A common trope in science fiction is stories set within a single limited location. This is because these stories will often take place on space stations or on boardspaceships. By limiting the available space in which such a story can take place, it can emphasize the loneliness and isolation of space, provide a cozy space which the characters and viewers can become very intimately familiar with, or, in the case of horror stories, ensure that the characters have no way of easily escaping from the monster.
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This trope has of course been applied to the medium of video games too. It is not at all uncommon for science-fiction games to take place entirely within a relatively small space. There are plenty of great examples of this interesting phenomenon, although some of them make a much bigger impression on players than others.
7Metroid Fusion
TheMetroidseries is certainly no stranger to instilling a sense of isolation in players, and this was taken to a whole new level inMetroid Fusion. Despite featuring several diverse biomes, the entire game takes place aboard the Biologic Space Laboratories Space Station orbiting planet SR388.
The game frequently reminds the player of this fact by either confining Samus to certain sections of the station or by having parts of the station malfunction. The fact that the station isself-containedis also vital for the story as it ensures that the deadly X-Parasites cannot easily spread and threaten galactic civilization. It also ensures that Samus is effectively trapped in close proximity to the SA-X.
6Bioshock
Rather than taking place within the inky blackness of outer space,Bioshockinstead took players to the depths of the ocean. Except for the opening cutscene, the entire game takes place in the underwater city of Rapture, an art deco dystopia fallen into ruin under the very weight of its ideals.
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The fact that the entire game takes place under thousands of tons of seawater that could come crashing in at any moment further adds to the sense of tension.Bioshock’sRapture has earned its place as one of the most iconic and memorable settings for any video game. It achieves this by thoroughly immersing players through a combination of immaculate atmosphere and fantastic narrative integration.
5System Shock
The originalSystem Shockis another game that takes place entirely in a single setting. After waking from having amilitary-gradeneural implant surgically grafted into their body, the player character discovers that while he was asleep a malevolent AI named Shodan has taken over Citadel Space Station, slaughtered its inhabitants, and turned them into cyborgs.
The main character is trapped aboard this space station, making it all the more difficult for him to escape from the mechanical monstrosities that want him dead alongside the mad AI with a god complex. It’s a massively underrated title and one of the best sci-fi games that take place in a single location.
4Beneath a Steel Sky
Set in a post-apocalyptic future,Beneath a Steel Skysees the main character Foster have to navigate through thedystopianUnion City. This city sits beneath the titular steel dome and is both hyper-capitalistic and fascist, with its citizens' every move being constantly monitored.
This makes for a fascinating setting for a graphic adventure game, as players get the chance to become intimately familiar with many of its citizens as they delve ever deeper into the world of the game. This is a game that manages to thoroughly immerse players despite its fairly limited scope.
3Portal
The entirety ofPortaltakes place within the Aperture Science Laboratory facilities. At first, players are only allowed access to the squeaky-clean test chambers. However, soon the curtain is pulled back and players are allowed to explore the grimy back rooms that had previously only been hinted at.
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The goal of the game is to escape from the facility, something that is much easier said than done as it means having to overcome the diabolicalAIGLaDOS. The sequel,Portal 2, also takes place entirely within Aperture Science but reveals new areas unseen in the first game such as the drone production factories and older parts of the facility.
2Prey (2017)
The 2017 titlePreyis another sci-fi game that takes place entirely within a single location; in this case, the space station Talos 1. The player character is part of a research team investigating a mysterious alien force called Typhon.
Soon they are knocked unconscious and when they awaken they find the station devoid ofhuman lifeand infested with aliens, many of whom have the ability to disguise themselves as ordinary objects. The player character is trapped aboard the space station unless they can find a way to stop this alien menace.
1Metal Gear Solid
From beginning to end, the originalMetal Gear Solidtakes place entirely within a nuclear disposal facility on Shadow Moses Island, located in Alaska’s fox archipelago in the Bering Sea. The premise of the game is that the elite special forces unit FoxHound has taken control of the island, taken several high-profile hostages, and is threatening to use one of the facilities' decommissioned nuclear weapons if their demands are not met.
It is later discovered that the nuclear disposal facility is really a front for the creation of a new model of Metal Gear. The location plays host to some of the series' most memorable moments and also introduces many of the mosticonicMetal Gearcharacters.
