Video Games That Are Set in Kentucky

When we think of Kentucky, what typically comes to mind? For me, it’s horse racing, bourbon, basketball, and bluegrass music, and I bet it’s similar for most people. What we don’t think about are video games, and that’s fair. In the booming business of the video game industry, Kentucky certainly isn’t high on the list of popular locations to emulate, which are mainly reserved for major cities like Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and New York City. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any out there. Actually, there are a handful of video games that are set in Kentucky, and some of them are pretty well received. Let’s take a look.

Kentucky Route Zero
The most well-received video game set in Kentucky is Kentucky Route Zero, a point and click adventure game, which garnered high praise from well-established video game websites and won numerous awards, takes place along Interstate 65 and the Mammoth Cave National Park. Our story follows Conway, a truck driver, who is tasked with delivering antiques along Route Zero.

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Project Zomboid
An open-world, post-apocalyptic, zombie-infested game set in fictional Knox Country (after Knox County, after all), Kentucky, the locations in Project Zomboid are inspired heavily by the Louisville metropolitan area. The game, described as a “Zombie Survival RPG” from Project Zomboid, allows players to explore, scavenge for items, develop survival skills, and yes, flee and fight the hordes of zomboids infesting the world.

007 Legends and GoldenEye: Rogue Agent
Fort Knox, Kentucky is the home of the United States Bullion Depository, and has been used in numerous entertainment settings, including 007 movies and video games. In Golden Eye: Rogue Agent, the protagonist must stop an attack on Fort Knox, which, failing to do so, would result in a global economic catastrophe. In 007 Legends, James Bond uncovers a plan to irradiate the Gold Depository at Fort Knox and must stop the villain before it's too late!

The X-Files: Deep State
Assuming the role of a rookie FBI agent, the player in X-Files: Deep State is tasked with investigating cases in different locations. One of those cases finds our characters in Lexington, Kentucky. A virus has spread across the area and the players must find a cure before time runs out.