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Magical realism. The very term implies a thought we would all associate with games, on some level or to a certain degree. But don’t be deceived by appearances. Magical realism is something that I believe has not been exploited by developers thus far, and in my opinion, the complex tapestry of history is a potential goldmine of ready-made scenarios rich with variety and ingenuity.
Let me fill you in on my interaction with the term itself. As part of my English Literature A-Level, I was obliged to study a novel by Louis de Bernieres that some of you may have seen the big screen adaptation of, ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’. For those of you that don’t have a clue what I’m on about, let me fill you in. ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’ tells the story of an Italian soldier during the Second World War who is sent to a small Greek island of Cephallonia, where he is ostracised by locals but falls in love with one of them. Awww. Anyway, unnecessary tangent - must move on.
The story of Captain Corelli didn’t actually happen. He is just a figment of de Bernieres’ vivid imagination, but the backdrop, that of small scale invasion during the war, did. Essentially, magical realism is the technique of creating a fictional scenario against something that actually happened, whether it be a major world event or someone finding 10p on the floor. Ostensibly, you’re creating fiction using fact. Taking a real life event and building a coherent storyline around has increasingly become the staple diet for film directors, with Titanic and Pearl Harbour notable examples.
You could argue that this is because film writers and directors are running out of new ideas. Indeed, you could argue that this is true of game developers, as both mediums of entertainment are becoming saturated with the same old, same old. As film directors adapt, why can’t games? If anything, games could employ the technique to much greater effect, as rather than watch the events on a screen, you could control them.
The game that has employed this technique most effectively is probably the Medal of Honour series, placing the player in the more than capable shoes of Jimmy Patterson, as you complete various missions, fictional but placed against a real life backdrop. To enhance the experience, real excerpts of war footage was played. To me this is the finest example of the technique being applied to great effect, but the WW2 scenario is hardly new, with countless games using the fact as a drawing board on which to create a game – one of the first FPS, Castle Wolfenstein, no less.
The opportunity for creative licence is vast – just imagine, strategy games, first person shoot ‘em ups, third person adventure games, in any era of history – control the Romans as they conquer Europe, battle in the great Egyptian sands of the Pharaohs, how about a medieval FPS complete with rotting apples and a homemade bow and arrow? Like I said, the background is already there, why not create some inventive scenarios to complement? Hey, you might even learn a thing or two about history – great for when your trying to convince mum and dad to get you the latest console, so finally the ‘I can use it for homework’ excuse can get some much needed credence. :D
It could be said that many games he used this idea to an extent already, but I don’t believe the use of magical realism ahs been developed extensively enough, and as I alluded to earlier, there is some great source material waiting to be untapped. But as with every coin, there are two sides. Pluses are evident – the allure of playing a game based on certain time periods is very interesting. On the down side, as with films that often employ that technique, critics can point to the fact that you ‘already know the outcome’, pertaining to a certain time period, such as if you are trying to win the Battle of Hastings or something. But I say, why not market the game with a tagline like ‘you can change the course of history’. Sounds appealing, no?
To often in games nowadays we are being fed the same formulaic stuff. Let’s face it, new genres are not going to be invented, but existing ones can be improved. Rather than constantly look to the future, why not refer to our past? Major time periods, real world events etc can, if done in the right manner, bring us some visceral, entertaining games, especially if a coherent, realistic storyline can be woven in somehow. Thus, we combine elements - the fact of history with the fantastical of games. How is this done? Something they call magical realism.
Thanks for reading, Russ
Let me fill you in on my interaction with the term itself. As part of my English Literature A-Level, I was obliged to study a novel by Louis de Bernieres that some of you may have seen the big screen adaptation of, ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’. For those of you that don’t have a clue what I’m on about, let me fill you in. ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’ tells the story of an Italian soldier during the Second World War who is sent to a small Greek island of Cephallonia, where he is ostracised by locals but falls in love with one of them. Awww. Anyway, unnecessary tangent - must move on.
The story of Captain Corelli didn’t actually happen. He is just a figment of de Bernieres’ vivid imagination, but the backdrop, that of small scale invasion during the war, did. Essentially, magical realism is the technique of creating a fictional scenario against something that actually happened, whether it be a major world event or someone finding 10p on the floor. Ostensibly, you’re creating fiction using fact. Taking a real life event and building a coherent storyline around has increasingly become the staple diet for film directors, with Titanic and Pearl Harbour notable examples.
