It truly feels like the hit Netflix show Squid Game took the world by storm overnight. With its complicated characters, unique visual style, and clear political messages, it's no wonder why so many subscribers have binged through the series in just a few sittings. It's a masterfully crafted show, but with only nine episodes, fans tend to breeze right through it. As such, they will likely find themselves looking for something else to scratch that itch. Luckily, there are plenty of video games that explore similar themes to Squid Game and can serve as potential companion pieces that are capable of continuing many of the conversations sparked by the show.
There are a lot of different games that could pair well with the Korean horror series, but the titles listed below match Squid Games' themes more than the actual events that take place in each episode. While Fall Guys certainly shares a lot in common with Squid Game based on its elimination-style tournament gameplay, that game and others like it won't be featured, as they don't share any of the same themes or messages. Below are some singleplayer experiences that have narratives that should be in conversation with the Netflix series.
The Last of Us 2
At its core, The Last of Us 2 is a denouncement of tribalism and the "us vs. them" mentality that it seems like many people start to slip into once man-made order dissolves. The game explores this idea by showing how destructive those sorts of mindsets can be, with Ellie ruining so much of her life in the pursuit of revenge. Without getting into spoilers, there's a moment towards the start of Squid Game when the game's contestants begin to realize that the normal rules of society don't apply when on the island, and things get very tense very fast.
Following this moment, alliances and groups begin to form, and all trust in outsiders dissolves instantly. As the players realize that the game is lawless, some begin digging deep into "us vs. them" while trying to decide if fighting is the way to solve their problems. Thematically, there's a lot of shared "tissue" with that of The Last of Us 2, and both narratives feature characters who the audience can see the best in despite the poor choices that they frequently make.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
It's often tricky to convey the feeling of hopelessness in a video game, as the player knows that if they make a mistake in a dire situation, they can usually just reload a save and get right back into the game. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is able to portray that hopelessness, however, not through its gameplay, but through the characters surrounding Link. At the end of every three in-game days, the entire world of Termina is destroyed by the moon crashing into the ground and, while many people are in denial about their inevitable deaths, many more can see it on the horizon, but know that there's nothing they can do about it.
While some characters in Squid Game are able to stay relatively positive between the many bouts of violence and death, that same hopelessness is on display throughout the entire show. Not only are things dire inside the games themselves, but the series makes a point to show that things are just as bad in the outside world in its second episode. The inevitability of bad luck and life-ending events are common themes between both Squid Game and Majora's Mask, making them feel oddly reminiscent of one another.
The Danganronpa Series
Weirdly enough, Squid Game and the Danganronpa series actually have a lot of narrative elements in common. In the Danganronpa games, a group of high schoolers is tasked with playing a "killing game" that has the students kill one another secretly and not get caught in a student-led trial. The protagonist of each game needs to root out who committed the murders and correctly identify them.
Thematically, the games have a lot in common with Squid Game. The series pits over 400 people against each other, and the game makers encourage them to win by any means necessary - even if that means killing. In both narratives, it becomes clear very early on that not everyone in Squid Game wants to play the deadly games, but they don't have much of a choice in it. The "good guys" are separated from the "bad guys" in both narratives by the way that everyone adapts to the horrific situation; those that are going to make the most out of the lawless nature of the games for their own gain, and those who are trying to make sure everyone leaves the games alive.
Spec Ops: The Line
A lot has been said about Spec Ops: The Line ever since it came out, as the title made big statements about the United States military and the military shooter game genre as a whole. While those messages certainly stand on their own, Spec Ops: The Line also explores what happens when leadership is questioned as well as people being forced to make life or death decisions that result in someone dying either way.
There are countless examples of Squid Game exploring both of those themes in its nine episodes. It also elevates that conversation by having the game's contestants decide who's in charge instead of having predetermined ranks and positions assigned by the military. Both narratives also touch on exploitation, as establishments like the military often prey on underprivileged, low-income individuals just like the game makers do in Squid Game.
Squid Game is out now on Netflix.