In this weeks bulletin, we will discuss a new Assassin’s Creed audio experience, some quirky evidence on why The Mushroom Kingdom is located in the Holy Roman Empire, 3D models being released in the public domain, some more Greek Mythology, the history of Iranian videogames and the kingdom management game we will review next week.
Assassin’s Creed extends into the realm of audio through Gold
Assassin’s Creed is most known as a videogame, but there are many more iterations of the stories. The franchise extended into books, graphic novels and movie for quite some years, but with Assassin’s Creed: Gold, an audio-only story has also been released. Created in collaboration with Audible, Gold is an eight-part story about blind assassin Omar Khalid and scientist Sir Issac Newton. Combining the usual Assassin’s Creed historical background with a Hollywood cast, it makes for an enjoyable listen. Eurogamer posted an article going more in depth. Assassin’s Creed: Gold can be purchased through Audible (or be your free listen when you sign up for a trial).
The Mushroom Kingdom is in the Holy Roman Empire
Twitter user @Ciarandold posted a tongue-in-cheek but nevertheless fun thread on Nintendo’s The Mushroom Kingdom and how it shares some uncanny resemblances to the Holy Roman Empire, one of the European powerhouses from 800 until 1806. Cirian points out some really interesting similarities (but also some which make no sense at all). It obviously does not resemble any kind of historical research, but it is a fun way to look at how the history shaped our modern world (and our videogames).
Sketchfab releases 3D models into public domain
This news is not really related to videogames, but nevertheless quite interesting, especially for those interested in cultural heritage. Sketchfab, an online marketplace for 3D models and scans announced that cultural organisations using the marketplace can now dedicate their models to the public domain, making them accessible for everyone under CC0 1.0! The Creative Commons means that the owner has waived all their copyrights, making the models free to use for everyone (including game developers) without having to ask permission. Furthermore, they announced a collaboration with 27 cultural organisations from over the world, such as the Smithsonian Institute (who also worked with Ubisoft to create VR renders of destroyed monuments). Read more on Sketchfab, their models and the cultural organisations releasing them in the public domain here.
1970.16 Neck Amphora by Cleveland Museum of Art on Sketchfab
How Supergiant added Demeter to Hades
Remember when we talked about the dungeon-crawler Hades, and how the developers at Supergiant incorporated Greek Mythology in the game? Well, we’ve got more on that (besides yesterdays stream)! In an article on Gamasutra, game writer and developer Greg Kasavin talks on how they added the godess Demeter to the game, after her being left out in the beginning. She might not be the most exciting godess (of argiculture), but she is very important to the narrative of Hades (being the grandmother of protagonist Zagreus). Read more on Demeter and why Supergiant did include her in the end over at Gamasutra.
The history of videogames in Iran
Iran is not known for being a giant in the videogame industry. To be frank, I know nothing on Iranian videogames. This is partially down to the absence of English articles on the subject. Until now! This article written by Arash Hackimi, Saeed Zafarany and Brandon Sheffield over at Gamasutra dives deeper into the history of videogames in Iran. The article shows how national and international events can influence every part of society, including videogames, and brushes you up on Iranian videogame history. Read more over at Gamasutra.
Yes, Your Grace review
Next week we will stream the recently released game Yes, Your Grace. The kingdom management game is set in a fictional medieval world, based on Slavic folklore. Eurogamer posted a (not so positive) review on the game, claiming: ‘Eager to do the many issues of medieval life justice, Yes Your Grace can’t hit a good balance between challenging and frustrating.’ Will we have a different opinion? Tune in to next week’s stream on Twitch!