You could argue that this is because film writers and directors are running out of new ideas. Indeed, you could argue that this is true of game developers, as both mediums of entertainment are becoming saturated with the same old, same old. As film directors adapt, why can’t games? If anything, games could employ the technique to much greater effect, as rather than watch the events on a screen, you could control them.
The game that has employed this technique most effectively is probably the Medal of Honour series, placing the player in the more than capable shoes of Jimmy Patterson, as you complete various missions, fictional but placed against a real life backdrop. To enhance the experience, real excerpts of war footage was played. To me this is the finest example of the technique being applied to great effect, but the WW2 scenario is hardly new, with countless games using the fact as a drawing board on which to create a game – one of the first FPS, Castle Wolfenstein, no less.
The opportunity for creative licence is vast – just imagine, strategy games, first person shoot ‘em ups, third person adventure games, in any era of history – control the Romans as they conquer Europe, battle in the great Egyptian sands of the Pharaohs, how about a medieval FPS complete with rotting apples and a homemade bow and arrow? Like I said, the background is already there, why not create some inventive scenarios to complement? Hey, you might even learn a thing or two about history – great for when your trying to convince mum and dad to get you the latest console, so finally the ‘I can use it for homework’ excuse can get some much needed credence. :D
It could be said that many games he used this idea to an extent already, but I don’t believe the use of magical realism ahs been developed extensively enough, and as I alluded to earlier, there is some great source material waiting to be untapped. But as with every coin, there are two sides. Pluses are evident – the allure of playing a game based on certain time periods is very interesting. On the down side, as with films that often employ that technique, critics can point to the fact that you ‘already know the outcome’, pertaining to a certain time period, such as if you are trying to win the Battle of Hastings or something. But I say, why not market the game with a tagline like ‘you can change the course of history’. Sounds appealing, no?
To often in games nowadays we are being fed the same formulaic stuff. Let’s face it, new genres are not going to be invented, but existing ones can be improved. Rather than constantly look to the future, why not refer to our past? Major time periods, real world events etc can, if done in the right manner, bring us some visceral, entertaining games, especially if a coherent, realistic storyline can be woven in somehow. Thus, we combine elements - the fact of history with the fantastical of games. How is this done? Something they call magical realism.
Thanks for reading, Russ
I really liked that film the Moth man Prophecies and if I know that bridge broke in real life but if the whole moth man thing is true aswell then honest to god i'm never leaving my house after 6:00pm lol Anyway great post and I hope your A-Levels went well :D
I personally wish for developers to invent new worlds rather than use scenes from our own. It inspires the gamer and intensifies the gaming experience. To see things you'll probably never see, a new story unfolded on a screen you've never heard of.
I prefer fantasy (not necessarily sci-fi or Orcs, just fantasy) rather than reality.
But a pretty good post there, I'm (as always) impressed. :)
I prefer fantasy (not necessarily sci-fi or Orcs, just fantasy) rather than reality.
But a pretty good post there, I'm (as always) impressed. :)
Thanks for the replies.
Unknown kernel, criticism is welcome when constructive. To be totally honest myself my knowledge of the term isn't extensive, I encountered it only last year and in the context I mentioned, but I seem to have missed the real meaning of it. I wasn't applying it to its fullest - think of it as a 'diluted' version of it, because the concept is essentially similar. Damn English teachers.
If my application of the term is a little misleading, I would still say the substance behind the post is still most valid. The examples you mention, Nomad Soul, are just a few that can be exploited. Being able to suspend your disbelief is what makes games so special, and why we play them. With magical realism as you define it that can be nurtured further. I know I'd rather play something like that than another anodyne FPS or something.
Unknown kernel, criticism is welcome when constructive. To be totally honest myself my knowledge of the term isn't extensive, I encountered it only last year and in the context I mentioned, but I seem to have missed the real meaning of it. I wasn't applying it to its fullest - think of it as a 'diluted' version of it, because the concept is essentially similar. Damn English teachers.
If my application of the term is a little misleading, I would still say the substance behind the post is still most valid. The examples you mention, Nomad Soul, are just a few that can be exploited. Being able to suspend your disbelief is what makes games so special, and why we play them. With magical realism as you define it that can be nurtured further. I know I'd rather play something like that than another anodyne FPS or something.
Good post.
History does seem a rich source for games at the moment. I'm not sure, though, that magical realism is an accurate term for that sort of title. The literary genre of magical realism isn't really about fictional stories played out against real-life backgrounds (that would cover almost any book ever written) but rather a mixture of the mundane, and the fantastic or mythical. The most famous writers of magical realism are South American: Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Jorge Luis Borges. They wrote about places and people that distorted reality: an infinite library; a man with a perfect memory; a condemned prisoner composing an entire opera between the time the firing squad fired, and the moment their bullets killed him.
