romanticism in video games
TRANSCRIPT
Themes
There are several themes that appear in Romanticism:
- The rejection of the rational and material.
- An emphasis on imagination over reason, sense over intellect.
- The importance of the individual's inner self and personality.
- A deep apriciation of nature.
- A longing for a simpler life.
- An obsession with the exotic, the mysterious, the weird, the pathetic, and monstrous and supernatural.
- A focus on the genius, hero or exceptional figure and his/her inner struggles and their ability to raise society with their personal gifts.
An emphasis on imagination over reason, sense over intellect.
Examples:
- Gravity Rush (2012),
- Epic Mickey (2010),
- The Darkness 1 & 2 (2007- 2012)
The importance of the individual's inner self and personality
Examples:
- Heavy Rain (2010),
- Fallout Series (1997 - 2010),
- Mass Effect Series (2007 - 2012),
- Skyrim (2011),
- Walking Dead Episodes (2012 - 2014).
- Fable series (2004 - 2014)
The Fighting Temeraire by J. M. W. Turner
Romantic Figurative Paintings by Anna Razumovskaya
A deep appreciate of nature.
Example:
- Sea Monster: A prehistoric Adventure (2007),
- Deadly Creatures (2009),
- Endless Ocean (2007)
'Aurora Borealis' By Frederic Edwin Church
A longing for a simpler life.
• Examples:
- Minecraft,
- Terraria,
- Flappy Birds,
- Angry Birds,
- Cut the rope. etc
An obsession with the exotic, the mysterious, the weird, the pathetic, and monstrous and supernatural.
Francisco de Goya y Lucientes, Saturn Devouring one of his Sons
Examples in Games: Zombies, Monsters, Myths, spells etc.
Romantic examples include: Frankenstein (By Mary Shelley), The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (By Viktor Hugo)
- Dead Space Series (2008 - 2013), - Silent Hill Series (1999 - 2014), - The Evil Within (2014)- Doom (1993)
A focus on the genius, hero or exceptional figure and his/her inner struggles and their ability to raise society with their personal gifts
Examples: - Halo Series (2001 - 2013) - Master Chief- Metroid (1986 - 2010) - Samus Aran- Skyrim (2011) - Dovakhinn- Legend of Zelda series (1986 - 2014) - Link
- Almost any game which involves the idea destiny (But not the game destiny).
Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog, by Caspar David Friedrich
Conclusion:
The themes that were created in the romantism art can be seen in multiple genres, across multiple years, it can help give a distinctive, and recognisable idea to a plot/ character. It has created a wide view of codes and conventions that have been used over multiple genres and media's eg Film, TV etc.