Scheduled to release in early 2023, Nightingale is a highly anticipated open-world survival crafting game from former BioWare boss, Aaryn Flynn, that also sets itself apart by taking place within a Gaslamp Fantasy world. Although both this subgenre and Steampunk typically take place within a setting that mimics the 19th and early 20th centuries, Gaslamp Fantasy focuses more on supernatural elements rather than technological advancements.
Though the genre is nowhere near as popular as Cyberpunk or even Steampunk, Nightingale isn't the only Gaslamp Fantasy game that should be considered. Other titles, like Bloodborne, prove that this subgenre has great potential.
Midnight Train (2020)
Created by indie developer LydiaBluebell, who also made the Alice in Wonderland-inspired game Aria's Story, Midnight Train is a 2020 RPG Maker mystery horror game that follows Luna Wyndell, who's a mute traveler with a mysterious past. While traveling on the Midnight Express, the people around her suddenly vanish, the train stops at a building in the middle of a void, and she finds a pocket watch with instructions that tell her to find the next train before time runs out.
With the help of an amateur detective named Neil Lawton, who is also currently trapped in this world, Luna will need to explore, meet other characters, and solve puzzles if she ever wants to escape. As the journey progresses, the dark pasts behind each of the characters are revealed.
Nostalgia (2008)
Seemingly inspired by Skies of Arcadia and classic JRPGs from the '90s, Nostalgia is a 2008 JRPG for the Nintendo DS. Created by Red Entertainment, who had also developed the 2002 third-person shooter Gungrave, this game follows a young British aristocrat named Eddie Brown who is the son of a famous adventurer.
When Eddie learns that his father has disappeared, he decides to become an adventurer himself so that he can find and, hopefully, rescue his father. Together with a street urchin named Pad Remington, a haughty witch named Melody Farklight, and an amnesiac girl named Fiona, Eddie jumps onto his father's abandoned zeppelin and explores this vast 19th century world.
Arcanum: Of Steamworks & Magick Obscura (2001)
Designed by Timothy Cain, Leonard Boyarsky, and Jason D. Anderson, who all also developed the original Arcanum: Of Steamworks & Magick Obscura is a 2001 open-world isometric CRPG that combines the steampunk and gaslamp fantasy sub-genres. After the player-customized protagonist miraculously survives a zeppelin crash, they set off on a journey to uncover who attacked the aircraft and how it relates to a larger conspiracy.
Taking place in a fantasy world that's going through an industrial revolution, there's an ongoing conflict between the traditional magic and the new technology, which is reflected in the gameplay since technological machines will malfunction near powerful magic and vice versa. Even compared to modern RPGs, this classic title is still one of the most immersive examples with plenty of customization options, gameplay methods, and meaningful choices.
Forgotton Anne (2018)
Released in 2018, Forgotton Anne is a puzzle platformer with a gorgeous anime-inspired hand-drawn art-style and a breathtaking soundtrack performed by the Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra. When an object is forgotten or lost, they are transported to a magical realm known as The Forgotten Lands where they become sentient beings called Forgotlings. The game follows the titular protagonist, Anne, who's one of the two humans that exist in this world.
The other human, Bonku, is the ruler of this realm who is supposedly building an Ether Bridge that will act as a magical gateway back to the real world, and Anne is his enforcer who tries to keep the Forgotlings in check while he completes this task. But, while trying to stop a rebel group, Anne learns that not everything is as it seems.
Sunless Sea (2015)
Within the same magical Victorian-esque universe as the browser game Fallen London, is a 2015 survival roguelike where the player must explore a dangerous underground ocean known as the Unterzee. Besides being a steamship captain, everything else about the player's character, including their background and goals, are customized by the player.
While traveling across this vast ocean, the player will have to complete quests, trade goods, battle other ships, and even fight various mythical monsters. With a vibrant world and challenging gameplay, it's not surprising that this beloved game received a 2019 sequel titled Sunless Skies.
Dishonored Series (2012-present)
Developed by Arkane Studios, who have also created Dishonored is an ongoing series of first-person action adventure games that primarily focus on allowing the player to choose how they will accomplish missions. Set within the Victorian-inspired Empire of the Isles where both technology and supernatural elements co-exist, players are able to use either weapons or magic.
As either the Royal Protector Corvo Attano, the Empress Emily Kaldwin, or the former assassin Billie Lurk, the player explores the world and decides whether to deal with NPCs lethally or non-lethally. Depending on the player's choices, they'll receive different reactions, missions, and endings.
Final Fantasy VI (1994)
Being the first entry in the series to not be directed by the original creator, Hironobu Sakaguchi, and the first entry to turn away from the medieval fantasy setting, Final Fantasy VI is not only a major turning point for the franchise but also for JRPGs in general. Released in 1994 for the SNES, the game takes place in a world where magic used to exist until a conflict called the "War of the Magi" almost destroyed the planet.
Years later, the descendants of the remaining humans now live in a society inspired by the late 19th century with technology from the Second Industrial Revolution. When the Empire rediscovers magic and tries to use it to take over the world, a resistance group known as the Returners, with the help of an amnesiac half-Esper named Terra, attempt to stop them.
Thief Series (1998-2014)
Originally created by Looking Glass Studios, who also developed the Ultima Underworld and System Shock franchises, Thief is a series of stealth games that, similarly to the Dishonored series, focus on giving players options and agency. The games follow a master thief named Garrett as he unravels various world-ending and supernatural conspiracies.
As the player explores this strange world that mixes both medieval and Victorian influences, they will have to carefully monitor their noise levels and stay in the shadows to avoid getting noticed by the NPCs. Using various weapons, items, and paths, players can tackle the missions in multiple unique ways.
Bloodborne (2015)
Created by FromSoftware, who also made the Souls series, Bloodborne is a 2015 award-winning action RPG that's known for its challenging gameplay, gothic atmosphere, and environmental design. After arriving in the Victorian-inspired city of Yharnam to find a cure for an illness, the player-customized character, known as the Hunter, discovers that the town itself is plagued by a blood-borne illness that turns people into beasts.
During the night of The Hunt, the Hunter must fight their way through the horrifying monsters to uncover the secrets behind this plague. Eventually, the player discovers that the town has been dealing with eldritch beings, which gives them the blood that cures individuals of other illnesses while also turning them into beasts.
Nightingale (2023)
Despite the game still being in development, Nightingale has already helped popularize the term "gaslamp fantasy," and many potential players are already stunned by the game's vibrant art-style and potential gameplay possibilities. Planned to be released during the first half of 2023, this first-person open-world survival crafting game has the player stranded within the magical and dangerous Fae realms after the portals stopped working.
Either alone or with friends, the player must become a "Realmwalker" in order to find a way back to the city of Nightingale, which is the last haven of humanity. To survive the various biomes, the player must gather materials, craft items, build structures, fight creatures, and use Realm Cards to access new realms filled with unique discoveries.