Captain Correlli's Mandolin doesn't really fit that model. It's more of an historical romance. Similarly the games you mention are, on the whole, quite conventional - just set in the past. To me, a game that is 'magically real' needs to bend the rules a little without becoming totally unbelievable. A good example would be the N64 versions of Zelda where you had a consistent universe (running, jumping, firing catapults) coupled with more magical moments: doors that opened when you lit a succession of torches; an owl that flew you down a mountain; and so on. Or there is the castle in Ico: a location that is both very logical and deeply mysterious. I think that is the essence of magic realism in games - making you both believe and suspend your disbelief.
This might seem like I'm trying to shoot your post to pieces, but I'm not. It's the first topic on here in ages that has made me think, so I thought I'd reply honestly. Again, great topic.
History does seem a rich source for games at the moment. I'm not sure, though, that magical realism is an accurate term for that sort of title. The literary genre of magical realism isn't really about fictional stories played out against real-life backgrounds (that would cover almost any book ever written) but rather a mixture of the mundane, and the fantastic or mythical. The most famous writers of magical realism are South American: Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Jorge Luis Borges. They wrote about places and people that distorted reality: an infinite library; a man with a perfect memory; a condemned prisoner composing an entire opera between the time the firing squad fired, and the moment their bullets killed him.
Captain Correlli's Mandolin doesn't really fit that model. It's more of an historical romance. Similarly the games you mention are, on the whole, quite conventional - just set in the past. To me, a game that is 'magically real' needs to bend the rules a little without becoming totally unbelievable. A good example would be the N64 versions of Zelda where you had a consistent universe (running, jumping, firing catapults) coupled with more magical moments: doors that opened when you lit a succession of torches; an owl that flew you down a mountain; and so on. Or there is the castle in Ico: a location that is both very logical and deeply mysterious. I think that is the essence of magic realism in games - making you both believe and suspend your disbelief.
This might seem like I'm trying to shoot your post to pieces, but I'm not. It's the first topic on here in ages that has made me think, so I thought I'd reply honestly. Again, great topic.
It would be good to be placed into more subtle and mysterious scenarios as well like -(thinking)- perhaps the hunt for Jack The Ripper: you know, the foggy backstreets of London Town etc, or at Roswell, New Mexico, at the time of the (alleged) flying saucer crash.
Great post.
Great post.
A good post there, RM.
Magical realism. The very term implies a thought we would all associate with games, on some level or to a certain degree. But don’t be deceived by appearances. Magical realism is something that I believe has not been exploited by developers thus far, and in my opinion, the complex tapestry of history is a potential goldmine of ready-made scenarios rich with variety and ingenuity.
Let me fill you in on my interaction with the term itself. As part of my English Literature A-Level, I was obliged to study a novel by Louis de Bernieres that some of you may have seen the big screen adaptation of, ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’. For those of you that don’t have a clue what I’m on about, let me fill you in. ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’ tells the story of an Italian soldier during the Second World War who is sent to a small Greek island of Cephallonia, where he is ostracised by locals but falls in love with one of them. Awww. Anyway, unnecessary tangent - must move on.
The story of Captain Corelli didn’t actually happen. He is just a figment of de Bernieres’ vivid imagination, but the backdrop, that of small scale invasion during the war, did. Essentially, magical realism is the technique of creating a fictional scenario against something that actually happened, whether it be a major world event or someone finding 10p on the floor. Ostensibly, you’re creating fiction using fact. Taking a real life event and building a coherent storyline around has increasingly become the staple diet for film directors, with Titanic and Pearl Harbour notable examples.
You could argue that this is because film writers and directors are running out of new ideas. Indeed, you could argue that this is true of game developers, as both mediums of entertainment are becoming saturated with the same old, same old. As film directors adapt, why can’t games? If anything, games could employ the technique to much greater effect, as rather than watch the events on a screen, you could control them.
The game that has employed this technique most effectively is probably the Medal of Honour series, placing the player in the more than capable shoes of Jimmy Patterson, as you complete various missions, fictional but placed against a real life backdrop. To enhance the experience, real excerpts of war footage was played. To me this is the finest example of the technique being applied to great effect, but the WW2 scenario is hardly new, with countless games using the fact as a drawing board on which to create a game – one of the first FPS, Castle Wolfenstein, no less.
