The Gothic aesthetic has long been prevalent in popular culture, so it should be no surprise that many a video game has taken inspiration or payed homage to the form. So much so, in fact, that it is the subject of this tome from prolific White Owl-published author, Chris Carton, proving once and for all that it was never just a phase and you just don't understand, mam!
The first chapter of this 160 plus page volume begins with the Ghosts 'n Goblins series, and if you're going to fuse the ideas of gothic video games and crushing difficulty, there is no finer place to start. A smattering of similar titles receive their due attention before we hit the colossus that is the Castlevania series, and I say this as someone who still has a smidge of respect for the N64's first entry, despite the nightmare of that camera set up. They were young. They were learning.
Moving on, chapter 3 takes on the likes of The Legacy of Kain, Severance: Blade of Darkness, the MediEvil series and, my personal favourite, Shadow Man... the first one, not 2econd Coming (what were they thinking with that title???). Oh, and American McGee's fantastic takes on the Alice in Wonderland tales.
From there, the book just gets better as Resident Evil, Baldur's Gate, the Gothic series and, because it wouldn't be right without them, FromSoftware's sublime creations. That's just the limited highlights from this book and there is much more to entertain and inform. Once again, the author demonstrates his knowledge of the subject as well as a critical eye where necessary, as he guides the reader through some of the best games of their type - and yes, I will bang on about Shadow Man because it's a classic, even if it does take a while to get going.
The layout is clear, text is well spaced, and there are many, many screenshots. I have to say that whilst a few may appear a tad rough to some eyes, there is something about mid to late 90's 3D graphics tech that appeals to me.
As yet another entrant in the Carton-verse, The History of the Gothic Video Games is a gloriously illustrated and well written deep dive in to some of the most involving and atmospheric video games ever to grace computers and consoles. Even just flicking through now reminds me that I've played about a third of the titles covered here, and now I've a good dozen more that are on my "to play" list, so be wary of that potential danger to your spare time!
Even if you wouldn't consider yourself a fan of the gothic aesthetic or culture, it would be remiss of you not to check out this fine book. Chances are you will have played at least a handful of the games featured, and you'll learn a bit more about how vibrant and expressive the culture of video games can be.
You can pick up a copy from the usual online and physical bookstores, or get it direct from the publisher here. You can also follow the author on X @chriscarton89
No comments:
Post a Comment