Dragon Age:Origins demonstrates inclusion of diverse experiences in ways that no game has ever done before.
Back in February, in the article Black, White, and Jade: Race in Video Games, and earlier in Ethnic Depictions in Video Games, I talked about a need for video games to become more inclusive with their characters, to depict the same diversity we see in the real world in these imaginary ones. Plainly, this translates to having more non-white characters in video games, particularly as the main characters. And furthermore to have those characters exist outside of stereotypes. With the exception of games built from pre-existing properties featuring characters of color - for example, Shadowman - there are very few games with non-white human protagonists.
In Black, White, and Jade, I mention that it is not merely about skin color or other physical features, but also about culture, and about experience. Regarding so-called "black" characters, I said:
What would be required for a character to be considered “black”? Appearance could be one qualifier ... dubious due to ... the extreme diversity to be found within such a vague and subjective category.
The “black experience” could be another qualifier, as in a situation where a character is forced to face certain indignities [as a result of her ethnicity].
Jade Empire
As it turned out, I wouldn't have to wait too long, and I may even have been overdue in giving proper credit. Bioware, a Canadian company that has risen to high acclaim in recent years for producing consecutive triple-A quality games, also deserves credit for being a trailblazer when it comes to inclusion. Back in 2005, Bioware released a game called Jade Empire, one that took place in a fictional world, but that borrowed extensively - and authentically - from Chinese culture, history, and mythology. Unlike other Asian-inspired properties that feature white protagonists - the list here is endless, from Kung-Fu with David Carradine to M. Night Shymalan's whitewashing of Avatar: The Last Airbender - Jade Empire featured an entire cast of Asianesque characters - "esque" only for the fact that the game does not take place on Earth. It was evident in every detail of the game that Bioware had done their research.
Talizorah nar rayya
2007 saw the release of Mass Effect, a space opera featuring an ethnically ambiguous main character - Commander Shepherd - who players had the option of customizing to resemble a variety of different ethnicities, and to be male or female. The majority of the crew were aliens, with special mention to Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, whose name, appearance (clearly inspired by Muslim hijab), and accent invoked the Middle East.
Liara
Mass Effect challenged norms of sex and sexuality as well, with the possibility for a "lesbian" sexual encounter, and a race of aliens - Asari - who invoked human femininity, but in actuality had no separate sexes or genders. I quoted lesbian because the aforementioned encounter could happen between a female Commander Shepherd and Liara - an Asari who could be called "feminine", but who explained that she was not female. In this, the Asari might also be the closest we've come - or will come for a long time - to transgendered characters.
Sten
Finally, in 2009, Bioware released Dragon Age: Origins, a high fantasy game in a world populated by the usual suspects - humans, elves, and dwarves. At a glance, DA:O would appear to be a step backwards for the company in terms of inclusion, because there is nary a dark-skinned or almond-eyed character to be found in the world. Every character - with perhaps the exception of a random NPC or two - had European features. It could possibly be argued that one character, Sten (pictured right), for his cornrows hairstyle, was intended to invoke an African-American, but that would be a stretch, due to his otherwise European features.
Camus
There was also the character creation system, which again - like Mass Effect - allowed players to create a character inspired by a variety of ethnicities (my character is pictured left). The only trouble here is that regardless of the look of the character, the families of the character remain constant - and they invariably have a European countenance. Different world, different rules of genes and inheritance - I was willing to accept some creative liberties, although they could've taken a hint from Fallout 3, which demonstrated well how a character's family can be changed to match the player's ethnicity choices during character creation.
Hana & Rain - Fear Effect: Retro Helix
Zevran
Going further than that, the male companion in question - Zevran - was not a stereotype of the gay male, but a very complex character with a rather Ancient Greek sensibilities about sexuality - partnering with whoever he finds beautiful, regardless of gender. And unlike many depictions of "gay" male characters in media, Zevran was not defined by his sexuality, but more by his life as an assassin.Read more about:
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