By: Jack Almond
When signing up for History Through Gaming with Dr. Pitt, I was very excited, but ultimately unsure what to expect. I was interested to see what direction the course went in, what games we would play and analyze, and overall everything I'd learn. Although joining the class a week later then most, I quickly chose my individual presentation game, Call of Duty: World at War, and began playing Civilization VI. This first game was difficult and like no other games I had ever played at the time. The idea of purchasing a turn-base, strategic simulation game never crossed my mind, but I'm glad this class allowed me to enjoy it. It was a difficult game to understand in the beginning, but by an hour or so into it I was addicted. My enjoyment of Civilization VI was then followed by the most exciting game of the lot, Assassin's Creed, specifically Odyssey. AC: Odyssey was an extremely difficult game that I was not particularly good at, but the overall design and aesthetic of the game was pleasing. Following Odyssey, we played my least favorite game of the 4, Empire: Total War. It wasn't that Empire: Total War wasn't fun - the live battles were extremely intriguing, as well as the concept of the game - but the overall game was very slow and monotonous. Finally, we played Tropico 6, my favorite game in the multiple we studied. Tropico 6 was, in my opinion, an easier and more light hearted version of Civilization VI and Empire: Total War. It has a clear goal, make as much money as you can for yourself while maintaining your Caribbean island.
Throughout my gameplay this semester, I was able to appreciate new historic games I would never think to play otherwise, and really learn the various amounts of historic relevancy video games hold. During my reflection on each game, I was able to realize that due to the fact that these are video games, they will never be 100% historically accurate. Video games are methods of entertainment, rather than that of a historical textbook. If each historic related video game were to contain the amount of information a single World War 2, they would become very long and monotonous, like that of Empire: Total War. In the end, historic video games should intrigue the player, allow the a glimpse into the experiences of those who participated. These games should cause players to want to learn more about the subject, the same way Tropico 6 made me do some research of my own on Communism and prejudice in Cuba.
During the semester I played the game Call of Duty: World at War as I would be presenting on it for my individual presentation. This game was extremely nostalgic for me. I enjoyed the feeling I received when I first loaded in and saw the mediocre, early 2000s graphics. The story of the game is simple, the mechanics are smooth, and the gameplay is basic. It had it flaws, but ultimately the game was phenomenal. It was one of the only games in the Call of Duty series that I had never played. Like the other games we enjoyed in class, if it were not for this course, I don't think I would've ever ended up trying Call of Duty: World at War, but thankfully I was given the opportunity. On top of the enjoyment of the overall game, I learned quite a bit from this game and the research that followed in preparation for my presentation. I learned of banzai attacks that occur frequently in the game, but were key in the attack style of the Japanese. I learned more about the Battle of Stalingrad and the Battle of Seelow Heights in Europe, as well as the Battle of Okinawa and the Attack of Makin Island. Call of Duty: World at War, along with the other games we played throughout this semester, taught me many historical facts and allowed me to live out many different experiences.
Although my major is marketing, I believe that this class helped reinforce some of the key learnings I took in from my other classes. Most believe video games give nothing of value to its player, but I believe that the games we played really helped benefit my learnings. For example, Assassin's Creed Odyssey's character point system allowed me to practice strategic planning in order to successfully execute a powerful character. Another example would be Tropico 6's requirement to properly market your island to tourists, as well as marketing yourself as El Presidente to your citizens.
All in all, I believe that this course was extremely beneficial. Although not required for my success, it opened my mind to the passion I partake in daily - video games. After taking this class I will now have a different outlook on video games. I will continuously analyze each video game's historically accuracy and take into account what I can learn from each minute I enjoy playing.