Historical Gaming - Tumblr Posts

Good day to everyone in the Napoleonic segment of Tumblr once again! 🌺

I humbly assume, there is no bad timing for some “Napoleonic-related-game-world-news”, so here we are. :)

Won’t describe my own gaming history as it’s another long story to tell… However, I will make a remark that I am a gamer who have enjoyed such leisure activity on many platforms - PSP-gaming, computer gaming, console gaming, phone gaming as well. Speaking of the latter, there is one game in particular that fascinates me till nowadays. It’s called “Time Princess” and it is, in a nutshell, an interactive novel with the core dress-up mechanics.

The game’s name says it all: there is a main heroin who gains the ability to relive countless stories through, pretty much, any writing source available in this world. Those stories are based on different historical epochs, mythologies, classical literature pieces and so on, and so forth. The sole requirement for each story is straight-forward simple: the main character should be… female! That’s why there are some stories based on world famous classics where the main characters went through gender swap: for example, not “Romeo and Juliette” but “Romy and Julius”; a “Swan Lake” story where prince Siegfried becomes princess, while Odette and Odile are known as Aldous and Audwin. These changes are looking not that bad, actually, and are quite enjoyable during the play through.

There are also many original stories set in modern or future times, several interpretations of famous women’ biographies (which I would never discuss on serious terms as there’s too little left from the real-life historical personalities: their characters - as well as actual historical events - go through such drastic changes for the plot’s sake that it’s sometimes impossible to recognise them at all) and classical literature adaptations with canonical female characters aka “Phantom of the Opera” or “Little Women”.

Still, I’m here to speak about Napoleonic era as always. And in “Time Princess” there are no stories based on that memorable epoch (yet, dare I say - since I’m starting to believe that there is a possibility). What made me mention this lovely game on the Napoleonic agenda, then? Well, big thanks to one specific in-game event which comes to an end soon!

In short, it was an ambitious collaboration between “Time Princess” and one of the most famous museums in the world - Musée du Louvre in all its timeless beauty. There were many wonderful activities, mini-games and other stuff to do but the best gift - best gift for all the Napoleonic era lovers, of course - came in the very end of it.

Thus, behold la grande finale (or is it better to say “das große Finale”? 😉) together with us: the magnificent set of clothes inspired by coronation robes of Marie Louise, erzherzogin of Austria, empress of the French! 🇦🇹🇫🇷🎉

The full set is called “Midnight Vienna” and makes an obvious accent on Marie Louise origins and heritage. The descriptions of each piece of clothing are unbelievably pathetic and romantic, while the historical foundation is… well… How do I put it mildly? Many fellow enjoyers of Napoleonic history would be probably crying bloody tears over that one-sided interpretation of martyrdom and excessive exaltation.

But, despite all the cringy aspects, I believe the designers and software developers made a very good job in keeping overall resemblance to the classic silhouette many love and adore!

Just look at all those wonderful details: jewellery, embroidery, simple but gracious ornaments…

It’s also noted in game that the dress itself was “freely inspired by an engraving of Empress Marie-Louise by Louis-Adolphe Portier” which is, of course, preserved in the department of graphic arts in the Musée du Louvre.

In the end, I was able to find the original engraving which was mentioned - I’m attaching it as well. 🌺

And even though I’m very, very sceptical of any biographical adaptations which may come after such lovely representation, it’s undoubtedly nice to see the reminders of Napoleonic era beauty in any spheres of our everyday lives. 😌