Summary
He may have lived nearly 500 years ago, but there’s no denying thatShakespeare’swork still has a profound effect on us today. Every year there are new interpretations of his plays on stage and influences from his stories in the films we watch, fromWest Side StorytoShe’s The Man. Shakespeare even coined everyday phrases we use all the time; for example, fans of Netflix reality shows might be interested to know that he actually invented the phrase “Love is blind.”
Although Shakespeare isn’t as popular in video games, there are still a few titles that take inspiration from the bard.The Curse Of Monkey Islandfeatures several Shakespearean jokes, whileBrütal Legendhas a character called Ophelia who drowns herself. EvenKillzone Shadow Fallshows two characters from warring factions teaming up, and Shakespeare himself appears as aboss fight inThe Simpsons Game. Although the planned MMOArden: The World Of Shakespearenever really came to fruition, there are still some video games based on the works of the bard to please Shakespeare’s gamer fans today.
10Something Wicked
A Side-Scrolling Battle FromMacbeth
Something Wickedis afast-paced 2D side-scrollingmini-game based on the great battle featured in Act 1 ofMacbeth. The game aims to make Shakespeare more accessible to today’s digital generation, using gameplay to bring the script to life. Taking visual inspiration from the Bayeux Tapestry, the player takes on the role of Macbeth, fighting their way through the Norwegian forces and the traitorous Thane of Cawdor as described in the Captain’s monologue.
Players don’t have to read Macbeth or know the Captain’s monologue off by heart to play this game, but it does help to win, since players can only level up by Macbeth battling as Shakespeare described. SinceMacbethis all about fate and free will, it’s interesting to see that the player can’t rewrite the ending.Something Wickedalso includes references to the play’s themes, such as Macbeth’s bloodlust meter that recharges with every kill. It was featured in a gaming exhibition in Germany, and versions for both mobile and macOS are currently in development.
9Life Is Strange: Before The Storm
The TempestFlows Throughout The Game’s Story
Life Is Strange: Before The Stormis a prequel to the originalLife Is Strange, focusing on the relationship between Chloe Price and Rachel Amber before Rachel she goes missing. In one scene, the player controls Chloe as she takes over the role of Ariel from Juliet Watson during Blackwell’s production ofThe Tempest. If the player knowsThe Tempestwell, they can sail through andselect all the correct lines. If not, they have to guess and let Chloe awkwardly improvise.
Although Shakespeare’s influence is most obvious in that scene, ideas and themes fromThe Tempestalso permeate through the entire game. On the surface, the titular tempest is an obvious reference to the storm at the start of the originalLife Is Strangegame, but there are deeper similarities to its narrative too. For example, Ferdinand and Miranda’s love for each other in the play is only strengthened when Prospero keeps them apart, closely mirroring Rachel and Chloe’s relationship. It’s interesting that Chloe takes the role of Ariel too, since Ariel is the air spirit Prospero uses to cause the tempest, suggesting that Chloe is the cause of the storm inLife Is Strange.
8The Lion King
A Movie Tie-In Game That Follows The Story OfHamlet
Everyone knowsThe Lion Kingis just the story ofHamletretold with animals in Africa – although that doesn’t stop the film from being considered a masterpiece by many Disney fans. This also technically makes the tie-in video game forThe Lion Kingan adaptation ofHamlettoo. This game is still popular today, although played largely out of nostalgia and using an emulator.
The Lion Kingwas released in 1994 for the SNES and Genesis and ported to various other systems later. Gamers play as Simba as he goes from a young cub to an adult in this side-scrolling platform game. They jump through the world, eventually learning to scratch and roar to take out enemies before facing Scar to reclaim Pride Rock.
7Romeo Wherefore Art Thou
A Mario-Style Adventure Featuring Romeo And JulietCharacters
Romeo and Julietis perhaps Shakespeare’s most famous play, known for its tragedy, passionate romance, and beautiful language still quoted to this day.Romeo Wherefore Art Thoudoesn’t quite live up to this legacy, but it’s still a simple game that makes Shakespeare seem less daunting to children forced to study it.
Romeo Wherefore Art Thouis surprisingly similar toa regular 2DSuper Mario Bros.game, where players assume the role of Romeo as he gathers a bouquet of roses for Juliet. Players jump around platforms as Romeo picks up chapters and roses scattered around “Shakespeare Country” (an environment that bizarrely resembles Stratford-Upon-Avon in England rather than Verona in Italy). Although simple and repetitive,Romeo Wherefore Art Thouis an easy-going way to introduce children to the world of Shakespeare.
