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VA-11 Hall-A (Windows, Mac, Linux)
BY SUKEBAN GAMES

If you want to get to know the character of a city quickly, check out its bar scene. There, you’ll find all the community’s hopes and issues under the same roof, sharing a stiff drink. That’s the idea behind VA-11 Hall-A, a dystopian “drink-em-up” where players serve the bar regulars and listen to their personal stories. By developing relationships with your patrons, you learn about the everyday struggles of a consumerist surveillance state. While light on mechanics, VA-11 Hall-A allows you to subtly affect the story through your actions and dialogue. By mastering the bartending mini-game, you can pump some of the city’s most interesting characters for more information—just be sure to keep them good and sauced.

Perfect for: Blade Runner wannabes, alcoholics, dystopian junkies

Playtime: 10-15 hours