Summary
As hardware continues to improve, video games' ability to fully immerse its players in a fictional world is ever-increasing. FromThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s extensive fantasy world tothe cosmos inStarfield, gaming is allowing people to escape into something new at a rapid rate, and future titles look to be continuing the trend. One such project isClockwork Revolution, which drew parallels from the get-go withBioShock, We Happy Few, andGhostwire: Tokyo.
Mechanically it may be very different, but the way it put its city at the forefront felt familiar. It’s a game that looks in-keeping with the direction of the industry asBioShock 4andJudasare on the horizon. In order to succeed among such strong competition, the setting for thisinXile Entertainmenttitle has to be nothing short of special, and all signs point to that being a very real possibility.
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A Good Setting Goes a Long Way in Games Like BioShock
Though a lot of games prioritize gameplay, storytelling, or character development, others have shown that the world where it takes place can massively contribute to the immersion. Hyrule inBreath of the Wild,Yharnam inBloodborne, Pandora inBorderlandsand particularly Rapture inBioShockare all essential to the visual and tonal prowess of each offering. Without the setting being as strong with attention to detail and art direction, the story or the game mechanics can feel pointless.
InBioShock, a game thatClockwork Revolutionis clearly inspired by, the city under the Atlantic is the most important part. The audio diaries that players collect make up most of the stellar story, making the setting inherently linked to the reason why players remain gripped throughout.Titles likeForspokenandRage 2show that, without an interesting place to roam and explore, an experience can lose its charm quickly, even if the project prioritizes other aspects.Clockwork Revolutionputs the steam-powered city of Avalon at the center of its promotional material, and though much remains a mystery, inXile Entertainment clearly wants players to be wowed by the setting.
Clockwork Revolution’s Victorian-Inspired Metropolis Has Potential
Despite only having a trailer revealed at the 2023 Xbox Showcase to go on,Clockwork Revolution’s city setting of Avalonalready looks gorgeous, taking cues from Victorian England and adding more than a dash of steampunk fiction to make it look like an industrial utopia. If it achieves what fans may be expecting, it could solidify itself as one of the most memorable in gaming, but to do this, the beauty has to be more than just skin deep. It has to be varied in aesthetics, and have a structure that compliments the visuals, not just grid-based streets that make its style just feel like window-dressing.
Unlike games it is inevitably being likened to,Clockwork Revolutionis an RPG, meaning it will implement some kind of progression system to enhance replay value and keep players returning. LikeNight City inCyberpunk 2077or Kamurocho inYakuza, this will only be enticing if the city itself is worth exploring, and still presents new things to see dozens of hours into the story or post-game content. The recently released trailer and limited information about the project are making all the right noises, and fans are right to be excited about the game knowing its coming from the developer of theWastelandseries. Its success is not guaranteed, however, and the quality of its setting will play a big part in how it is received.
Clockwork Revolutionis in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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