Videogames and Witchcraft

[sugarskull]

I guess that videogames is a "difficult" topic in regards its infamous reception within some conservative groups. Videogames count as media such as TV, cinema, etc., so I thought it was a good idea to bring the topic here since witchcraft is implied in some manner as part of pop culture. I myself have a philosophical relationship with them (thinking the from some phisolophical topics as affections and what they bring to thought, it is a subject indeed) while spending too much time "accomplishing" goals and exploring the virtual world, etc. Got to say that when I came close to traditional witchcraft I stopped using videogames at all. I was surprised by that.

Though there are some videogames that take traditional witchcraft (and not just magic) as the background or the main context of a story. Recently, there is an interesting one called Black Book launched in August 2021. The team (Morteshka) says:

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Narrative is based on Bailichkas, which are short stories about an allegedly true event of meeting with spirits and demons.

Also

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Black Book is a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the world of Northern Slavic mythology, shaped by its history and tradition. The game was developed by the people who grew up with these folk tales, and consulted with historians and anthropologists to make sure the game’s narrative accurately represents the beliefs of their ancestors.

I guess that is a fun an interesting way to know from first hand ("the poeple that grew up wish these folk tales") some info that the videogame itself gathers about Russian folk witchcraft. The trailer.

Technical details and presskit to see some details.

Edited March 21, 2022 by sugarskull

[sugarskull]

I would love to check Along the Edge,

4 hours ago, spectropoetics said:

I like videogames, especially ones that have an esoteric conceit/atmosphere

There is a recent one I like very much because it is like a remembrance of another fin de siècle one in 16 bit fashion, Devil's Crush (for TurboGrafX-16). It is called Demon's Tilt. Both are pinball videogames with occult atmosphere and imagery. I wrote about it in a blog of mine (Spanish) once.

I was searching for some videogames with occult atmosphere or witchcraft themes (close to traditional witchcraft sometimes) three months ago and found these (launched between 2020-2021):

• Witchwood (faery tale and adventure)
• The Suicide of Rachel Foster (ghostly cirime detective story with a love theme background)
• The Lost Child (the main character, Hayato Ibuki, is an occult expert journalist within a goetian framework).
• Lust for Darkness (ohterwordly and erotic-terror first person game within a town and a Victorian like mansion where lust is the main theme)
• The Medium (this is awesome, the screen divides into two: the physical world and the otherworld while your 3rd. person character walks around to get the mission done).

4 hours ago, spectropoetics said:

when it comes to actual occult use tabletop is where it's at imo!

That would be something worth to play.

Recently (very much before my approach to traditional witchcraft) I was at Assassin's Creed Valhalla videogame (I know it sounds strange but is like a theroretical way of putting yourself as the actor within the videogame...) and found a lot of interesting references to Norse magic, the use of enteogens; sorcereress characters and myth; spooky magical ambient  both in Norway and medieval England. You can take a look to circle stones, menhirs, dolmens, runa, deconsecrated (or consecrated again in new fashion) ancient Roman temples and ruins with horned animal skulls, etc. The landscape is gorgeous. I love the photo-mode (if you like you can find some of those pictures I took here). One of my favourites is a pierced menhir.

There also is a complement to the videogame called "Wrath of the Druids" that happens in Ireland with its norse folklore and gaelic characters, a glimpse to religious and magical celtic context.

 

[sugarskull]

I've been playing Black Book and it is nice so far. The witch is seen as someone who has access to the realm of de death and spirits (not unexpected of course) by a pact with the devil (to which she does not feels necessarily related). While learning about plants and remedies for the folk she has to manage demon's tasks so they don't harass her. Those tasks are cursing others (😅). I guess this is part of her job, she will be fixing those issues and receiving money for that LOL.

Some images here and a video:

 

 

 

[sugarskull]

Finished Ghost of Tsushima. In the context of the story and the epoch it represents (XIII b.c.e. Japan while Mongolian invasion), there is much of sorcery. Invaders use it to control people, making them fear and to strenght their own military forces. Within the data collected while playing, there is something that kept my attention addressed by secondary info gathered for you to know more the cultural context of what was happening. This is the case for divination with bones (a topic that can be found here and here too, both at the forums).

The translation of the text can be as follows:

Mongolian Artifacts. SHAGAI. Shagai is a term reffering to goat or sheep ancles and is considered as one of the first kind of dice in history. Games that use shagai consist in predict which side of the bone is going to be faced after tossing them. Wolf shagai also are kept as lucky and good fortune symbols.

 

Edited March 30, 2022 by sugarskull
Translation of the text in the image