The History of the Gothic Video Game

INTRODUCTION

For decades, video games have thrived by bringing unique experiences, gameplay innovations and expansive storytelling to players around the world.

While most games fit into a specific gameplay genre – puzzle, sports, platformer etc. – some are more often defined by their distinct visual aesthetics. The gothic video game has taken many forms, from tough-as-nails 8-bit platformers to open-world fantasies fraught with peril and horror.

Long-running franchises have expanded from contained and linear adventures to vast worlds of darkness, immersing players in atmospheric adventures that put stunning and impeccably-designed visuals at the forefront. Towering castles, undead demons, sacrifices, horror, elaborate enemies and even more elaborate clothing and character design – the titles that have embedded themselves in the gaming sphere through their unique visuals and settings have endured from 8-bit to modern 4K masterpieces.

This book explores some of the most revolutionary and memorable titles and series that have stood out over the past forty years with addictive gameplay hooks bolstered by gothic stylings and artistic character and environmental designs. Some are comedic horror, others are bleak dystopias full of terrors.

It’s time to plunder the darkened depths of the gothic video game world.

Chapter 1

8-BIT BEGINNINGS

The early days of computer gaming naturally contained games with minimalist atmospheres, be they platformers, text adventures or dungeon-crawling action titles. Since the dawn of computing there filled with dark castles, wicked creatures and dimly-lit hallways. Even today, classics from way back are praised for their gothic stylings and atmospheric presentation.

THE GHOSTS ‘N GOBLINS SERIES

Released: 1985–2021

A common theme in many gothic video games is a high difficulty level, and Capcom’s long-running series is known for being extremely punishing. The original Ghosts ‘n Goblins was created by Tokuro Fujiwara, released in 1985, and came to a multitude of consoles and computers, as well as seeing several upgrades and re-releases as the years ticked by.

It follows a brave knight called Arthur who sets out to rescue Princess Guinevere from the wicked demon Astaroth. Side-scrolling action combines platforming with directional run-and-gun mechanics, as Arthur jogs about in heavy armour, tossing lances and various other projectile weaponry at his foes. His enemies attack hard and fast, with the player being bombarded from all sides by zombies, bats, horned demons and massive bosses that seek to turn our hero into a pile of bones. Arthur loses his armour when he’s attacked, leaving him running about the spooky environments in nothing but his underwear. Naturally, another attack leads to death, so gamers should expect plenty of trial-and-error as well as bouts of frustration (usually leading to a ‘one more try’ scenario).

Treasure chests litter levels and give access to power-ups and new weapons, but they won’t help you unless you master the game’s essential timing by constantly moving and jumping to avoid and take out enemies. Leaping to high ledges and over gravestones while continuously firing gives the game an addictive arcade quality.

Despite the power of gaming machines in the mid-1980s, Ghosts ‘n Goblins managed to pack in charming gothic aesthetics, with braziers filled with fire, bats swooping from darkened skies, and towering castles making Arthur’s valiant quest timeless in its presentation. While some might not feel at ease with its rewarding but relentless gameplay, the original title starting a long-running series that still remains relevant in today’s gaming landscape.

Ghosts ‘n Goblins (NES)

The success of the original led to a sequel, Ghouls ‘n Ghosts, which released in 1988. The princess and citizens have their souls stolen by Lucifer (or Loki, depending on what version you play), and the brave Arthur must once again battle a plethora of demons and various nasty creatures in an effort to restore harmony. As well as grabbing a nice visual upgrade, the game allows Arthur more dexterity in combat, with upward and downward (while mid-jump) attacks possible.

The locations are once again gloomy and rife with atmosphere, and stunning boss fights assault players in an attempt to keep them on their toes. Trick treasure chests can cause the player to undergo crippling status effects, such as being turned old and decrepit or transformed into a duck by an evil wizard. The game built on its predecessor’s strengths and was well received at release and retrospectively when released on modern consoles, such as Wii’s Virtual Console, the Mega Drive Mini, and in various Capcom collections.

The first game in a spin-off series, Gargoyle’s Quest, arrived on Nintendo’s Game Boy in 1990. This unique game put players in control of Firebrand, an enemy gargoyle from the main series, as he traverses gothic locations in top-down and side-scrolling sections. The demonic creature seeks to save the Ghoul Realm from threats known as Destroyers. His unique physicality allows him to cling to walls and leap exceptionally high. He can also hover and attack enemies with increasingly powerful projectiles.

Ghouls ‘n Ghosts (Master System)

Like the flagship games, the first Gargoyle’s Quest game was well received by critics and gamers, and has enjoyed modern releases on Nintendo’s 3DS Virtual Console and on the Game Boy section of Nintendo Switch Online in 2023.

Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts (1991) was a Super Nintendo Entertainment System exclusive at the time of release, before it was ported to the Game Boy Advance in 2002. As was standard thus far, Arthur returned to battle the forces of evil in a new side-scrolling quest, although massive enhancements had been made in the graphics and audio departments, driven by the power of the SNES.

