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Creating new "Myths and Legends"

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    Creating new "Myths and Legends"

    I am a big big big fan of the Castlevania series by Konami that has appeared on numerous different formats since the MSX in Japan and soon to be PS2 for the 128 bit update. There is a huge backstory involving this saga and their are numerous sites on the web praise the undead masterwork like "The Castlevania Dungeon" and "Castlevania Lore."

    If you have a look around at the gaming scene you can see numerous new stories, tales, myths and legends being reborn and born in digital form.

    From say Resident Evil and its dark story of science vs nature gone wrong to Castlevania's story of ambiguous good vs ambiguous evil to humanity.

    What's your favourite digital story arc?

    #2
    Okay. This looks like it's going to be a very interesting thread, but due to it's nature, it's potentially spoiler-a-rific if we're going to discuss important gaming storylines with no abandon.

    Therefore, Concept, (and others most probably), would very much appreciate spoiler markage for anything which may be of detailed significant threat to unknown gaming enjoyment.

    Thanks.

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      #3
      I've always enjoyed the Resident Evil universe, despite it being fairly basic at an elemental level - a few main characters, all somehow linked to one another; a giant, mostly faceless corporation conducting horrific experiments in secret locations. The focus is always on escape, with the (downbeat) suggestion that wherever you run, it won't be far enough - it's a conspiracy theorists game at heart

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        #4
        On the old forum I expressed a fondness for the tendency of Japanese gaming to be palimpsestic. Still using literary and cultural allusions in the traditional way to get across important themes ~ while Western gaming has seemingly lost touch with that approach in order to produce more 'accessible' titles with new and increasingly straight-forward concepts and ideals.

        Just an observation really, I'm not sure whether that theory would hold up under heavy scrutiny, but anyway... 'New legends'.

        Truth to tell, I've only played one Castlevania game properly (on the GBA), so I'm not the best judge - but yeah, I'm seeing a lot of traditional supernatural lore here - perpetuation and appreciation of the vampire myth that's been part of European life for centuries. An internal sequence of events gives it a life and history of it's own too.

        Resident Evil is a little more fringe though. I guess you could say Promethean / Shelleyan aspects, but to me it's self-referential on the whole, completely modern. It's 'legendary' in the minds of fans, maybe but does that necessarily imbue it with lasting cultural value* ?

        None of this matters if the game is fun, I guess ^^ - but it's something that concerns and interests me, how modern 'interpretations' of old stories and completely fictional fantasy can effect perceptions of the past and current notions of heroism and so on.

        Sorry, gone on a bit there... Interesting 'legendary' materials in recent games for me: Kessen, Shin Sangoku Musou (etc.), Battle Houshin ... The Suikoden series. Also of note on the other side, the Teutonic imagery to be found in Final Fantasy Tactics, Saga Frontier 2. In fact, I think Square have a special knack for creating whole worlds complete with their own mythologies strangely resonant with our own ...

        S.

        (* a copy of Resident Evil can be observed in a display in my local museum ... I guess it's a legitimate cultural artefact already)

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          #5
          Originally posted by Sieg
          Resident Evil is a little more fringe though. I guess you could say Promethean / Shelleyan aspects, but to me it's self-referential on the whole, completely modern. It's 'legendary' in the minds of fans, maybe but does that necessarily imbue it with lasting cultural value* ?
          That was kinda my point - that it's trying to create it's own mythology, albeit on a basic level - taking a lot of it's influences from B-movies; a modern mythology in itself.

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            #6
            The Skies of Arcadia universe for me is like a hybrid fusion of Laputa, Final Fantasy and Treasure Island.

            Anyone else want to see an animated film based on the game? It's originality and uniqueness has not been bettered since Final Fantasy VI on the SNES in my opinion.

            Square could be doing so much with their resources than churning out Final Fantasy clones again and again and again...

            Speaking of Square how does Kingdom Hearts hold up? I've actually heard very good things about it especially from younger gamers as the fantasy setting plus synergy of Disney IP creates a pleasing experience...

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