Some games have incredible settings that hook people in from the get-go, and a school setting is surprisingly riveting in this department. If Harry Potter has proven anything, it's that people love to see students tackle adversity while trying to educate themselves.
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This is why games that take place inside a school are so much fun. Titles that execute this concept well end up being unforgettable experiences, whether they be fun adventure titles or action-packed experiences that feature a heavy dose of learning.
Corpse Party
Students Are Transported To A Cursed Elementary School Full Of Murderous Ghosts
Corpse Party (2021)
- Released
- October 20, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Corpse Party is a great horror adventure game that kick-started a series of its own. After a group of high schoolers conduct a friendship ritual, they are transported to an alternate dimension where they must struggle to survive in the haunted Heavenly Host elementary school.
The game is very disturbing, and players should observe the game's content warnings before getting into the experience. The audio is chilling, the writing conveys the game's nightmarish vibes in no time, and the characters (while clichéd in some ways) are endearing enough that players would want them to survive this horrific ordeal.
Detention
A Taiwanese Horror Game Where Two Students Find Themselves Trapped In A Remote School
Detention
- Released
- January 12, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Horror
Red Candle Games is known for the controversial Devotion and brilliant Nine Sols, but long-time fans know of this developer courtesy of their work on Detention, an underappreciated horror game that deserves more love. Students Wei and Rey find themselves trapped in Greenwood High School, where evil creatures known as the lingered hunt them down.
Players must escape these monsters at all costs while making progress in the story, unveiling a chilling mystery surrounding this school. This oppressive atmosphere ensures that players will be immersed in this nightmarish horror game that's in a class of its own.
Bully
Bullworth Academy Is A Joy To Explore
Bully
- Released
- October 17, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Crude Humor, Language, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Sandbox
A Rockstar game set in a boarding school was bound to attract controversy, but Bully is so much more than what the media made it out to be. Jimmy Hopkins hates the idea of moving to a new school, and things get worse for him when a student pretending to be his friend ends up making a fool out of him in an effort to become popular.
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Jimmy must salvage his reputation by winning over the trust of Bullworth Academy's major cliques before eventually getting his hands on Gary. It helps that Bullworth Academy is a very immersive environment, with players getting to hang around in the town of Bullworth too, after a point in the story.
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
The Gifted Students Of Hope's Peak Academy Find Themselves Trapped In A Killing Game
DanganRonpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
- Released
- November 25, 2010
- ESRB
- m // Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Spike
- Genre(s)
- Visual Novel, Adventure
Danganronpa has one of the wildest settings in a video game that fans will either love or hate. In the first game, the promising students of Hope's Peak Academy are forced to participate in a killing game. Each student is an Ultimate master of something that makes the game's cases pretty interesting.
As Makoto Naegi, players must solve a myriad of cases and figure out the mystery surrounding the events of Danganronpa. It's arguably the wildest use of a school setting in a video game, and fans who enjoy the over-the-top nature of Danganronpa will love that the sequels are even crazier, somehow.
Hogwarts Legacy
The Scottish Highlands Can Also Be Explored, But There's A Greater Focus On Hogwarts
Hogwarts Legacy
- Released
- February 10, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
Sure, the Scottish Highlands are a huge part of Hogwarts Legacy, but there's no denying that the bulk of the game's content (and its strengths) is based in Hogwarts itself. This school has been recreated faithfully and is a joy to navigate as players control a fifth-year with the power to wield Ancient Magic.
In a bid to fulfil the prophecy, players will slowly learn a bunch of spells and eventually be able to take on ogres and powerful Death Eaters in combat. The magical battles are a highlight of the game, and fans are hoping that the sequel immerses players into the act of role-playing as a student more than ever before.
Life Is Strange
The Majority Of The Game's Pivotal Events Take Place In Blackwell Academy
Life is Strange
- Released
- January 30, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
Life is Strange may take place in many locations in Arcadia, but it becomes clear from the get-go that Blackwell Academy will serve as the staging ground for many of the game's plot points. This is hammered in from the very start, when Max discovers her powers to rewind time, allowing her to save a student from getting shot in the bathroom.
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The plot is a rollercoaster ride from this very moment, letting players enjoy an epic story that serves up a devastating choice at the conclusion. The power to rewind time, coupled with the game's many engaging characters, ensures that players will have a blast with what Life is Strange brings to the table.
Hatoful Boyfriend
St. PigeoNation's Institute Serves As The Setting For One Of The Weirdest Visual Novels Of All Time
Hatoful Boyfriend
- Released
- August 14, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language
- Genre(s)
- Visual Novel
Hatoful Boyfriend is already a weird game from the moment it starts. Players take on the role of the only human student in St. PigeoNation's Institute, a school full of sentient pigeons who are as charming and hilarious as they come.
As wonderfully weird as this game may seem at first, the plot takes a wild turn with the Bad Boys Love mode, which introduces some wild plot revelations that enhance the title's entertainment value. Hatoful Boyfriend is easily the weirdest dating sim of all time and a game that people fond of bizarre experiences need to check out.
Two Point Campus
Players Are Tasked With Building And Managing A University Campus
Two Point Campus
- Released
- August 9, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Crude Humor, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
After the hit success of the RollerCoaster Tycoon-coded Two Point Hospital, the developers wasted no time in developing a sequel. This time, players were tasked with managing a university campus and ensuring that it attracted a ton of students by offering a bevy of wild courses.
This premise made Two Point Campus a joy to play through as players ensured that numerous university campuses in the game would reach the coveted three-star rating with their efforts. Placing the foundation for a successful school and seeing the money flow in makes for a great time, and makes Two Point Campus perfect for fans of management simulators.
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