A 19th-century Philadelphia smallpox epidemic and Henry David Thoreau’s transcendental retreat into the woods are the subjects of two video games awarded grants by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) on December 8, 2014.
Both of the 19th-century American history games are structured to transport users into the often unpleasant past, one where you’re a doctor combatting a deadly epidemic, the other where you step into the shoes of Thoreau where survival is as much a concern as contemplation. Pox in the City follows a web-based game released by Richard Stockton College last year, that centered on a smallpox epidemic in Edinburgh, which also got NEH funding. Walden also got early support through the NEA, and has had some prototypes of strolling the replicated topography of Walden Pond, while keeping yourself alive (here’s a video walkthrough of the most recent version).