time to wage war and conquer the surrounding populations, (the historical parallels are staggering!) The series' popularity has since seen a small revival with a Populous DS, but sadly this game has lost it's impact in the twenty years since conception.
*Trivia*: During the game's development, LEGO pieces were used to model the game's terrain.
As it not exactly ripe with religious content, the gaming-world still seems to be fairly "Godless", typically displaying only distant references and hints of religious zeal to colour their digital landscapes. More often than not, programmers seem to be displaying a tongue-in-cheek playfulness to the religious world, including only occasional characters and devices in their otherwise no-holds-barred virtual worlds. In fact, this is the way I like it. Politics and religion aren't synonymous with good-gaming, and great games rarely need these stuffy and conservative influences. You could even argue that religious and political ideologies are restraining gaming's progress, and maybe this is why developers are reluctant to draw on these areas for inspiration! Anyway, that's enough of my sermon. Amen. :twisted:
Postscript: Due to the overwhelming respones to include such games as Oblivion, Assassins Ceed and Xenogears, I feel as if I have bitten off more than I can chew with this list. Shortly, I will revise the list (or possibly add a second List) with the above and more included. I have also revised the title of this list from The Top 10 Religion-themed Games to the Top 10 Mainstream Games with Religious Undertones.