Gaslamp fantasy is the magical counterpoint to the Victorian steampunk, making it a promising setting for narratives like the upcoming survival crafting gameNightingale. Part of that scene is the prevalence ofFae creatures in Inflexion’s world. Using fairies and broader Fae creatures as a way to establish a gaslamp fantasy isn’t unique toNightingale,as the interaction between human and Fae cultures in Amazon Prime’s gaslamp seriesCarnival Rowcomes to mind. UnlikeCarnival Row, however,Nightingaletakes place in a gaslamp alternate history of our real world, one woven through with influences from Fae creatures.
Developers from Inflexion spoke with Game Rant ahead of the release ofNightingale, including CEO Aaryn Flynn, among others. The studio explained how the fae shaped the alternate history in the game, the game itself, and what players can expect from them in-game.
How Nightingale’s Fae Shape its History
Though many stories of Fae creatures depict them as tricksters, dangerous changelings replacing children in the night, or wreaking havoc like the redcap,Nightingaleunderstands that Fae, both as individuals and in their depictions throughout world folklore, are not uniform. As Flynn described,
Going into creating the world ofNightingale, we knew that the Fae are viewed in many different ways across many different cultures, untrustworthy tricksters being one of the main depictions. We leaned into that idea as well as many other beliefs about the Fae, not wanting to put them into one box. Not all Fae are the same, and players can see that as they unfold the lore of the various Fae courts.
As Inflexion has explained in the past,Nightingale’s Fae fall into two broad categoriescommon in depictions of the fair folk–the Summer and Winter Courts led by structures of nobility. Summer Fae are typically depicted as being more benevolent toward humans, while Winter Fae are seen as more hostile. InNightingale, anyone outside these Courts would be considered a Ronin.Nightingale’s Fae has had a long history with humanity, interweaving with actual historical figures and events. The full details of that relationship are for the player to discover while exploring the rich worldbuilding at their own prerogative, but some connections to real history are immediately apparent.
Nightingale’s Puck Embodies These Elements Too
In fact, one particularly important member of the Fae is Puck, who acts as the player’s primary companion inNightingale. Puck isn’t just a reference to Shakespeare’sA Midsummer Night’s Dream, but theactual Fae depicted in the play. Inflexion had fun leaning into Puck’s nature as a trickster. As Flynn described,
It was fun to lean into the trickster element of Puck. He is the player’s narrator, guide, and friend. But can you trust him? It was a lot of fun to develop his character and motivations to keep players on their toes.
Puck’s complexity reflects the complexity of Fae throughout the game. Fae will be allies, enemies, and everything in between for realmwalkers as they travel toward the lost city of Nightingale.
That complicated nature of Fae morality has also allowedNightingaleto explore some concepts of gaslamp fantasy’s broader historical backdrop, such as human hubris. Inflexion approached those common themes of gaslamp fantasy in ways that sought to explore moral complexities, and theunusual blue-and-orange moral spectrumoften associated with the fair folk affords some avenues into seeing the grey moral landscape of human history.
Fae can be an excellent fantastical tool to tackle moral questions in gaslamp fantasy, as illustrated both byNightingaleandCarnival Rowbefore it. Like steampunk,gaslamp fantasyalso makes a great medium to reckon with humanity’s history. Seeing the ways the capriciousness associated with Fae has influencedNightingale’s humanity holds a mirror to how we treat one another.
Nightingale
WHERE TO PLAY
Nightingale is a PVE open-world survival crafting game played solo (offline or online), or cooperatively with friends. Build, craft, fight and explore as you venture through mystical portals into a variety of amazing and fantastical realms.You are stranded beyond our world, cut off by the collapse of the arcane portalnetwork. This catastrophe has left you fighting to survive in a labyrinth of beautiful and dangerous Fae realms.Your goal: become a skilled Realmwalker, and navigate the web of transdimensional portals. Only then can you discover your way to the magical city of Nightingale, the last known bastion of humanity.Prepare to make your way through Faewild forests, harrowing swamps, and shimmering deserts as you unlock the portals leading deeper into the lands of Fae. Cook meals, build shelter and muster the spirit to persevere in the face of adversity.
