Elsinore and the Time Travelling Outfits
Elsinore is a time looping adventure game set in the world of 'Hamlet'. It follows Ophelia as she tries to prevent the tragedy destined for her and everyone she knows. As you learn (and strategically share) information, the world of Elsinore shifts and changes, so the implications of everything matter.
‘Time looping adventure game’ is an obvious cue that this isn’t a straight adaptation, but Elsinore makes a number of choices about how to adapt its source material. The language is more present and the cast more diverse, but the most interesting applications of this are grounded in a real exploration of the subtext of the play, or the historical context of its setting. (I’m no Shakespearean scholar, but Michael Lutz at Ranged Touch is. You can watch the Let’s Play series on Elsinore for more about how this all plays out.)
All this to say that while Elsinore isn’t a modernised adaptation, it uses its historical distance from the original play to add depth to its interpretations. So when ‘Golden Glitch Studios’ implemented a patch that gives the core cast optional modern outfits, it was an incredible extra layer. The royal couple show unity in colour-matched power suits, while Prince Hamlet says ‘fuck you I won’t do what you tell me’ in a skull hoodie and skinny jeans.
Elsinore is arguably Ophelia’s game and not Hamlet’s, but I still think this outfit is perfect. He’s not interested in showing respect to the court, but mostly because he’s hacked off at his parents. He’s grieving, but his grief is complicated by his father's murder - and his ghost. His feelings are messy and complicated, hence: the symbols of teenage rebellion! And the skull on the hoodie, because death is edgy/death is destined/Alas Poor Yorick I Knew Him Horatio.
Elsinore is full of layers. Even in the ways that the game is brought more ‘present’ for the player, there is no less depth or consideration.
Oh, Also
Look at these cats popping bubbles. That’s it that’s the tweet.
Ruth Cassidy is a writer and self-described velcro cyborg who, when not writing about video games, is probably being emotional about musicals, mountains, or cats. Has had some bylines, in some places.
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