Death Stranding, Kojima's game, exhibits a sophisticated interplay with American political landscapes
In the ever-evolving world of video games, titles like Death Stranding 2 (2025) and Bioshock Infinite (2013) stand out for their bold critiques of American exceptionalism. These games, set in dystopian landscapes, question the mythos of America as uniquely virtuous or destined for greatness.
Bioshock Infinite, developed by Irrational Games, explicitly engages with American exceptionalism. The game is set in a fictional city, Columbia, which embodies an extreme version of early 20th-century American nationalism, racial segregation, and religious zealotry. By exposing the hypocrisy, violence, and social injustice underpinning this so-called exceptional nation, the game challenges players to reflect on the cost of such a belief system.
Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding 2, as a sequel to a game already thematically rich in social and political commentary, continues this exploration. The game takes themes from the first Death Stranding and puts them in a global context, challenging the isolationist and individualistic aspects of American identity. It critiques how nationalistic ideals can lead to division and highlights themes of cooperation over competition, challenging the dominant narratives of American identity.
The impact of these games on portraying and criticizing American exceptionalism lies in their immersive storytelling and symbolism. They provide a form of cultural criticism that invites players to reconsider the narratives around American power and morality.
In Death Stranding 2, the US government uses braindead pregnant women from Mexico to fuel experiments on chiral networks, with their babies being used as batteries to power American technological advancement. This plotline taps into topical debates about ethics and technology, reflecting real-world discussions about the ethical implications of technological progress.
Similarly, Bioshock Infinite interrupts the player's stroll through patriotic fairgrounds to reveal a mob about to murder an interracial couple, highlighting the racial and social inequalities that American exceptionalism can engender.
However, these games do not provide clear answers. In Bioshock Infinite, the game does not offer a clear answer on whether the protagonist, Booker DeWitt, was right to help the government regain partial control of the country. In Death Stranding 2, the tension between the game's overt political arguments and the entertaining experience of gameplay creates an awkward tension, leaving players to ponder the implications of their actions.
The broader discourse on American exceptionalism shows that contemporary works—whether in games, films, or other media—use genres like science fiction and fantasy to critique traditional American myths by depicting dystopian consequences of those beliefs. Ruha Benjamin's book, Imagination, argues that US technological progress is often built on exploitation, both at home and abroad, echoing the themes explored in these games.
In summary, Bioshock Infinite and Death Stranding 2 critically examine American exceptionalism, exploring its flaws and dangers, and challenging players to reconsider the narratives around American power and morality. Their impact extends beyond the gaming world, contributing to broader discussions about American identity, ethics, and technology.
[1] Gameranx (2013). Bioshock Infinite: A Political Analysis. Retrieved from https://gameranx.com/features/id/148006/page/2/ [3] Polygon (2019). Death Stranding's political message is more subtle than it seems. Retrieved from https://www.polygon.com/2019/11/15/20966497/death-stranding-political-message-analysis-hideo-kojima-america
- Hideo Kojima's work, Death Stranding 2, showcases critical examinations of American exceptionalism, delving into its pitfalls and potential dangers, encouraging players to question prevailing narratives about American power and morality.
- Similar to Death Stranding 2, Bioshock Infinite, developed by Irrational Games, tackles the subject of American exceptionalism, setting its narrative in a fictional city, Columbia, to portray an extreme version of early 20th-century American nationalism, racial segregation, and religious fervor.
- The immersive nature of these video games makes them significant cultural critics, inviting players to reevaluate the narratives woven around American power and morality, which extend beyond the realm of video games and contribute to broader discussions on American identity, ethics, and technology.
- In line with this, contemporary works, such as movies, TV shows, and books, often employ science fiction and fantasy genres to criticize traditional American myths, as seen in the depiction of dystopian scenarios resulting from unquestioned belief in American exceptionalism.
- Even though these games, like Bioshock Infinite and Death Stranding 2, do not provide easy answers, they still actively engage players, questioning the ethics of technological advancement and the implications of nationalistic ideals on societal cohesion.
- As Ruha Benjamin argues in her book, Imagination, technology's progress in the United States has often been rooted in exploitation, both domestically and internationally, a theme echoed in these games that question the cultural myths inherent in the idea of American exceptionalism.
