Religion in Games: Lessons to Learn?

Some games these days have storylines and game play mechanics that force you to make morality decisions based on how you want your character to evolve. A few of these games force you through a certain morality play to continue the story.

An analysis of the game Assassin's Creed II delves into the historical aspects of the game and studies the Christian references, and choices, that the assassin Ezio faces throughout the game. The author played through the game and honestly records his feelings. Some of the revelations:

There were specific things about the game I really loved and can really get behind. For the most part, Assassin’s Creed 2 drives home the moral gravity of killing a human being. Each major assassination is followed up by a small cinematic in which the target dies in my arms. Ezio, our lead character, always finds it within himself to wish them peace, however hypocritical that wish may be.

In fact, it is that conflict that serves as the primary growth experience for Ezio. Rather than becoming more comfortable and hardened as the years go by, each kill brings its’ own surprises and regrets. That guy you were going to kill because you thought he was going to do something hurtful? The letter you find on his person explains that he wasn’t going to go through with it after all. Another man had a family that he loved dearly and anxiously anticipated seeing again. These people Ezio killed? They’re human beings.

The author admits to being conflicted about the game, liking some parts and disliking others in the portrayals of the characters and issues:

Maybe we can acknowledge that one of the problems with video games of this sort is that the primary mechanics have a tendency to overshadow any traditional attempt at balance. So yes, while the targets often turn out to be human beings, while the villain is probably about as evil in the game as he was historically, and while the Assassins seem to be rethinking the whole killing thing by the end of the game, the mechanics tell another story.

It is an provocative read in that an author with an admitted religious view tries to honestly dissect a game without heavy judgemental overtones.