Best Games Inspired By Wales & Welsh Culture

Highlights

Welsh culture and history inspire video games like Maid of Sker and Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag, featuring Welsh protagonists and settings.
Games like Koudelka and Ni no Kuni incorporate Welsh lore, dialects, and locations, adding a unique touch to the gaming experience.
Final Fantasy 16 and Drakengard also draw inspiration from Welsh history and terminology, creating a dark fantasy world reminiscent of medieval Celtic themes.

As a gaming enthusiast with a deep appreciation for cultural nuances, I find it fascinating to delve into the rich tapestry of influences that shape our favorite video games. It’s not just about the pixels and polygons; the stories, characters, and settings often reflect real-world histories, languages, and traditions.

The historical background, languages, and mythology of Wales frequently serve as inspiration for popular culture, ranging from the Elvish language in J.R.R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings books to ghost stories based on Welsh folklore. Yet, this profound history is often overlooked beyond Wales’ borders. In video games, representations of Wales can be found in numerous titles that incorporate fantasy and history, with settings and characters who speak or sound Welsh. However, many viewers might not recognize the origins of these elements.

Let’s delve into video games that draw inspiration from the rich heritage, mythology, characters, and tongue of Wales, a nation whose history stretches back to the ancient Celtic Bretons and is symbolized by the red dragon (Y Draig Goch) on its flag.

7 Maid Of Sker

Inspired By A Welsh Ghost Story

Best Games Inspired By Wales & Welsh Culture

As a gamer, I’d say: “I’m diving into ‘Maid of Sker,’ a chilling first-person horror adventure set in 1898. In this spine-tingling journey, I take on the persona of Thomas Evans, who’s on a quest to find his missing fiancee, Elizabeth. The gameplay is reminiscent of the ‘Outlast’ series, with its run-and-hide mechanics. As Thomas, I must navigate the eerie Sker Hotel, outsmarting the Quiet Ones, a mysterious cult, to stay alive.”

The game draws influence from the novel “The Maid of Sker” by R.D. Blackmore. Although the game’s Sker Island is a work of fiction, the in-game hotel mirrors the real-life Sker House located near the coastal town of Porthcawl, Wales. Both the game and the book are rooted in a local ghost tale surrounding Sker House, believed to be haunted by the spectral presence of Elizabeth Williams. In the legend, Elizabeth met an untimely end due to being confined in her father’s care. Originally constructed on the remnants of a Cistercian monastic grange more than 900 years ago, Sker House is Elizabethan in design.

6 Tales From The Dancing Moon

Set In A Welsh Village Along The Gower Peninsula

Platform: PC (Steam Early Access)
Released: December 2023
Developer: DJMonkey

“Stories Under the Dancing Moon” is currently available in Early Access on Steam, a life-sim RPG with an isometric perspective developed by a single creator, DJMonkey. Notably, this developer was involved in creating some of the base-building tools for “No Man’s Sky.” The narrative revolves around a captivating mystery, starting with a protagonist who inexplicably wakes up in a village called Illisor.

The village is modeled after a parallel universe resembling Narnia, but based on Rhossili (called Illisor in reverse), which is a town within Swansea on the Gower Peninsula. The storyline for “Tales From the Dancing Moon” was inspired by the developer’s personal visits to Swansea and Rhossili. Although still in Early Access, players find it delightful to navigate and interact with the world and characters within.

5 Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag

A Welsh Protagonist And A Real Life Welsh Pirate

The game “Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag” is frequently praised as one of the series’ top installments. This particular title is set during the Pirate Golden Age, focusing on a Welsh character named Edward Kenway, a pirate hailing from Swansea who renamed his ship The Jackdaw after the bird. In both Welsh and Greek folklore, the Jackdaw represents theft and harbingers of death.

In “Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag,” there’s more than just Kenway who hails from Wales. Bartholomew Roberts, a notorious Welsh pirate, also makes an appearance. Originally from the small village of Casnewydd Bach, he was nicknamed Black Bart and is considered one of the most successful pirates during the Golden Age. The character of Edward Kenway is brought to life by Matt Ryan, a talented actor from Swansea who has played and voiced John Constantine in various live-action shows and animated movies.

