Magic outside the medieval times?

[DoPo]

First off, Magicka and all DLC is part of midweek madness on Steam. And it's totally the coolest game with magic in it in existence. Just a minor plug.

But that's not the point of this thread. When I saw it, I thought "Hey, if it was set in modern days it would be the best modern day magic game..." and then I realised that there weren't any modern day (or even future) games with magic. Well, I did come up with some titles but very, very little.

So in, short, any other games that have magic but aren't set somewhere in the middle ages (i.e. the "classic fantasy" setting)?

And I want actual magic or close enough, if possible. The biotics in Mass Effect serve the function of magic but aren't one really, same with advanced tech.

Also, do you think there aren't more games with magic set in the modern day (or indeed the future)?

 

[thegrimfandango]

Arcanum I guess, sorta. Though it is partially classic fantasy but with an industrialising, steampunk setting.
Now that you mention it, it's hard to think of any I've played.

 

[Jynthor]

Anything Warhammer 40K.
Set in the future and magic is everywhere.

 

[Euryalus]

Yatzhee talked about this in Extra punctuation.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation/9460-Elves-and-Dwarves-Dont-Define-Fantasy

I really wish there was magic in a modernistic setting. Stars wars is probably one of the closest fits.

 

[DoPo]

Arcanum I guess, sorta.

First video game I thought of. OK, actually the second, the first was The Secret World. But yeah, not exactly but still, close enough - it looks like the 1700s-1800s, at least.

Anything Warhammer 40K

It was probably the fifth or so game I came up with.

I was stuck at around 10 or so, though. For reference, here are the games (sort of in order) I thought of - Mage (the Ascension/Awakening fall under here), The Secret World, Arcanum, Shadowrun, Warhammer 40K, Bioshock (let's say the plasmids are magical), 2-3 shooters with some magical abilities Where you play as psy ops or something), Second Sight (the character is psionic) ann-n-nd that's about it.

 

[Zantos]

Anything Warhammer 40K.
Set in the future and magic is everywhere.

Heretic. There is no magic within the Imperium, that's just heresy. We have only our noble psykers sanctioned by Holy Terra. And if you say anything otherwise you're likely to get a bolt to the face.

OT: I was sure I could think of something, but looking across my games the only ones I can see are technicalities like Darksiders. This may require some thought.

 

[tippy2k2]

The Dresden File books have a table top game...does that count?

The closet I can think of are either Star Wars games (Force is basically Magic anyway) or to a less extend, you could stretch Infamous and call it magic. As long as I'm stretching definitions, I'd go ahead and argue Mass Effect as well.

 

[Beach_Sided]

I would say, as mentioned above, there are quite a few modern or future games with 'magic' in them.

Magic is just instead referred to as "psychic ability", "biotics", "super powers" or even computer hacking is used instead.

 

[DoPo]

The Dresden File books have a table top game...does that count?

Yeah, I forgot to include it in my list. Mage, Shadowrun and WH40K (for the most part) aren't video games, either, but tabletop.

I would say, as mentioned above, there are quite a few modern or future games with 'magic' in them.

Magic is just instead referred to as "psychic ability", "biotics", "super powers" or even computer hacking is used instead.

I'm after actual magic. I did say, I didn't want biotics or advanced tech - indistinguishable from magic, they might be, but are not. Psychic/psionic powers are more in line with the arcane/mystical aspects of magic.

 

[Beach_Sided]

It's definitely an interesting one - technology does replace magic in modern/future games.

Do the Harry Potter games count?

Also, this is a good read.... http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheMagicVersusTechnologyWar

 

[Ranylyn]

The Force in Star Wars. Enough said.

In all seriousness, technology "is" magic in a sense. Hence why explaining "magic" via technology. In fact, many sci fi settings often introduce superstitious people who believe in magic and then prove that it's actually technology (this is VERY common in shows like Stargate.)

 

[Gatx]

Fable II and III aren't in the medieval times anymore.

Also there are plenty of JRPGs that feature traditional fantasy classes of some sort - warrior, rogue, mage, etc. in a non-traditional fantasy setting. Shin Megami Tensei, Shadow Hearts, the Final Fantasy games from VI up excluding IX, XI, and maybe XII.

 

[bluepotatosack]

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

If just being a vampire isn't magical enough, there's always the thaumaturgical Tremere. Blood magic dontchaknow.

 

[DoPo]

Do the Harry Potter games count?

I suppose.

And some of the biomod stuff in Deus Ex is a bit magical...

That's tech, though.

I think it's just in a different, less high-fantasy guise in games based in more modern times.

In all seriousness, technology "is" magic in a sense. Hence why explaining "magic" via technology. In fact, many sci fi settings often introduce superstitious people who believe in magic and then prove that it's actually technology (this is VERY common in shows like Stargate.)

Yes, but there is nothing stopping you to have people flinging fireballs alongside robots. Or even people flinging fireballs alongside normal people. And yet, it's somehow not even common to have such a setting. It's like "Oh noes, it's past the Dark Ages, quick, call that fireball 'plasma ball' and shoot it out of a weapon or something will happen!" which is dumb. Why exactly wouldn't there be fireballs and summoned demons and stuff, why should we restrict how we present the same concept based on the context?

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

If just being a vampire isn't magical enough, there's always the thaumaturgical Tremere. Blood magic dontchaknow.

I guess that would fall under Mage, or rather beside it, along with the rest of the World of Darkness. I don't feel like separating it into each game line for the sake of boosting the low numbers of the contemporary magical fantasy.

 

[bluepotatosack]

Oh, I was thinking primarily of games in the digital medium for some reason...

I'm pretty sure I can think of some more settings if that's the case. Probably.

 

[Lazy]

The Darkness is a magical being, so I guess that counts?

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

First off, Magicka and all DLC is part of midweek madness on Steam. And it's totally the coolest game with magic in it in existence. Just a minor plug.

But that's not the point of this thread. When I saw it, I thought "Hey, if it was set in modern days it would be the best modern day magic game..." and then I realised that there weren't any modern day (or even future) games with magic. Well, I did come up with some titles but very, very little.

So in, short, any other games that have magic but aren't set somewhere in the middle ages (i.e. the "classic fantasy" setting)?

And I want actual magic or close enough, if possible. The biotics in Mass Effect serve the function of magic but aren't one really, same with advanced tech.

Also, do you think there aren't more games with magic set in the modern day (or indeed the future)?

I will actually disagree, you can find plenty of games if you look for them.

Well, the Final Fantasy series has magic, guns, and robots.

Then their is the Secret Worlds, all about fighting monsters with magic and machine guns.

The problem with having magic in the future is that you can just explain away magical effects with technology without breaking the sci-fi genre.

 

[Weaver]

The obvious answer is Shadowrun. Magic is a very important part of the lore, and it currently takes place in 2074 (they keep moving up the date).

It even has dragons, trolls, goblins, etc.