Abstracts

The Templars do not fight for the Crown:the constructing of protagonists and antagonists in Assassins Creed III

by E (Eemi) Vanhala




Institution: University of Oulu
Department:
Year: 2017
Keywords: English Philology
Posted: 02/01/2018
Record ID: 2154756
Full text PDF: http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-201704131483


Abstract

Abstract This study examines the 2012 video game Assassins Creed III by Ubisoft. The goal of the study was to determine whether the portrayal of different groups in the game, historical and fictional, was simple and biased or fair and complex. The game was analysed by studying the way the game constructs its protagonists and antagonists and how it creates allegiance with the player character and other characters. The study aimed to research both fictional factions, the Assassins and the Templars, as well as the historical factions, the British Empire and its Thirteen Colonies in North America, and determine whether the portrayal of the factions were connected. The findings of the study suggest that the games portrayal of protagonists and antagonists is remarkably complex and additionally, the historical portrayals are fair and even overly neutral. Tiivistelm Tss tutkielmassa tarkastellaan Ubisoftin julkaisemaa videopeli Assassins Creed III vuodelta 2012. Tutkielman pmr oli selvitt, esitettiink pelin eri ryhmittymt, niin historialliset kuin fiktiivisetkin, yksinkertaisesti ja vristyneesti, vai reilusti ja monipuolisesti. Tutkielmassa peli analysoidaan tarkastelemalla, kuinka peli luo protagonistinsa ja antagonistinsa, ja kuinka se luo pelaajan samaistumista pelihahmoon ja muihin hahmoihin. Tutkielma tarkastelee sek pelin fiktiivisi ryhmittymi, eli Assassiineja ja Temppeliherroja, ett historiallisia ryhmittymi, eli Britti-imperiumia sek heidn Kolmeatoista Siirtokuntaansa, ja pyrkii selvittmn mikli niiden kuvaukset ovat yhteydess toisiinsa. Tutkielman tulokset antavat ymmrt, ett pelin protagonistien ja antagonistien kuvaus on merkittvn monipuolinen ja lisksi sen historialliset kuvaukset ovat tasapuolisia ja jopa ylineutraaleja.