Master Steampunk Computer Games Thread

[Dax]

The Awakened.  A Sherlock Holmes adventure, with a Lovecraftian plot.

[Dom]

One steampunkish game in development that looks interesting is Damnation. It seems to be a kind of cross between Gears of War and Prince of Persia, set in an alternate history US where the civil war has been raging for 40-odd years.

I hadn't heard about that game. Looks pretty cool.

[CaptainPhania]

Return to Castle Wolfenstein is a bit steampunk.
And, don't kill me for saying this, but Sims 1 Makin' Magic was pretty steampunk, too.
I love all the Sherlock Holmes games, except the Mystery of the Mummy one keeps crashing and I really should buy another copy.

[Druid]

Ahh good, I'm glad someone mentioned Arcanum

Speaking of which did you know they released the entire soundtrack of the game as free download MP3's?


http://www.terra-arcanum.com/sierra/media/media-soundtrack.html

[Professor Veritas]

I strongly recommend the PC games "Syberia" and "Syberia II". They're older games - they might be a little difficult to find, although I've seen them occasionally in the bargain bin at one of the big electronic stores and I've seen them on Torrent sites.

The overall story, as well as the artwork, puzzles, and characters have a great steampunk vibe.


Good Review
http://www.justadventure.com/reviews/Syberia/SyberiaBob.shtm
http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r22554.htm

And it looks like it might be being re-released for Nintendo DS
http://reviews.cnet.com/ds-games/syberia-ds/4505-10068_7-33302529.html

Some pics from both games:

Spoiler: ShowHide

Enjoy,
Prof. Veritas

[ValancyJane]

Since no one's mentioned them here yet, Penny Arcade's On the Precipice of Darkness games have a definite steampunk feel to them even though they are technically set in the in the 1920's.

[Unkillable cat]

Monster Lab for the Nintendo consoles and PS2, join the mad science alliance and create your own Frankenstein-esque freaks:

[Captain CPU]

MODERATOR EDIT -  Changed to MASTER Computer Games Thread and Stickied..
The other computer game thread has been merged into this one.
Thanks
Harold

I am new here, so something similar may have been posted, let's hope not ^^
Has anyone played any opensource steampunk games?
On switching over to Linux, the opensource game market has become more prominent to me, and so far I have found two Steampunk/Cyberpunk type games:
Beneath a Steel Sky:
A 1994 game, originally made by Virgin, but now opensource, so free for anyone to download and play legally from:
http://www.revolution.co.uk/_display.php?id=16
It's an adventure game set in a weird dystopian future, which has been related to George Orwell's 1984, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and Ridley Scott's Blade Runner, with a good storyline and bad but incredibly comical jokes all the way through. It's similar to such other old games as "Simon the Sorcerer" and "Monkey Island" in gameplay.
Also:
20,000 Light Years Into Space:
http://www.jwhitham.org.uk/20kly/
This is a fun strategy game which is based up in building a city purely powered on steam on a different planet. Although the graphics are basic, this game is really fun!

Both these games can be downloaded and played for free, and due to the style of them can be run on any machine. The former requires the ScummVM emulator (program) to make it run, because it is too old for most computers nowadays. Check them out =D
I will keep my eyes open for more games floating around and post them here!

[Monti Christo]

For an extremely steampunk gameplay experience, I have to suggest "Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura."
I don't know if the game itself is available in a freeware version, but the soundtrack is, here:
http://www.terra-arcanum.com/sierra/media/media-soundtrack.html 
The game itself is an interesting mash-up of the fantasy genre in steampunk gear. The soundtrack adds to the overall mood of the game, being composed mainly for strings.
If you've never played it, you're in for a treat.

[Captain CPU]

*Is excited to try it*. Sounds fun! I will check it out

[Monti Christo]

This thread has actually got me back into playing Arcanum. It's been years, but it's still a great game.
Just thought I'd mention that the game "Champions; return to arms" has an entire clockwork level. It's pretty wild.

[Doc Rivets]

I strongly recommend the PC games "Syberia" and "Syberia II". They're older games - they might be a little difficult to find, although I've seen them occasionally in the bargain bin at one of the big electronic stores and I've seen them on Torrent sites.

The overall story, as well as the artwork, puzzles, and characters have a great steampunk vibe.


Enjoy,
Prof. Veritas

THANK YOU! I had only recently heard about this one, and wanted to get it for my wife for christmas. Theres also a syberia II and I found I can get BOTH as a boxed set here in Aus for $43...happy happy joy joy

Doc

[Capn Danger]

Well, the Thief series has some definite steampunk elements. Wild Arms has a bit of weird west going on.

