Date Thesis Awarded

5-2021

Access Type

Honors Thesis -- Open Access

Degree Name

Bachelors of Arts (BA)

Department

Film Studies

Advisor

Keith Johnson

Committee Members

Richard Lowry

Erin Minear

Abstract

Video games are a medium of choices, where the player has control over the outcome of their story. The direct connection between the player and their actions causes some concern over the morals video games might be teaching. What kind of behavior do video games reward? A new genre of video games raise choices to the narrative level, so that player decisions lead to branching outcomes. Players can explore the consequences of each action they take, whether good or bad, peaceful or violent. Detroit: Become Human uses narrative exploration to make an argument that peaceful actions will lead to more satisfying results than violent actions, telling an expansive, branching story which is best suited to the video game medium. Detroit takes advantage of the emotional connection created between the player and outcomes in the game by reminding the player throughout that their actions decide what happens to each character, for better or for worse.

Recommended Citation

McCants, Mary, "Life is Ours to Choose: Empathy and Choice-Making in Detroit: Become Human" (2021). Undergraduate Honors Theses. William & Mary. Paper 1599.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses/1599