Posted on by Ethan Romito

Issues Explored Through Games

  1. OCD – I mentioned it last week, but I truly think there are games that can both raise awareness and actively assist with those suffering from OCD.
  2. Lack of Creativity – video games allow for those who lack creativity to start to express themselves and find it within themselves.
  3. Lack of problem solving skills – for those who lack problem solving skills, video games such as Uncharted or the new Harry Potter Hogwarts video game allow for them to work through challenges to solve problems.
  4. Bio modification – although not quite an issue in today’s age, the idea of bio modification is very much a thought in many people’s minds. Games that involve such intrigue users and allow them to see the dystopian society that is created through such.
  5. Mental Health – games such as the Flower game we played on playstation in class help users explore the depths of mental health and could be described as a stress reliever.
  6. Privacy – games that discuss or surround the idea of the government invading the public’s privacy are interesting. Example: Watch Dogs 2
  7. Collaboration – games such as It Takes Two which one game of the year a couple of years ago at the game of the year awards involve working with a partner to beat challenges.
  8. Empathy – we discussed it in class briefly, but empathy is often explore in games. It is a very undervalued topic and often times not realized by the user.
  9. Bullying – I found a game called Whisper of a Rose that is about a girl named Melrose who is bullied in school and is surrounded by the idea of not feeling understood. The story involves her imagination and the sad reality that she will eventually have to turn back to real life.
  10. War – the obvious games that stick out about War include Call of Duty, Rainbow Six Siege or even Apex Legends to an extent. However, none of these really involve the idea or explore the depths of actual issues surrounding war. A good example could be This War of Mine. I found this game and it is from a new perspective that most would not assume a war game would take. It is from the perspective of a group of civilians besieged in the city rather than a soldier fighting the war itself. Many forget (within video games) the innocent lives involved in wars. It is not always about the two sides fighting with weapons.