4 Koudelka

A Unique Horror JRPG Set in Aberystwyth

Koudelka is set in the Welsh town of Aberystwyth, with much of the story unfolding within the fictitious Nemeton Monastery, constructed during the 9th Century. This Victorian-era JRPG combines aspects of exploration similar to Resident Evil and pre-rendered backdrops with turn-based battles, setting it apart from the typical fantasy-themed JRPGs on the PS1 during that era.

Characters assume the character of Koudelka, a Romani psychic who feels compelled to investigate Nemeton Manor, an ominous structure rooted in Celtic folklore, where Nemetons are significant spiritual sites and the power source for a sinister entity within the game. Styled after St. David’s Cathedral in Pembrokeshire, Wales, Nemeton Manor serves as the backdrop for Koudelka, the initial installment of what later came to be known as the Shadow Hearts series on PlayStation 2.

Shadow Hearts: Sixteen years after the events of Koudelka, the Monastery in Aberystwyth is used to summon the Meta-God known as Amon. Yuri and the party will also visit the Rhondda Mines in the South Wales Valleys.
Shadow Hearts Covenant: Yuri returns to Aberystwyth to explore the underground temple built beneath the Nemeton Monastery.

3 Final Fantasy 16

Prominent Welsh Names And Terminology

In contrast to the light-hearted earlier installments of the series, Final Fantasy 16 adopts a grimmer and more melancholic tone, mirroring the medieval atmosphere of “Game of Thrones”. The game’s setting is steeped in dark fantasy, and the Iron Kingdom showcases a medieval Celtic ambiance, featuring a powerful fortress known as Caer Norvent. Interestingly, “Caer” translates to “castle” in Welsh, making the English equivalent akin to Castle Norvent.

It’s worth noting that Ironblood Fanatics, along with the optional bosses known as the Mageth Brothers in Final Fantasy 16, share a combat move named Crea Y Cwm, which means “create the valley.” Given its resemblance to the atmosphere of Game of Thrones, it’s no wonder that the game draws inspiration from Celtic, Welsh, and European medieval history.

2 Drakengard

A World And A Protagonist With Welsh Inspirations

Drakengard represents a grim and adult tale unfolding in the same world as the Nier series, offering an action RPG experience. The narrative is rich with complex characters, multiple conclusion scenarios, and gameplay focusing primarily on ground combat and aerial battles when mounted on a dragon. Players assume the persona of Caim, a warrior prince who must forge a life-preserving bond with a dragon that could have annihilated his empire and claimed the lives of his kin.

As a gamer immersed in this captivating world, I’ve come to know the realm as Caerleon – a name echoing the historical town of Newport, Wales. This place is where the Roman fortress, Isca Augusta, and an Iron Age hillfort stand, making it a cornerstone in British archaeological history. Interestingly, my character’s name, Caim, bears resemblance to the Welsh name Cai, which is quite common in predominantly Welsh-speaking regions of Wales.

1 Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch

Prominent Use Of South Wales Dialect

Ni no Kuni is a fantasy JRPG developed by the same team behind Dragon Quest 8, and featuring animated cut scenes by Studio Ghibli. It’s a timeless coming-of-age story with beautiful cartoon-style graphics and an incredible soundtrack. Players take on the role of a 13-year-old boy named Oliver as he travels between his hometown, which resembles American towns from the 1950s, to a fantasy realm of magic, witches, monsters, dragons, and fairies.

In the game Ni no Kuni, the fairies have distinctive accents and dialects reminiscent of the South Wales Valleys. Drippy, Oliver’s fairy companion, is voiced by renowned Welsh actor Stefan Rhodri, known for his roles in House of the Dragon and The Last Kingdom. The localization team drew inspiration from Welsh comedian Rhod Gilbert when designing Drippy, with the decision to make him Welsh being a very organic choice. Additionally, Owain Rhys Davies, who appears in Twin Peaks 2022, and Matthew Gravelle, known for Broadchurch and Elden Ring, lent their voices to Smiley and Surely respectively.

2024-08-10 06:05