Summary
Video games, particularly in the English-speaking world, have generally tried to be pretty generic with their cultural influences to appeal to as many people as possible. However, more and more, cultural specificity is being encouraged and rewarded with big sales, and one of the most consistently delightful cultural outputs to explore is the British.
Whether it’s a throwback to Gothic fiction or a more modern slapstick absurdity, there are plenty of great games that reference and celebrate the best part of British culture. This list is ranked both by the quality of the game and how well in integrates British culture.
In many ways,The Order: 1886is a bit of a tragedy. As one of the first wave of truly next-gen games on the PS4, it was hoped it would be the starting point of a franchise, but instead, it didn’t do well critically or commercially, and has been consigned to the dustbin of dormant IP.
That’s a really big shame, because the supernatural steampunk world ofThe Order: 1886’s vision of London is stunning and unparalled, creating one of the best depictions of London ever in video games. It’s full of British cultural specificity, andit’s retained a fanbase to this day that hopes that, somehow, it can one day return.
Standing out in the indie world is very difficult. Hundreds of games are released daily, and for every indie success that breaks through, countless more fail. The odds were againstAtomfall, but against all expectations,it succeeded and captured the gaming world’s attention.
A big reason that happened is due to its constant love and attention towards British cultural specificity. The game is made with an intimate knowledge of British culture, permeating every single element, and being choc-full of references to British cultural institutions.
By the mid-2010s, theAssassin’s Creedfranchise was suffering. There was a lot of fatigue among gamers, and even when they released great games likeAssassin’s Creed Syndicate, it wasn’t resonating.
That’s a shame, becausenot only isAssassin’s Creed Syndicatecriminally underrated, but it is the best and most accurate depiction of open-world London ever in video games. It holds up incredibly well ten years later, and the amount of historical detail would make a historian blush with excitement.
Trying to define what exactly “British Culture” even means is difficult, but one of the least controversial answers is the great literary output found across the British Isles, particularly during the 19th and 20th Centuries. No one embodies that literary brilliance more than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his Sherlock Holmes stories.
In the modern day, the Sherlock Holmes stories are a goldmine for video game adaptations, and none have paid as much time and attention to these literary classics as Frogwares. In particular,Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishmentsis probably the best game they’ve made with the IP, and celebrates everything great about British literary culture.
Sometimes, British culture doesn’t transfer well globally because, specifically in comedy, it’s so specific and idiosyncratic.Thank Goodness You’re Here!is a small indie game that decided to throw all those doubts to the wind and commit fully to the bit, regardless of whether it would translate or not.
Yet, not only is this delightful little cartoon adventure one of the most adorable games of 2024, but it’s specificity is a big reason why it broke through to the wider gaming world. It feels essentially British from top to bottom, and is one of the best examples of British culture made in recent years.
To say Peter Molyneux and Lionhead Games are controversial is probably a bit of an understatement. Yet, the reason Molyneux had such a large voice in the gaming world is that he made culturally distinct and mechanically bold games,reaching their apex inFable 2.
Inspired by fairy tales and folk stories, the fantasy world of theFablegames is dripping with British culture, humor, and wit from top to bottom. LikeLord of the Ringsbefore it, it’s hard to imagine the world ofFablemade by a studio outside of the UK. Every aspect feels like a celebration of British culture and ingenuity, and the upcoming reboot will hopefully put the franchise back in the spotlight where it deserves.
The influence of the Victorian age in global culture is hard to overstate. Even today, people remain fascinated with the sweeping technological, cultural, and political shifts that accompanied the Industrial Revolution and the British Empire, its greatest proponent at the time.
In modernity, one way of communicating this sweeping sense of change is the Steampunk genre that mixes sci-fi with Victorian aesthetics. What results are games likeDishonoredthat stews all its influences together, creating the world of Dunwall, a grimdark steampunk hellscape that satirizes the inhumanities of the British Empire, all while celebrating the working-class folk that made it happen. It’s a subtle celebration of the Victorian era that remains one of the best modern stealth games released.
Bloodborneis a FromSoftware game through and through, which means there is a lot of Japanese influence throughout, there’s no doubt about that. Even then, the Lovecraftian elements may owe more to the US’s north-eastern states than Britain. Yet Yarnham, the city upon which all ofBloodbornehinges, is all British.
Drawing heavily upon Gothic and Gothic Revival aesthetics, particularly from the 18th and 19th Centuries, Yarnham is the best Gothic city ever put to pixels, an opulent and nightmarish display of Victorian-era wealthfull of terrifying bossesand the rot that festers beneath. For a game made by a Japanese developer, few games puncture and celebrate British culture quite likeBloodborne.
