Game Mechanics

Video games and collecting things go hand in hand, and the Isis and Osiris archetype is an archetype about collecting. In the myth, Osiris, the supreme, benevolent Egyptian god and also the king of Egypt, is murdered by his brother Set -- who also just happens to the Egyptian god of supreme evil -- and Set usurps the throne.

Dismayed by Osiris's necrophilic ability to produce an heir after his death, Set cuts Osiris's corpse into many pieces and scatters them across Egypt. Isis, Osiris's loving wife (and also a fertility goddess) then begins her quest to retrieve these pieces. Upon her quest's completion, Osiris is resurrected, as he is also a god of resurrection and the afterlife. Osiris returns to aid in vanquishing Set and evil from the kingdom. Echoes of this myth can be heard not just in today's religions, but also in video games, where it could be argued that their influence resounds even more strongly.

The idea of gathering scattered pieces in order to rectify or avert some malevolence has permeated video game lore.

Jason¹ Johnson on Gamasutra about the Osiris Archetype and how it is used in many games, i.e. Donkey Kong, Legend of Zelda or Day of the Tentacle, as a plot device.

Everything we do in terms of “content” threatens the underlying core of “game” - if done correctly, everything blends seamlessly. If not, then the best art/interface/VO/story in the world cannot salvage a damaged core.

American McGee is becoming more and more my personal hero. He seems to be one of those very few game designers out there that truly believe in games as a form of art on their own.

Of course, the fact that he just recently announced a sequel to his scary, gorgeous, brilliant Alice adds to that. I think I'll have to buy a PS3 just for that alone. (Actually, I have now one. Ha!)