Gaming And The Vintage Lover: A Guide To Games With A Vintage Touch Part Two
Come for the aesthetics, stay for the story. Once again (with commenters’ help), I have compiled a second list of video games that have that sweet, sweet vintage style and aesthetic. This time some of the games are actually vintage themselves! These games let you live your best life whether you wish you were a mobster in 1968 or a modern-day woman living in a haunted Victorian mansion… or anything in between.
For Console Gamers
Call of the Sea (1930s)
Starting off the list is a mystery-adventure puzzle game set in the 1930s, Call of the Sea tells the tale of Norah who is searching for her missing husband, Harry. Her husband left on an expedition to find a cure for an unknown illness that has plagued Norah’s family… but he never returned. The game takes you to a beautiful island in the South Pacific east of Tahiti where you must explore as Norah to unravel the mystery behind her husband’s disappearance and her own self-discovery, and look absolutely stunning while doing it!
Mafia series (1930 – 1968)
We heard you liked dapper men in suits, so here we have more dapper men in suits! This action-adventure series follows characters with a criminal history, allowing you to experience life as a mobster without actually breaking any real-life laws. In Mafia III, you get to explore the criminal underground of 1968 New Orleans. Amazingly, the game’s soundtrack features several songs from musicians who were active during the ’60s. In Mafia II, we go back even further to the 1940s fictional city Empire Bay, based loosely on New York, Chicago, and other American cities. And in the first installment of the series, players get to experience the fictional city of Lost Heaven in the 1930s, during the final years of prohibition. I bet you can see where that’s going.
Cuphead (1930s)
If you’re a fan of indie games, then chances are you’ve already heard about the run-and-gun game: Cuphead. This game features the “rubber hose” animation style that was popular in 1930s cartoons. Play as Cuphead and his brother Mugman as they fight their way through challenging boss battles and complete their deal with the Devil through two different possible endings. Each boss looks like a cartoon character plucked straight out of a 1930s TV show… in fact, rumour has it that there is an actual Cuphead cartoon called “The Cuphead Show!” in the works by none other than Netflix.
For Book And Movie Lovers
Indiana Jones series (1930s – 1950s)
These games date back to the NES and Atari systems, so if you’re looking for a true vintage video game and vintage aesthetics, these 1980s games are for you. However, if you’re looking for something a bit more updated, they’ve got you covered there, too. Get really excited, because Bethesda Softworks recently announced that they’re working on a brand new Indiana Jones game rumoured to be set in around 1937’s Vatican City. These games tend to be action-adventure puzzle games where you navigate ruins and fight bad guys just like Dr. Henry Jones himself. Grab your whip and your fedora, dear reader, you’re going treasure hunting!
Nancy Drew series (Modern)
Who knew there were so many Nancy Drew games? Well, considering there are 533 Nancy Drew books, maybe that’s not so surprising. While the books date back to the 1930s, the video games are pretty vintage too in their own rights as far as video games are concerned. The first one was released in 1998, but if you’re looking for more current versions, look no further than Midnight in Salem, based on the novel “The Witch Tree Symbol”, where you step into the shoes of Nancy Drew and investigate arson at the historic Hathorne estate. This point-and-click adventure mystery game delves into the Salem Witch Trials, hauntings, and other supernatural encounters. Another Nancy Drew game, The Message in a Haunted Mansion, based on the novel of the same title, has similar supernatural themes, but this time in a haunted Victorian-era mansion in San Francisco. Fun!
Call of Cthulhu (1924)
Are you a fan of Lovecraft-style monsters? Be careful what you wish for… Based on the 1920s H.P. Lovecraft short story of the same name, this survival horror game dives head-first into Lovecraftian horror and 1920s atmosphere. The game has four possible endings based on your choices and your character’s descent into insanity. Well… doesn’t that sound pleasant? The game has some criticisms towards its RPG elements (or lack thereof) but the consensus seems to be that the graphics, atmosphere, and psychological horror themes are top-notch!
For Mobile Players
Mahjong Crimes (1935)
Swerving far, far away from the horror genre, we have a tile-matching puzzle game featuring the characters and storyline from fan-favourite Agatha Christie’s novel “Murder on the Orient Express.” Relax and solve 250+ mahjong puzzles to collect hidden clues while exploring the train and confront the suspects to suss out who the culprit truly is. Unravel the mystery of the Orient Express in a low-stress, high-fun environment and enjoy the elegant look of the train itself as well as its affluent passengers. Perfect for escaping any real-world stressors.
Murder in the Alps (1930s)
Play as Anna Myers, Zurich journalist who was supposed to be on vacation, through this interactive-novel hidden-object game as she attempts to piece together the events surrounding the mysterious murder at her hotel in the beautiful Alps. Every location looks like an authentic, picturesque scene from the 1930s and players are encouraged to look high and low to find the various collectibles in the game. If you like this style of gameplay, there’s another game from the same producers called “Time Guardians: Hidden Mystery” where you explore Victorian London to uncover the thief of the Time Machine.
Grim Fandango – Remastered (???)
Meet Manny, the best travel agent in the land of the dead, and his impeccable taste in clothing. This game itself has been remastered with better definition, graphics, and lighting, but still has that classic, true vintage video game style in addition to Manny’s charming aesthetics and the art-deco style of the Department of Death. Grim Fandango combines Mexican-Aztec folklore and film noir into one as you untangle poor Manny from a conspiracy that threatens to tear apart the land of the dead. Finally fans of “Coco”, “Book of Life”, and film noir such as “Casablanca” or “On the Waterfront” have a happy medium!
Honourable Mention
Red Dead Redemption (1911 – 1914)
In this action-adventure open-world game, you play as sharp-shooter and sharp dresser, John Marston, while he hunts down his former gang members in the Wild West era of both America and Mexico. This game might not have been what you expected from this article, seeing as the aesthetic is quite distinctly “western cowboy,” but the Wild West era happened around the same time as the Victorian Era in Europe. And also, have you considered: wearing a three-piece suit (or a saloon-style dress) while riding into the sunset on your horse? Think about it.
Dishonored series (late 1800s – early 1900s)
On the other side of the pond, we have an action-adventure supernatural stealth game series set in Dunwall, modelled after London and Edinburgh during the late 19th century. In the first Dishonored, you play as Corvo, who had been framed for the murder of the Empress and becomes an assassin to flush out the real murderer, while in Dishonored 2 you can choose to play as Corvo or Emily (who was a child in the first game) as they attempt to reclaim the throne. The steampunk aesthetic meshes well with the Victorian London aesthetic and who doesn’t wish they could use supernatural abilities to get revenge on their enemies?