The Flexibility of Games: From Engaging Narratives to Tools for Learning
Exploring how narrative is conveyed in games as well as how it has been used in the field of learning
As the potential of games to tell unique stories continued to grow, its ability to be used as a learning tool was eventually recognized as well, with numerous universities from across the globe beginning their own game studies programs. UTM also has its own game studies program, run by Bruno Veras, an assistant professor who teaches several courses related to game studies. During an event featuring narrative games made by students, I had the chance to speak with professor Veras, who told me about the courses he taught, including a new summer course going over the representation of history in games. As a historian himself, he spoke at length about how history has been used as a narrative device in games like Age of Empires and the Assassin’s Creed franchise.
Among other storytelling mediums, games are the most unique form of them all. Unlike books or movies, you are not just an observer, but part of the narrative that the game is trying to tell, which adds a layer of interactivity that will always draw people.
