The Analysis of Steampunk Elements in Various Video Games

2452 Words5 Pages

Since its emerge as a genre of science fiction in the 1980s steampunk has transformed into a sub-culture with developing fan communities all around the world. Its distinctive features based on Victorian fashions, recreation of this fashion with modern tools and equipment, and solving modern day’s problems with steam powered, bronze coated unrealistic machinery. (Ferguson 66). Although the elements that created steampunk were mainly based on fashion, Rebecca Onion expanded this idea by claiming most steampunk works based on aestheticism, and a relationship of visuality between retro-Victorian style and contemporary technology (Onion 138). This relationship between style and technology helped creating a unique connection for popular entertainment of today and became intriguing for the generations of modern age. As one of the most popular ways of entertainment, video games were the most suitable choose for answering public demands and steampunk games started to be published by game developers. The children of the modern age showed their interests almost immediately and steampunk themed video games became one of the most loved genre for video game enthusiasts.

Game developers first started to work on steampunk games as early as 1985. The game called The Eidolon were published in December 1985 by Lucasfilm Games. As a prototype it did not provide fully created steampunk world as gamer are familiar today. But it opened the way for further development in the industry. The game started with player’s discovery of the Eidolon, a Victorian era machinery, in an abandoned lab. As player investigated, he accidently teleported to another dimension because of the malfunction in the machine. The energy emitted from the Eidolon awoke the creature...

... middle of paper ...

...C Reviews." Metacritic.com, 2014. Web. 6 Jan 2014. .
Official Xbox Magazine. "Review: Bioshock." Oxm.co.uk, 2007. Web. 6 Jan 2014. .
Olafson, Peter. "The Angry Red Planet." Computer Gaming World 1991: Print.
Onion, Rebecca. "Reclaiming the Machine: An Introductory Look at Steampunk in Everyday Practice." Neo-Victorian Studies, 1. 1 (2014): 138-163. Web.http://www.d.umn.edu/~csigler/PDF%20files/NVS%201-1%20R-Onion.pdf.
Rpgnet. "Review of Space 1889." Rpg.net, 2004. Web. 6 Jan 2014. .
Thompson, Michael. "The memories of our future: Steampunk in gaming." Ars Technica, 2008. Web. 5 Jan 2014. .
Williams, Gregg. "Atari Playfield." Computer Gaming World 1986: 1. Print.

Open Document