Pretty much like the banker's lamps, the carousels are among those elements that appear regularly in video games, either as part of the environment or as something functional that may also have some kind of "role" in the scene where it is seen. The carousel, both as an object and a concept, has something about it that is heart-warming and nostalgic, but also mysterious and spooky. Its continuous circular movement, in combination with the joyful colors and the complex design, especially when its decoration features vintage pictures that depict landscapes or portraits, give out a magical fairytale-like feel. But it is exactly these elements that can turn it into an eerie spectacle, most of the times in direct connection with the environment where it is set, the game's scenario and the sequence in which it takes part.

In The Evil Within, there are two unforgettable sequences that involve carousels. The first one is in Chapter 10, The Craftsman's Tools, where a giant carousel in the middle of a dark room full of traps, becomes a lethal construction since it has a huge blade attached to its center, which blade moves unstoppably along with it, as soon as it is set in motion. This carousel features a faded and partly damaged vintage roof, and instead of horses, it has cages with mannequins locked inside them.

A bit later, in Chapter 11, Reunion, Sebastian exits out to the city which is all completely ruined, with rubble and random objects lying here and there along the cut streets, and the only thing that seems to be "alive" is a colorful carousel that is doing its circular movement with all its lamps lit, although its base is flooded.

Both carousel sequences are accompanied by a beautiful, melancholic tune that sounds like it's coming out of an old music box, and they are both connected to Ruvik's ruined childhood and his twisted mind.

In Resident Evil: Code Veronica, a still carousel decorates the middle of a well-hidden room in the Ashford mansion. Alfred's secret "palace" is full of toys and dolls - others in a good state and others broken and dirty - and it is as if the carousel that leads to the attic shelters the disturbed childhood of Alfred's past self, since the room where it is set and the one where it leads hide important items associated to his memories.

Later on, playing with Chris, we arrive at a secluded area of the Antarctica base where there is also a replica of the Spencer Mansion. Just outside, there is a smaller carousel which looks more like a huge toy.

In Game of Oblivion from Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, the Ashford palace carousel becomes the ground of a brief battle where Claire and Steve have to face Alfred disguised as Alexia. The carousel is in motion in this sequence, along with its faint tune, and Alfred uses it as a cover as it moves while attempting to defeat his potential victims.

Another memorable carousel can be seen in the stage Soldiers Field in BioShock Infinite. It does not play a part in the action or the story, but its imposing presence at the far side of the area catches the eye from the start, and its movement is also accompanied by a vintage tune.

Two particularly creepy carousels appear in the Looney Park stage from Painkiller: Battle Out Of Hell. Not only is the appearance of the carousels absolutely ominous with their bright colours illuminating the darkness, but the insane battles that take place there transform them into hellish grounds in an instant.

Similarly, the red and golden carousel in the mission Found from DmC: Devil May Cry is anything but soothing and pleasant to look at, not to mention the numerous demons that show up when you get close to it.

In the classic game Sanitarium, an old-school carousel appears in Chapter 4, The Circus of Fools. Just like the name of the stage implies, the carousel looks and feels like it comes out of a horror movie.

A bright-colored carousel appears in the garden of an abandoned mansion in Frankenstein: Master of Death.

In Riddles of the Past, we can see a carousel in a deserted amusement park, with its colors faded and everything around it destroyed.

When the story concludes and everything is settled, the amusement park is alive again, and the carousel appears restored, with bright colors and people having a good time around it.

A most famous carousel is that which appears in the Silent Hill games. It is the Happy Carousel in Lakeside Amusement Park.

A carousel in full motion appears in Chapter 4 of The Last of Us: Left Behind. Ellie and Riley can ride it for a bit as a bonus.

While carousels can be seen in all genres of video games, their most interesting appearances are in those games that are focused in action and survival, as it is in such cases that the contrast that is created between their bright, usually playful, view and the tension of gameplay, becomes more prominent. But they are always notable elements wherever they appear, as well as points of interest and reference.
 

All screenshot by me, except:
Sanitarium, Frankenstein: Master of Death, Riddles of the Past: afterdarkmysweet
Silent Hill: AlexSheperd (Silent Hill Wiki)
The Last of Us: usgamer.com

 

 

Vintage Elements in Video Games: The Banker's Lamp

If you have played enough video games of all genres, you must have noticed in many of them the presence of a special kind of lamp that can be seen standing on desks, tables or benches. It is that characteristic old-style lamp with the green shade, that usually has a metallic body and a chain on the side with which it can be turned on and off, and it is called the banker's lamp.

The banker's lamp is an actual item that was first designed in 1909 by Harrison McFaddin and subsequently produced in large numbers to fill the needs of offices, companies but also civilian homes. As its green light was both bright and soothing, it became particularly popular in financial institutions, such as banks - which is where its name came from eventually. Its initial name, however, was a direct reference to its color and its function. It was called Emeralite - a blend of "emerald" and "light". Most banker's lamps are made with the same green shade that the original ones used to feature, but there are also blue, orange, even white ones.

Like most vintage objects that appear in video games, the banker's lamp is usually just a part of the decoration, adding to the overall atmosphere with its bright green light, if it is lit, or simply its stylish design, if it is turned off. The list of games that feature banker's lamps could go forever, as they can be seen in all kinds or genres. I have compiled just a few notable examples from action games that I have played, and afterdarkmysweet contributed with four samples from adventure games.

In Bioshock: Infinite, we can see several banker's lamps in their "natural" environment: in the Bank of the Prophet:

But we can also spot some others in various places, like in Elizabeth's tower, where the banker's lamp has a more elaborate shade design:

Random ones can be spotted on desks in other places:

In Murdered: Soul Suspect, there are banker's lamps in the back rooms of the church:

In Rise of the Tomb Raider, there is one sitting on Lord Croft's desk in the Manor:

There is one more on his study desk in the Library:

As well as on a side table in the same room, where he used to keep several items, papers and books:

In Resident Evil 6, there is one banker's lamp on the dean's desk in the Campus building:

There is one more in the same room, on a small table next to the entrance:

In the remake of Resident Evil 2, many banker's lamps can be seen in the RPD Library:

There is also a lone one on the desk of Chief Irons' private office:

In Devil May Cry 5, there are several ones in the Red Grave Library:

In Inmates, there is a banker's lamp on a bench in the Prison:

And one more on another bench in the same place:

In True Fear: Forsaken Souls 2, there is one in the doctor's office in the Asylum:

In What Never Was there is one in the grandfather's house:

As contemporary culture digs more and more into the past for inspiration and ideas, it is only natural that the game developing teams do the same. Digital art can recreate literally everything and breathe new life into elements that come from the past, more so since items like the banker's lamps are still perfectly usable today, although it's been over a century since their original creation.