On February 7, Hogwarts Legacy was released, a decidedly average open-world RPG set in the wizarding world of Harry Potter that nonetheless generated intense discourse. Critics (including myself for Vulture), highlighted the banal story, stiff character animations, and derivative open world gameplay, all while wrestling with J.K. Rowling’s malignant cultural influence. However, one area in which it was broadly agreed the game excelled was in its depiction of Hogwarts, an exquisite virtual take on the labyrinthine castle filled with hidden passages and talking paintings, as well as some of the most beautifully rendered 3D objects I’ve ever seen.
It’s worth checking out videos just to get a flavor of how beautifully constructed this digital space is. Notice the detail packed into the wizarding school’s architecture (its curving stone work and wood-paneled walls, for example) and ornaments that adorn the grand halls and corridors (armor, sculptures, etcetera). For all the game’s issues, it can at least lay claim to being one of the most richly textured virtual spaces ever created.
And then a month later, Resident Evil 4Remake arrived, delivering similar levels of digital opulence, its intricately crafted chandeliers and plushly upholstered furniture causing me to stop and gawp amid the high-octane zombie action. The level of extravagance, excess, and virtuosity of these game environments felt new. To borrow internet parlance for a moment, it struck me that video games have entered their baroque era.
LEVEL WITH YOU
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ART HISTORY
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