Things We Love!

Marginalia Hero

Image yourself wandering the fey countryside of “Medieval Europe” and battling an endless array of sword wielding rabbits, weird deer monkeys, and snails. Yes snails. This is Marginalia Hero. I love it. It appeals to everything in me that screams dork. From my dark past in Art History to my appreciation of all that’s bent and kookie.  Drawn from the real work of medieval artists from the margins of illuminated manuscripts this is a foray into the queer world of the dark ages.

The game play is basic but perfect for mobile. It’s the theme that you stay for. The joy of upgrading your faggot (OK it’s just a stick) to a pitchfork. The thrill realising your achievements when you level up to “Bellicose Peasant”. Upgrading your familiar (pet) to “Alphonso” the really weird cat. The victory of boss battles (if only there was a victory dance).

The animations are quaint. The Hero is … well … let’s just call him The Player instead of Hero. The music will never feature in a mix tape of epic game music (that’s a good thing).  The endless array of enemies are  hilarious and more so for being true depictions of the images in the margins of illuminated manuscripts.  And to riff on that “in the margins” theme it’s strangely poignant to revive art done by servants and priests that had little self expression but to doodle their strange tales in the margins of their laborious and mind numbing lives copying out manuscripts.

This game brings out the everything I love in the obscure.  Go read a Brother Cadfael mystery or if you can’t read watch Name of The Rose.

Here is a selection of links to whet your appetite:

The Snail in Gothic Marginal Warfare

https://rachaelgillibrand.wordpress.com/2016/04/24/to-flee-a-snail-the-recurring-image-of-a-knight-in-combat-with-a-snail/

Why knights fought snails in medieval art

Marginalia (The Facebook appreciation page)

Medieval Animal Data Network (Who knew that Facebook group existed!)

Thanks for reading (The Baron)

The Unsinkable Walker Bean

Thank you Aaron Renier (http://aaronrenier.com/) for being so inspiring.

Bandette

Thank you Bandette (by Tobin and Coover) for reminding me that Life should be light as air…