To go along with Wednesday’s post, there seems to be a bit of disconnect between modern fantasy novels and stories and modern games.
As we speak, I happen to be gathered around the dining room table playing a session of D&D. Nerdy, I know, but I have a spirit panther and he’s nigh invincible and the DM hates him a lot. But compared to modern fantasy novels, it seems interesting that something like D&D continues to be much the same as it has been for the last twenty years, at least in terms of content.
And then I got to thinking – video games are the same. While fantasy fiction seems to be trending towards real-world, small cast, gritty realism, games continue with the wide secondary worlds, epic quests, elves and dwarves and all that jazz. Legend of Zelda. Skyrim. World of Warcraft.
Is it that there’s different audiences between readers and gamers? Is fantasy fantasy fantasy?
Is it a progression? For example, I read a lot of older epic fantasy when I was younger, and I don’t read it as much anymore. Perhaps gamers tend to do the same thing, and games give them a different medium to experience the same things that fascinated them as a child. Perhaps it’s the visual aspect, or the interactive element.
Any insights, Squiders? What, if any, mediums do you prefer to get your epic fantasy in?
