Dystopian fiction is as much a staple of gaming as it is in movies. FromDeus ExtoPapers, PleasetoFallout, we love exploring the crumbling remnants of a crooked society with lashings of1984. But did you know there was almost a game based directly on Orwell’s classic novel?
As noted byPC Gamer, a demo of a long-since cancelled project has emerged. Some footage shows gameplay fromBig Brother(by studio MediaX), an adventure game that would have seen you take on the surveillance state as Eric Blair (George Orwell’s real name), all set to the backdrop of1984.
It began development in 1996, with it being shown off at E3 way back in 1998. It was intended as a kind of sequel to the book, and had apparently been endorsed by Orwell’s estate. However, for one reason or another, it was canned at the end of the last millennium. We’ll never know how it would have turned out, but at least we get to experience a little piece of PC gaming history.
War is peace
As you can see,Big Brotheris, very unsurprisingly, a very 90s-looking game. While you can see some connection to George Orwell’s world, such as the Party slogans and references to the Ministry of Peace, it’s not easy to see the link between the game and the iconic dystopian novel.
It was shaping up to be a first-person adventure title, with puzzles a-plenty. Its 3DFX visuals and colored lighting (something which contemporaries likeQuake 2andUnrealwere keen to show off back in the day) certainly dates it. Sadly, the developer eventually shut down in 2005, but you may play a demo of the game by downloading it fromInternet Archive.
If you do want to know what it’d be like to play a modern version of1984, the report from PC Gamer kindly points us to one you canwishlist on Steam. This game is being developed by a studio called Inner Party (of course), and appears to be continuing whatBig Brothernever got round to completing. This one will have you play as protagonist Winston Smith, and has narrative design from the people who worked onSubnautica,Talos Principle, andFTL. Based on that alone, it sounds pretty good, comrades.