The opportunity for creative licence is vast – just imagine, strategy games, first person shoot ‘em ups, third person adventure games, in any era of history – control the Romans as they conquer Europe, battle in the great Egyptian sands of the Pharaohs, how about a medieval FPS complete with rotting apples and a homemade bow and arrow? Like I said, the background is already there, why not create some inventive scenarios to complement? Hey, you might even learn a thing or two about history – great for when your trying to convince mum and dad to get you the latest console, so finally the ‘I can use it for homework’ excuse can get some much needed credence. :D
It could be said that many games he used this idea to an extent already, but I don’t believe the use of magical realism ahs been developed extensively enough, and as I alluded to earlier, there is some great source material waiting to be untapped. But as with every coin, there are two sides. Pluses are evident – the allure of playing a game based on certain time periods is very interesting. On the down side, as with films that often employ that technique, critics can point to the fact that you ‘already know the outcome’, pertaining to a certain time period, such as if you are trying to win the Battle of Hastings or something. But I say, why not market the game with a tagline like ‘you can change the course of history’. Sounds appealing, no?
To often in games nowadays we are being fed the same formulaic stuff. Let’s face it, new genres are not going to be invented, but existing ones can be improved. Rather than constantly look to the future, why not refer to our past? Major time periods, real world events etc can, if done in the right manner, bring us some visceral, entertaining games, especially if a coherent, realistic storyline can be woven in somehow. Thus, we combine elements - the fact of history with the fantastical of games. How is this done? Something they call magical realism.
Thanks for reading, Russ
Let me fill you in on my interaction with the term itself. As part of my English Literature A-Level, I was obliged to study a novel by Louis de Bernieres that some of you may have seen the big screen adaptation of, ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’. For those of you that don’t have a clue what I’m on about, let me fill you in. ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’ tells the story of an Italian soldier during the Second World War who is sent to a small Greek island of Cephallonia, where he is ostracised by locals but falls in love with one of them. Awww. Anyway, unnecessary tangent - must move on.
The story of Captain Corelli didn’t actually happen. He is just a figment of de Bernieres’ vivid imagination, but the backdrop, that of small scale invasion during the war, did. Essentially, magical realism is the technique of creating a fictional scenario against something that actually happened, whether it be a major world event or someone finding 10p on the floor. Ostensibly, you’re creating fiction using fact. Taking a real life event and building a coherent storyline around has increasingly become the staple diet for film directors, with Titanic and Pearl Harbour notable examples.
You could argue that this is because film writers and directors are running out of new ideas. Indeed, you could argue that this is true of game developers, as both mediums of entertainment are becoming saturated with the same old, same old. As film directors adapt, why can’t games? If anything, games could employ the technique to much greater effect, as rather than watch the events on a screen, you could control them.
The game that has employed this technique most effectively is probably the Medal of Honour series, placing the player in the more than capable shoes of Jimmy Patterson, as you complete various missions, fictional but placed against a real life backdrop. To enhance the experience, real excerpts of war footage was played. To me this is the finest example of the technique being applied to great effect, but the WW2 scenario is hardly new, with countless games using the fact as a drawing board on which to create a game – one of the first FPS, Castle Wolfenstein, no less.
The opportunity for creative licence is vast – just imagine, strategy games, first person shoot ‘em ups, third person adventure games, in any era of history – control the Romans as they conquer Europe, battle in the great Egyptian sands of the Pharaohs, how about a medieval FPS complete with rotting apples and a homemade bow and arrow? Like I said, the background is already there, why not create some inventive scenarios to complement? Hey, you might even learn a thing or two about history – great for when your trying to convince mum and dad to get you the latest console, so finally the ‘I can use it for homework’ excuse can get some much needed credence. :D
It could be said that many games he used this idea to an extent already, but I don’t believe the use of magical realism ahs been developed extensively enough, and as I alluded to earlier, there is some great source material waiting to be untapped. But as with every coin, there are two sides. Pluses are evident – the allure of playing a game based on certain time periods is very interesting. On the down side, as with films that often employ that technique, critics can point to the fact that you ‘already know the outcome’, pertaining to a certain time period, such as if you are trying to win the Battle of Hastings or something. But I say, why not market the game with a tagline like ‘you can change the course of history’. Sounds appealing, no?
To often in games nowadays we are being fed the same formulaic stuff. Let’s face it, new genres are not going to be invented, but existing ones can be improved. Rather than constantly look to the future, why not refer to our past? Major time periods, real world events etc can, if done in the right manner, bring us some visceral, entertaining games, especially if a coherent, realistic storyline can be woven in somehow. Thus, we combine elements - the fact of history with the fantastical of games. How is this done? Something they call magical realism.
Thanks for reading, Russ