South America or the “New World”, as it was once known, is not often at the forefront of representation when it comes to video games or entertainment in general.
Nonetheless, the green continent with its vastuntapped jungles and mysterious ancient past, as well as its more recent colonial history and political turmoil, has made for an excellent setting in many games, movies, and stories.
10 Best Tropical Areas in Games, Ranked
Sometimes you need a vacation. you may’t always travel, but games have us covered with some lovely tropics to explore.
There is certainly no shortage of subject matter when it comes to South America, and developers spanning all sorts of genres, from survival to strategy and everything in between, have taken inspiration from its dense forests,lush beaches and vibrant communities.
The following games all take place in South American countries, islands, or areas heavily inspired and influenced by South America.
8Green Hell
Creepy Jar
Green Hell
When it comes to immersive survival games, you’re not going to find many better thanGreen Hell.
This deep psychological thriller will test your mettle in ways you never thought possible, and few games offer the range of possible ways to die thatGreen Helldoes.
Whether it’s drinking dodgy water, touching a poison frog, or beingmauled by a bloodthirsty jaguar,Green Hellwill certainly give you an authentic Amazonian survival experience.
A nice additional touch is the inclusion of hallucinations, which will trigger when your sanity meter is reduced - and this happens quickly.
7Anno 1800
Anno 1800is undoubtedly one of the most unique and visually impressive city builders around, taking players back to the Age of Discovery and featuring several interesting and unique game mechanics.
10 Best City Builders On Mobile
City builders are not hard to come by, but if you’re looking for something to play on the go, these are the best options!
While the game takes place across several different theaters,the New World primarily represents South America with its tropical climate, abundant resources, and Latin culture.
While the New World features in the base game, aspecial DLC titled’New World Rising’was made to specifically enhance these territories.
6Hitman: World of Assassination
IO Interactive
Hitman World of Assassination
TheHitmanseries is known for itsopen-level design and unique locations, which include two maps based in South America. Though the game features many different settings, the choice of Colombia and Argentina are certainly welcome additions and showcase the richness and beauty of the continent.
In contrasting style,Santa Fortuna in Colombia is a rainforest biome with shamanic rituals and cartel drug operations in the area. Meanwhile, Mendoza in Argentina is a brilliant mission that takes place at a large-scale luxury vineyard and wine factory.
Both missions have tonnes of replay value and a carefully constructed to include tonnes of unique cultural references, local wildlife, and stunning views.
5Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag
Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
WhileAssassin’s Creed: Black Flagis primarilyset on the Caribbean islands and their surrounding seas, it does feature some territories that are considered to be modern South America.
This pirate adventure will see players visit islands such as Colombia’s Isla Providencia which even has a few Mayan secretsnestled away on various other islands.
9 Open World Games With Diverse Biomes
Explore vast worlds with environments, both strange and familiar.
Much of the game inevitably takes place at sea or on smaller Caribbean islands, but there’s no doubt that many of the aspects that make South America an appealing setting find their way intoBlack Flag.
4Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Crystal Dynamics/Feral Interactive
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
TheTomb Raiderseries has certainlytaken us to some interesting settings, but few are quite so beautiful as the rich jungle environment inShadow of the Tomb Raider.
AsLara Croft seeks to uncover the mystery of the lost Mayan city of Paititi, she will have to utilize all of her parkour and combat skills to overcome the various obstacles and enemies throughout its ruins.
The game marks an excellent capstone for the Survivor trilogy and will be sure to delight fans of Lara and the Tomb Raider series.
3Max Payne 3
Rockstar Games
Max Payne 3
Max Payne 3took a bit of a turn for the series considering its previous titles wereset in the gritty maze of New York City. This installment moves to focus on São Paulo, Brazil and contains every bit as much action as you might expect.
10 Best First-Person Shooters on PS Plus
Ready, Aim, FIRE!
From favelas to football stadiums, the city is rendered with stunning detail, and eventhough it might not always represent the best Brazil has to offer, it is an authentic experience nonetheless.
On top of the unique setting, the game also features well-written,cinematic stories and high-level gunplaythat fans of the franchise are used to.
2Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands
Ghost Recon Wildlandstakes place entirely within Bolivia and provides players with a huge open world to explore.
From vast desert plains and mountain villages to thick jungles and winding rivers, the world is truly a joy to exploreand showcases the environmental diversity of the country.
In terms of the story, it is centered around a Mexican cartel that has taken over the country andthe Ghosts are called in to aid a local resistance groupin liberating one province at a time.
It’s hard to beat the immersive feeling of patrolling a rural village, hearing DJ Perico blast lambada from the radios, and seeing the dust blow across the dirt road.Ghost Recon Wildlandsis truly one of the best games to utilize South America as a setting.
1Tropico 6
Kalypso Entertainment
Tropico 6isa unique political city builder and dictator sim highly inspired by the Cold War era and South America in general.
Players will take on the role of El Presidente and can choose from a selection of island layouts as they look toestablish themselves as a self-sufficient city-state.
10 Best Political Games, Ranked
Many players think politics and video games don’t mix, but these games show that the two can coexist.
The game has tonnes of interesting mechanics, from its complex agriculture and resource management to solving political dilemmas and keeping various factions in balance.
The series has a unique sense of humorand also features some of the best Caribbean and Latin-inspired music you will hear in any game.