I was playing through Fallout 3 the past few weeks, and my character built a steam-powered rifle that fires railway spikes, and toots like a steam whistle when fired! One town is built out of old airplane parts, and a rusty turbine engine is used to open the town gates. My character wore a helmet made from a gas mask, welder's visor, and a fireman's helmet. The game is definitely more post-apoc sci-fi or dieselpunk, but it has some steampunk elements in there.

[Capn Danger]

I'll throw a second vote in for Arcanum. That game has been a fav of mine for many years. Its actually just a really good game, which also happens to be steampunk in a major way.

[Monti Christo]

I haven't played it in a while, but crimson skies is basically "airship punk." It's probably not steamy enough to be classified as steampunk, but I do recall an airship level and a train level.

[Nillerus]

As far as real, thoroughbred steampunk games go, arcanum is the only real contender as far as I am concerned. There are other noteworthies, all mentioned here, except for Project: Nomads.

http://www.radonlabs.de/gamesprojectnomads.html

The game itself is worth a playthrough, although it has huge and glaring flaws.

As for partial steampunk stylings; The gnomish tinkerers in World of Warcraft. Am I the only one to think them worthy of mention?

Ah, it seems my love for Arcanum has been rekindled once more. Ta.

[Nillerus]

I second (third?) the motion for Arcanum. The graphics are of course outdated by todays standards, they were dated when the game came out to be honest, yet it is one of the best RPG's I have ever played on a computer. Add to that the steampunk setting, and all is rambunctious joy.

Also, the soundtrack has to be one of the most evocative musical settings for a game yet.

/gush

[Monti Christo]

I don't know that it's particularly steampunk, but Crimson Skies has a massive airship, and a locomotive.

[Josh of Vernian Process]

As far as real, thoroughbred steampunk games go, arcanum is the only real contender as far as I am concerned.

Uh oh... now thems fightin words

I actually think that my beloved Skies of Arcadia could run circles around the "so-called" Steampunk stylings of Arcanum.

Do you take part in epic airship combat (on a regular basis) in Arcanum? I think not!

[Josh of Vernian Process]

I think we should just sticky one the five different threads with the exact same topic

[Nillerus]

As far as real, thoroughbred steampunk games go, arcanum is the only real contender as far as I am concerned.

Uh oh... now thems fightin words

I actually think that my beloved Skies of Arcadia could run circles around the "so-called" Steampunk stylings of Arcanum.

Do you take part in epic airship combat (on a regular basis) in Arcanum? I think not!

Sir, I retract my words until further notice. I haven't actually played Skies of Arcadia as of yet. I shall endeavour to get my grubby fingers on it, and if it falls short of your most excellent promises, we shall duel! 

[Josh of Vernian Process]

I accept!! However I'm pretty sure after you get a hold of SoA, you will lay down your arms. :p

As far as real, thoroughbred steampunk games go, arcanum is the only real contender as far as I am concerned.

Uh oh... now thems fightin words

I actually think that my beloved Skies of Arcadia could run circles around the "so-called" Steampunk stylings of Arcanum.

Do you take part in epic airship combat (on a regular basis) in Arcanum? I think not!

Sir, I retract my words until further notice. I haven't actually played Skies of Arcadia as of yet. I shall endeavour to get my grubby fingers on it, and if it falls short of your most excellent promises, we shall duel! 

[Doc Rivets]

"Crimson Skies" is NOT steampunk. It is my most loved flight sim type game (as opposed to flight sim type SIM - small but important distinction there) and probably my favourite game of all time - me being a terminal airplane junkie.

Its setting is VERY much 1930s, with zeppelin type airships, steam trains (well, 1 train) and an alternative historical time  line in which the United States dissolved into a series of disenfranchised states due to the great depression, air travel by zeppelins took off and as such, so did air piracy. The aircraft are all fantasy designs although with some real world design elements and very much capture the look of 1930s high powered air racers.

Bloody great game, I still have and cherish the original boxed game, which came with a booklet and in an actual BOX the size of a paperback! Not just a CD jewel case like now days. I played Crimson Skies 2 which was only made for XBOX and while I liked it, it wasn't a patch on the original for story or game play - it was much more arcade with "power ups" and stuff, like crash bandicoot or some such. Fun, but not the same.

So there, you have the low down. Not steampunk but bloody great game all the same.

Doc

[Monti Christo]

Fair enough. I stand corrected.
Hadn't played Crimson Skies in a loooong time, I just remembered loving it, and that there were zepplins involved.

[Nillerus]

Well said that man! It will make it easier for me to sing the praises of Arcanum to boot ^^

(Still in the process of acquiring Skies of Arcadia, but I shall not let that minor quibble stand in the way of a perfectly good passive-agressive attitude!)