Revisiting Gabriel Knight. Troubled Hero and Unknowing Servant of the King of Kings

Abstract

Although the protagonist of the Gabriel Knight game series (1993, 1995, 1999) is a modern hero, Gabriel’s journey contains elements we also find in other Hero myths. Furthermore, the series contains many religious elements, supernatural motifs, as well as a more than superficial link with the story of the Messiah. Using Wendy Doniger’s theory of the micromyth as a point of departure, this article will take a closer look at these aspects of the games, as well as at how they are interlinked. The release of the remastered version of the first game also gives room to a ponder whether a new generation of players will comprehend such aspects.