Video games have taken players across vast landscapes and expansive worlds filled with fantastical creatures and imaginative stories. And while many games feature entirely original and often abstract worlds, many of them take inspiration from history and real-world places and eras. And out of all of the historical periods to borrow from, it seems that gaming’s most influential has been the Middle Ages.
But what is it about this antiquated slice of history that developers seem to love? Is it the visual appeal? The bevy of unique weaponry? Or is there something fantastical tucked away in medieval times?
Its Influence on Fantasy Worlds
The Middle Ages have long influenced fictional narratives and worlds, with famous authors like J.R.R. Tolkien and George R.R. Martin basing their worlds off of the period. The former’s world even influenced the creation of the incredibly popular table-top role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons, which itself has inspired countless other fictional worlds within films, books, and video games. Some of these video games that draw heavy inspiration include The Elder Scrolls series, Final Fantasy, and World of Warcraft, all of which have a very evident medieval appeal. Though inspired by external mediums, they, too, have influenced budding and established developers to craft their own historical worlds of swords and castles.
Why the Middle Ages?
Out of all of the periods in our timeline, what exactly makes the Middle Ages so special? For one, it was a very important time for Western civilizations. It bridged the gap between the world of antiquity and the modern age and served as the peak of cultural and technological advancement before the discovery of steam power or firearms.
The Middle Ages also serve as the basis for most fairy tales, which feature the age-old trope of a princess being saved by a knight in shining armor. People of all ages have become fond of these sorts of stories, and it’s understandable why: they feature a clear good guy, rescuing a damsel in distress from an obviously evil villain. Because of how straightforward they are, these stories manage to adapt themselves incredibly well to video games. Countless titles have followed the medieval fairy-tale trope, including classics such as The Legend of Zelda, King’s Quest, and, believe it or not, Super Mario Bros.
It Allows For More Imaginative Stories
Many video games often fall into classic storytelling tropes, and the Middle Ages are simply filled with the start of many pop-culture tropes out of all time periods. But outside of these, the Middle Ages are also one of the most imaginative of all times. With medieval fantasy as popular as it is, game developers are essentially able to get as creative as they’d like with these worlds.
Gaming franchises such as Final Fantasy, which initially started as a medieval fantasy, later evolved into something entirely different. Starting in Final Fantasy VII, the series took a step into uncharted territory by introducing science-fiction elements, setting it up to become something entirely new and unique. In its most recent installment, the Legend of Zelda series has also introduced some sci-fi elements in its games as well, with the introduction of mechanical creatures called Guardians in Breath of the Wild.
Overall, the Middle Ages have been an incredibly influential period for video games, with games continuing to play with the various tropes and traits associated with the historical era. More and more video games continue to draw inspiration from this era, and continue to prove that the Middle Ages show no sign of losing its popularity any time soon.
At Epoch XP, we specialize in creating compelling narratives and provide research to give your game the kind of details that engage your players and create a resonant world they want to spend time in. If you are interested in learning more about our gaming research services, you can browse Epoch XP’s service on our parent site, SJR Research.
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(This article is credited to Ben Price. For as long as he can remember, Ben has always loved playing, discussing, and writing about video games. Since receiving his B.A. in English, he now writes about them for a living.)