Summary
Little has been revealed about inXile Entertainment’sClockwork Revolution, but that hasn’t stopped it from getting plenty of attention. Of the little that has been revealed,Clockwork Revolutionlooks to contain a mind-bending story set in a world unlike any other, a feat which may up the ante when it comes to worldbuilding.
While there isn’t much to go on, save a reveal trailer and atongue-in-cheek bread teaser forClockwork Revolution, fans are already eager to step into its world. The game will tell the story of a resident of the steampunk utopia of Avalon, but utopias don’t usually last for long. Upon discovering a time travel device, the player character changes their present by venturing into the past. It seems that they will set off to explore multiple different points in the timeline of this world, altering history with each move they make. Exploring the past, present, and possibly future of Avalon has the potential to build a world that players will never forget.
Clockwork Revolution and the Butterfly Effect in Action
Many time-travel stories share a common lesson: don’t change the past. However,Clockwork Revolutionseems to be using the butterfly effect as a storytelling technique rather than a warning. The player sets a story in motion that will likely span multiple different timelines. As they change the past, it will unlock new timelines and new versions of the same areas to explore. How their actions will change the world is to be seen, but the potential of this idea is nearly limitless. Withthe premise ofClockwork Revolution, the developers have opened a Pandora’s box that could lead the story and the players in any direction. How inXile presents the multitude of story possibilities is very important to the game’s success.
Other games have explored the idea of time travel before, but few have delved deep into the act of changing the future. This player action will drive the game as a main mechanic, allowing fans to be the most important part of the narrative. So, if the player is the one changing things and driving the story, that leaves the developer only a few ways to tell the story without the player altering it. While the implications of changing the past will be visible in features likeClockwork Revolution’s changing setting, it’s really the people and places within that city whose stories the developers can control. By focusing on environmental storytelling hidden beneath the overt narrative, inXile can tell multiple layers of the story at the same time.
“… it only takes one rebellious little gear to ruin everything."- The trailer forClockwork Revolution
Worldbuilding and Rebuilding
Environmental storytelling has been used to great effect in some of themost memorable games in history. Series likeFallout,Red Dead Redemption, andThe Witcherhave all utilized the environment around the player to give the world a lived-in feeling. This often leads to some of the Easter eggs and side stories that players love talking about the most. With a game that focuses on multiple points throughout history and the way they change the world,Clockwork Revolutionhas ample room for this sort of storytelling. In this way, the world around the player becomes as much a character as any person, and also has its own story to tell.
That seems to be the way Clockwork Revolution will showcase its main narrative. By peeling back the onion of time, the player can see where the strands of stories started, how they progress, and where they end. The story ofAvalon inClockwork Revolutionwill likely have several twists and turns, requiring the player to make different changes to the timeline. But the key to great worldbuilding is letting players explore how the changes affect characters that aren’t in the spotlight. Only a game likeClockwork Revolutionthat fully utilizes the butterfly effect is able to build a world with a truly changing history. If used to its fullest potential, the worldbuilding inClockwork Revolutionmight cause a revolution in the industry as a whole.
