Our identities are complex tapestries woven from our genetics, culture, interests, experiences, and memories. Among these threads, the media we love, especially the stories we encounter, plays a part in shaping who we are but it doesn't have to define us entirely.
Long before the printing press, libraries, or even writing itself, stories were the bedrock of human connection. Myths, legends, fables, and folklore have been passed down through generations, across vast stretches of time and space. We create and share these narratives, and in turn, they shape us, becoming the fundamental building blocks of our cultures. They instill our values, inform our beliefs, and bind us together across diasporas and against the relentless march of time. Through the stories our ancestors left behind, we remember their lives, their worlds, and their convictions.
Many myths are universally familiar - those shared across entire cultures or religions, narrating the creation of our world, the origins of life, and the tales of gods, goddesses, and spirits. Though now often enshrined in books, these narratives originated in the oral tradition, stories told around crackling campfires or sung in stirring ballads.
Stories are powerful because they’re how we remember where we came from. They take root in our families and become part of our own personal history, helping us define who we are and what we value—whether on a global scale or in our private lives.
But too often, stories about marginalized groups focus almost entirely on trauma. While this is often done to build empathy, it shouldn’t be the only perspective we see. It’s just as important to share the lighter, more joyful moments that shape a person’s life. There is so much more to the human experience than just hardship, and those other parts deserve to be celebrated too.
When people from these backgrounds challenge the status quo, it can often lead to defensiveness. However, if we want to treat videogames as a serious art form, we have to be open to critique and different points of view. Like any other medium, games only evolve when we’re willing to have an honest dialogue about them.
I believe humans are naturally wired to cooperate. At some point, we seemed to drift toward a more self-centered individualism, but I think art is the antidote to that. Real art requires a certain level of vulnerability; it’s about showing your authentic self to connect with others. That connection is what creates a true sense of belonging.
As we get older, we usually develop a better appreciation for nuance. We might have less patience for trivial things, but we also gain the ability to see the complexity in life. This kind of maturity inevitably changes the stories we choose to tell and the ones we find most meaningful.
Some videogames stand out for offering alternative, often less-accepted, historical views or deeply humanist perspectives:
Assassin's Creed (Especially the Ezio Trilogy and Black Flag)
Valiant Hearts: The Great War
Ghost of Tsushima
Red Dead Redemption
Oregon Trail
Nier: Automata
SOMA
These titles, among others, demonstrate the capacity of videogames to transcend mere entertainment, becoming powerful vehicles for diverse storytelling and deeper human understanding.
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