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Ever since George Orwell published his dystopian masterpiece in 1949 ArcheAge Time Card, people have compared it to the current state of national or international affairs. But in the always-connected, always-public world of 2013, perhaps the novel's themes hit closer to home than ever. We're living in a time of fierce debate over privacy concerns wholesale air max 270 red , an era where government and law enforcement argue for the right to GPS-track citizens without their knowledge. And like any form of art, video games are influenced by life.

During the PlayStation 4 event, Ubisoft and Sucker Punch gave the world a glimpse of their upcoming titles. And while there are clear differences between Watch Dogs and inFamous: Second Son, it's hard to ignore the overriding sense of paranoia and fear over a totalitarian state. Superheroes don't always wear a cape wholesale air max 270 white , and in the case of Aiden Pearce and Delsin Rowe, the rise of the anti-hero is a consequence of an oppressive regime.

The most recent gameplay demo provided by Ubisoft depicts protagonist Aiden Pearce as a sort of hacker-vigilante; roaming the streets of Chicago freely, eavesdropping on digital data to protect victims of crime. He's like Batman in a trench coat, a clearly vulnerable human with enough tech-smarts to outwit bumbling criminals. And much like Batman wholesale air max 270 black , some authorities are made uneasy by Pearce's presence, trying to apprehend him anytime he rears a masked face.

But it doesn't seem like petty street thugs are Pearce's main priority. This future version of Chicago is monitored and controlled by the Central Operating system (CtOS), a Big brother supercomputer keeping society placated -- or at the very least, pacified. Pearce's power resides in his ability to use the very technology meant to encumber revolt as a means of protest. He probably doesn't keep personal information on his Facebook account wholesale air max 270 cheap , either.

"You are not in control, " says inFamous: Second Son's Delsin Rowe, speaking into some type of surveillance monitor. The monitors are watched over by an authoritarian overseer, seemingly always watching wholesale air max 270 free shipping , looking to spot a perpetrator. Seven years after the events of inFamous 2, the world has changed. A government organization, the Department of Unified Protection, has labeled anyone with special abilities as "bio-terrorists. "

Unlike Aiden Pearce wholesale air max 270 china , Second Son's protagonist does have a super-power. After saving some kids from a burning bus wreck, he's suddenly able to transform into fiery smoke. Rowe's situation is resoundingly similar to the themes of nationalism and xenophobia explored in X-Men. Rowe is essentially a mutant, with the DUP taking on the role of enforcing a Mutant Control Act-like government mandate. But the big question is how this anti-hero will use his power, given the duality of previous infamous titles. To quote Orwell wholesale air max 270 shoes , "We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. "

Of course, there is a subtle irony in these two games -- published by corporate entities -- commenting on the ever-increasing lack of privacy in the world. Ubisoft has led the way in regards to always-on DRM, requiring anyone who wishes to play many of its titles to remain constantly monitored. And Sony, like so many giant corporations these days wholesale air max 270 , is tracking your every move online. They're watching your buying habits, working with Google to serve up ads, evaluating your interests to make sure games like inFamous will appeal to a core demographic.

A segment of society would say video games themselves are a form of mind control, keeping players distracted by virtual worlds instead of dealing with the very real issues happening around them. But in reality, games -- or any art -- always have the potential to make us think; to question our plot in life. Watch Dogs and infamous: Second Son are still too early in the process to figure out precisely what each is trying to say. But to the developers, and with apologies to Mr. Orwell: we'll be watching you.