Arthur undertakes quests that take him across ghoulish graveyards, snowy mountain sides, seafaring ships and the castle of the main antagonist, Sardius, all in an effort to stop the spread of the Ghoul Realm. Foul Guardians act as bosses in each of the levels, and handy quality of life changes, like a double jump, aid in your battles. Of course, you’re armed to the teeth with lances, maces, daggers, bows and plenty of other devastating weapons, as well as powerful armour. Some treasure chests are decoys once again, and an evil wizard can transform Arthur into, among other things, a baby.

Gargoyle’s Quest (Game Boy)

Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts (SNES)

Like previous titles, two playthroughs are required to fully complete the game, ensuring the game lives up to the challenging reputation of the series. Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts was critically acclaimed, with reviewers enjoying its tough, but not unfair, difficulty and tight platforming.

Gargoyle’s Quest II, a prequel to the Game Boy game, arrived on the NES in 1992. Firebrand returned as the main character, and the story delves into his past as he tries to uncover the mystery of a threat known only as The Black Light. The addictive gameplay of the original game returns, with Firebrand blasting his foes, gliding across the suitably gloomy environments and clinging to rock faces to traverse the platforming labyrinths. A new whirlwind move allows the gargoyle to boost through environments. With the NES, the series was given a slight visual facelift, as well as an improved colour palette. The game was well received, and enjoyed more success on Virtual Console, helping the Gargoyle Quest games keep up the high standard of the main series of titles.

Gargoyle’s Quest II (NES)

Demon’s Crest capped off the Gargoyle trilogy (at least, at the time of writing) with an action-packed and deep platforming role-playing game. Firebrand returns as the protagonist, and this time around must contend with the evil Phalanx, who has stolen many of the ‘Crests’ that hold various powers, and seeks to rule the realm. While some of the main gameplay elements remain, Firebrand also has access to the Crests as he collects them, and they offer some elemental buffs to his powers.

While the niche handheld, the WonderSwan, received a low-key title in the series, the next major release would be a revamp. While still being very much in the vein of the previous games, the Maximo sub-series brought full 3D to the universe of Ghosts ‘n Goblins. In Maximo: Ghosts to Glory (2001/2002), players take control of Maximo, a king who has returned to his kingdom to find it in ruin at the hands of the evil Achille. Maximo is killed and, while in the underworld, meets with Grim, who reveals Achille’s plan to harvest souls from the dark realm to serve in his army. Grim gives Maximo a chance to return to his world and stop the wicked mastermind.

Those familiar with the 2D games in the series should feel right at home, as Maximo is as close a translation of the old-school gameplay to 3D as is possible. Capcom achieved a perfect balance of pleasing purists and making the game more approachable to newcomers and using the power of the PlayStation 2 to advance gameplay and graphics in unique ways. You’ll jump, slash and dodge your way through vast gothic worlds full of dark humour and larger than life enemies and comrades. The spooky atmosphere of the Ghosts games is on full show, and the proportions and vibrant animations of characters makes travelling Maximo’s kingdom a joy.

Demon’s Crest (SNES)

Maximo: Ghosts to Glory

In 2003, Capcom followed up the much-loved original with Maximo vs. Army of Zin. While Maximo continues to search for his love, the world comes under threat from half-robot, half-ghost creatures known as the Army of Zin. While it keeps a lot of the gameplay of the previous game, it expands with new power-ups as well as the ability to transform into Grim, Maximo’s ally and the universe’s grim reaper. He offers some advantages over Maximo, such as speed, but you’ll need to gather upgrades throughout your adventure in order to extend the amount of time you can tap into his power. The game received rave reviews from critics who found it a great follow-up and an entertaining title despite being quite similar to Ghosts to Glory.

The franchise was fairly quiet for the next part of the decade, but it was given some boosts in the form of the addictive Ultimate Ghosts ‘n Goblins for Sony’s PlayStation Portable and a pair of accessible mobile titles in the form of the Gold Knights sub-series.

2021 saw the series come to PCs and modern consoles in the form of Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection, a modern take that was released to commemorate the thirty-fifth anniversary of the original title. It offers four difficulty levels, with the ability to respawn at checkpoints after a death. Arthur returns as the hero, and his arsenal is full of ludicrously effective weaponry, as well as environmental attacks like devastating ground pounds that lay waste to zombies and demons.

Maximo vs. Army of Zin

In classic Ghosts fashion, you need to play through the game again to fully complete it, and to ease the punishing nature, the game will give you an option to lower the difficulty after a certain amount of consecutive deaths.

Ghosts ‘n Goblins: Resurrection

The series has definitely made its mark on the industry. With iconic protagonists and a unique visual style, the games have blended whimsy and occult horrors in an appealing way that makes it technically suitable for younger players when it comes to content, but offers a serious challenge for hardcore gamers that was that era’s equivalent of the infamous Dark Souls games.

Pattern recognition is your friend when tackling these games, and while it might frustrate, it will equally entice.

It has wide appeal, with its pick-up-and-play run-and-gun style of frantic action, simple controls that are both a challenge to master and employ effectively, tiered levels, tricky bosses that demand lightning-quick reflexes and a simple story that puts you right into the action.

Countless games that followed, even some in this very book, took cues from the adventures of Arthur and Maximo, as well as Firebrand on his more intricate travels. Platforming and combat drive the series, but the aesthetic of ghoulish enemies, wastelands, forests and towering castles make the games a perfect treat for horror fans, or