Games To Play When It's Independence Day (USA Edition)

July 4th is Independence Day, here in the good old US of A, and while it is customary to spend the evening eating hamburgers and watching fireworks shows, there really isn't any prescribed way to spend the other parts of the day. Some people might decide to go see a movie or a baseball game, others may choose to hang out by the pool or go play a round of golf. All of those are great options, certainly. But what can you do if it happens to be raining, or you just don't feel like stepping out into the sweltering summer heat?

Well, you could also spend time catching up on some great games. Specifically, ones that would allow you to pay tribute to the holiday and/or America itself. Here is a list of a few good options:

BioShock Infinite
-Developer: Irrational Games
-Platforms: Steam, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

What better way to celebrate American Independence than by shooting a killer robotic likeness of George Washington in the face? Well, maybe that isn't the best way. But while most of the citizens of BioShock Infinite's floating city of Columbia may not embody the ideals that America stands for, there is no denying their sense of patriotism. Indeed, it is difficult (if not impossible) to think of a game that has more fireworks, flags, and American symbology than BioShock Infinite.

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Assassin's Creed III
-Developer: Ubisoft
-Platforms: Steam, Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

While it goes without saying that the Assassin's Creed series is strictly fictional, they do offer the somewhat unique experience of intermixing that fiction with actual historical events and places. The story in Assassin's Creed III takes place leading up to and during the events of the American Revolution. As a bonus, the game even offers a downloadable side story, set in an alternate version of history, where a corrupt George Washington has declared himself king of America. The hero is sent to kill him in order to bring an end to his tyranny. (What's with all the George Washington hate in these games?)

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Fallout 3
-Developer: Bethesda
-Platforms: Steam, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

Fallout 3 is a post-apocalyptic action/adventure/RPG set amongst the ruins of Washington DC. Some of the patriotic activities you can take part in include visiting what remains of once famous landmarks (like the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the United States Capitol), stealing the Declaration of Independence (from a robot programmed to think he is one of the signers), and in the downloadable story, Broken Steel, liberate the city from enemy forces with the assistance of a giant combat robot named Liberty Prime.

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Need For Speed: The Run
-Developer: Black Box
-Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

Need For Speed: The Run was the more arcade-esque of the two Need For Speed games released in 2011. It also happened to be a grand love letter to America. In a sort of reversed-route homage to the films Vanishing Point and The Cannonball Run, the plot of the game has you racing across the country from San Francisco to New York City. All of the amazingly varied cities and landscapes you travel through on your speedy journey east are brought to life with great attention to detail. While the story itself may have been, at times tedious and uninspiring, the setting of the game was nothing short of incredible.

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MLB: The Show
-Developer: Sony
-Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita

You cannot celebrate all things American without baseball. Baseball is America's pastime. It is a sport that can trace it's origins to this country, going all the way back to 1846; and it has been going strong ever since. It quickly became a part of our consciousness and our national identity. Nearly every major city now has a team, and a lucky few even have two. Baseball is one of the most important parts of summertime here and there are a number of games that are even played on July 4th (and then followed up with fireworks).

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
-Developer: Infinity Ward
-Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

The second chapter of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare trilogy sees a war break out between Russia and the United States, primarily fought at home, on American soil. The invasion kicks off with Russian paratroopers dropping in all around an average-looking American neighborhood. It is an unsettling image that is strongly reminiscent of a famous scene in the popular '80s film, Red Dawn.

Similar to the movie, the heroes of Call of Duty have to do whatever they can to defend their home from the Russian aggressors. A little later on in the game, it is discovered that the enemy has succeeded in capturing the White House, and the player must engage in an all-out battle to retake it. It's probably safe to say that virtually liberating the White House from foreign invaders ranks pretty high on the patriotism scale.

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So, that's our list. What about you? What games do you think of when it comes to celebrating America? Which other ones should I also have included? Please share them in the comments.

(This is a repost of an article that originally appeared on Twinstiq.)

[Images: 2K, Ubisoft, Bethesda, EA, Sony, Activision]

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[AJ Amideo]