I distinctly remember the first time I saw Dragon’s Lair as a kid. I was transfixed. Here was a video game; only it wasn’t. It was an animated movie in which I could play a part. Obviously, story-driven games have taken huge leaps since then. Series like Halo and Mass Effect have taken this concept light years down the path toward realism and complexity. Yet there was something about that first animated experience that I miss. Dragon’s Lair looked like The Sword and the Stone by Disney. It felt like a comic book come to life.
Last week fellow GeekDad Jonathan Liu sent me a link to The Banner Saga Kickstarter campaign with a quick “check this out.” What met my eyes when I clicked “play” brought back the wonder and awe I felt when I first saw a Dragon’s Lair console. Here is a crew of three intrepid adventurers who understand that video games can be as much about art and story as they are about the game. Plus, they have intentionally made the game to look similar to the most visually stunning of all the classic Disney Films, Sleeping Beauty.
Apparently, I am not alone. With 25 days to go they have raised $287,000 toward their $100,000 goal. Yes, those numbers are correct. The only trick now is making sure they can deliver. It is Kickstarter after all, and sometimes even the finished products don’t kick or start as well as the videos used for the campaign. I for one am rooting for them!
