Challenging Heroic Narratives of Polar Exploration in Indie Video Games

Abstract

80 Days and South of the Circle feature storylines in which polar expeditions are not represented as places for the unfolding of heroized journeys; instead, their protagonists are confronted with the limits of their agency. In contrast to common pop cultural representations that turn polar exploration into a tale of individual white European men emerging triumphant over harsh nature, both video games in question emphasize the importance of cooperation for survival. The playable characters, French valet Jean Passepartout in 80 Days and British climatologist Peter Hamilton in South of the Circle, embark on their journeys to the Arctic and Antarctica, respectively, with high hopes of heroic discovery that are soon dashed by the harshness of the polar environments. As the games’ plots progress, a critique of the European imperialist-expansionist impetus of past polar expeditions emerges through the way their representation of European explorers addresses questions of nature, masculinity, and nation.