Not all games are set in the mortal realm. Many explore various depictions of the afterlife. These games take players beyond the realm of the living.
With the ability to let players explore vastly different worlds from their own, many video games have taken their settings beyond the mortal realm. Games that explore the afterlife tend to depict it in wildly different ways. Typically, games set in the afterlife tend to focus on the hellish side of things, usually pitting their player characters against the vicious forces of Hell.
Not all of them take such a bleak portrayal, however, with some embracing comedic tones and even drinking games. Some games even focus on a heavenly depiction of the afterlife, tackling the sensitive topic of mortality and grief. Regardless of its depiction, these are some of the best games set in the afterlife. 10 Grim Fandango
Grim Fandango is an adventure game that is set in and depicts an afterlife heavily inspired by the Aztec notions of the afterlife. With characters designed to look like calaca figures, instantly recognizable for their use in Mexican Day of the Dead festivities, the themes of death are impossible to escape.
Alongside its traditional depiction of the afterlife, Grim Fandango is depicted in a classic noir film style. This means that, despite its familiar afterlife, the game approaches life after death in a refreshing style. 9 Dante’s Inferno
Unsurprisingly, given its title, the Dante’s Inferno action-adventure game is set in a hellscape largely based on the depiction of Hell in the first canticle of Dante’s Divine Comedy. The game was considered quite shocking, but that’s natural for Dante’s Hell.
Players follow Dante, a Templar Knight, as he travels through the circles of hell to save the soul of his lover, Beatrice. Despite its distressing depiction, it is an infamous game set in the afterlife. 8 Metal: Hellsinger
Also set in Hell, its depiction within Hellsinger is similarly bleak. The plot follows a lost soul who seeks to fight their way out of their prison in the underworld. A very action-packed game, it is strongly inspired by the infamous Doom franchise. However, Hellsinger, also embracing its name, has a unique feature that makes it feel a little more lighthearted than other games that pit players against the forces of Hell.
Hellsinger is both a shooter game and a rhythm game, with players receiving benefits based on how closely their shooting, reloading, and maneuvering match up to the metal beats that play throughout the player’s trip into the afterlife.
