Game developers love to create alternative historical experiences, with franchises like Resistance, Wolfenstein, and even juggernaut franchises like Call of Duty releasing titles that feature alternative timelines. Experiences like these that offer alternative takes on historical events and time periods are exciting as they allow the player to explore interesting “what-if” scenarios regarding some of the biggest historical events of all time. However, there are several pitfalls that can come with developing these kinds of games that game developers should be wary of.
To help, we’ve compiled a list of a few of these examples.
Concepts That Don’t Work
Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus is one of the best examples of how to properly pull off an alternative historical experience, as the game takes place in the 1960s, in a world where the Germans won World War II. Both its concept and execution are outstanding, thanks in part to the fact that it doesn’t feel like too outlandish of a concept. The world feared the Nazis and what might become if they wound up winning the war. Wolfenstien II takes this idea and makes it a reality, showing us what may have happened if history took a different turn.
But not every game featuring alternative takes on history handles its concepts quite as well. Some video games decide to be a bit more outlandish and out there, and while they can definitely be a lot of fun, these concepts don’t always land. One game that comes to mind is Stalin Vs. Martians, a strategy game created solely to mock and parody the strategy game genre and historical games. Featuring a wild story about Soviet Russia facing off against aliens from outer space, the game unfortunately just doesn’t work at all. Everything about Stalin Vs. Martians, from its terrible gameplay to its head-ache inducing graphics and music only hinder it, and as a result, the game was panned across the board by critics.
Extreme Leaps in Logic
Another major pitfall of many games that feature alternative takes on history is how some of them feature unique worlds that are under-explained or underdeveloped. The Resistance series for the PlayStation 3, which is set during an alternate 1950s in which aliens have invaded and conquered Earth, is one example of an alternative historical game with a fleshed-out world that amplifies the entertainment. The game’s world is explained very concisely and thoroughly to the player, and because of that, everything in the game feels realistic and logical.
One video game that fails in this area is Damnation, a game set in an alternate world where the internal combustion engine was never invented and where everything instead runs on steam. While the game’s universe and story don’t make a whole lot of sense, the fact that the gameplay featured in this title is also quite bad doesn’t help matters.
Heavy Research Is Still Required
Whether you’re developing a video game that’s historically accurate or one that’s an alternative take on it, heavy amounts of research are still required. Historical video games that lack proper research come off as mediocre and lazy or may even seem to exploit the historical period for more sales. But it’s understandable if your development team lacks the proper resources and funding in order to perform thorough research.
That’s where Epoch Xperience can help – here at Epoch Xperience, we can assist with any of your historical research needs and guarantee that you have the proper amount of research for your video games, whether it’s historically accurate or an alternative history experience. Don’t hesitate to contact us today.
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At Epoch Xperience, 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 Xperience’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.)