Category: Narrative themes
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Dot’s Home
Developers: Weathered Sweater, Aerial_Knight, Titan ARX InteractivePublisher: Rise-Home StoriesRelease Year: 2021Platform: Android/iOS/Mac/WinGenre: Point and Click AdventureTaxonomy: Development, Black cultural traditions, politics/ideology/history, narrative themes, Playable Black characters, Black NPCs, intersectionality; mechanics Follow a young Black woman in Detroit living in her grandmother’s beloved home as she travels through time to relive key moments in her family’s…
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DON’T GIVE UP: A Cynical Tale
Developer: Tristan BaronaPublisher: Taco Pizza Cat GamesRelease Year: 2019Platform: Switch/WinGenre: RPGTaxonomy: Development; Narrative themes; Playable Black characters; Intersectionality Trying to find success in life, a mentally ill game developer becomes wrapped up in the manifestations of his own inner demons and has to face the realities of social interaction and personal growth. interviews and other…
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Blade
Developer: HammerHeadPublisher: Activision PublishingRelease Year: 2000Platform: Game Boy Color, PSGenre: Action AdventureTaxonomy: Playable Black characters, narrative themes, voice acting/motion capture You play as Blade, a daywalking vampire, based on a Marvel character. As Blade you fight to save humanity from a vampiric presence. interviews and other media scholarship Return to List
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Beverely Hills Cop
Developer: Tynesoft Computer SoftwarePublisher: Tynesoft Computer SoftwareRelease Year: 1990Platform: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, DOS, ZX SpectrumGenre: ActionTaxonomy: Playable Black characters, narrative themes, Black cultural traditions The player takes control of Axel Foley, the main character of the series. There are four distinct sub games including a side-scrolling action game, a…
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Bebe’s Kids
Developer: Radical EntertainmentPublisher: Paramount Interactive, Motown Games, Mandingo EntertainmentRelease Year: 1994Platform: SNESGenre: FightingTaxonomy: Playable Black characters, narrative themes In this game you play as one of “Bébé’s Kids” (LaShawn or Kahlil) who fight to regain control of the Fun World amusement park. Fighting takes place in a number of park attractions. interviews and other media…
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Battlefield 1: Harlem Hellfighters
Developer: EAPublisher: EARelease Year: 2016Platform: PS4/Win/Xbox OneGenre: FPSTaxonomy: Playable Black characters; Black NPCs, Narrative themes; politics/ideology/history; fandom/community/reception Overseeing a member of the unit recounting their assignment to the French Army in advance of official U.S particpation in WW1, the Hellfighters defend against an Imperial German attack. DLC that was exclusive to pre-orders and certain special…
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Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan
Developer: Kiro’o GamesPublisher: Kiro’o Games, Dear Villagers, Plug In DigitalRelease Year: 2016Platform: WinGenre: RPGTaxonomy: Development; Playable Black characters; Black NPCs; Black cultural traditions; Narrative themes; Intersectionality; politics/ideology/history; mechanics Set in a 2D setting, in Auriona, based upon the cultures of Africa, you play as Enzo Kori-Odan, the prince of Zama, who is betrayed by his…
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Assassin’s Creed: Freedom Cry
Developer: UbisoftPublisher: UbisoftRelease Year: 2013 (DLC) 2014 (Stand Alone)Platform: PS3/PS4/Stadia(2021)/Switch(2019 Compilation)/Win/Xbox 360/Xbox OneGenre: Action AdventureTaxonomy: Playable Black characters; Black cultural traditions; Narrative themes; politics/ideology/history; voice acting/motion capture; mechanics; intersectionality In this game you assume the role of Adéwalé, a former slave who is trained as an assassin and who found freedom as a pirate. He’s…
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An Airport for Aliens Currently Run By Dogs
Developer: Strange ScaffoldPublisher: Strange ScaffoldRelease Year: 2021Platform: Switch/WIN/Xbox One/Xbox X/SGenre: AdventureTaxonomy: Development; Playable Black characters; narrative themes In a universe where you and your fiancee are the last two human beings left, you are in an airport run by dogs where a series of deep multiple-choice conversations with your fiancee occur. In the game, you…
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Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield
Developer: Aerial KnightPublisher: HeadUp GamesRelease Year: 2021Platform: Android/iOS/Linux/Mac/PS4/PS5/ Switch/Win/Xbox One/Xbox Series X/SGenre: 3D Sidescroller, PlatformerTaxonomy: Development, Playable Black characters, Black cultural traditions, Narrative themes; mechanics; politics/ideology/history Set in Detroit, you play as Wally, a man trying to escape with his family’s stolen treasure which grants him special abilities. Mechanically you perform acrobatic moves such as…