Ring (video Game) - References and Differences To The Original Opera

References and Differences To The Original Opera

The four individual chapters of the game refer to the first two parts of the opera cycle, Rheingold and Die Walküre (with a different ending) and the story is, for the most part, recognisable from its source material. However, there are a number of noticeable differences.

Firstly, and most obviously, the inclusion of a science fiction backstory that precedes and concludes the game. This element was in no way part of the original Wagner opera. In the opera, Siegmund is killed while fighting his sister Sieglinde's lover, whereas in the game he is saved by Brünnhilde. In the opera, Wotan confronts Brünhilde for saving Siegmund and confines her to eternal sleep, while in the game, the circle is completed by her bringing the magic artifact to the asteroid seen at the beginning of the game.

It is interesting to note that in the midst of all the Germanic mythology contained within both the game and opera, the name of the central "viewpoint" character, Ish, is pronounced similarly to the German word "Ich", meaning "I" - representing the function of the being at hand.