Breaking Bad is easilyone of the best TV seriesof the last decade, and while I may disagree with how some character arcs ended, it’s hard to call the show anything less than a masterpiece.
Surprisingly,there isn’t a video game adaptationof the show, so you have to think outside the box to get your fix of meth-slinging madness.
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Rock, Flag, and Eagle!
Honestly, there aren’t many games that offer a 1:1 Breaking Bad experience, probably owing to the drugs, but there are a few you’ll likely enjoy.
Whether you want to play as anegotistical chemical mastermindor see yourself more like Hank as he tries to take down Heisenberg, I’ve got a selection of games for you to check out.
I’ve tried to include a decent range of genres, and I’ve included several multiplayer options so you can create a crystal empire with your fellow chemists.
An Unrivaled Criminal Co-Op Experience
Payday 2is a classicco-op shooterand heist game with hundreds of hours of content. It also hasa meth-cooking mission, earning it a special place on the list.
If you’ve never played it before,Payday 2is afirst-person shooterwhere going guns blazing may not always be the best option. There aredozens of heiststo tackle and countless ways to approach them.
Cook Off, in particular, is a thrilling mission where you attempt to cook and secure bags of meth without blowing up the lab. The gameplay loop ofPayday 2isincredibly addictive, as you’re consistently earning a steady stream of rewards.
I do not recommendPayday 3because any fan of the series (myself included) will tell you there’s far more content in its predecessor.
7Grand Theft Auto V
Come Get Your Shark Cards
Grand Theft Auto 5
No other game series offers criminal life in the same scope asGrand Theft Auto V. Honestly, you could make a case for anyGTAgame to make the list, butGTA Vis the newest, withunrivaled online features.
GTA Vis so massiveit’s hard to know where to begin.The storyfollows the story of Franklin, a small-time offender. At least, that’s before he meets Michael and Trevor, who are both hardened criminals.
you may eventually assume control of any member of the trio whenever you like, and there arecountless side activitiesto immerse yourself in. If you getGTA V, you also get access toGTA Online, which is deep enough tospend thousands of hours in.
6Drug Dealer Simulator
On The Nose
Drug Dealer Simulator
Until very recently,Drug Dealer Simulatorwas arguably one of the best ways to get your Breaking Bad fix. As the name implies, you’re a drug dealer, and your goal is toexpand your empireand reel more clients in.
Like the products you’re selling, theDrug Dealer Simulatorgameplay loop isaddictive and rewarding. It does get a little repetitive after a while, but I daresay it lands the title incozy game territory.
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You canexperiment with mixing products, and the game is far better than it has any right to be, much like many titles with ‘Simulator’ in the name.
At the time of writing, the developers ofDrug Dealer Simulatorhave drawn ire from gamers aboutpotential legal actionconcerning another game on this list,Schedule I. The law and copyright infringements aren’t my area of expertise, but it explains the reviews on Steam.
5L.A. Noire
Look At Me, I Am The DEA Now
Most games on this list put you in the shoes of a criminal, but we all knowthe real hero on Breaking Bad was Hank. He’s always one step behind in the show, but maybe you can succeed where he failed.
L.A. Noireis abrilliant detective gameby Rockstar before they focused solely on Grand Theft Auto. You play Cole Phelps, a promising police officer, as he takes on crime across the city.
The game makes the list for its unforgettabledetective sceneswhere you mustdetermine if your suspect is lyingand secure those convictions. In the series, Gustavo Fring pulled the wool over Hanks’s eyes multiple times.
Are you going to let the criminal underworld do the same to you?
One Of The Best Games Of The Generation
Red Dead Redemption 2
Rockstar’s masterpieceRed Dead Redemption 2may bethematically different from Breaking Badbeing a Western, but the story hits many similar beats.
Without diving too deeply into spoilers, you play Arthur, who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty under the guise that it’sfor the ‘greater good.’
His character arc is quite similar to Walt’s, and the story is told so well that it comfortably holds up alongside other forms of media.
You’re never above the law inRDR2, andthe world is so immersivethat many titles in the genre look and feel inferior in comparison. If you’re open to a game that hits similar story beats, but in 1899,RDR2is a must-play.
3Saints Row 2
Rule The Streets
Saints Row 2
Few video game series are brave enough to flip the script between titles quite likeSaints Row.Two is my favorite, hence the recommendation, but you can get your open-world criminal fix from every game in the series. SR4 even has aliens!
Saints Row 2is asuperb open-world adventure gamefeaturing all things crime-related, from gang warfare to drug trafficking. The latter is afleshed-out side activity, challenging you to protect your dealers as they sell products to clients.
The latest game, simply calledSaints Row, has someunsubtle references to Breaking Bad, including a meth lab masquerading as an RV in an area called Cranston. In my opinion,SR2beats it in many respects, but it may be worth checking out.
Crime For Thinkers
Key Information
Management/Strategy
Release Date
November 2019
Basementis a wonderfullyunique management simulatorwhere you develop a mighty drug empire from the cozy confines of your basement. It’s alsounabashedly inspired by Breaking Bad.
The title is mechanically simple, but there’s plenty of room to strategize as you develop your subterranean drug den. You mustemploy staff to cover all aspects of your deals, including chemists, and even security to protect your dealers.
You start as a lowly weed dealer but quickly advance to harder stuff, including meth.Basementis pretty basic compared to many management simulators, making it a surprisingly decent entry point to the genre.
I recommend playing the Sandbox mode first, asthe Story has a few brutal difficulty spikes.
1Schedule I
You Saw This One Coming
Schedule I
Schedule Ibecame aviral sensation overnightin March, boasting a player count some AAA games can only dream of. It’s also arguablythe closest you’ll get to a Breaking Bad game.
You play as a drug dealer in arags-to-richesstyle arrangement. You start slinging Kush from a musty old Motel room.
If you persevere, look after your clients, and play your cards right, you willemerge from your humble beginningswith more money than you know how to spend.
Progression is rewarding inSchedule I, and you’re able to enjoy the game at your own pace. Mixing drugs with random ingredients to make new products is much more fun than it should be, and you can evenname your finest creationsand sell them on the street.
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