6Hamlet Or The Last Game Without MMORPG Features, Shaders, And Product Placement
A Comedic Version ofHamletWith A Focus On Puzzles
The titleHamlet Or The Last Game Without MMORPG Features, Shaders, And Product Placement(also known as justHamlet!) provides all the necessary information about the game. Inspired byHamlet, this is a quirky game with a humorous twist. Claudius kills the King and forcibly weds Ophelia, but before Hamlet can take his revenge, he is accidentally crushed by a time traveler who takes his place.
What follows is a point-and-click adventure as the player guides Hamlet’s replacement through twenty-five puzzles, including one where he escapes a giant octopus. Although it’s a short game without any voiced dialogue, and it veers very far from the original plot, there’s still a variety of puzzles with artwork full of personality and a comical twist on a classic story.
There might not be many Shakespeare adaptations in the gaming industry, but the bard’s stories have still inspired the narrative of several games. AlthoughThe Lion Kingis the most famous modern example ofHamlet, Square Enix took the same story and used it to inspireFinal Fantasy 15. WhileFinal Fantasy 9has a range of Shakespeare references too,Final Fantasy 15’s storyis particularly similar toHamlet.
Although not a like-for-like adaptation, numerous parallels clearly come from Shakespeare: King Regis is killed by the protagonist’s uncle; his son is a brooding protagonist who becomes exiled and seeks the help of male friends, similar to Horatio, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern; and the King’s ghost even tells the protagonist to reclaim the throne. Even one of the trailers forFinal Fantasy 15features aHamletquotation: “There is nothing either good or bad but thinking it makes it so.” Although the exhilarating action and gameplay have little to do with Shakespeare, there’s no ignoringHamlet’s influence on this story.
Havenis a 2020 RPG about two young lovers, Yu and Kay, who elope to escape a society that disapproves of their relationship and instead insists on arranged marriages. Yu and Kay escape to another planet to build a new life together, gliding through the environment and fighting for survival as they are chased by authorities and drones sent by Yu’s intended spouse.
Creative directorEmeric Thoa has admitted thatHavenwas originally pitched as a version ofRomeo and Julietset in space. Then again, it’s certainly a different take on the story; instead of the tragic story we all know,Haven’s story asks “What if Romeo and Juliet had survived?” With multiple possible endings and a powerful depiction of relationships, perhaps Shakespeare himself would appreciate this take on his tale.
3To Be Or Not To Be
A Comedic Interactive Novel Of Hamlet
Besides a few illustrations,To Be Or Not To Beis basically an interactive novel where players make their own choices in a comedic retelling ofHamlet. The player can play the role of either Ophelia, the King, or Hamlet himself, guiding them to several possible fates, each peppered with jokes and gags along the way.
Although players will spend most of their time reading, it’s never dull or slow; the paragraphs are short, to the point, and packed with comedy and personality to make Shakespeare seem more entertaining than it is at school. After each bit of text, players can make a choice; decisions characters make in the actual play are depicted with Yorick skulls, but players can go in a completely different direction and pick another choice to alter the story. It’s a fun, humorous introduction to Shakespeare, and it even comes with a dyslexic-friendly font to make it accessible for all.
2A Midsummer Night’s Choice
A Humorous Text-Based Retelling Of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Most game adaptations of Shakespeare’s works are either very different from the original source material or a comedy re-telling. True to form,A Midsummer Night’s Choiceis a comedy adventure thatplays more like an interactive novel than a video game. The player’s father is a Duke who forces them to marry against their wishes, leading them to escape in disguise and enter a story full of mistaken identities, fairies, and humor.
A Midsummer Night’s Choicecontains a whopping 190,000 words all written by Kreg Segall. However, players still have complete freedom; more than just making choices, their character can be a jester, knight, poet, or more with any sexuality or gender they wish. It might be completely text-based with no graphics or sound effects, but the clever, tongue-in-cheek writing fuels the imagination enough to satisfy true Shakespeare fans.
1Elsinore
A Time-Loop Version Of HamletWhere Every Choice Counts
Fate is a common theme in Shakespeare’s plays, and everyone knows Ophelia’s tragic ending – which is precisely whyElsinoretries to switch things up with a Shakespearean version ofGroundhog Day. It’s a point-and-click adventure witha time-loop gameplay systemthat adapts the story ofHamletfrom Ophelia’s point of view. Ophelia wakes up from a vision in which everyone in Elsinore Castle dies within four days, but when she tries to avoid this tragic fate, she ends up living the same four days over and over again.
The story reacts to each choice the player makes as they interact with a wide range of characters, whether it’s lying to them or befriending them. There’s a lot of trial and error involved in making the right choices to save Ophelia’s friends and family, but as with all sandbox games, it’s fun to experiment with the story to see which choices affect the outcome, learning more and more with each passing loop.Elsinoreincludes a good dose of Shakespearean poetry too, to make it feel more like an authentic Shakespeare experience.
