How Games Shape Our Understanding of the Past
There’s something special about playing a historical game that allows you to take a step out of the modern world and into the past. It’s like flipping through the pages of a history book, only you’re there, participating in the action on the screen. In some of these games, you might even make a decision that changes the course of history, changing the world as we know it today.
Of course, that’s all within the confines of a fictional world, but there’s still something powerful in playing out that experience in a video game. The way these games bring the past to life is what makes them so popular with gamers, allowing them to experience historical events firsthand. In this article, we take a look at some of the ways video games have helped shape our understanding of the past.
Accuracy vs. Artistic License
If you’re a history buff, you know that historical video games often walk a fine line between accuracy and creative freedom. Nobody’s going to learn all of the details of Ancient Greece or the Peloponnesian War playing Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, but they will get some idea of what that past civilization was like, which might convince them to study it more. And that’s the goal with many games set in the past. They want to maintain some historical accuracy, like architecture, clothing, and societal structures, while being fun enough to keep gamers wanting to play.
While casino games don’t usually come to mind when we think of learning about the past, many of these titles do have historical themes. With these titles, developers take some creative liberties to increase the playability of the games. Still, these games often tell a story that may then make gamers want to dig deeper into what happened during a certain period of time. The popular slot game Book of Dead is one example of a casino game that incorporates symbols from the past to add to the enjoyment. As players spin the reels in this game, they’re treated to images of Ancient Egypt, with the game taking place inside an ancient temple.
The Power of Interactive Storytelling
One of the most impressive things about the best historical video games is their ability to weave a story, creating an immersive experience that drops players off in the past. While the Assassin’s Creed series often takes creative liberties, its historical settings are highly accurate and blend well with the fictionalized narratives. Whether the game is set in the Renaissance or the French Revolution, it’s done well enough that players get a real idea of how the events unfolded and the importance of making strategic decisions to help keep civilization alive.
Interactive storytelling is common in historical games, where players get to make decisions that could lead to drastically different outcomes, all while the fate of humankind is on the line. These types of games are highly replayable because no two endings are alike. Games like Red Dead Redemption and The Witcher 3 really shine in this respect, showing how a player’s decisions can impact relationships and the larger world around them.
Educational Potential of Historical Games
While many historical games are designed purely for entertainment purposes, some go beyond that, adding an educational component. Games like The Oregon Trail and Valiant Hearts: The Great War have been used to teach people about history in an interactive way. After all, most people consider playing a video game a lot more fun than reading through a dense historical text. Still, there are challenges when it comes to making video games suitable educational tools. If a title is going to be marketed as an educational tool, its content must be historically accurate.
