Surveillance Games + Dystopian Fiction

When pandemic conditions started getting too isolating, a group of lawyers, policymakers, and artists played games that explored the effects of pervasive surveillance. And when politics started getting to real, we read fiction that could guide us toward a better future.

Surveillance Game Club

APRIL
AlethiCorp by Simon Christiansen (web, free)

MAY
Papers, Please by Lucas Pope (PC, $9.99)

JUNE
Beholder by Warm Lamp Games (PC/mobile, currently $1.99)

JULY
Orwell by Osmotic Studios (PC, $9.99)

AUGUST
Replica by Somi (PC/mobile, $2.99)

Note: PC games can be purchased through Steam; mobile games can be purchased through the Apple App Store and GooglePlay; web games can be accessed through your friendly web browser. The total cost is $24.96.

Dystopian Book Group

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
Bonus: There's a sequel!

Children of Men by P.D. James
Bonus: There's a film!

A Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Bonus: There's a TV series! And a sequel!

V for Vendetta by Alan Moore
Bonus: There's a film!
Optional: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (There’s a TV miniseries!)

1984 by George Orwell
"Bonus:" There's a film!
Optional: We by Yevgeny Zamyatin

Note: All purchase links are to independent bookstores across the US.