INSPIRED BY THE SHOW
Games That Mirror Black Mirror
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Black Mirror—Netflix’s brilliant, unsettling series about the not-too-distant future—is a fantastic show that’s sure to unnerve you in entirely new ways with its dystopian view of technology.
All seasons have imagined a world where you can scroll through a video feed of everything you’ve ever experienced or talk to a deceased loved one using artificial intelligence—both with unintended results.
This off-kilter, thought-provoking approach to storytelling isn’t limited to the series. Like-minded mobile games can steep you in a similar experience. Here are three that resonate with the bleak, futuristic tales Black Mirror has spun.
Identity issues
The Black Mirror Episode: “White Bear” (Season 2, Episode 2)
Stripped of her memory, Victoria wakes up in an unfamiliar home. She can’t remember who she is or anything about the out-of-whack world she finds herself in. When she asks for help, no one acknowledges her. They just mindlessly film whatever’s happening around them—no matter how horrific—with their smartphones.
The Gaming Experience: Device 6
The unsettling premise of this episode is brought to life in the superb text-based adventure Device 6. Like “White Bear,” the game tells a twisted tale about identity, the illusion of choice and…well, we don’t want to spoil anything. You’ll have to find out for yourself.
Next-level horror
The Black Mirror Episode: “Playtest” (Season 3, Episode 2)
Would you volunteer to have a device implanted in you to test a new augmented-reality horror game—one that learns about your deepest, darkest fears by analyzing your thoughts? The story of Cooper in this Black Mirror episode may be brutal and difficult to watch, but it’s also profoundly haunting in the most satisfying way.
The Gaming Experience: dARk: Subject One
The short game dARk: Subject One delves into AR horror—without needing to be hard-wired into your brain. From a safe distance, you uncover a mystery experiment and relive terrifying encounters in a world that’s grafted onto the real one around you, just as Cooper did.
Surveillance shock
The Black Mirror Episode: “Shut Up and Dance” (Season 3, Episode 3)
A mysterious organization hacks an adolescent’s computer and blackmails him into doing whatever they ask—from delivering a package to a hotel to snapping a photo to...worse. Thank you, location-based services and instant messaging.
The Gaming Experience: Beholder
This game’s vision of a totalitarian surveillance state may not be as extreme as Black Mirror’s, but it still leaves you with the dreadful feeling that privacy is no more. As a caretaker, you’re tasked with spying on your neighbors for your own interests or the state’s. Information is power, and the right information in the wrong hands can lead to mayhem.
You can stream all episodes of Black Mirror on Netflix now. The stand-alone episodes can be viewed in any order, so dive right in. Whether you start with the new season or the earlier ones, prepare yourself for a delightfully disorienting ride.